Shin Megami Tensei: Do You Need to Play the Games in Order? Answered

This guide contains everything you need to know about choosing in which order to play the Shin Megami Tensei games.

Do you need to play the Shin Megami Tensei games in order?

No, you don’t need to play the Shin Megami Tensei games in numerical order. Similar to other JRPG series like Final Fantasy, the Shin Megami Tensei games are independent of each other. This is thank goodness, because unfortunately, Shin Megami Tensei II was never officially released in English. In addition, the only official English version of the first Shin Megami Tensei game was released on iOS, which has since been removed.

If you’re looking for a Shin Megami Tensei game, your main choices are Shin Megami Tensei III, IV, or V, which have no connection to each other. You can play them in any order you like. But what if there are Shin Megami Tensei games with the same number but different subtitles?

Shin Megami Tensei Sequel and Upgrade

Shin Megami Tensei V and Revenge

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an upgraded version of Shin Megami Tensei V. You do not need to play Shin Megami Tensei V before playing Vengeance – in fact, if you have not played the original game, it is recommended that you play Vengeance directly. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance offers the original story of SMT5 and improves the gameplay experience, while also providing an all-new storyline. At the start of a new game of Vengeance, you can choose between the original story (called Genesis) or the new story (called Chronicle of Vengeance). If you play Genesis first, you will also have access to additional Super Bosses in Chronicle of Vengeance, so you can skip the original SMT5 game entirely and start with Vengeance for the most complete experience.

Shin Megami Tensei IV and Revelations

Shin Megami Tensei IV is the big exception in all of this: SMT4 is its own game, and Shin Megami Tensei IV: Revelations is its sequel, not an update. If you’re interested in trying out the SMT4 series, you should play Shin Megami Tensei IV first. After that, if you’re interested in experiencing the sequel, you can play Revelations.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne and HD Remaster

All English versions of Shin Megami Tensei III are subtitled “Nocturne” because “Nocturne” is an upgraded version of the game. The original Shin Megami Tensei III was never officially released in English. The original English version of “Nocturne” featured Dante from the Devil May Cry series as the protagonist. The HD remaster is based on the upgraded version that Japan received, and features Raidou Kuzuha from the Devil Summoner series as the protagonist. If you own the HD remaster of the game, you can still access Dante through the DLC, and the HD remaster is slightly better in terms of content compared to the original.

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