Shin Megami Tensei III HD Release Date Announced, Pre-Orders Start Today
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster gets a release date, with the game set to launch on May 25, with pre-orders (and their bonuses) now live.
Atlus announced today that Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster has a release date, with a launch coming May 25, 2021 that's being preceded by a preorder period that begins now. The Shin Megami Tensei and Persona series, both from Atlus, are frequently the subject of remake discussions thanks to both properties' iconic status among JRPG fans - and the lengthy interim between when many of them first debuted and the current year.
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne is a JRPG set in Tokyo that follows the events of the Conception, an apocalyptic event that engulfs the world in anarchy as demons and angels both make plays at control of humankind's future. Stuck in the middle of everything is the Demi-fiend, a high school student who becomes imbued with the power to alter the fate of the world. While the game's story is a selling point, another is the difficulty of the JRPG - SMT III Nocturne was a hard title, with many players who experienced the game in its original release simultaneously lamenting and praising its steep learning curve. The niche hit has certainly had its vocal supporters, however, and enough of them that Atlus recently announced a remaster project was in the works.
Atlus has now revealed the Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster release date, and it arrives on May 25, 2021 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch. SMT III Nocturne HD preorders are also now live, with players who purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game given access to the title four days in advance of its release date, meaning they get to start playing on May 21, 2021. The announcement also covered some of what players can expect from the updated game, including an alternate branch featuring fan-favorite character Raidou Kuzunoha and additional difficulty settings to help broaden the game's appeal.
The Digital Deluxe Edition of Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster will retail for $69.99 USD, and include the Raidou content as well as Dante from Devil May Cry and other meaningful bonuses. The Standard Edition of the game will retail for $49.99 USD and will be available as both a digital and physical purchase.
With the status of Shin Megami Tensei V still unclear, the release of Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is an important one for the franchise. Accessibility on Switch and PC means it can reach a much larger audience this time around, and with Persona games already finding a strong base in the West, there's a chance Shin Megami Tensei's cult classic iteration can do the same in advance of its next instalment.