This year I want to start a series of blogs detailing longplays that coveted my attention. What better to start with a game that I’ve been enchanted by since high school? Introduced to me via the depths of YouTube, Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is a gothic RPG that precursored some of the most successful ATLAS games on current systems. From the core mechanics to the character designs, many features remind players of the foggy landscapes of the TV World and the Midnight Hour of Persona 3, albeit much more dismal. Indeed, we’re a long way from Inaba in space and time, in this world ready to crumble, as a demi-fiend with the task of shaping the world in his own design.
Gameplay
The enthralling gameplay of the SMT series has kept players entertained for decades now. Nocturne is no exception. While winding through deceptive dungeons, players must be certain of battle strategies from Magatama Movesets to party configuration for the next random encounter. The Magatama equipped will change stats, strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, players can fuse and recruit demons to their desire. This leaves room for a range of different parties. Perhaps a healer based protagonist and a party of physical attackers. Perhaps a full team of magic dedicated users. Perhaps a total mix. The choice is yours.
My favourite mechanic in this game is the turns system. Represented at the top of the screen, each side gets turns equal to the number of party members in the battle. By hitting a weakness, one turn is gained. By facing a resistance, one turn is lost. By passing a turn, half an turn is lost. By dodging an attack, the opponent loses two turns. And so on. This creates complexity in battle that can result in dilemmas or optimisation. Often, battles in this game are fairly unforgiving in sudden difficulty spikes and one-turn kills. The whole tide of battle can change from one misplay so this really keeps the player on their toes! Will they use their precious and sparse MP to hit weakness and gain a turn? Will they risk a critical on a physical move at the risk of a HP cut? Which order will they attack in? All is important.
Tom Tip! Draining the enemy of turns can give so many opportunities for stat boosting and recovery which is essential for boss fights. I recommend teaching hit/evasion raising/lowering moves on at least three party members. Fog Breath is a great shout and learnable through an early magatama while deliberate is great on bosses especially near the end of the game.
Story
The game starts; an incident occurs; the world ends. Nocturne plummets the players into oblivion. This purgatory is filled with darkness, deception and foreboding of what’s to come. Allies become enemies, wars break out among clans and unexpected assassins lurk around every corner.
There is a lot of depth to the story of this game and the player can ally with any character they like. It’s interesting that, while the protagonist moves around the land, everyone else does too. Just because you’re investigating the Amala Network doesn’t mean that the Mannekins are going to pause their search for a new base. At times, it can make for tenuous jumps in the narrative. Either way, this moving narrative keeps the player on edge and mindful of events past and to come.
The tone is original and sets the game aside from others in the franchise. It’s also pretty depressing. The Persona series is known for homeliness and happiness through social links and themes of enlightenment. This game feels lonely with weak links to party members that come and go. Though interesting and in line with the tone, it can feel a little unwelcoming.
Moreover, the player is given the options to ally with several different clans so there will be lots of different scenes with lots of different characters. As mentioned prevouisly, each time the character moves, the other’s make thier own moves in the background. Therefore, scenes can feel discordent and the overall narrative can be tough to follow on the first playthrough. Luckily, the chance for multiple endings encourages replayability. Upon a restart, the player may d better understand the story through seeing different viewpoints, being mindful of future events and enjoying the nuances that they hadn’t noticed previously.
Design
Another way that this game is set apart from games of it’s time are the level design. The game starts with lots of desert land and empty buildings with an eerie feeling which sets the game up for a feeling of humble beginnings and foreboding. As the game progresses, while the talk of clans, Reason and the Rebirth of the World becomes more prominent, levels become more grand with religious or mythical undertones and occasional tunnels to break up the mood. Sometimes levels are a little barren, particularly the overworld, but that’s what makes the mood for me. It would be odd if it was bustling with life after the apocalypse after all!
Character designs are iconic of the SMT universe with the manequin-like spirtes and odd-looking eyes. The main character, though a demi-fiend has a stand out design. It’s not villainous but not necessarily heroic either. It is impactful and iconic to the game and series, possibly the most iconic design to come out of a non-Persona game by Atlas. The other leaders that fuse with gods change designs but in a way that IS villainous. Their bodies become warped inhumaely and unattractively match their tyrannical manner.
Persona fans may notice that demon designs are similar to other games in the series. Though the deities as Personas are important to the games, they’re somewhat passive, only uttering a line when being negotiated or newly fused. In Nocturne, a select number are given more personality through the first-hand control and appearances as mini-bosses. Some appear as allies while others get in your way through a specific alliance. Indeed, the demons slot sensibly into this purgatory and are led by original main bosses that give this game it’s own iconography.
Summary
Overall, this is a horror RPG worthy of being remembered.
- Unique setting and atmosphere throughout the game.
- Story can feel disjointed and hard to follow on a first playthrough
- High Difficulty with lots of strategic opportunities.
