Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster
" Deep RPG with engaging combat and dark story, but a lazy port with performance issues "
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster Review
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is widely regarded as a classic and one of Atlus's best games, praised for its deep, challenging combat system and compelling dark storyline. Players appreciate the atmospheric Japanese setting and the meaningful consequences of in-game decisions, which add to the game's immersive experience. The remaster introduces quality-of-life improvements but retains the original's core gameplay mechanics, which many fans find highly engaging.
However, the remaster's port has received criticism for feeling like a lazy effort, lacking significant enhancements such as native 60fps, widescreen cutscenes, and uncompressed audio. Many players rely on community mods to fix these issues. Visual changes like new lighting and bloom effects are seen as a downgrade compared to the PS2 version. Additionally, the presence of DRM like Denuvo and issues with controller input have frustrated some users. Despite these drawbacks, the game's enduring strengths keep it highly recommended, especially for fans of the series or genre.
Highlights
Players consistently praise the game's deep and rewarding combat mechanics, calling it possibly the best combat Atlus has produced. The dark, atmospheric storyline and meaningful player choices enhance immersion. The game's music and overall atmosphere receive high acclaim, contributing to its cult classic status. Fans also appreciate the remaster's quality-of-life features, and the availability of mods that improve framerate and audio quality is a strong positive.
Criticisms
Common criticisms focus on the remaster's lack of significant graphical or performance enhancements, such as locked framerate and muffled audio. Visual changes like bloom and lighting are viewed as inferior to the original's style. The game suffers from technical issues including DRM-related performance hits and controller input problems. The steep pricing for base game plus DLC and the absence of widescreen cutscenes also disappoint many players. Some find the game punishingly difficult for newcomers without prior SMT experience.
Pros
- • Deep and engaging combat system praised as Atlus's best ever.
- • Dark, atmospheric storyline with meaningful player choices.
- • High-quality music enhances the immersive experience.
- • Quality-of-life features added in the remaster.
- • Strong cult classic status and nostalgic value.
- • Community mods improve framerate and audio significantly.
- • Atmospheric Japanese setting well-executed and captivating.
Cons
- • Port feels like a lazy cash grab with minimal enhancements.
- • Locked framerate and muffled audio degrade experience.
- • New lighting and bloom effects muddy original visuals.
- • No widescreen cutscenes unlike other Atlus remasters.
- • Denuvo DRM causes performance issues on some platforms.
- • Controller input problems reported post-update.
- • Steep price for base game plus DLC content.
Rating Criteria
Reawaken your inner demon in a modernized version of the acclaimed ATLUS classic, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster.
