Shin Megami Tensei 4 chooses 3DS this summer

Atlus' Megami Tensei meta-series (or MegaTen) will receive its first core entry in almost ten years with Shin Megami Tensei 4, an upcoming 3DS RPG slated to launch in the summer.

Shin Megami Tensei 4 is "the first true successor to 2004's Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne," and promises game-changing decisions and branching storylines. "Decisions players make throughout the course of the story will have lasting repercussions, as the fate of the world hangs in the balance," Atlus says.

Shin Megami Tensei 4 will lean on the series' iconic demon-collecting mechanics, enabling players to recruit and fuse together over 400 different demons for battle. The Press Turn battle system will also make a return, encouraging combatants to coordinate attacks in the correct order to exploit enemy weaknesses.

The system has been used in other Shin Megami Tensei games, though it was originally introduced back in 2003 with Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne on the PlayStation 2.

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Shin Megami Tensei Returns

The Mature-themed Role Playing Game Franchise Is Back After a Decade With
Shin Megami Tensei IV

IRVINE, Calif. – April 2, 2013 – It's been nearly ten years since the last chapter closed in the original Shin Megami Tensei® role playing game (RPG) series, but the long wait is nearly over. Developed by the award-winning ATLUS team, Shin Megami Tensei IV (SMTIV) features powerful new demons, expansive dungeons, epic story arcs with branching plot lines, game-altering decision making, and more. Built specifically for the Nintendo 3DS™ system with optimized graphics, 3-D dungeons, voiced dialogue, and StreetPass functionality, SMTIV will be a premium title available this summer.

Building on the styles of ATLUS' Persona, Devil Summoner, and Devil Survivor titles, SMTIV is the first true successor to 2004's Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. The story of SMTIV revolves around the Samurai, the sacred protectors of the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado. As a newly appointed Samurai, players will struggle with factions that have nefarious designs on the world as they defend their home kingdom from a growing army of demons. Decisions players make throughout the course of the story will have lasting repercussions, as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Shin Megami Tensei IV blends familiar features from previous SMT games with all-new features that take advantage of the Nintendo 3DS system, including:

A World to Discover, A Mystery to Uncover – The life of a Samurai is fraught with peril.
Players must leave the safety of the kingdom in order to defend it from the invading demons. There the story unfolds as they become involved in a fierce battle between God and demons.

Demon Collection and Fusion – The core mechanic of the Shin Megami Tensei series returns
with more than 400 demons to recruit, collect, and fuse together. Players will constantly be challenged with balancing the strengths of their demons to ultimately excel in battle.

Choices and Consequences – Throughout the player's journey, they must choose their own
path. The choices will affect them, other NPCs, and the overall outcome of the story. Branching story paths require careful consideration since the fates of the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado and the rest of the world hang in the balance.

Pressing the Combat Advantage – The Press Turn system requires strategic thinking for every battle. Pinpointing an enemy's weakness will provide a vital extra turn for players to exploit. But there are dangers as well...reckless attacks against demons cause players to lose their turns and give the enemy an opening to strike back.

"The return of the legendary Shin Megami Tensei series is one of the biggest milestones yet for ATLUS and the 3DS," said Naoto Hiraoka, president and chief executive officer, Index Digital Media, Inc. "Since this is the first title from the original SMT series in a decade, we tapped the best developers from many of ATLUS' acclaimed projects including Nocturne, Strange Journey, Persona, and Soul Hackers to create a premium experience that lives up to our fans' and our own expectations."

Shin Megami Tensei IV will be exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS system and sold as a premium title beginning this summer. The game is expected to receive an M rating from the ESRB, but is not yet rated. More details will be revealed in the future, with updates on the official SMTIV website at http://www.atlus.com/smt4.

About ATLUS
Index Digital Media Inc.'s ATLUS brand has become known across the industry as a mark of high-quality, deeply immersive, uniquely Japanese video game experiences. With award-winning titles that reach across a variety of genres and platforms, including the Shin Megami Tensei® and Persona® series of role-playing games, the ground-breaking action-adventure/puzzle game Catherine™, and the much-celebrated RPG Demon's Souls™, ATLUS is committed to offering the highest standard in interactive entertainment experiences.