Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster are generally positive. Many critics highlight the game's dark and apocalyptic narrative, which immerses players in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo overrun by demons. The story is described as intriguing, engaging, and impactful, with thought-provoking themes and complex characters. Critics such as CGMagazine and Game Revolution praise the game's ability to present morally ambiguous conundrums and philosophical choices that allow players to shape the destiny of the world. The story's weight and foreboding atmosphere, as mentioned by Press Start Australia and TheGamer, contribute to the overall appeal of the narrative. The game's simplistic plot, as noted by Attack of the Fanboy, adds to the sense of confusion and desire to uncover more, driving the plot forward. While the majority of critics praise the story of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster, there are some negative opinions regarding certain aspects. Comicbook.com mentions that pacing is a weakness in the narrative, potentially indicating that the story may feel slow or unevenly paced at times. Nintendo Enthusiast and Impulsegamer criticize the story for taking a backseat and not being the main focus of the game. They argue that the ruined world of Tokyo and the gameplay elements, such as enemy encounters and dungeon crawling, overshadow the story itself. These criticisms suggest that the narrative may not receive as much attention or development as some players might expect. Overall, the consensus among critics is that the story of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is a strong aspect of the game. It is praised for its dark, impactful, and thought-provoking storytelling, with multiple endings and choices that allow players to shape the fate of the world. Critics appreciate the game's ability to create a compelling atmosphere and immerse players in a post-apocalyptic setting. While there are some criticisms regarding pacing and the story's prominence compared to gameplay elements, these do not significantly detract from the overall positive reception of the narrative. The game's deep and intriguing story, as mentioned by TierraGamer, and its mature and interesting narrative, as noted by The Games Machine, further support the consensus that the story of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is a standout feature of the game.

The opinions of the critics regarding the gameplay of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster are generally positive. Many critics highlight the strategic depth and complexity of the battle system, which revolves around exploiting enemy weaknesses and utilizing a party of demons. The Press Turn system, mentioned by Attack of the Fanboy, CGMagazine, GAMINGbible, and Push Square, is particularly praised for its ability to encourage strategic decision-making. The fusion mechanics, mentioned by Destructoid, GamingBolt, Hardcore Gamer, Impulsegamer, Nintendo Enthusiast, and Gaming Age, add depth and customization to the gameplay, allowing players to create new and powerful allies. The recruitment system, mentioned by Hardcore Gamer, TheGamer, and Impulsegamer, is also highlighted as a fresh and engaging mechanic. However, there are some negative aspects mentioned by certain critics. Comicbook.com and The Games Machine mention frustration with certain archaic design elements, such as the frequency of random battles and unclear menus. Pocket Tactics also notes that the number of random encounters can feel tedious during long play sessions. iMore describes the gameplay as clunky and repetitive, indicating a lack of enjoyment. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster offers a challenging and strategic gameplay experience. The positive aspects, such as the depth of the battle system, fusion mechanics, and recruitment system, are praised by multiple critics. The negative aspects, such as archaic design elements and repetitive gameplay, are mentioned by a few critics but do not overshadow the overall positive reception of the gameplay. The game's strategic combat, depth of customization, and addictive gameplay loop are frequently highlighted as strengths.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster are varied. Some critics, such as Comicbook.com and Hardcore Gamer, praise the HD graphical refit and the enhanced cel-shaded graphics, stating that they make the game visually appealing. They appreciate the improved character models and the unique art style. Additionally, Screen Rant mentions that the character sprites and overworld are gorgeous and on par with later entries in the series. On the other hand, several critics express disappointment with the visual aspects of the remaster. Attack of the Fanboy and GamingBolt criticize the lack of technical improvements, with Attack of the Fanboy noting that the lack of detail in environments makes navigation difficult. Press Start Australia mentions the lack of visual improvements, running at 30 frames per second and featuring dated cinematics in 4:3 aspect ratio with stylized borders. Game Revolution also mentions that while the graphics have been upscaled and sharpened, there are no significant changes, and some blurriness may be present. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that while the remaster has its positives, it falls short in terms of visual improvements. The improved character models and unique art style are appreciated by some critics, but the lack of technical enhancements and dated visuals are mentioned as negatives. Critics like CGMagazine and TheGamer express disappointment with the environments, noting that they can be bland and suffer from angular designs and repetitive corridors. While some critics appreciate the cohesive visuals and the overall atmosphere maintained in the remaster, others, like GameCritics and The Games Machine, feel that the visual design missed an opportunity to update and improve outdated elements. In conclusion, the opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster are mixed. While some appreciate the enhanced cel-shaded graphics, improved character models, and unique art style, others express disappointment with the lack of technical improvements and dated visuals. The overall consensus suggests that while the remaster has its positives, it falls short in terms of visual enhancements and fails to fully update the visual design of the game.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Sound Design and Music of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster are quite varied. Overall, there is a positive sentiment towards the addition of voice acting in both English and Japanese. Critics such as Attack of the Fanboy and Hardcore Gamer appreciate the full English and Japanese voice acting, which enhances the overall sound design. The remaster is praised for featuring excellent, brand-new voice performances for the main characters, as mentioned by Comicbook.com. Additionally, Gfinity highlights the hardcore music and voice acting, which brings life to the characters. The addition of voice acting is seen as a significant enhancement, as the original version did not have voices, as stated by Hooked Gamers. However, there are some negative opinions regarding the music and sound design. CGMagazine criticizes the sound design, mentioning that the compressed music files sound worse than the original version. Video Chums also expresses disappointment in the music tracks, stating that they sound far too compressed. Impulsegamer finds the music muffled and compressed, which is considered unacceptable for a remastered version in 2021. Game Rant points out that the game's soundtrack still features the compressed audio from the original release, which is a jarring aspect in comparison to the rest of the remaster's improvements. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the addition of voice acting is a positive aspect of the remaster. The English voice work is praised, and it brings the game closer to modern releases, as noted by Hardcore Gamer. The soundtrack is generally well-received, with critics such as GAMINGbible and Press Start Australia describing it as excellent and integral to the game's world. The oppressive feeling of the world is matched well by the music, according to Screen Rant. However, the negative aspects, such as the compressed music files and the inclusion of the original audio from the original release, are mentioned by several critics, including CGMagazine and Game Rant. Despite these criticisms, the overall sentiment towards the Sound Design and Music of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster leans towards the positive side, with the addition of voice acting being a significant enhancement to the game's audio experience.

The opinions of the videogame reviewers regarding the voice acting in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster are predominantly positive. Multiple critics, such as Attack of the Fanboy, CGMagazine, and Game Revolution, praise the voice acting, describing it as great, well-done, and fantastic. They highlight the strong performances from the cast, including the supporting characters, and note that the addition of voice acting enhances the overall experience of the game. Critics like Hardcore Gamer and COGconnected specifically mention the quality of the English voice work, with Hardcore Gamer noting that it adds charm to certain characters and COGconnected praising the performances of Chiaki and Hikawa. The overall sentiment among these positive reviews is that the voice acting in the remaster is consistently well-done, professional, and a welcome addition. However, there are a few critics who express some reservations about the voice acting. Press Start Australia mentions that while the addition of fully voiced dialogue elevates crucial scenes, it can also feel jarring at times since the script wasn't originally written for it. This suggests that the integration of voice acting may not always seamlessly align with the original game's writing. Additionally, Screen Rant notes that the voice acting rarely shows up, implying that it may not be as prevalent throughout the game as some players might expect. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is a positive addition to the game. The majority of reviewers appreciate the quality of the performances, the inclusion of both English and Japanese voice options, and the way it enhances the atmosphere and drama of certain scenes. While there are some minor concerns raised about the integration and frequency of the voice acting, the overall sentiment is that it is a well-executed aspect of the remaster. Critics such as GameCritics and Gaming Age highlight the consistently well-done and professional nature of the voice acting, further reinforcing the positive consensus.

In terms of the technical performance on the PS4, there are mixed opinions among the critics. Destructoid mentions that the camera is not smooth and the menus can be unclear, but they also highlight quality of life upgrades such as the suspend feature and difficulty toggling. GamingBolt adds that there are no other technical performance or stability issues, and Gfinity states that the game runs great on the PS5 with no noticeable frame drops and quick loading times. These positive aspects indicate that the game generally performs well on the PS4 and PS5 platforms. On the Nintendo Switch, the opinions regarding the technical performance of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster are more negative. Impulsegamer mentions that the port job leaves much to be desired, with no improvements to the core experience and muffled, compressed music. Nintendo Enthusiast notes performance issues such as frame rate struggles, black screen flashes, map malfunction, music stopping, and game crashes, although they also mention that overall it is not too bad. Screen Rant, on the other hand, states that the game has been fixed from major glitches, but there is a minor visual glitch causing black screen flashes when closing the main menu. These negative aspects indicate that the Nintendo Switch version of the game has some technical flaws and performance issues. Moving on to the PC platform, Game Rant mentions that the game runs at a locked 30 FPS and there are some minor visual oddities with certain in-game interactions. While these issues are noticeable, they are intentional choices in the remaster and do not break the overall gameplay experience. This suggests that the PC version of the game has a stable technical performance, but with some intentional design choices that may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the consensus among the critics regarding the technical performance of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster is mixed. While the game performs well on the PS4 and PS5 platforms, with smooth gameplay, quality of life upgrades, and no major technical issues, the Nintendo Switch version suffers from performance issues, muffled music, and some glitches. The PC version, while stable, has intentional visual oddities. It is important for players to consider the platform they will be playing on and their tolerance for technical flaws before making a purchasing decision.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster are generally positive. Many critics highlight the presence of multiple endings and paths to explore, which adds replay value to the game. For example, Hardcore Gamer mentions the multiple endings and the new Merciful difficulty option, which allows players to experience the story without much difficulty. Player 2 also praises the inclusion of the 'Merciful' mode, stating that it provides an opportunity for both new and returning fans to enjoy the game. Press Start Australia emphasizes the abundance of content, with optional dungeons and side quests that can extend the playtime to eighty to a hundred hours. They also mention that the game offers at least fifty hours of gameplay, further enhancing the replay value. Nintendo Enthusiast and Pocket Tactics both mention the presence of multiple endings, further reinforcing the positive aspect of the game's replayability. However, there are some negative aspects mentioned by the critics as well. God is a Geek points out that content from the original release is locked behind the Deluxe edition, which can be disappointing for returning fans. Game Rant also mentions some omissions in this re-release that may be disappointing. These criticisms suggest that there may be limitations to the replay value for certain players, particularly those who were expecting a complete re-release without additional costs or missing features. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster offers a decent amount of replay value. The presence of multiple endings, paths, and customization options is widely appreciated. The inclusion of a 'Merciful' mode and the abundance of content also contribute to the game's replayability. However, the locked content in the Deluxe edition and some omissions in the re-release are mentioned as potential downsides. Despite these criticisms, the overall sentiment is positive, with the majority of critics acknowledging the game's replay value.