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[EGM92]

Hey guys,

I'm about to get into the series, but I see a bunch of games like DDS: Lucifers Call, SMT: Digital Devil saga, DDS: Avatar Tuner, SMT Nocturne. SMT: DDS 2,

Now I just need to know, which game to start with. and which one to play after, if there is a sequal out. Which one is worth playing first etc?

Thanks guys I'd appreciate the help.

 

[B.K.]

Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner is the same as Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga. Atlus dropped the Avatar Tuner title for the American version and put Shin Megami Tensei in the title to establish a relationship with Nocturne. Digital Devil Saga 2 is a direct sequel to Digital Devil Saga 1. It begins as soon as the first one ends. If you're going to play the second, you need to play the first one.

I believe Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and Lucifer's Call are the same title. I believe they changed the title to Shin Megami Tensei: Lucifer's Call for the European release.

SMT: Nocturne is seperate from Digital Devil Saga. They are completely unrelated, storywise. Digital Devil Saga is one of the numerous spin-offs of the main Shin Megami Tensei series. You don't need to play SMT to understand DDS.

 

[EGM92]

ok... So Digital Devil Saga 1 is already released, and DDS2 is being released next month correct?
Is there any other game relating to Nocturne?

 

[B.K.]

ok... So Digital Devil Saga 1 is already released, and DDS2 is being released next month correct?

Yes. The first part has been out for a few months. The second part comes out October 11.

There aren't any other games related to Nocturne. The main Shin Megami Tensei games have self contained stories. There are cameos in other games though. The main character in Nocturne is a hidden boss in Digital Devil Saga 1.

 

[chaostrophy]

Yep, Nocturne and Lucifer's Call are the same game. Also, if you ever see a reference to Shin Megami Tensei III, it's Nocturne's original Japanese title- Atlus USA dropped the III because SMT I and II were never officially released in the US (they're playable in English with roms and fan translation patches though, they're both SNES games).

As for other related games, Revelations Persona and Persona 2: Innocent Sin, both on the PS1, are also spinoffs of SMT. As is the upcoming Devil Summoner: Kuzuonha Raidou (Japanese title) that was recently announced for the PS2. The series is a long running one, and there are tons of spinoff titles, even one on Virtual Boy that somehow made it to the US, but those are the main ones.

 

[Erdrick]

I'm still playing Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne on hard almost a year after I bought it. Not beaten it yet, but I think I am getting very close. I just got

Spoiler

Dante

about half an hour ago in my party.

Get Nocturne aka Lucifer's Call before DDS. It's not an easy game by any stretch, but man... when you win a major battle, is it ever satisfying...

The 2 Persona games on the PS are some of the best games on there too in terms of content and style. Also, the difficulty is up there too. Get them if you can ever find them.

Glad to see the series finally making some grounds overseas.

 

[EGM92]

I'm still playing Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne on hard almost a year after I bought it. Not beaten it yet, but I think I am getting very close. I just got

Spoiler

Dante

about half an hour ago in my party.

Get Nocturne aka Lucifer's Call before DDS. It's not an easy game by any stretch, but man... when you win a major battle, is it ever satisfying...

The 2 Persona games on the PS are some of the best games on there too in terms of content and style. Also, the difficulty is up there too. Get them if you can ever find them.

Glad to see the series finally making some grounds overseas.

Wow a year??? how many hours have you put into the game?

 

[Erdrick]

About 90 so far. I kinda put it on hiatus for a few months. (Playing for many hours levelling... and then getting killed by a random enemy really saps the will to play at that time.)

It's hard to make time for games. I have a HUGE backlog of games, HUGE. Nocturne is NOT going to be left like the others though. I am going to presevere and finish it dammit.

It's a little light on story. (The story is very good though, at least the route I am going.) Huge on gameplay though. Demonic Pokemon would be a good example. So many demon fusions to try.

Hey, as I said, it's kept my interest for almost a year and it's unforgiving if you are not prepared in fights...

And for that fact alone, it's one of the best RPG's ever made, period.

 

[maskrider]

Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner is the same as Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga. Atlus dropped the Avatar Tuner title for the American version and put Shin Megami Tensei in the title to establish a relationship with Nocturne. Digital Devil Saga 2 is a direct sequel to Digital Devil Saga 1. It begins as soon as the first one ends. If you're going to play the second, you need to play the first one.

Avatar Tuner is indeed still there, but it is a line only in Japanese under the Digital Devil Saga logo.

 

[B.K.]

I know, but they didn't put it in the English title.

 

[neopokekun]

Go here if you want to read up on the series.

 

[EGM92]

Go here if you want to read up on the series.

MANY THANKS, just curious, I bought DIGITAL DEVIL SAGA, and Nocturne from a friends shop, I was looking at the screens from the older versions and there doesn't seem to be much "roaming" sorta like how Snatcher and Policenaughts plays out, is it the same case in these PS2

 

[EGM92]

Go here if you want to read up on the series.

MANY THANKS, just curious, I bought DIGITAL DEVIL SAGA, and Nocturne from a friends shop, I was looking at the screens from the older versions and there doesn't seem to be much "roaming" sorta like how Snatcher and Policenaughts plays out, is it the same case in these PS2 games? or is it like any other normal RPG?

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

How am I meant to play Nocturne/Lucifer's Calling? Am I meant to grind levels? Should I keep a set of demons with a wide-set of skills and level them, or should I fuse at the earliest oppurtunities, trying to keep a constant flow of new demons, until I fuse my way to the better ones?

Also, with the whole weakness/void thing, if a multitarget spell is used that some creatures are weak against, but others void, how does that affect the turns?

 

[RevenantKioku]

Also, with the whole weakness/void thing, if a multitarget spell is used that some creatures are weak against, but others void, how does that affect the turns?

In a case where press turns would be awarded and subtracted, they're just subtracted.

 

[Greenpanda]

How am I meant to play Nocturne/Lucifer's Calling? Am I meant to grind levels? Should I keep a set of demons with a wide-set of skills and level them, or should I fuse at the earliest oppurtunities, trying to keep a constant flow of new demons, until I fuse my way to the better ones?

Also, with the whole weakness/void thing, if a multitarget spell is used that some creatures are weak against, but others void, how does that affect the turns?

It's been a while but I'm pretty sure that if you hit any target with a void, you get the penalty. The extra turns don't count at all in that case.

You shouldn't have to grind levels at all (except maybe for one boss fairly early in the game). The demons level up much more slowly than your protagonist, so, generally, purely gaining experience won't be all that helpful. You'll need to fuse the demons into new, better forms to keep them up to speed with the enemies you're facing off. But you don't have to rush it too much; it's often a good idea to go ahead and learn all the demon's skills, as these can be transferred through fusions. If you just fuse everything right away (without learning the more advanced skills first), you'll miss out on a lot of the more powerful skills. But once you've learned all a demon's skills, it's at least worth thinking about fusing it. You can hold out until there's a good fusion available, though.

If you're just starting out, you won't have this ability yet, but soon you'll be able to save your demons into the Demonic Compendium and later re-summon them out of the Compendium even if you've already fused them into something else. In other words, if you fuse a new demon and decide you don't like it, you can retrieve the original demons you had before you did the fusions. It does count money, though.

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

Where I'm stuck is the boss after you take the 1000yen bill from Loki's room. He just slaughtered me, but then I wasn't really prepared for him.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Do this:

Acquire a Nekomata.

Keep a Shikigami and fuse it with a Flamis bought from the gem shop.

Make sure you keep the Flamis' Bright Might when you fuse up to Momunofu.

Don't let the Momunofu evolve, (have another one to do that; Arahabakis rock.)

Fuse Momunofu with a Principality or Power to get Onkot. Make sure you keep Focus and Bright Might.

Let Onkot evolve to Hanuman and finally, Wu Kong. SICK damage, SICK fast, plus Avenge, which you can fuse him with a Holy class or Snake class for Thor, where it's useful, (Avenge is the top-tier counter, but only works if the person is actually hit; Wu here is immune to Physical, so no hit. Thor is I think only resistant to Physical. MJOLNIR INCOMING! )