One of the most iconic elements ofShin Megami Tensei: Nocturnewas the inclusion ofDevil May Cry’s protagonist Dante in the original English localization released in 2004. Fans were understandably upset when they heard that theiconic Capcom character would be absentin place of Atlus’s own Raidou Kuzunoha, protagonist of theShin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivorseries. As it turns out, that will no longer be the case, as Atlus has confirmed that Dante will be returning inShin Megami Tensei: Nocturne HD Remaster, but there’s a catch.
When re-releasing the originalShin Megami Tensei: NocturneasShin Megami Tensei: Nocturne Maniaxin Japan, a director’s cut which balanced the game’s difficulty and added new content, the Atlus team decided that Dante from Capcom’s then-new franchiseDevil May Cry,would be a good fit for the demon-infested world of Nocturne. Atlus U.S.A. later released the game’s localization based off theManiaxedition. However, when releasingDemon Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon, Atlus Japan re-released the game in the form ofShin Megami Tensei: Nocturne Maniax Chronicle, which included all of the content from the originalManiaxedition butreplaced Dante with Raidou entirelyand tied into the story ofDevil Summoner 2.
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Atlus released a brand new trailer forShin Megami Tensei: Nocturne HD Remasterwith the caption “Breaking News,” which later turned out to be the reveal that Dante will be added back into the game via paid DLC known as the “Maniax Pack.” This DLC will sell for 980 yen (equivalent to around $10 USD,) and will release alongside the game in Japan on October 29th 2020. Players will have to choose between Dante and Raidou upon starting the game, as owners of the DLC will have the option to start the game with the “New Game -MANIAX-” mode from the game’s main menu.
While many fans will surely be excited to see Dante return as a guest character toShin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, it is disappointing to see that Atlus is only offering the character as paid DLC and that players will have to choose between Raidou and Dante. While Dante was part of the game’s western release in 2004, the game’sManiax Chronicle Editionnever actually saw a release outside of Japan, meaning that Raidou’s content will be localized for the first time when the upcoming remasterreleases west in 2021.
There has been no comment from Atlus U.S.A. on this announcement or details of the Dante DLC pack or whether it will includeDante’s English voice actor Reuben Langdon. This remaster marks the first timeShin Megami Tensei: Nocturnewill receive full voice acting in both Japanese and English.
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne HD Remasterreleases in Japan on October 29th 2020 for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. The game is planned for a western release in Spring 2021.
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