Shin Megami Tensei (SNES, 1992)

Rating: 8.5/10
My original plan was to play all of the Megami Tensei games in order of release but… I quit playing Kyūyaku Megami Tensei, a remake/compilation of Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei 1 and 2. The lack of a consistent plot and overall narrative threw me off, since all it really was was a “get from Point A to Point B” quest. So after spending a lot of time in that game, I decided to move on to the first mainline entry to the series, Shin Megami Tensei. I really enjoyed Shin Megami Tensei. I was almost instantly captivated by the opening dream sequence, and what came after made me quite invested. It all seemed like a fun and normal RPG until the apocalypse happened…


For those who didn’t know, Shin Megami Tensei is a post-apocalyptic RPG. That much I knew going in, but since I went in blind, I had no idea that the alignments existed. The alignment mechanics are definitely where the plot shines. Due to the apocalyptic setting, the plot becomes a commentary on what we would do in this situation. Some will cling on to religion for stability and hope of a brighter future, others will cower, and others will pave the way for their own destiny through the use of freewill. Because of the person I am, I went with the Neutral Route. This meta-commentary is implemented so well by the developers at Atlus.


Pros:
+ The plot
+ The cast
+ Demon negotiation

Cons:
- Enemy encounter rate
- Lazy demon designs later on
- Limited inventory space
- Repetitive music


Final Thoughts:
As a whole, Shin Megami Tensei was pretty good, but it isn’t without its flaws. The encounter rate was awful at times. It annoyed me so much that if I was on my way to a Terminal, I would teleport to it. A lot of the time you will be wandering aimlessly without an idea of where to go. I really loved the demon designs, but toward the end of the game, demons were nothing more than color swaps. Don’t get me wrong, the music was great. My only gripe is the lack of variation between tracks. After awhile, I felt like I was listening to the same two tracks over and over again. Lastly, the inventory… The inventory itself wasn’t bad, but I ended up getting a lot of items. It wasn’t really bad until it stopped me from getting story items. Although the outdated mechanics were a problem, they aren’t a factor in my rating. So do I recommend Shin Megami Tensei? Yes, but it’s quite the challenge. If you think you’re up for it, go ahead, but honestly I feel as though it should be played for the plot.