Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne - HD Remaster

A faithful HD remaster of a 6th-generation RPG classic with a dark atmosphere, heavy religious themes, and punishing difficulty unlike anything else, carried by a polished and deep turn-based combat system and engaging demon recruitment and fusion. The high-concept narrative is interesting but lonely and lacking a gripping plot, and frustrating demon negotiation, dated visuals, and oddly muffled music show its age. Worth playing for fans and newcomers alike, but best picked up on sale given the high asking price.

A faithful HD remaster of the 2005 PS2 JRPG that fans will adore, with its standout demon-recruiting and fusion systems, excellent voice acting, and crisper visuals. However it shows its age badly: minimal upscaling beyond resolution, an unupdated floaty camera, frustrating lack of guidance, and jarring combat music. At full price it is a wait-for-a-sale, scoring 70.

An audacious, ruthlessly uncompromising JRPG whose brutal dungeons, demon recruitment, and weakness-exploiting Press Turn combat feel purposeful rather than cruel, paired with a refreshingly nihilistic light-touch story. The remaster work itself is merely serviceable, with compressed audio, inconsistent textures, drab dungeons, and obtuse navigation, all hard to swallow at the steep asking price. Still a unique gem that anyone who seriously enjoys RPGs should experience.