Despite its label of “Pokemonfor adults”, theShin Megami Tenseiseries actually pre-dates the GameFreak series and first appeared on the Famicom as a Japanese exclusive in 1987. Throughout its existence, theSMTfranchise and its numerous spin-offs have maintained a reputation for being quite difficult. It’s one that’s well-earned, as theseapocalyptic visions of the futurehave tested the might and will of players for over three decades now.
Whether it’s through the endless horde of demons the player can recruit or a nasty boss,Shin Megami Tenseiis one of the industry’s most challenging RPG series. Along the way to crafting some of the genre’s most taxing experiences, Atlus has become one of the premiere RPG developers and has shown their ability to evolve and fine-tune this wonderful series over the past 35-plus years.
Taking place in an alternate timeline toShin Megami Tensei 4,Apocalypsewas released three years after the fourth mainline entry. Post-apocalyptic Tokyo is overrun withthe franchise’s signature demonsand a twisty-turvy story that pits the player up against some of the franchise’s toughest bosses and battles.
Like many games in the series,SMT4: Apocalypsemakes use of the Press Turn system in combat. This fabulous system allows players to gain more turns and actions by exploiting the weaknesses of the demons, a deceptively complex system that is easy to understand and increases in complexity over time.SMTgames from this era are hard to come by these days on modern platforms, butApocalypseis still worth checking out for one of the franchise’s toughest tests.
Despite the eight-year gap in releases between the fourth entry andShin Megami Tensei 5, this Switch exclusive maintained the franchise’s trademark difficulty and presented a dangerous world to explore and survive. One of the first games announced for Nintendo’s console,SMT5puts players in control of a Japanese high school student who gets transformed into the Nahobino as they explore a post-apocalyptic version of Tokyo called Da’at.
Da’at is filled to the brim with demons both large and small, with everything from the pint-sized Pixie to the towering Metatron.Demon negotiations also return, with some of these cackling trolls being quite difficult to recruit. Whether they take your money and run or zap your HP, it’s always a bit of a gamble and adds some more depth to the world.SMT5is one of the most challenging RPGs that one can find on the Switch and one of the franchise’s toughest to overcome.
4Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
GameFAQs Difficulty Ranking: 3.69/5
Beginning development under the title New Goddess,Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Sagawas Atlus' attempt at broadening the audience of the then-niche franchise. But even with those intentions, Atlus still made sure thatDigital Devil Sagawas a tough game that pushed players to their limit.
As one of severalSMTtitles on the PS2, it had to compete with the likesofNocturneandDevil Summoner, but it was up to the task. Not keen to rest on their laurels, Atlus tookDigital Devil Sagaout of the apocalyptic setting and centered it on a smaller-scale story about warring factions. This change in setting didn’t alter the number of intense boss battles or labyrinthian dungeons, a key part of theSMTseries that remained intact here.
Between the release ofNocturneon the PS2 and the eventual launch ofShin Megami Tensei 4on the Nintendo 3DS, Atlus had become quite busy and was in development on several unrelated titles. But when it finally came time to deliver a new numbered title, they didn’t let longtimeSMTfans down, as the fourth entry was keen to maintain the same level of intensity the series was known for.
Shin Megami Tensei 4is easily one of the most difficult RPGs that one canfind on the Nintendo 3DS, with a huge roster of classic demons, a few of them with brand-new designs to boot. Press Turn makes a comeback, as well, forcing the player to put their best foot forward in every demon and boss encounter. It feels right at home on the 3DS, as the bite-sized gameplay chunks are a perfect way to survive this harrowing trip through the apocalypse.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journeywas a joint production between Atlus and Lancarse, developers of theEtrian Odysseyseries. As a result,Strange Journeydoes feel a bit different but is still just as brilliant and complex asthe rest of the series.
Its focus on a surrealist, almost horror film atmosphere blends perfectly with the nasty demons that players will have to survive. Recruiting those demons becomes a bit tougher in this one, as some of them will join or not based on the alignment system that is determined by player choices. It’s an altogether bizarre, but equally fantastic entry that is quite a bit more difficult than most of them.
After releasing several games in the franchise, Atlus was looking to potentially retire theSMTseries in the late 1990s. But after several tests of the impressive PlayStation 2 hardware and some push from inside the company, Atlus went to work on what many still consider to be the best entry in the series, as well as its most difficult. Indeed,SMT3is one of the most outrageously punishing anddifficult games on the PS2and easily the franchise’s most challenging game.
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturnewas a bit of a revelation for the series, as it introduced the Press Turn system that would become ingrained into the franchise. This system would dictate a lot of how the games would set up their difficulty in later years.Nocturneis infamous for its difficulty, the way it will kill the player and cost them hours of progress, a reputation that is well-earned. It’sSMT’sgreatest challenge and the recent remaster is a great way to revisit it.
