RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

It’s been over five years since Atlus’ innovative RPG Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne took the PS2 by storm but, as of October 8th of this year, the wait for a new, original Shin Megami Tensei title will end when Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey arrives on the Nintendo DS in Japan.

It’s the early 21st century, and down on the South Pole, some unknown spatial anomally has spontaneously appeared and is spreading at a rate to wipe out the entire globe.  Dubbed the Schwartz-verse, it is your job as the main protagonist to explore the different dimension on the other side of the anomaly.
As is typical for the Shin Megami Tensei universe, players will take the part of a  silent main character.   A Japanese man, the main character is an elite soldier with stiff training in both combat and command.  Hand-picked for the mission by the United Nations itself, he is assigned to the command crew on the Red Sprite.  Though it has a fairy-like name, the Red Sprite isn’t very waifish.  It’s actually a gigantic mobile command base capable of crossing the border of the spacial anomaly and entering the monster-infested Schwartz-verse.  Besides the Red Sprite, there are three other similar mobile command bases along on the mission: Blue Jet, Elves, and Gigantic.  Red Sprite holds the command crew, the combat troops are in the Blue Jet and Gigantic, and Elves is the base of operations for the research and analytics crew.
Named crewmembers currently include First Lieutenant Zelenin, an expert on the Schwartz-verse who hails from Russia.  On the exploration crew is the pragmatic American soldier Jiminez, and leading it all is the capable Captain Gore.  To help our protagonists survive in the unknown and unpredictable conditions of the Schwartz-verse, top scientists have created battlesuits called Demonica Suits.  Providing both protection and battle capabilities for party members, players will be able to upgrade and customize these suits across the game.
On the other side, what Shin Megami Tensei game would be complete without demons?  Boasting the most different demons in any Shin Megami Tensei game yet– including newcomer demons like Bugaboo– Strange Journey harkens back to Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne days with the negotiation system allowing for players to attempt to talk or bribe demons into becoming allies.  Series staples Demon Fusion and the Compendium will also be present.  As the game will be designed for the NDS, the top screen will give players a first-person view of the current surroundings, while the bottom screen will have maps and menu screens.