SMT: Nocturne

[TheImplodingVoice]

https://www.reddit.com/r/Megaten/comments/nho65d/game_reviewer_difficulty/

New difficulty = made for game journos. Literally impossible to lose and get a game over screen. Even reddit agrees it's too easy.

But atleast we have voice acting right? Totally worth the 50€.

I hate the state that modern gaming is in.

 

[Nifft Batuff]

So, which is better? The HD remaster or the PCSX2 version?

 

[GhostCow]

So, which is better? The HD remaster or the PCSX2 version?

Imo the HD remaster but not for the price.

 

[TheImplodingVoice]

So, which is better? The HD remaster or the PCSX2 version?

Flip a coin and let fate decide

 

[oddech_wymarlych_swiatow]

Will it have mods? Someone plz convert Hardtype.

 

[GhostCow]

Gamebillet has the digital deluxe edition discounted to $57 so I caved and bought it. At least I didn't pay full price.

 

[Jinn]

Yep, I've been playing it for the past couple days. Having an excellent time just as I did the first time I played it. Such an excellent experience through and through. Absolutely not worth the price unless you're a huge fan and have been wanting mainline on PC for years, such as myself. I have no regrets though. And Raidou Kuzunoha over Dante any day of the week!

 

[Tigranes]

Having an excellent time ... Absolutely not worth the price

????

Because it's just a port, you mean? What about someone like me, who's never played Persona/SMT and didn't have a PS2? It's supposed to be a big, meaty RPG with solid mechanics, yes?

 

[Jinn]

Because it's just a port, you mean?

Yes, precisely. The game is a masterpiece of JRPG and dungeon crawler genres. Absolutely worth it if you haven't played it before, unless you would rather take the emulation route.

Sorry, should have made it more clear. If you're playing this for a second time, it probably isn't worth the price for what you get unless you're a big fan with some money to blow and want to support the series coming to PC. If you're playing it for the first time, any way you can get your hands on it is better than none.

 

[Dishonoredbr]

The OST mod is already out. Fuck Atlus.

 

[Nifft Batuff]

Mmm.... after fiddling a bit with the HD (demo) version, and carefully pondering, i came to the conclusion that, in my case, I will stick to the pcsx2 version for the time being.
I am bit sad, but pcsx2 benefits still outweight the HD improvements imho.

 

[cruel]

What are the benefits of pcsx2 compared to new version, just curious?

The price is a joke, but I still bought it, expecting the game tomorrow. Took the Switch version, the game should play nicely in bed.

 

[Nifft Batuff]

What are the benefits of pcsx2 compared to new version, just curious?

The price is a joke, but I still bought it, expecting the game tomorrow. Took the Switch version, the game should play nicely in bed.

Obviously it's a matter of personal taste. I am still on the fence. Maybe I will think about it when the price will be lower and patches will arrive.

However, imho:

Graphics: you may have some low-res texture here and there, but the original version is overall more consistent and charming thanks to the minimalistic graphics style that is just perfect on the PS2. Also too much bloom in the HD version. In pcsx2 you have also more option to tweak the graphics to your liking. For example, by using any shaders you like, anti-alias methods, different anisotropic filtering, etc. You can also use different aspect ratios and graphics resolutions for whatever screen you have.
Sound: In the HD version you have voice acting. It is a nice addition but personally I don't care too much. I personally prefer the silence of the original. It really adds to the eerie atmosphere of the game.
Performance: No fps drops during battles.
Controls: You can completely remap the controls to whatever device you like (if you have a PC, you can realize how important this flexibility is, in particular for ported console games).
Savestates: You can instantly save and restore the game when and where you want. Ok, in the HD version you have a suspend option (thanks God), but still...
Agnosticism: You can put the game on whatever mass storage device you want without any need to install it. Then you can run it on whatever computer/OS you want (I completed the game playing it on Linux). You can share saves among different devices.
No malware: No Denuvo.

Furthermore the PS2 game is already complete, you don't need any additional paid DLCs and there are already different hacks/mods for more advanced gameplay if you are inclined to use them.

 

[tet666]

Not to mention the PS2 version is not locked to 1080p by default i think it can be hex edited but still, btw the remaster runs very well in ryujinx (switch emulator) yuzu is a bit more buggy and slower but it works as well. PC version has Denuvo so don't expect cracks soon.

 

[Palomides]

To further support the original PS2 version, I find the 'revised script' to be comparatively worse, from what I've seen. Obviously it does not impede the gameplay, but it is ultimately unnecessary, and like the voice acting, may ruin your perception and the atmosphere of the game.

 

[Sentinel]

Why is it worse? The original game had completely made up sections that had no correspondence to the original japanese script at all.

 

[deuxhero]

TheSentinel
Can you give examples?

 

[CarbonCarousel]

As a first timer, should I play this or P5 first?

 

[Jinn]

As a first timer, should I play this or P5 first?

As it'll be the game to shape your perception of the series - and therefore your taste - absolutely, undeniably, emphatically this.

 

[Palomides]

Just a small example from the beginning of the game.

(Original) Isamu: Hurry up and get over to Yoyogi Park. You're wasting my quality time. I don't care if you come or not, but Ms. Takao's nice to me when you're around...

(New) Isamu: Just get to Yoyogi Park ASAP. Time's a-wastin'! Real talk, I'd prefer more of a "private counseling" scenario. Buuuut Ms. Takao IS a lot nicer when you're around...

Personally, I find the new version to be bloated and inelegant, and also changes how one would perceive that character. On the accuracy of the original translation, I can only go by what is written, such as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Megami_Tensei_III:_Nocturne#Localization in which they state:

"Rather than altering the script, Atlus translated it all faithfully from the original Japanese, preserving the original experience as far as possible.[49] For their work on the game's translation, the localization team were given access to the source files and Japanese strategy guide, which enabled them to avoid mistaking the genders of Kaneko's often highly androgynous designs."

 

[Derringer]

Just a small example from the beginning of the game.

(Original) Isamu: Hurry up and get over to Yoyogi Park. You're wasting my quality time. I don't care if you come or not, but Ms. Takao's nice to me when you're around...

(New) Isamu: Just get to Yoyogi Park ASAP. Time's a-wastin'! Real talk, I'd prefer more of a "private counseling" scenario. Buuuut Ms. Takao IS a lot nicer when you're around...

Personally, I find the new version to be bloated and inelegant, and also changes how one would perceive that character. On the accuracy of the original translation, I can only go by what is written, such as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Megami_Tensei_III:_Nocturne#Localization in which they state:

"Rather than altering the script, Atlus translated it all faithfully from the original Japanese, preserving the original experience as far as possible.[49] For their work on the game's translation, the localization team were given access to the source files and Japanese strategy guide, which enabled them to avoid mistaking the genders of Kaneko's often highly androgynous designs."

Sounds like they wanted to 'pepper' the script like it's Persona, with how gayer they made Isamu sound. Or maybe the original english is just written so Isamu sounds less gay than he looks. Someone would have to get a transcript of the moonrunes from the original or see what the japanese dub sounds like.

 

[WhiteShark]

早く代々木公園に来い。
先生に会う時間も減っちゃうだろ。
ホントは一緒でなくてもいいんだけど、
なんか祐子先生、オマエがいると
優しいんだよな。。。

That's the original text. My inelegant, purposefully literal translation would be:

Come quickly to Yoyogi Park.
Time meeting with teacher will diminish.
In truth, it's fine even if we're not together but,
for some reason Yuuko-teacher, if you're there,
she's nice...

So the first translation is closer. Isamu doesn't sound all weirdly peppy the way that second translation sounds.
EDIT: I'm retarded and didn't check the name reading so I assumed the English Takao was correct. In this case though Isamu is actually using her given name, Yuuko.

 

[lightbane]

They edited the translation to make that gay Mannikin vendor seem gay (and probably not blatantly hit on the Demi-fiend). Funny that they made another character gayer in exchange.
But then again political correctness is the domain of madness.

 

[Nifft Batuff]

早く代々木公園に来い。
先生に会う時間も減っちゃうだろ。
ホントは一緒でなくてもいいんだけど、
なんか祐子先生、オマエがいると
優しいんだよな。。。

That's the original text. My inelegant, purposefully literal translation would be:

Come quickly to Yoyogi Park.
Time meeting with teacher will diminish.
In truth, it's fine even if we're not together but,
for some reason Takao-teacher, if you're there,
she's nice...

So the first translation is closer. Isamu doesn't sound all weirdly peppy the way that second translation sounds.

Interesting.
Now I am curious to know if/how they changed the japanese sript from the original to the HD version, beside the gayish mannikin.

 

[Palomides]

I suppose it has been done to accommodate the modern American gamer who talks like that (or is in a position to be translating and editing...). Thus, I imagine much of the edited dialogue will reflect that. Perhaps we will be proven incorrect with further examples, though I doubt it.