Even though Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is almost two decades old, it’s still a worthwhile RPG. Many elements from the original still hold up today, and the 2021 version makes them even better thanks to the remaster's additions. For example, the Magatama system is great. It’s basically this game’s version of Materia from Final Fantasy VII, or it’s also like a class for the main character. 

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There are also downsides to this system, though, like how limited skill space is. It sort of makes these classes pointless. That’s just one example of how the game holds up and doesn’t in just one aspect. What else is there to compare in the game?

10 Best: Auto-Battle

Auto-battle is one of the best mechanics to find in a turn-based RPG. It’s crazy to see a game from 2003/2004 have this implemented since many modern titles don’t always use it.

It would have been nice if Atlus added a function to fast-forward battles as well in this remaster but that’s just some wishful thinking. That could always be added in a future patch. 

9 Worst: Random Battles

On the plus side, this game holds random battles in a unique way. On the bottom right side of the screen is a colored indicator. If it’s all blue then that means the area is safe and devoid of monsters. If it is red then that means a battle will happen soon.

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While that’s all well and good, it’s still hard to get used to random battles again in the year 2021. However, this game is a remaster, so given the RPG's history, this is ultimately a small gripe. 

8 Best: Terminal Transportation 

Very early on in the game players will unlock fast travel. One of the most popular and oldest RPGs around, Dragon Quest, has had this feature in its games for years via the Zoom spell. Therefore, it’s not like the warping was a revelation when Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne was originally released, but how soon it is unlocked in the campaign was pretty unique.

It usually takes a while to get Zoom or something like Fly in Pokemon. Any game with easy-to-use fast travel should be applauded, as it just makes the player's life easier. 

7 Worst: Saving

On the downside to these terminals, these are the only hard ways to save. New to this remaster is the Suspend function which technically allows players to save anywhere. Suspending quits players back to the menu though and once this save is continued, it gets erased.

It’s not as ideal as being able to save anywhere. There is also the option to suspend a console such as putting the Switch to sleep, but these are still not the most ideal ways to save the game. 

6 Best: Dante

In the original PS2 version of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne that the West got, Dante from Devil May Cry was added as an optional character. In later Japan versions, Raidou Kuzunoha from Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon replaced Dante.

That’s the standard character players will get if they don’t download the free Maniax DLC. Naturally, they should download that content as Dante fits in so well with this world. 

5 Worst: Main Character Design

The main character, whose canon name is Naoki Kashima based on a drama CD, is the worst-designed character in the game and maybe the whole series. He has no shirt, is wearing capris pants, and sneakers, and has the body of a glowing Pinocchio doll.

The design is simply weird-looking. The visual lines are kind of cool but it’s still weird to see a half-naked protagonist run around a destroyed Japan talking to demons.

4 Best: Focused On Gameplay

There isn’t much story to the game other than the initial setup. Big scenes are few and far between when compared to a game from the Shin Megami Tensei spin-off series Persona.

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That may be a loss for some but for those that love the monster-catching nature of the battles, the focus on combat will be a blessing. Sometimes it’s nice to have a gameplay-focused experience without the worry of a story weighing it down. 

3 Worst: Vague Directions 

The game’s directions are less than ideal by today’s standards. In other words, Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne will not hold the player’s hand in terms of what to do next. Talking to every NPC will probably work out for the better but even their clues aren’t always a hundred percent clear.

Thankfully, this game is almost over two decades old so there are plenty of guides online to help those in need. 

2 Best: The Spherical World

While the brown visuals of the world map aren’t striking along with the map icon, the design of this new Japan is neat. It’s a spherical world so that at any point a player can see another side of the map albeit elevated as if this took place in an Inception world.

If this were done today on a modern game, it could look absolutely mesmerizing. Again though, even with the dated graphics, this is an original design still worth praising. 

1 Worst: Plain Dungeons

There’s not much to be said about the dungeon layout. On one hand, the auto-map system is very useful, making it hard to get lost. Contrary to that though every hallway tends to look like every other hallway before it.

It wasn’t until Persona 5 that Atlus seemed to really get creative with their dungeons. Hopefully, that’ll be true for Shin Megami Tensei V as well because this game’s dungeon design is a bore. 

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