TheMegami Tenseiseries is renowned for a few things in particular, like its novel demon fusion mechanics and itsincredibly difficult bosses, but the broad array of RPG mechanics found in these games make for a rewarding, if complex, experience for players.
The story is by far what makes or breaks these games, however, with the ideological and theological battles between law and chaos setting the stage for the battles to come, or the balance between work,leisure, and romancesetting the tone for thePersonagames. Considering both the impact and variation of the narrative, alongside the presence of the combat, here are some of the most replayable games in the Megami Tensei series.
Remastered for PC,Persona 3: Portablediffers from other titles in the series through the opportunity for players to select whether to play as male or female. Far from a simple aesthetic choice, the choice of gender in this game frames how NPCs interact with the protagonist, as well as what characters are romanceable.
WithPersona 3’s recent remake changinghowPersonagames are seen,P3Pis set to receive a similar newfound wave of recognition. The long playtime, dual endings, complex combat, and gender-specific details makeP3Pa game worthy of several playthroughs.
Shin Megami Tensei: Vengeancetakes the lackluster story and worldbuilding of the original title and reinvigorates it, turning it from sub-par to stellar with avariety of changes. The in-depth systems such as the monster haunts and magatsuhi rails mean that exploration and experimentation are heavily rewarded.
While SMTV has a variety of endings,only two are availablethrough the canon of vengeance, but six are offered in total if the player can manage the canon of creation, which has the updated mechanical changes fromVengeancebut lacks the same engaging story.
Strange Journey Reduxtells one of the most compelling stories in the SMT universe to date, with the many layers of the schwarzwelt revealing a bizarre reflection of the modern world. The remaster on the 3DS brings with it (alongside the ever-presentAtlus remake girl) a story that has broadened to make room for three new endings, offering the player six in total.
Beyond these six endings to aim for on subsequent playthroughs, demons in this game synergize with the protagonist based on their moral alignment running from lawful, to neutral, to chaotic, meaning that through different games, changing up the alignment of the MC leads to vastly different party compositions.
This isometric, strategy-style RPG marks the sequel within an incredible SMT subseries and one of the most celebrated SMT titles to come out of the DS era of games. The game’s compelling characters, and how they are inevitably divided along the lines of law and chaos make for a great game to play through several times over.
Beyond this, the game opens up based on the character’s choices towards the mid-late game, as opposed to right before the final dungeon, meaning there is plenty to see in subsequent runs with a different alignment and set of narrative decisions.
The punchy and powerfulPersonagameplay alone is enough to leave players enthralled for multiple runs, butPersona 4: Goldenbrings with it a deep mystery that is all the more satisfying to watch unfold after the initial resolution from the first playthrough.
Couple this with a robust bonding system that shifts how the narrative flows, alongside a slew of endings, and P4G will have gamers playing from start to finish several times over. The presence of mechanics like demon negotiation and baton passing make this an excellent introduction for players looking to get into any other megaten titles.
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturneis seen as one of the crown jewels of theMegami Tenseiseries, and rightfully so. If players are suited for the sort of challenge and pull-no-punches gameplay thatNocturneoffers, they’ll find a deeply rewarding story, a complex NG+ system that actively rewards subsequent playthroughs (albeit still turning up the difficulty), and a host of side-content that will push the demi-fiend’s skills to their limit.
Besides setting the standard forall following SMT games,Nocturnehas a host of endings that reward broader gameplay than simply picking moral choices, with character allegiances and side quest completion necessary to get some of the trickier endings.
