Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster

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Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 66

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Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne offers a potent mixture of cosmic horror, JRPG action, and pitch-black comedy. While the game does little to justify the HD Remaster part of its title, its strengths remain evident, and this is an excellent opportunity to relive this JRPG masterpiece on a new generation of consoles.

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Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 66

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 66

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Critic Reviews for Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster

Critic Reviews

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66

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High Score - 100/100

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Average Score - 79/100

79%

Low Score - 60/100

60%

Recommended

De’Angelo Epps (Polygon)

Another change any RPG fan is sure to fall in love with is the suspend save feature, especially if you’re in the group that plans to purchase the game on the Nintendo Switch. This new addition allows players to save anywhere in the game without needing to find a save point. This makes the trial-and-error parts of the game an almost non-issue, and for Switch fans, it makes the game much easier to play on the go.

May 25, 2021 |

Full Review

Straight up, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster could have used more technical improvements. The subtle mechanical changes make it a better game without fundamentally changing it – which is a great thing because Nocturne never needed to be changed. I just wish the “remaster” part had a little more oomph to sway people who might find it dated.

May 18, 2021 |

Full Review

9/10

Chris Carter (Destructoid)

85/100

David Flynn (GamingTrend)

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is a fantastic game at its core, but does little to justify the HD Remaster part of its title. The visuals are improved greatly and being able to choose between Raidou and Dante is nice, but there are few improvements the base game desperately needed like better dungeon design.

May 18, 2021 |

Full Review

De'Angelo Epps (Polygon)

Recommended - (Read Review)

Chris Carter (Destructoid)

9/10 - (Read Review)

David Flynn (GamingTrend)

85/100 - (Read Review)

**Read all 66 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.

Read the Reviews (66 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
33bits	Euyen Esquefa Pons	80 / 100	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is a good set-up for a game that was already good in its time but never reached a particularly wide audience. With HD graphics, and a good translation, he hopes to expand the Megaten market, but remember that this is not a remake, it is a remaster, and the graphics and animations remain what they are. In addition, it is still a difficult game and already at the time with generic-style dungeons. Still, it is a remarkable game, highly recommended for JRPG and dungeon crawler lovers.	Read review
3DNews	Иван Бышонкoв	9 / 10	05-30-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III is still one of the best games from Atlus, and one of the greatest jRPGs. Dark, unforgiving, but unbelievably hard to turn off. And this great journey now available on new platforms thanks to the remastered version.	Read review
Atomix	Sebastian Quiroz	80 / 100	06-04-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is a great way to experience one of the best JRPGs of the turn of the century. However, the remastering work leaves a lot to be desired.	Read review
Attack of the Fanboy	Diego Perez	4 / 5 stars	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne remains a solid JRPG even today, but the remaster could have gone a bit further at this price point	Read review
BaziCenter	Kamyab Ghorbanpour	8.5 / 10	06-07-2021	The HD Remaster of Shin Migami Tensi III offers a lot of fun, probably paving the way for more games from the series to come to the new generation. That said, no matter how much we love revisiting this beautiful adventure, the pricing and the choice of content of this remaster is just outrageous.	Read review
Bazimag	Sina Golabzade	8 / 10	05-18-2021	Almost 20 years after it was first released, Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is still a fun and wholesome JRPG experience with some crazy and thought provoking story beats that stick with you for some time after finishing the it and entice you to try again and do things differently.	Read review
CGMagazine	Chris De Hoog	7.5 / 10	05-18-2021	If you can adapt to its ruthless approach, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is a retro JRPG that’s worth revisiting. However, the remastering doesn’t go far enough, leaving PS2 quirks intact.	Read review
Checkpoint Gaming	Lisa Pollifroni	6 / 10	05-19-2021	Though running around in circles and fighting battle after battle with samey demons can be more yawn than yay, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne is a classic that anyone who values the genre should check out, even if it’s merely to delve into the roots of this complicated, intriguing universe.	Read review
Chicas Gamers	Raúl Pinto	Recommended	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is the remaster of one of the best RPGs until date with an incredible story and demanding combat mechanics (although now there is an easy mode), but on a graphical level leaves something to be desired. This is a title that needs a lot of polishing as a remaster, but that anyone who likes RPGs, has time and patience, should play.	Read review
COGconnected	Nicola Kapron	90 / 100	05-21-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is a potent mixture of cosmic horror, religious horror, JRPG action, and pitch-black comedy. As long as you’re prepared to embrace your inner monster, it’ll be a hell of a time.	Read review
Cubed3	Renan Fontes	9 / 10	05-18-2021	Between the steep difficulty curve and unconventional story, Shin Megami Tensei III won't appeal to everyone	Read review
cublikefoot	Chase Ferrin	Not Recommended	05-21-2021	SMT3 Nocturne HD is a solid game but a poor remaster. Worth a look if you’re a fan of classic JRPGs or haven’t played it before, but don’t go in expecting all the usual bells and whistles.	Read review
Cultured Vultures	William Quant	8 / 10	06-07-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is an unforgiving, borderline nihilistic tale of ruin that doesn't even let me have fun when I try. The updates to this fourth different version are not enough to justify the price. You either see it as iconic or moronic. Either way, you would be right.	Read review
DarkZero	Dominic Sheard	8 / 10	06-15-2021	Even with my gripe with this release, this is still the best version of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, and so that within itself is a recommendation to play the game.	Read review
DASHGAMER.com	Dan Rizzo	Recommended	05-19-2021	It’s a love letter that will undoubtedly tug on emotions, and make those question their morals and ambitions. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne will always be, one of the greatest of all time.	Read review
Destructoid	Chris Carter	9 / 10	05-18-2021	Straight up, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster could have used more technical improvements. The subtle mechanical changes make it a better game without fundamentally changing it	Read review
Digitally Downloaded	Matt Sainsbury	5 / 5 stars	05-19-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne was one of the first games I ever reviewed as a game critic, back on the PlayStation 2. I was mesmerised by it then, because I found it to be a deeply challenging, but also deeply rewarding JRPG, and its dark, genuinely adult theme wasn't so common for JRPGs back then. 18-odd years later, my interest in games has shifted slightly, and I'd like to think my capabilities and depth as a critic has matured. However, this game continues to compel me. It is thought-provoking, deeply creative, and a genuinely serious JRPG. Oddly enough, one of the qualities that drew me to the original has drawn me back to the remaster: we still don't get so many of those.	Read review
Easy Allies	Ben Moore	4 / 5 stars	06-03-2021	Nocturne is a brutal but immensely satisfying journey through the apocalypse.	Read review
EGM	Mollie L Patterson	8 / 10	05-25-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster brings back one of the most celebrated and beloved entries from the Megami Tensei franchise nearly 20 years after its original debut. The original Nocturne was a heck of a JRPG in its time, and Atlus has now upgraded it with higher-resolution widescreen visuals, richer vocal tracks, and some much-appreciated quality of life upgrades. Unfortunately, it also misses some areas of the game that equally needed touching up (such as the controls and camera), and it's hard not to feel like the game deserved a full remake rather than just a remaster.	Read review
Everyeye.it	Francesco Cilurzo	8 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is a good restoration work, which is made stronger by its most solid premise: the starting game, the original Nocturne of 2004, was and remains a masterpiece in the J-RPG group to which many modern works are still inspired today.	Read review
Game Rant	Robert Dolen	3.5 / 5 stars	05-18-2021	Returning to this pivotal Atlus JRPG well over a decade after its original release, Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne HD Remaster has never been more accessible. Nocturne is unabashedly old-school, in both good ways and not-so-great ways. The gameplay adjustments and options allow for decent customization of the experience, but some of the omissions in this re-release are pretty glaring. It's not perfect, but so long as players can adjust to its rustic edges, there is a fantastic old-school JRPG in Nocturne's remaster full of quality of life changes that make it worth playing in 2021.	Read review
Game Revolution	Jason Faulkner	4.25 / 5 stars	05-18-2021	For me, Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster is worth the premium, if only because I hope it encourages Sega and Atlus to remaster more of their catalogs (Panzer Dragoon Saga, please). However, players who think they’re going to find another Persona here will be disappointed. Nocturne is one of the great traditional JRPGs, but potential buyers should know what they’re getting into before they pull the trigger.	Read review
GameMAG	Unknown	7 / 10	06-22-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III is the best game in the series, but it deserves more than what this remastered version offers in technical department.	Read review
GameSkinny	Josh Broadwell	8 / 10	05-17-2021	Shin Megami Tensei 3 remaster might show its age in some places, but its narrative excellence remains unaltered.	Read review
GameXplain	GameXplain	Recommended	05-18-2021	Video Review	Read review
GamingBolt	Will Borger	8 / 10	05-18-2021	Nocturne's PS2 origins are obvious, but players who can get past the intense difficulty curve and barebones plot will find a great RPG that rewards mastery of its combat systems.	Read review
GamingTrend	David Flynn	85 / 100	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is a fantastic game at its core, but does little to justify the HD Remaster part of its title. The visuals are improved greatly and being able to choose between Raidou and Dante is nice, but there are few improvements the base game desperately needed like better dungeon design.	Read review
GearNuke	Danial Arshad Khan	9 / 10	05-26-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is dated, has technical issues and unforgiving however its also one of the most fun games I've played this year.	Read review
God is a Geek	Lyle Carr	8.5 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is as great now as it ever was, but doesn't have much new for returning fans.	Read review
Hardcore Gamer	Adam Beck	4 / 5 stars	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is an apocalyptic blast from the past that goes beyond what we could have hoped for in celebration of the cult classic.	Read review
IGN Italy	Majkol Robuschi	8 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster looks more like a port than a remaster, but its strengths remain evident while considering a technical sector comparable to that of the original edition.	Read review
Impulsegamer	Alex Prakken	3.75 / 5 stars	05-25-2021	An underwhelming port of a cult classic.	Read review
JVL	Julius007	7.5 / 10	05-19-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster remains a singular JRPG with very good qualities, such as an effective combat system and a real choice left to the player during the game. But you have to know what you're getting into: a difficult game, one that doesn't forgive error and seems to remain in its 2000s. We would have liked this remaster to be a little bolder in terms of technique and above all ergonomic. It may again divide, but we believe that there is still a piece of choice in this JRPG collection.	Read review
LevelUp	Unknown	7.2 / 10	06-07-2021	A worth playing JRPG returns with much needed visual enhancements, however, it remains stuck in a bygone era.	Read review
Metro GameCentral	GameCentral	6 / 10	05-24-2021	As fascinatingly unique as it always was but this former PlayStation 2 game is showing its age and while it's still one of the best JRPGs of its era, it pales when compared to more modern titles.	Read review
MonsterVine	Spencer Legacy	4 / 5 stars	06-01-2021	It has a couple blemishes, but Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is still the best way to play one of the best JRPGs around.	Read review
Niche Gamer	Fingal Belmont	6 / 10	06-26-2021	The original was a solid 8/10, and could have been elevated higher. Instead, a publisher callously and quickly released a lazy port of a classic, because of the interest in Shin Megami Tensei V.	Read review
Nintendo Enthusiast	John Friscia	7.5 / 10	05-18-2021	When you set aside the little performance issues on Nintendo Switch and the lack of some quality-of-life additions, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is still an excellent dungeon crawler with tons of demons to experiment with and several different endings for hardcore players to find. The game feels like it's dragging on sometimes by so heavily emphasizing gameplay over story, but when the gameplay is this solid and with the world renewed in HD, it's not much of a complaint. This is quite the appetizer from Atlus as the wait for Shin Megami Tensei V continues.	Read review
Nintendo Life	Mitch Vogel	7 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III HD Remaster is indisputably the best way to play this RPG classic, but it's also rather clear that this nearly two-decade-old game is showing its age. An interesting story, enjoyable combat system, and engaging demon recruitment and fusion mechanics make Shin Megami Tensei III well worth your time, but the dated visuals, poor quality music, and occasionally unforgiving mechanics are hold it back from being excellent. We'd give this a recommendation to both longtime fans and newcomers, but with the caveat that you might want to wait for a sale before snapping this up.	Read review
Nintendo Wire	Ricky Berg	8.5 / 10	05-18-2021	For the core Shin Megami Tensei games, Nocturne is still the finest the series has to offer.	Read review
NintendoWorldReport	Matthew Zawodniak	8 / 10	05-18-2021	The wildly popular Persona franchise likely wouldn't be what it is today without Nocturne's influence, and as a fan of both series I'm incredibly excited to see this classic title be rediscovered by a new generation. I can't help but feel let down by the poor audio compression for the soundtrack, but ultimately that was just as much of a problem in 2003 as it is now. This is the best way to play Nocturne, and I think any fan of classic JRPGs owes it to themself to do exactly that.	Read review
Noisy Pixel	Jacob Kavanaugh	8 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is the definitive way to experience this PS2 classic. The updated visuals, voice acting, and quality-of-life changes make it a must-play for fans both new and returning. There are some heavy and impactful moments of storytelling telling here that have aged incredibly well, with the only downside being not having enough money to fuse demons for a Yaksini or Loki.	Read review
PC Invasion	Andrew Farrell	8 / 10	05-18-2021	SMT III remains a great game, but an inflated price tag combined with some dated mechanics might make it a harder sell for some.	Read review
PlayStation LifeStyle	Annette Polis	9 / 10	05-18-2021	SMT 3 Nocturne HD Remaster is a trip down nostalgia lane, one new and returning players will sink hours into for the full experience. Whether you stick to the main story or chase down every side quest in pursuit of power, you won’t be disappointed.	Read review
PlayStation Universe	Timothy Nunes	7.5 / 10	05-18-2021	An RPG classic makes its way back to the front lines. Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne HD Remaster has all the bells and whistles that came with the original fan favorite title. The minimal additions that come with this remaster do little to help or hurt the formula. Merciless difficulty drops the challenge too much to capture the game's magic, visuals only offer slight clean-up, and audio is still the same PS2 audio. While the game deserves better enhancements, getting Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne in a more contemporary accessible form is still worth the price of admission.	Read review
Polygon	De'Angelo Epps	Recommended	05-25-2021	Looking past my few gripes with this remaster, Atlus has done an amazing job at making this cult-classic RPG a lot more accessible for just about anyone interested, from Persona fans to players who just want to witness a great story.	Read review
Press Start	James Berich	7 / 10	05-19-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne: HD Remaster is an oddly self-aware remaster that does its best to make itself approachable for everyone by remedying most of its flaws. The new difficulty, new skill inheritance options and fully voiced dialogue all help to make the game feel modern and approachable for new audiences. It's just a shame that, for a HD remaster, it's not as visually impressive as it could be.	Read review
PSX Brasil	Luis Guilherme Machado Camargo	60 / 100	05-25-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is an extremely influential title, but by today's standards it is also an extremely frustrating experience. The HD Remaster is recommended for those who already loved the title and needed a good excuse to replay it, but for the general public it is better to wait for the release of Shin Megami Tensei V.	Read review
Push Square	Robert Ramsey	7 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster offers something a bit different here in 2021. By today's standards it's a very hardcore, old school RPG; an adventure that's both unwelcoming and uniquely intriguing	Read review
RPGamer	Luis Mauricio	4.5 / 5 stars	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is the return of a top-class game for new generations and old-timers who want to reawaken their inner demons on newer platforms with some quality-of-life enhancements.	Read review
Saudi Gamer	Unknown	7 / 10	05-20-2021	Dark JRPG in its narrative but fun in its gameplay, it brought me back to this kind of games. However at the same time, the direction did not live up to the standards on today. I recommend this game to all RPG lovers only.	Read review
Screen Rant	Scott Baird	4 / 5 stars	05-18-2021	SMT III Nocturne HD is one of the hardest games in the Shin Megami Tensei series, which is no small boast, considering how challenging the other entries can be. The remaster could have been improved with some extra QoL features to make the game less frustrating, but the core experience is still great on its own. Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is difficult but rewarding, and its strategic combat system, legions of demon allies, engaging story, and its unique world make it worth coming back to after all of these years.	Read review
SECTOR.sk	Michal Korec	9 / 10	06-09-2021	Conception'an ethereal apocalypse'is invoked and you should be nearby and and determine who triumphs.	Read review
Sirus Gaming	Casey David Muir-Taylor	8 / 10	06-08-2021	Despite a few bumpy features and frustrations, Nocturne is a game that still plays great almost twenty years later. With the addition of voice acting, remastered graphics, and its quality of life changes, it cements itself as a JRPG experience that is still worthwhile even if battles can sometimes be difficult and repetitive.	Read review
SomHráč.sk	Karel Šír	75 / 100	05-28-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne aged quiet well and despite the weak effort put into the remaster, gamers that are looking for atmospheric and difficult titles should still pay their attention to it.	Read review
SpazioGames	Gianluca Arena	8 / 10	05-18-2021	Nocturne was, and still is, one of the best JRPGs coming from Atlus's vault, and surely one to be played by younger gamers. This remaster is not without little faults, but a series of QOL improvements make it palatable even for complete newcomers.	Read review
TechRaptor	Andrew Stretch	8.5 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD draws players into an interesting world with deep combat and interesting monsters, while some aspects like late-game combat do leave a bit to be desired. Even 18 years later SMT 3 earns what praise it's been given.	Read review
The Games Machine	Danilo Dellafrana	8 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is a re-release that really does the bare minimum to justify the arrival of such an important title on high-resolution screens. Atlus has decided not to invest further time to improve and modernize the experience, forcing us to recommend the game only to those who do not own it in its original incarnation.	Read review
TrueGaming	Unknown	7 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD remaster offers its original fun experience, although the level of improvements in this version varies.	Read review
Twinfinite	Zhiqing Wan	4 / 5 stars	05-18-2021	For fans of the series or those who are already in love with Nocturne, this won’t be a problem. But for newcomers looking to get into the series, I must warn you that there is a pretty high barrier to entry here. Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne is still the best of the bunch, and if you’re willing to put in the time to learn its various mechanics, you’ll get a lot out of it. The problem is, that’s a pretty big if.	Read review
Use a Potion	Unknown	7 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III’s intriguing narrative and strategic combat are just as good as I remember, though it does feel a bit dated in other facets of its design. The visuals feel a little janky throughout for example, whilst the dungeon design is bland when compared to modern RPGs. It’s a bit overpriced too, especially since there haven’t been too many new features or refinements added to justify the price tag.	Read review
Video Chums	Mary Billington	7.5 / 10	05-18-2021	You'll definitely have fun with Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster if you're a fan of JRPGs and don't mind dark subject matter. The dungeon-crawling and battle system provide a solid level of challenge and the gameplay stays interesting throughout. However, the lack of visual detail and poor music quality will constantly remind you that you're merely playing a remaster of a PS2 game.	Read review
WayTooManyGames	Thomas Medina	9.5 / 10	06-20-2021	This is the game that set my standards for a turn-based JRPG, and revisiting it showed me why. Make no mistake, I loved Shin Megami Tensei IV, Apocalypse, and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE as well. But this one stands triumphantly as the best of MegaTen (although TMS is a solid second, salty Fire Emblem fans be damned). At least for now. Shin Megami Tensei V is on the way, and it’s coming for Nocturne‘s crown. May the best God-rejecting simulator win.	Read review
Wccftech	Kai Powell	7.5 / 10	05-22-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is less about being a satisfactory remaster and more about just bringing this fantastic JRPG onto a new generation of consoles.	Read review
WellPlayed	Nathan Hennessy	7.5 / 10	05-18-2021	SMT3 Nocturne HD Remaster realises that the less time we can spend with the cobwebs of the past by opting into the new Merciful difficulty, the more time we can enjoy this world and its story anew.	Read review
Worth Playing	Chris "Atom" DeAngelus	8 / 10	05-18-2021	Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is an average port of an exceptional title. Despite being almost 20 years old, it's still one of the best JRPGs ever made, and it still stands up favorably to the games that came after it. It's still a PS2 game at heart, but it's a rare one that has aged quite well, so it's still worth playing for the first time even without the comforting glow of nostalgia. Unfortunately, the actual HD upgrade is perfunctory and bare-bones, so what you see is largely what you get. It's basically a way to play Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne on modern systems, and it's good for that. It just could have been more.	Read review

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200X. Everyday life suddenly came to an end. Tokyo is transformed into a world of demons following an anomaly known as the “Conception”. This is the story of our protagonist’s journey through a changed Tokyo in his new body, and of he and his friends’ trials and tribulations as they seek to recreate the world.

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Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster

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