The world as you know it has ended. Tokyo lies in ruins. Lost souls wander the streets as the world struggles through a tortuous infancy on the path to a brighter — or more destructive — future.

Basically, it’s just another day in Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne.

Nearly 18 years after its original PlayStation 2 release, SMT 3 is getting the HD remaster treatment. I’ve had a little while to wander Tokyo’s desiccated remains, and while there’s still so much left to uncover, I can already say this is probably ending up on my list of top five RPGs — at least until Shin Megami Tensei V comes out.

The end of the world takes surprisingly little time to happen, as it turns out. Within the first 30 minutes of SMT 3, your normal after-school routine gets shattered by the Conception, a catastrophe that rips the world apart, destroys almost all humans, and fills the void with demons.

Not every human dies, though. Your teacher and a handful of others survive intact. You’re different, though unlike other RPGs, being the chosen one in SMT 3 means having an old lady shove a demon bug down your throat. 

That demon bug is a Magatama. Aside from granting you Demi-Fiend status, it also gives you a number of special skills. It’s not the only one, either, and it plays an important role in your strategy.

Where Shin Megami Tensei 4 ties weaknesses and character development with equipment, different Magatama influence stats growth, skill selection, and elemental weaknesses in SMT 3. You’ll get a second one barely an hour or so into the game, and it’s evident swapping between these for key fights is vital for survival.

And yes, you still have to ingest Magatama to gain their powers. It’s as gross as it sounds and then some. Occasionally after battle, for example, the Magatama will “rage” within you and grant some kind of additional effect.

However, it adds to Shin Megami Tensei 3’s atmosphere and presentation. SMT 4 leans into the post-apocalypse theme, and Persona gradually shifted away from horror. There’s a distinct sense of dread and mild horror permeating Shin Megami Tensei 3, though, giving it an identity not often found in RPGs.

Where SMT 4 has the series’ staple law, neutral, and chaos routes based on choices made, SMT 3 is all chaos. Admittedly, I haven’t seen much of the game’s broader story or how choices affect it so far, but you get a clear idea of the game’s main players early on and what their intent for the world likely is.

Fortunately, the pacing is much tighter than SMT 4, and you won’t be wandering a deadly multi-level dungeon for hours before anything interesting happens.

Fighting is turn-based with a twist. Physical attacks are lumped into types, elemental skills drive combat, and it's all centered around finding and exploiting weaknesses. Unlike SMT 4, the difficulty seems more balanced. That’s probably because the godforsaken Smirk system is absent, so enemies don’t steamroll you before you have a chance to think.

Still, like other games in the series, SMT 3 is no pushover. The signature Press Turn system grants additional turns if you exploit unique weaknesses and takes turns away if yours are exploited (which they will be) or you miss an attack (which you will). 

The key to victory lies in negotiation and fusion, though more than in Persona games. Fortunately, the remaster lets you choose skills to inherit, removing a significant hassle from the original release. Negotiation is as opaque as ever, and you get a good idea of what demons want pretty quickly. Spoilers: it's almost always your soul.

There’s also a new quick save feature, which is a huge relief when you’re nowhere near a save point and it’s already 2 a.m. The free DLC, Merciful mode, lets you tone down tougher fights if you don’t feel like grinding, since difficulty is changeable at any point during the game.

The most evident new change is the HD part of the remaster, obviously, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Character models look slick and polished, absolutely oozing with Kazuma Kaneko’s style, and the demons have never looked better.

The dungeon areas are a bit too PS2, though, and probably would have benefited from more than just improved textures. They look good — just sparse.

That’s about the only complaint I have so far. Others have reported some black screen flashing problems, though it’s not something I’ve encountered.

This is all barely scratching the surface of the writhing darkness in Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne remastered. Stick around for our full review sometime later in May.

Atlus released a new Shin Megami Tensei 3 remastered trailer highlighting the game's dark narrative, the choices facing the Demi-Fiend, and some of the remaster's enhancements. 

Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne first released on the PlayStation 2 at a time when voice acting was the exception. The remaster features voice acting, alongside visual improvements and an adjustable difficulty.

A demonic revolution called The Conception overtakes Tokyo and sweeps away life as the high-school protagonist knew it. Yet in death, there is beginning. He's reborn as a half demon, hence the "Demi-Fiend" name, and a heavy weight is on his shoulders because this is an RPG. It's not just his rebirth either.

Demons might roam the streets and wage war against the gods, but human life continues on. Key factions are determined to rebuild the world according to their will, and in traditional Shin Megami Tensei fashion, the Demi-Fiend must decide whether he serves the forces of Law or Chaos.

Shin Megami Tensei 3 remastered releases May 25 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam.

Shin Megami Tensei 3 remaster releases May 25 on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, Atlus announced late Friday. SMT 3 remaster is also coming to PC via Steam on the same day, and pre-orders are open now.

It's the first time the cult-classic demon apocalypse game will appear on a non-Sony platform, following Shin Megami Tensei IV's 3DS-only release.

Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne remaster features improved character models and backgrounds, and it also includes voice acting for the first time. Most importantly, the remaster adds difficulty options so "demons gnawing on your soul" isn't the required difficulty setting anymore.

The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic version of Tokyo where the Demi-Fiend, aka you, and two friends must try to restore order from the chaos engulfing the city — or create a new order where chaos reigns. Nocturne uses the Press-Turn combat system that Persona fans might recognize. Exploiting enemy weaknesses grants an extra turn, but enemies can exploit your weakness too.

Shin Megami Tensei 3 remaster comes in a standard edition for $49.99 and a digital deluxe edition for $69.99. The digital deluxe edition includes

• Maniax Pack with Dante from Devil May Cry
• Mercy and Expectation map pack
• Extra Merciful difficulty option
• SMT BGM pack

Those who purchase the digital deluxe edition also get access to the game four days before release.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne's release history is as twisty as its plot, but one among its several versions was one that featured Devil May Cry protagonist Dante as an optional character. Now, Atlus has confirmed the Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster will include Dante as well, but only through the optional DLC add-on Maniax Pack.

The DLC is listed for 980 Yen, which would roughly translate to $9.99 U.S.

Should you purchase SMT III's Maniax Pack, you'll find Dante basically reprising the same role as he did in SMT III Nocturne Maniax, which is the version that released in the West for PlayStation 2.

Dante has a sub-plot of his own that, as the Maniax Pack trailer shows, pits him against Demi-Fiend, but eventually Dante becomes an optional party member. His signature "Son's Oath" skill is getting a Pierce effect too, one of several attributes for physical attacks.

You'll need to choose "New Game Maniax" when you're starting out if you want Dante in your game.

If not, or if you don't purchase the Maniax Pack, you'll find another guest character from another SMT III version: Raidou Kuzunoha XIV. Raidou Kuzunoha is originally from the SMT Devil Summoner games but made a guest appearance in SMT III Nocturne Chronicle version, which only released in Japan.

So TL;DR, you can pay to have Dante in SMT III Remaster, but if not, you'll still get a special guest character.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is slated for a spring 2021 release on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more SMT III Remaster news as it develops.

[Source: Gematsu]

Today's surprise Nintendo Direct Mini focused on third-party games from Nintendo's publisher partners, and Atlus was one of them. It wasn't just one Atlus announcement either. Alongside a Shin Megami Tensei III remaster announcement, Atlus finally has a Shin Megami Tense V release timeframe.

Shin Megami Tensei V is set for a 2021 release. Whenever it does launch next year, it'll be a simultaneous worldwide release. A new Shin Megami Tensei 5 trailer accompanied the announcement, providing a brief and tantalizing look at what's to come.

The world is in ruins, which is no surprise to series fans. This time, though, the Creator is dead, and it seems the world has already fallen down the chaos route, or so the giant green demon seems to be telling the protagonist.

But there's still a range of options available. The series' signature choice feature makes a return. It's a path the protagonist can carve out and fulfill their destiny, re-shaping the chaotic world into something new.

Atlus is also releasing a Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster in Spring 2021. It's a shiny new version of the PlayStation 2 hit that turned the Shin Megami Tensei franchise into a cult classic.

In SMT 3, you play as the Demi-Fiend, part human, part demon. The rest of the world is dying, "paying for its sins" as one of the narrators says.

Demi-Fiend is responsible for navigating his way through the rubble of the old world to try and create something new, but he's also being pulled by different forces with their own hidden agendas.

We'll be keeping a close eye on both of these, so stay tuned to GameSkinny for more Shin Megami Tensei Switch news as it develops.

In an RPG, a boss battle is like a punctuation mark at the end of a dungeon or event. They can be a defining moment of a game, creating tense feelings in a player who may not have been expecting a tough battle or driving the narrative through an encounter with the primary antagonist. You tend to remember boss battles more than others, and you usually spend a lot more time in a boss battle than your run-of-the-mill encounters.

This is what makes a great boss battle soundtrack all the more important. The change from the standard battle theme to something more intense can give the player a real feeling of "shit just got real." Below are ten examples of some of the greatest boss battle themes.

Warning: This list contains mild to severe spoilers, read at your own risk.

Laughter

Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium

Uploaded by SNESosT

When this song starts, you know you're in for the real deal. The rockin' beat of the synthetic instruments playing the foreboding melody of this song really gets you amped up. You can just feel the intensity of this boss battle just from the song, and if you haven't been properly training or preparing for a tough boss fight this is certainly going to be the song that heralds your Game Over. I hope you saved recently!

Fight With Seymour

Final Fantasy X

Uploaded by CrazyMan03

Nobuo Uematsu really knows what he's doing, and this is why he's considered one of the most legendary video game composers in the business. Final Fantasy X features one of the greatest boss battle themes in the entire series, "Fight with Seymour". The spine-tingling electronic buildup at the beginning of the song that leads into the operatic vocals and finally into the intense percussion just gets you fired up when the blue haired antagonist of FFX engages you for what promises to be a challenging battle.

The pacing of the song keeps it upbeat, but the underlying theme of a dark and foreboding ambition really sinks in as the song progresses. There's nothing bad to say about this song, except that it only plays once or twice in the entire game.

Best Friend

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

Uploaded by VGMOST

With a title like "Best Friend", how could you predict such a dark and ominous song would follow? This song plays as you battle the boss at the finale of the first half of Persona Q. In a game as difficult as Persona Q you know to look forward to bosses, and the game adequately warns you as you approach the chamber of each boss, providing a save point and a chance to return to the shops and heal up. However, when "Best Friend" starts playing at the beginning of the battle with this boss, you know something is seriously different.

Compared to the previous bosses, this one is no joke, and you better take it even more seriously than the others. The dread this rock song instills in you will haunt you every time you hear it afterwards, even with the tinges of hope it might include with its more upbeat sections.

Battle! (Gym Leader)

Pokemon X & Y

Uploaded by utuber6061backup

Pokemon games are about a journey through the land, taming wild creatures and bonding with them as you face the challenges of the gyms and the threat of the organized crime gangs you might encounter along the way. This journey culminates at the Elite Four, where you'll battle to become the champion of the league. This song is the anthem that plays as you battle your way through those Gyms, facing their various themed leaders.

The introduction of this song can get your skin crawling in anticipation of the challenge you're about to face from some of the most skilled trainers in Kalos. The meat of the song keeps up a steady toe-tapping beat and the uplifting music can help you focus on overcoming the difficult battle you're in. The excitement as it builds into a full fledged anthem can instill you with the confidence you need.

Dante Battle

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne

Uploaded by wpellot

Featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series! This tag on the cover of the North American and European versions of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne has spawned a meme that echos across the internet. However, Dante's addition to Nocturne added one of the greatest battle themes in the series to the game. The first time you meet Dante you'll have to fight him, in a very unexpected encounter.

When the song fires up you know the Devil Hunter means serious business, capable of clearing out your entire team in a single round if you aren't careful. In a game as unforgiving as Nocturne, this is a serious threat. The rock tune is very befitting of both games, I could easily picture Dante flipping around and juggling a half dozen demons with his signature stylish skills in his own game as well as I can picture the Protagonist of Nocturne facing up in turn-based combat with him.

Battle Conditions

Lost Odyssey

Uploaded by Zapper101

Right from the beginning of this song you can feel the intensity, and it never drops. Nobuo Uematsu didn't screw around when he composed this brilliant piece for Lost Odyssey. Lost Odyssey can be a very punishing game if you aren't prepared properly for what lies ahead of you, and bosses are the prime example of such preparedness being mandatory!

When you hear this song kick in, you'd better hope your immortals are healed up and your mortals are well prepared to support them -- or else you're in for a beating that the main character, Kaim, will never forget. The frantic beat of the song is really emphatic about how desperate the struggle you're about to face could be, and it really sets the tone for the boss battles.

Uncontrollable

Xenoblade Chronicles X

Uploaded by Napon [OST Uploads]

This is both the first vocally driven track and the first non-turn based RPG to pop up on the list. Xenoblade X plays this track whenever you engage in combat with one of the optional bosses wandering around the world of Mira. Ranging from small to exceptionally large, these creatures are all deadly for one reason or another -- and without proper care you can find yourself walking directly into the maw of a particularly deadly monster without realizing it.

Hearing this song start up as you're wandering around the world gives you a sense of panic as you try to gauge what your best option would be, running away or standing and fighting. The vocals are gorgeous, and you just can't help but sing along once this song buries itself into your ear. Just let the beat carry you as you struggle against the hostile world of Mira.

Battle of Tribulations

Bravely Second: End Layer

Uploaded by EightGiratina

I knew I wanted to include one of the various boss themes from the Bravely series but I had a hard time choosing, they're all so good. I settled for Bravely Second's "Battle of Tribulations", as I feel it emphasizes the mood of the battle the best. As your party struggles in battle with one of the various new Asterisk -- symbols of power that grant you the ability to use special jobs -- holders in the game.

The frenetic pace of the drums and the sense of desperation the song gives off is augmented with its operatic vocal backings and glorious guitar riffs. As the song goes on, you notice that there is an underlying tone of hope that builds the more you listen to it. This song just has the perfect blend of emotional messages in it that makes it so fitting for a boss fight. Instant classic.

The Edge of Green

Radiant Historia

Uploaded by James Turner

Radiant Historia is one of those RPGs I never hear people talk about in conversations regarding the best RPGs of all time. I don't think enough people give this game the credit it deserves, and this track is a perfect example of what the game is capable of.

This boss theme is mellow compared to my previous entries, featuring both piano and violin synchronizing in perfect harmony over a heart-pounding beat that leaves you ready to do battle with the deadliest foes. Yoko Shimomura's composing work is brilliant and this is just another note on the ever expanding list of fabulous work she has done.

Megalovania

Undertale

Uploaded by Hawelo92

You know you're in for a bad time when you hear this glorious track. Honestly, I had a hard time settling on a song to pick from Undertale, as all the boss songs are just so great. They are all perfectly thematic for their respective boss along with the tone of the story at that particular point in the game. I decided to go with "Megalovania" for a couple reasons.

I feel as if this song really drives home my point about a boss song setting a mood that should make a player feel like something serious is about to happen. Additionally to my previous point, I feel as though this song is one of the best composed in the game, as well as being memorable for having appeared in Toby Fox's other work. It is simply overall just a great track, and the battle that goes with it is one of the most well coordinated and intense fights in Undertale.

These are just a fraction of the great selection of boss tunes out there to find in all the various RPGs available to us. Did I include your favorite game? Share some of your favorites in the comments.

The RPG is a genre in which you spend a lot of time battling enemies as you adventure through some of the most fantastic worlds and inspiring stories. One way to make a battle more intense and more dynamic is to pump up your player with a great tune to get them into the fighting spirit.

Many games are praised for their soundtracks, and often times we lift up the composers who came up with the musical beats we're listening to throughout our journeys. Below are just a few of the greatest examples of RPG normal battle themes, the songs that play during the majority of mundane encounters with monsters and minions alike.

The Man With the Machine Gun

Final Fantasy VIII

Uploaded by Cloud183

Final Fantasy VIII is one of the least popular entries in the series when you discuss gameplay and story. No one seems to enjoy the Draw system -- which had you spending hours in combat repeatedly using the same command to steal magic spells from enemies -- but there are two things players seem to agree Final Fantasy VIII did right: card games, and Nobuo Uematsu's music.

"Man with the Machine Gun" is the battle theme for the duration of the time which you play as Laguna, a secondary protagonist of sorts. It's upbeat and energetic, it matches well with the eternal optimist that Laguna tends to be. I remember spending hours battling enemies in the caves of the Centra Excavation Site just so I could listen to this fantastic battle theme.

The War Bell Tolls

Bravely Second: End Layer

Uploaded by EightGiratina

Random encounters are generally a lackluster event in an RPG, typically lasting no more than a minute late into the game. However, in Bravely Second you'll find that with this battle anthem at your back, you're going to want to spend a lot more time in battle. The quick tempo, wailing guitar, and operatic vocals give every battle a feeling of urgency and heroism. 

Spending time grinding EXP for your favorite jobs, or hunting for specific items is much less tedious when you have something great to listen to, and this song delivers. A small nod must be made to the amazing way the song will fade back in after using special attacks, which will cause a temporary song to play based on which character performed the attack. You may have the option to turn off Bravely Second's random encounters, but you might not want to if you really enjoy this song.

Battle! (Team Plasma)

Pokemon Black & White

Uploaded by RadiantMiku

Pokemon games have a ton of different battle themes spanning generations of games. One of the best is when you encounter a Team Plasma Grunt in Pokemon Black or Pokemon White. The electronic style, the hyped-up intro, and the sinister tone of the song all give battles with Team Plasma a very villainous feeling.

From the moment you encounter a Grunt and that pulse-pounding intro begins, you'll be in it to win it against the enthusiastic yet misguided Pokemon Rights group who are attempting to "liberate" your Pokemon from you. I even used this song as my ringtone for a year or so, it was just that good. Next time you're adventuring in Black or White's Unova region crank up the volume and enjoy the music when you encounter Team Plasma.

Mass Destruction

Persona 3

Uploaded by Bosquez88

Baby baby baby baby! Persona 3's battle theme is sort of meme status among the fandom. The rock-pop tune that plays whenever you enter battle against generic shadows is one of the most enthusiastic and positive things in the game. The blaring horns and the driving vocals, particularly during the chorus and bridge, are memorable and after a few fights, you'll find yourself singing along and humming this tune for hours after it gets stuck in your head.

Series composer Shoji Meguro is well known for his thematic soundtracks, which are strikingly different with each game and constantly changing musical genres. This jazzy song just feels like it belongs in Persona 3 and quickly became one of the greatest and most well-known battle themes in RPG history.

The Arrow Was Shot

Tales of the Abyss

Uploaded by terribletomato

In a game that has a lot to do with Hymns and music, this tune is an upbeat and inspirational romp as you battle your way through countless enemies. While the Tales series features a ton of great music from series composer Motoi Sakuraba, this one stands out a bit above the others.

The combination of electronic harmony over the rhythmic drums and low guitar gives it a very heroic feeling. Even listening to this I can hear the sounds of battle in the back of my head as the heroes perform their various Strike Artes and Magic Artes, calling out names and shouting one-liners. It's a particularly catchy tune that'll have you tapping your toes the entire time.

Normal Battle

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne

Uploaded by Merhawk102

Despite having a simple name, this battle theme from Nocturne really has a strangely eerie vibe to it. It really does a great job of emphasizing the unusual and unnatural situation the protagonist is in, wandering a demon-infested version of his home, Tokyo. 

The strange lyrical chanting over the looped electronic buzzing in the song adds to the creepiness, but in contrast, the guitar and drums really pump you up for what is most certainly going to be a tough battle, considering the difficulty of the game. Get ready to engage in some odd conversations with the demonic entities you come across and bargain with them to join you or just leave you alone.

Fight Against Monsters

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Uploaded by GilvaSunner

Mario has a long line of RPGs to pick from now, between the Paper Mario series or his adventures on handhelds with his brother in the Mario & Luigi series. However, back in the Super Nintendo era the first Super Mario game to feature the mustached plumber in turn-based combat was aptly titled Super Mario RPG.

It was an instant classic, and this battle theme was born from it. It oozes that Mario vibe, from the drum roll at the beginning to the horns and melodic bridge. Each beat of this tune just feels right at home in the Mario series of games, and it has only gotten more iconic as time goes by.

Battle! (Isaac)

Golden Sun

Uploaded by Magnus619666

Another example of a battle theme that really makes you feel heroic as you battle your way through the various monsters and baddies you encounter. Golden Sun really hits the mark with this song, the instant a battle begins and you hear that build-up at the beginning of the song you're nodding along to the beat and eager to unleash your favorite attacks on whatever unsuspecting creature has challenged you.

Fluctuating from amped-up synth instruments over the drums to beautiful flute melody into low synth tones and finally mixing it up string instruments really gives this song variety and makes it memorable. Isaac's battle theme is easily one of the greatest in the series and the entire RPG genre.

Battle 1

Chrono Trigger

Uploaded by TheOSTcorner

This is another one of those songs with an unimaginative title, but are we really going to question Yasunori Mitsuda? If you're a fan of the game it's easy to see the mental image of Crono and the others bouncing in their combat stances to the smooth beat of the drums and bass in this song. 

The quick beat is sure to get you bouncing your head to the rhythm in seconds as you're selecting the various Tech commands in whatever age you might be adventuring through at the time. The timeless tune -- pun very much intended -- really accentuates the style of the game, feeling right at home no matter what kind of monsters you're fighting or what visual setting the game throws at you. Thanks for this gem, Yasunori Mitsuda.

Deep in Coma ~ Battle in Japan

Shadow Hearts: Covenant

Uploaded by TheOstFan

Like many of the other songs I've shared with you, Shadow Hearts: Covenant's "Deep in Coma" is a perfect example of thematic tune. The eerie chanting over the guttural bass guitar and hectic drums really gets you unnerved in this horror RPG.

The unusual rhythm and tribal beat are fitting for a game where you can transform into a demon at any given moment. Despite this, however, "Deep in Coma" does a great job of making battles feel exciting and breaks the norm at the same time, making it a very memorable song. As I wrote this article, I couldn't help but want to pop Shadow Hearts into my PlayStation 2.

These are just ten examples of great RPG battle music. There are plenty of other amazing tunes out there to discover and listen to. Did your favorite make the list? Let us know over on Twitter!