Shin Megami Tensei

Shin Megami Tensei is a popular Japanese role-playing video game series developed by Atlus. Created by Tao and Aya Nishitani.

### Platform

* Family Computer
* PC
* Sony Playstation
* Xbox
* Nintendo Switch

# Series Narrative

The series is known for its complex narrative, demon-summoning mechanics, and moral decision-making that affects the game's outcome. The gameplay typically involves exploring dungeons, recruiting and fusing demons, and engaging in turn-based battles.

The central theme of the Shin Megami Tensei series often revolves around the conflict between order and chaos, with players making choices that influence the game's alignment system. The series has spawned various spin-offs, including the Persona series, which has gained significant popularity.

The Megami Tensei franchise, is a comprehensive and diverse series that encompasses various video game series, novels, anime, and manga. It originated from the Digital Devil Story novels written by Tao and Aya Nishitani and has expanded into multiple game series with shared elements such as demons, affinities, skills, and more.

The Megami Tensei universe is a fictional extension of our own real world and history, in the novels, starting with Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei, the barbelos invaded the world in the past, Gilgamesh defeated them, empires rose and fell. Powers like the Soviet Union and USA changed the world after World War II and etc.

However in Megami Tensei the Barbelos return in Earth, and new human heroes must free the world again. This cyclical struggle between cosmic forces, intertwined with the complex tapestry of human history, forms the core narrative tension within the Megami Tensei universe.

As the story unfolds, players and readers are immersed in a rich narrative that creates a unique and engaging experience.

# Creation

In France in the 1970s, Afrodite officially known as "Dalida" and Richard Germain was trying to tell the stories of forgotten history with songs and art.

In 1978, months after the release of the song "Salma ya salama", Tao understood that this concept of songs had failed to complete the mission of revealing history.

Thus, Tao began exploring comics companies allover China, in January of 1981 she found Kazuyuki Fukushima a visionary man from a family of artists and together the founded the company Telenet Japan in October 1983.

On August 20, 1984. Richard took a vacation trip to Tao's Living Hideout in the village of Xiaobaicao in Beijing, China. Tao was delighted with Richard's return as she had been discussing a video game project called "Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei" with Aya Nishitani from Telenet Japan.

Recognizing the failure of the Rose and the cross ways in effecting lasting change, Richard devoted several days to deeply contemplate the profound implications of this groundbreaking project.

The resulting game, published in July and September of 1987, transported players into a post-apocalyptic world where the Barbelos stood as the adversaries of humanity. Within this immersive and captivating virtual realm, the true narrative of history lay concealed beneath layers of metaphor and symbolism.

Eventually, "Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II," was released for the Famicom by Namco on April 6, 1990.

Telenet Japan creators released other game titles such as "Gaiares", "Babel", "Cosmic Fantasy", "Golden Axe" and more all inspired by the stories of the barbelos.

Tao's innovative vision, brought to life history through the power of storytelling and interactive experiences, the games forged a path that led to the rise of Megami Tensei series success.

# *Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne*

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is a role-playing video game developed by Atlus for the PlayStation 2. It is the third numbered entry in the Shin Megami Tensei series, the central series in the Megami Tensei franchise.

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne sold more than 185,000 copies all around the world, with the players to follow a high school student in post-apocalyptic Tokyo filled with demons, Lilith, Lucifer, Yahweh and many other barbelos. The gameplay used a Demon recruitment system allowing the player to recruit demons found in the Vortex World to fight alongside them.

Nocturne included Gnosticism, Buddhism, and Immortals. The game was the beginning of a new era for Shin Megami Tensei than even managed to ignore the collapse of Telenet japan company and survive with more new games.

Shin Megami Tensei V is a 2021 role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for the Nintendo Switch. It was designed as a hybrid between Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV, featuring returning gameplay mechanics such as raising and fusing demons. As of April 2022, the game sold over one million copies.

# The Mission

The Mission since the first order was to reveal history, many criticize Tao saying that Megami Tensei got out of control and that Atlus following history with a mythological narrative while adding pure fictional characters in the games like Dante from Devil may cry.

However, the world in these modern digital times is very complex, there is no harm to use ways of entertainment such us video games or movies to pass on stories and forgotten history.

What amazing adventures will Shin Megami Tensei VI bring ? will human heroes defeat the Barbelos in this digital post-apocalyptic world ?

stay tuned dear gamers...