Shin Megami Tensei’s Identity Crisis (Pt. 1 of 3): Iconoclasm Incarnate
Shin Megami Tensei has thrived on being different than the RPG standard. Mixing the modern megalopolis with abstract concepts, mythological themes, and at times theologically challenging material, SMT created for itself an identity distinct from its fantasy contemporaries. According to series artist Kazuma Kaneko, “Back then we were in this sort of competition with Dragon Quest and felt the need to do something different from the others. If they were Babyface,[i.e., a well-liked hero] then we felt we could only be Asian mist. [i.e., an illegal move thrown by the hero’s rival]” In another interview, he expounds, “I like to think of Shin Megami Tensei games as rock stars or singers in punk bands whereas blockbuster games like Final Fantasy are more like the Academy Award winners.” SMT stood toe-to-toe with a crowded genre’s juggernauts due to unique features and a subversive attitude inherent in its presentation and gameplay—for better or worse. SMT fully embraced that it was neither the prettiest nor the best-selling, earning itself a comfortable niche where its creativity could shine.
However, the gaming landscape has changed significantly since the days of the Super NES or even PlayStation 2, inside of Japan and out. While Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy are still big, they’ve also become diluted through their own ubiquity with spinoffs galore and main series releases that seem fewer and farther between. Countless mainstay publishers of yore have either been absorbed, shuttered, or changed focus from games to health clubs. With mobile markets contracting the traditional games business, the way in which the majority of consumers perceive and play games has been substantially impacted. Needless to say, Atlus needs more than Shin Megami Tensei’s niche to survive. But in this uncertain environment, or perhaps because of it, an unexpected RPG star has risen to prominence: Persona. Beyond merely revitalizing a genre, Persona’s expanding popularity has commanded great influence, as evidenced by abundant copycats imitating its style and mechanics. At last, the Megami Tensei franchise, even if only a spinoff, was the one dictating the trends.
But being overshadowed by Persona in every respect has left the Shin Megami Tensei main series in an awkward position. How can it embody a rebellious spirit when its own child is the definition of what’s en vogue, with much of its own DNA in tow? Ostensibly, the answer to that question is Shin Megami Tensei IV, a paradoxical game eager to follow the trail blazed by Persona’s success, but containing a number of reactionary decisions in its design work and thematics that are contrary to the series’ identity. With the series at a crossroads where some measure of adaptation to survive is inevitable, significant questions emerge: What is Shin Megami Tensei’s identity—and can it survive beyond the niche?
At last, it’s finally published. And now that it’s finished, I’m at a loss for words.
But for the longest time, I had difficulty properly articulating why I like Shin Megami Tensei so much, even though, at its core, it’s still a Japanese RPG, and I’ve played the hell out of those all my life. Similarly, I wanted to be able to properly express why I was so disappointed in Shin Megami Tensei IV, though not for the quality of its gameplay; there was something else entirely.
This essay, Shin Megami Tensei’s Identity Crisis, is an exhaustive look at the answers I found, through numerous Atlus staff interviews and other sources. The first part, Iconoclasm Incarnate, defines what SMT does differently than the rest. The second part focuses on the evolution of Persona and its modern impact. The third and final section is a head-to-toe criticism of SMTIV’s shortcomings in relation to the SMT identity defined in part one.
I promise you it’ll be a hell of a ride. Click here for part one! Part two should be released in a few days.
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