Shin Megami Tensei: Difference between revisions

** ''[[Shin Megami Tensei I|Shin Megami Tensei]]'' (1992, Japan only)

** ''[[Shin Megami Tensei II]]'' (1994, Japan only)

** ''Shin Megami Tensei NINE'' (2002, Japan only)

** ''[[Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne]]'' (2003)

* [[Alternate Continuity]] - No ''less'' than three major continuities currently running:

** First is the "main" SMT continuity, going SMT 1- ''Imagine'' - SMT 2 - ''Nocturne'', and ''Strange Journey may'' hook into that (as it's one of the few titles in Japan to have the actual SMT name attached to it, see [[Market-Based Title]] below), although it's not yet totally clear if that's true.

** ''[[Digital Devil Saga]]'' stands more or less on its own ({{spoiler|although there are ''some'' hints that it's in the same universe as the main SMT series}}). ''[[Devil Survivor]]'' also seems to be intended as a seed for another offshoot continuity.

** Then there's a couple of "dead" continuities (that Westerners don't need to worry about for the most part): the original ''Megami Tensei'' continuity, which was the novels and the games adapted from them; the ''Majin Tensei'' strategy games; the ''Devil Children/DemiKids'' continuity of [[Pokémon]]-like [[Lighter and Softer|kid-friendly]] [[Mons]] games; and the ''[[Last Bible]]'' series of [[Dragon Quest]]-esque games, only one of which ever came to America (as they are all of [[Your Mileage May Vary|somewhat debatable quality]]). Most of these sub-franchises haven't seen a title released in over a decade (''[[Devil Survivor]]'', in fact, seems intended as a [[Spiritual Successor]] to ''Majin Tensei'', using the lessons learned from the later Persona games); the last Devil Children game, ''Messiah Riser'', was released in 2004 and Atlus dropped the franchise like a hot potato afterward. Very few of these games were really that good (aside from maybe ''Majin Tensei'') and their continuities don't really cross over into the "big" SMT/Persona continuities, so new fans don't need to pay them much mind. (Given how [[Continuity Snarl|tangled things are already]], this is a bit of a mercy.)

** The laconic entry for this series, for a long time, ''redirected'' to [[Nintendo Hard]]. You can't say we didn't warn you.

** And, as one of their company spokespeople proudly admitted: ''We get off on your tears!''

* [[Belts and Zippers]] - Izanagi {{spoiler|and Izanami}} in ''Persona 4''. Izanagi has a belt buckle jacket and belts hanging off his helmet, {{spoiler|Izanami's first form}} appears to be restrained almost entirely by belts.

* [[Big Bad]]: YHVH, aka [[God]]. A ''[[Light Is Not Good|Law]]''-aligned [[Knight Templar]] who shows up in most games, or oversees the results of his work. Controls the Angels, [[End of the World Special|and has fun with the world]].

* [[Fate Worse Than Death]] - These are not happy games. And the suffering is not restricted to the bad guys. Or bad endings.

* [[Fan Nickname]] - The protagonists of ''Devil Summoner: [[Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army]]'', ''Nocturne'', ''Persona,'' ''Persona 3,'' and ''Persona 4'' are nameless in the game, but fans often use the names given to the characters in various manga and drama CD's based off the games.

* [[Fantasy Kitchen Sink]] - Mor enotably explored in ''[[Shin Megami Tensei I]]'' and ''[[Shin Megami Tensei II]]'', with the various factions and alliances everyone pulls in the road to ultimate power, though ''[[Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey]]'' is also a very good example with the Mothers and the demon lords.

* [[Fiction as Cover Up]]: Many [[Mega Ten]] fans take [[Persona 4]]'s mention of a [[Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army|Raidou Kuzunoha]] movie as this. It would make it the only indication of any games in the series (beyond the direct sequels and Persona sub-series) to take place in the same ([[Multiverse|exact]]) universe.