There are several Shin Megami Tensei 3 endings to work toward and very few moments in the game indicating which ending requirements you’re fulfilling. You’ll make several key choices throughout the game, but which Shin Megami Tensei 3 ending you get mostly depends on a few specific decisions that are, thankfully, less difficult to miss.
There’s also the True Demon ending that steamrolls all the choices and just depends on finishing a certain dungeon first. Our Shin Megami Tensei 3 endings guide outlines how to get each ending and what it broadly entails. As such, be aware some spoilers will follow.
Shin Megami Tensei 3 Endings Explained
Shin Megami Tensei 3 doesn’t have a law, chaos, neutral system because it takes place in the chaos route. That means the game doesn’t telegraph your choices as clearly as Shin Megami Tensei 4, for example, and the endings also differ in their outcome.
Rather than an obviously lawful or neutral world, for example, you can create a world of isolation, of brutality, or even one where you enthrone the lord of chaos.
There are six endings to choose from, three based on Reasons, the philosophical driving forces behind SMT 3’s main characters, a freedom ending that restores the world, a demon ending where you reject all reasons, and the True Demon Ending.
The three Reasons are:
- Shijima (Hikawa)
- Musubi (Isamu)
- Yosuga (Chiaki)
Futomimi has a Reason as well, but he’s not associated with an ending for spoilery plot reasons.
There are a couple of points in the game that tip you towards a certain ending. You can technically ignore the other, less influential choices and still get the desired ending as long as you hit these specific flag choices. However, if you want the True Demon ending, it doesn’t matter what you flag because it ignores all other decisions.
Shin Megami Tensei 3 Hikawa Ending: The Shijima Ending
Hikawa is the man who initiates the Conception and tries to murder you at the game’s start. His Reason works towards a world of quiet harmony, where humans have no individuality or passion and work together for the greater good.
Hikawa Ending Choices
- In front of the Mantra headquarters, Hikawa asks you “Do you not agree that the world should be ruled by serenity?”
- Answer “yes” to move toward the Shijima ending
- At the Diet building, Hikawa says “Now, I’d appreciate it if you’d stand aside and cease with the interruptions.”
- Answer “Fine by me”
Shin Megami Tensei 3 Isamu Ending: The Musubi Ending
Isamu is one of your friends who arrives at Shinjuku Hospital before the Conception begins. Musubi, his Reason, strives for a world of isolation, where every living being creates their own world independent from others.
Isamu Ending Choices
- When you speak with Isamu in the Amala Network after Obelisk, Isamu asks “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a world to yourself?”
- Answer “I can relate.”
- If you chose “I can relate,” then Isamu will ask you after defeating the Temple of Amala bosses “Will you do it, for the sake of Musubi?”
- Answer “All right.”
Shin Megami Tensei 3 Chiaki Ending: The Yosuga Ending
Chiaki, your other friend from Shinjuku Hospital, has Yosuga as her Reason. Yosuga is a Reason of brutality and survival, bent on eliminating the weak so only the best specimens survive in the future world. However, the four archangels still follow its patron, Baal. Your chance to ally with Yosuga comes much earlier.
Chiaki Ending Choices
- After clearing the Assembly of Nihilo, you’ll speak with Chiaki at the Mantra headquarters. She asks “You know what I’m saying, don’t you?”
- Answer “Yeah, I get it.”
- At the end of Mifunashiro, if you triggered the first flag, Chiaki says “I know you understand what I mean.”
- Answer “I see your point.”
Shin Megami Tensei 3 Freedom Ending: The Yuko Ending
The SMT 3 teacher ending, or Shin Megami Tensei 3 freedom ending, hinges on making two choices back-to-back at Yoyogi Park after receiving the Yahiro no Himorogi. It’s later in the game than the other flag points, but you can’t have flagged any other Reason by this point if you want to get the freedom ending.
Yuko doesn’t have a Reason, but she does have a sponsor in Aradia. This ending restores the world to its pre-Conception state and is the only way to have Yuko survive.
Freedom Ending Choices
- At Yoyogi Park after obtaining the Yahiro no Himorog, Aradia asks you “Do you fear the suffering and humiliation?”
- Answer “I can take it.”
- Immediately after, Aradia asks you “Do you fear the deceit, the torment?”
- Answer “I can take it.”
- At the Diet building, Hikawa says “Now, I’d appreciate it if you’d stand aside and cease with the interruptions” just as in the Hikawa ending route.
- For the freedom ending, say “Can’t do that.”
Shin Megami Tensei 3 Neutral Ending: The Demon Ending
The SMT 3 Demon ending, aka the Shin Megami Tensei 3 neutral ending, is similar to the freedom ending in that you must support no other Reasons along the way. Flagging two or more Reasons will technically lead you toward the Demon ending as well, but I’m honestly not sure how that works.
The less influential choices exist to tip you into the Musubi, Shijima, or Yosuga endings if you flag two or more Reasons, so your safest bet is to just not align with any Reason and answer the key choices below.
The Demon ending leaves the Vortex world in its current state until the next Conception and disappoints Lucifer, your patron.
Demon Ending Choices
- At Yoyogi Park after obtaining the Yahiro no Himorog, Aradia asks you “Do you fear the suffering and humiliation?”
- Answer “I’m terrified.”
- Immediately after, Aradia asks you “Do you fear the deceit, the torment?”
- Answer “I’m terrified.”
Shin Megami Tensei 3 True Ending: The True Demon Ending
SMT 3’s true ending ignores all the choices and Reasons above and relies on you completing the Amala Labyrinth’s five Kalpas, which you can only do by defeating the game’s stronger Fiend enemies.
This must be accomplished before entering the final dungeon, the Tower of Kagutsuchi, and if you do accomplish it, there’s no way to obtain another ending regardless of what choices you flagged earlier in the game.
The True Demon Ending destroys the cycle of death and rebirth and pits Lucifer against the Great Will after you overthrow Metatron in the fifth Kalpa. It’s the most Megaten of the endings and is worth seeing via YouTube at least, even if you don’t choose it in the game.
The first Fiend encounter is the scripted fight against Matador in the Great Ginza Underpass, but the remaining Fiends are optional boss fights.
Here’s where to find the other Shin Megami Tensei 3 Fiends.
- Daisoujou: Speak with the spirit outside Mantra headquarters after meeting Gozu-Tennoh and follow their directions to Ikebukuro’s northeast sector.
- Hell Biker: Road outside Ikebukuro. Clear the second Kalpa after this to unlock the remaining Riders.
- White Rider: Outside the Asakusa save room
- Red Rider: Near the save room in the Underpass of Ginza, only after defeating White Rider
- Black Rider: Shinjuku Hospital room 204B after clearing the Obelisk
- Pale Rider: After the Futomimi incident in Mifunashiro, Pale Rider appears in Asakusa’s underground
- Mother Harlot: After the Yoyogi Park story segment, Mother Harlot appears in the North room on the park’s west side
- Trumpeter: In front of Yurakucho Station
Don’t forget to take the Menorah back to the Amala Labyrinth to unlock a new Kalpa after defeating each fiend.
That’s everything you need to know about the Shin Megami Tensei 3 endings, but be sure to check out our other Shin Megami Tensei 3 guides for more tips.
