Review of Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey
Some people may find the 2D sprites and 3D dungeons boring, and the tone is horrifyingly doom-filled.Shin Megami Tensei games are sometimes referred to be “Pokemon with the lights off” by enthusiasts. Despite the fact that the SMT series was created many years before Pokemon, the process of capturing, levelling up, and fusing demons seems a lot like the standard Pokemon grind. However, what distinguishes SMT from other JRPGs is its readiness to take on complex and really catastrophic themes. Strange Journey, which tells the tale of a failed international investigation into a puzzling black hole known as the Schwarzwelt that has arisen at the South Pole, fits neatly into that tradition.
The technology Atlus developed for the Etrian Odyssey game series is used in Strange Journey, and as a result, the Schwarzwelt has maze-like dungeons teeming with demons and legendary creatures that, at best, have mixed feelings about humanity’s survival. You are shielded by specialised power armour known as the Demonica, which enables you to interact with demons and make them your friends. You may battle alone in the dungeon if you so want, but without some powerful demon buddies to guard your back, your firearms and swords won’t get you very far.
With the exception of current militaristic settings, the alignment system is the main distinction between Strange Journey and Etrian Odyssey. After a long absence, a beloved Shin Megami Tensei feature is making a comeback. You are free to choose actions that will align you as Neutral, Lawful, or Chaotic during the course of the narrative. Your alignment determines which demons you get along with well, and if you have monsters in your party that can work together to defeat adversaries, you may use this to your advantage.
Strange Journey resembles the original SMT games that Atlus published for the SNES in many respects. First-person PC dungeon crawls like Wizardry heavily impacted those games, and Strange Journey is no different. Obviously, whether or not this is a good thing depends on your gaming preferences. The Shin Megami Tensei series was made for gamers who looked at other JRPGs on the market and felt, “This isn’t me,” according to series founder Kazuma Kanako, who made this claim in an interview many years ago. You’ll feel right at home with Strange Journey if you’ve ever experienced it.
