smt iv vs strange journey

The Devs of Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux Answer Your Questions

Shin Megami Tensei fans around the world are tuning up their Demonicas for their expedition to Antarctica when Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux launches on May 15*! This won’t be an easy mission (what kind of SMT game would it be if it was easy?), so we’ve enlisted the help of Strange Journey Redux ’s elite core development team, including Director Eiji Ishida, World Setting Investigator / Level Designer, Tatsuya Watanabe, and Alex’s Character Designer / New Demon Designer, Masayuki Doi. Together, they took some time to answer some of our fans’ questions on the series, the results of which can be read below. Learn about what drove the team’s inspiration behind SMT games’ stories, get insight towards the creative process for character and demon designs, design priorities for Redux as a remaster, and more!

About Strange Journey Redux :

Q: Strange Journey’s setting stands out among fantasy JRPGs and even other SMT games. Why go for a military setting in the Antarctic?

Eiji Ishida : I decided to make Antarctica the stage for this game to pay respects to the vaunted tradition in science-fiction disaster films where the majority of the “unprecedented danger” starts in Antarctica.

I am partly joking about this, but one of the reasons was that I didn’t want the cause of the Schwarzwelt appearing to be tied to any specific country or people, so I decided to have it show up in Antarctica. I wanted the location to symbolize a place where the negative karma of all humanity would gather, and I wanted to start the story from a place that didn’t belong to anyone.

As far as the military setting, everyone does have armaments, but strictly speaking those investigating the Schwarzwelt aren’t armed forces. The task force that the protagonist belongs to and the commander of the ship are all soldiers, but within the investigation team there are countless specialists in scientific and technological fields from all over the world.

I think that having people from across the globe work together as one against an unprecedented danger is a setting that really raises morale.

Q: What made you have a game where the main characters are adults in their 30s instead of the usual “teenagers save the world” trope that SMT goes for?

Eiji Ishida : I didn’t consider this too much while we were thinking about the setting.

When talking to Kazuma Kaneko, the creator of the original version, we naturally ended with those types of characters as we talked about the main points of the story and the setting. This storyline surrounding the investigation team descending into internal conflict amid a desperate struggle for survival was written as a representation of the whole of humanity, and it was decided upon at the very early stages of the discussion. I believe we determined that to write this from the viewpoint of a younger boy or girl would lose some of the reality.

But then again, there are masterpieces out there like the film “Lord of the Flies,” so I think that a young boy or girl being the main character for this topic could have been just as entertaining.

Q: What difficulties did you face when adding new story concepts to this latest version?

Eiji Ishida: We’ve added a story that leads to three new endings in this game. It’s extremely difficult to try and explain this without spoilers, but this new story branches off from the original game’s story. Because of this, it was extremely hard trying to keep everything consistent.

Since the story already has multiple plotlines tangled together like a bowl of spaghetti, my brain was constantly overheating from the detail overload. However, we were able to work in surprising turns of events that can only be done in sci-fi works, so I am very satisfied with the end product of this added story.

Q: When developing this title, how did you decide on what new content to include? How much new content were you able to put in before your team decided any additional content should be saved for a new game? Or rather, was there any content that you felt didn’t fit the theme of Strange Journey, so you cut it?

Eiji Ishida: There are two main points regarding the addition of new content: First is to add even more enjoyment and challenge for those users that have played and cleared the previous game. This includes the additional story and dungeon, and of course additional demons. Second is to add all sorts of ease of play for the users that are considering buying the game. This also involves adding graphics that make the game’s world look even more attractive.

We also added things like multiple difficulty settings and character busts and voices to increase the level of expression within the event scenes. The event scenes evolved into a more dramatic look, and we believe we increased the emotional attachment to the story greatly. Furthermore, we created cutscenes that should convey the world of SJR even more clearly. It is like a preview to a movie, and there should be no problem drawing people in to the game’s world, so please give it a look!

There really weren’t any specific ideas that were cut because they didn’t match the theme, but early in the development for the remake we were thinking of adding new rules to the demon fusion. However, the addition of these rules would have mischievously made the game more complex, so we did not add them. If we get the chance, we would like to implement those ideas in another game.

Q: What inspired the new character, Alex?

Eiji Ishida: Alex’s creation was due to us wanting to add a character that would symbolize the new scenario. She persistently pursues you, the protagonist, to try and kill you, but the reason why she chases after you will come to light in the added scenario. I’ll refrain from saying anything further so that I don’t take away the fun of playing this game. Still, when the reason for her actions is learned, the player will be forced to make a heavy and difficult choice.

Q: Strange Journey was a great installment with an original story with an excellent sci-fi setting. Will you guys ever make a future title with the same sort of atmosphere? Maybe a story that takes place in space?

Eiji Ishida: If able, I would like to make a sequel to this game, but I currently don’t know if that can be made a reality. There is dialogue in the game suggesting the angel Mastema may have originated from somewhere beyond this Earth, so it wouldn’t be so strange if the stage was set in space as well!

Q: What was the coolest scrapped idea you guys had for SJR?

Eiji Ishida: Talking about scrapped ideas is a bittersweet thing that evokes a feeling of defeat, but it also doesn’t feel fair to only talk answer questions that are appropriate for promoting the game, so I’m going to be resolute here and come clean…

In this game we were planning on adding an additional element from the second run of the game, an in-game app called “New Megami Tensei”. It began as a joke that was implemented in the original version, and nothing would happen if you launched the app, but this time instead of a joke we were thinking of actually having the in-game app (a mini game) launch within the game.

The plan was when you launched this app it would start up a combat simulator, and the idea was that you would be able to continuously play a roguelike procedurally generated dungeon, but the actual costs were too great, and it couldn’t be implemented. I do regret that we weren’t able to implement it, but if I had forcefully had this implemented then we wouldn’t have been able to invest as much time into increasing the quality of the vital main story of the game, so I do think it was the right decision in the end. (And it was thanks to our prudent staff that I was finally convinced to give up on implementing it.)

Q: What were you looking forward to most when revisiting Strange Journey for this remake?

Eiji Ishida: For the original version, hearing the various comments through social media was a source of encouragement. (Of course, the opposite was true too, but that can’t be helped). I do look forward to hearing such direct impressions for this time as well.

Coming from the development side, I looked forward to how well the more expressive event scenes turned out.

Q: How did you guys come up with the idea for Strange Journey?

Eiji Ishida: To borrow the words from the original version’s creator Kaneko, “Wouldn’t it be good to have a Megami Tensei that you could fill the space of the small gaps of time you had, like Tetris or Minesweeper does?” That was the start of the idea. Which means that at the start of development we tried to make something where you could keep enjoying dungeon exploration and demon fusing with not much story. You might find it surprising, but this is true. We were thinking of creating something with a different idea as a spin-off title.

We ended up creating a story-rich game that was the opposite of the initial idea, but the concepts and spirit that were presented initially have been woven firmly into the game, and I believe it is a game that you can easily play with a short amount of time on hand. And this concept has not only been passed down to this remake version but strengthened even further.

Also, regarding the story portion, it goes without saying that it has taken influence from science-fiction disaster horror movies such as “The Thing”. When developing the original version, the reboot of “Battlestar Galactica” (the pilot version) was airing in Japan, so this was often a topic of conversation, and I believe there were considerable influences from this work as well. Both works do depict survival within the harshest environment.

 Regarding the Difficulty for Newcomers:

Q: Shin Megami Tensei games are challenging. What do you recommend for those of us transitioning from the Persona series?

Eiji Ishida: For the remake, we have added several difficulty settings. The difficulty you play on will have no impact on the ending, so feel free to choose the level that is most comfortable for you.

I will also add that it is possible to change the difficulty at any time while you’re playing the game (except for the hardest difficulty, in which case you can’t). If you feel like the game is too hard, try changing to a lower difficulty, and it should become more manageable.

DLCs, both free and paid, that provide players with additional support will be available at launch as well, so please check them out.

We’ve also made it so that you can now save and suspend your game from within dungeons. Even if you die in battle, you won’t have to start over from a save station like in the original game. Now you will have the option to restart near the last place you saved within the dungeon. As long as you save somewhat frequently, you won’t feel like you’re losing a significant amount of progress… I hope!

Q: I’m a huge fan of the Persona series. One of the big reasons for that is how interacting with certain characters can affect gameplay. Is there a similar system in this game?

Eiji Ishida: I would like to say yes, but unfortunately, there isn’t a system centered around deepening your relationships with other characters.

Strange Journey is a story about a clash of ideologies, so there is some level of trust that is formed between you and your allies, and you get that feeling of being part of a team, but it’s not quite the same as what you get in Persona.

That said, the story isn’t all killing and nothing else; we mixed some lighthearted humor in as well. Your fellow soldiers can sometimes give requests that are different from the usual serious side quests you get as you play through the story. These often come with a light comedic touch, and can range anywhere from confronting a demon that has taken over the bathroom, to assisting a man who has fallen in love with a demon.

Q: Will it be fun for newcomers to the Shin Megami Tensei series? This will possibly be my first one.

Eiji Ishida: Thank you for taking interest in this game. This one is more like a spin-off from the Shin Megami Tensei’s numbered series and requires no prior knowledge to play. This game is rather challenging even within the Shin Megami Tensei series, but in this remake, we’ve added an option that allows you to adjust the game’s difficulty to your liking. We hope that you enjoy it!

Personal Opinions:

Q: Since religious imagery and symbolism play a huge part of your games, do you have a favorite myth, lore, or culture/religion that’s not your own that you find particularly fascinating or inspiring?

Eiji Ishida: I think the impact that religion has on someone will differ from person to person, but what personally interests me the most is what form some of these religions initially started in. Naturally there are religious figures who are considered deities in a more traditional sense, but I like the kinds of beings that humanity created to answer a need, like the yōkai that are born from Japanese folklore.

I also like the idea of godlike beings born from a shift in values as the times change, like “Media” from “American Gods” by Neil Gaiman, because those gods are strange, yet believable.

Q: Would you like to make another military-themed Shin Megami Tensei game?

Eiji Ishida: Yes, if it’s possible, I’d like to create a continuation of this game, but lately I’ve been wanting to try creating a story with a setting that is more like a slice of life. Perhaps something like a secret academy where demon tamer students gather would be interesting.

Q: Which alignment do the devs choose when getting to play the games after finishing development?

Eiji Ishida: While the game was in development, I had to play it over and over and over and over… and over even more, so honestly, I don’t want to touch this game for at least a couple of years. Personally, I like the Neutral Route, so I think I’d choose that route if I were to play. But then again, if I play it based on how I honestly feel, I’d probably end up in the Chaos Route without me even noticing it… (lol).

About SMT Lore, its History, and Future:

Q: What is the criteria that the developers use to select demons to put in the compendium? The diversity of the deities and demons present in the games are one of the best SMT characteristics that make the games unique.

Tatsuya Watanabe: Our criteria for the demons we select is based on the theme of the game and its story. There are no relative merits when it comes to how popular or unknown the demons are.

Personally though, I’d like to select an obscure deity that can’t be found online as one of the main pillars of a newly introduced demon. If I do a web search on that deity after the game’s release and see a Shin Megami Tensei-related page in the results, that will definitely put a smile on my face.

Q: What is the timeline of all Shin Megami Tensei games? Do the events of all the Shin Megami Tensei games occur in the same universe or dimension?

Eiji Ishida: This game takes place in a world and timeline that is different from the other entries in the Shin Megami Tensei series. The Demonica Suit does appear in Shin Megami Tensei IV too, but there are no timeline connections between them. Had they been connected, perhaps we could’ve included some interesting crossovers, but there is no need to have any knowledge of the other games to play this one.

Q: Are there plans for a default female main character, or at least the option of a female MC for future titles?

Eiji Ishida: This would depend on each game’s director, but if I ever am given the chance to make another Shin Megami Tensei game, I’d like to consider such options. By the way, though it was never released in the US, “Shin Megami Tensei If…” for the Super Famicom [SNES] allowed you to choose the gender of the protagonist.

Q: Any plans expand the moral options to the game beside the classic chaos/neutral/law? Perhaps it could include something like we have seen in the Witcher, Mass Effect or Fallout New Vegas, to name a few.

Eiji Ishida: This would also depend on each game’s director, but if I ever am given the chance to make another Shin Megami Tensei game, I think I would like to expand on that aspect. However, I am also interested in working on a project with a storyline that does not branch off. I would like to write a story similar to “The Last of Us,” which follows the very personal journey of one man. I have been particularly interested in these types of works lately.

About the Process & Development:

Q: What is the team’s writing and planning process like? How do you choose which demons might take a bigger role in the narrative of a single entry in the games?

Eiji Ishida: Since video games are an interactive form of entertainment, we think that what’s most important is what we call an “experience-based theme” where we consider what we want the player to experience through the game. For Strange Journey, a game system and story with theme of “exploration” was taken into consideration. By doing this, the game system and story can unfold in the same direction, allowing for a level of cohesiveness between the two. The player is taking part in is an investigation party with exploration as their goal, so the game system became one where you expand and improve your abilities to further this exploration.

As for the selection of demons important in the story, we consult staff members that excel at thinking through such things and other members that design such demons. For Strange Journey, the final enemy is XXXXX (spoilers!), so we concentrated on choosing XXXXX-like deities for the demons that take on important roles. When we choose demons based on the prerequisites of the story, we are able to select demons that are persuasive and match the story’s world setting, but as a result, this does limit our selection process and decreases their variations. That is the difficult part of trying to make this work.

Q: How do you research your information for demon designs what sources do you look at to find stories from mythology from around the world and how do you incorporate that into the final design?

Masayuki Doi: It all begins with going through the materials such as books, mythology-related websites, and other resources put together by the person in charge of the story setting. And based on those materials, I sketch out details that could be used in designing the demons and characters, and then I discuss which is the best design amongst the team. Whether their designs remain faithful to the original mythologies or certain aspects are exaggerated is decided through this process.

Q: What inspires you guys to keep writing the stories you create? And how do you come up with settings and area designs?

Eiji Ishida: I’ve only directed Strange Journey in the Shin Megami Tensei series, but I think that the story depicted in the SMT series isn’t as simple as a showdown between demon invaders and innocent humans. I believe that the series has continuously depicted the clashes between complex ideologies and the cooperation that forms between people. With that in mind, occurrences that can easily be used as themes in such stories constantly take place in the real world we live in, for better or for worse. I believe that there are many instances where we gain inspiration from such human actions.

As for the area design question, the first half of Strange Journey’s dungeons were designed as spaces that are the materialization of the negative karma that mankind has cast upon the Earth, such as environmental destruction. They can also be taken as direct messages from the Earth of how mankind must reflect on the actions they have taken.

Q: How do you come up with these unique character designs in each game?

Masayuki Doi: This process isn’t too different from how I design demons, but I think about what parts of the character to emphasize through the materials put together by the person in charge of the story setting. For example, in regard to Alex, her role in the story is contrastive to the Red Sprite’s crew, so while I was designing her I was mindful to give her a different equipment set and silhouette than the Red Sprite’s crew. As a result, I believe that her final design is a contrast to the others and is uniquely different from them.

Q: At any point, were there plans to have a Shin Megami Tensei game take place completely in the Western world (with the exception of SJR) or worldwide?

Eiji Ishida: I cannot answer concerning what we have lined up for the future, but as I answered earlier, I do daydream about different possibilities. Some of those include having one take place in space, or making one take place in Hell and the protagonist is a low-class demon who strives to become the commander of Hell’s army. Either way, these may be fun ideas to pursue.

Q: Does fan input from surveys contribute to any of the recent projects and/or ideas?

Eiji Ishida: For this remake, we took a lot of player feedback into account. It might be difficult to see if you compare the original and the remake side by side, but quite a number of improvements have been made based on the players’ opinions, which should create a more enjoyable gameplay experience.

Q: How have modern games, developed by ATLUS or otherwise, influenced the direction of the Shin Megami Tensei series, which is over 20 years old at this point?

Eiji Ishida: Strange Journey is the only title I was involved in as a director, so I cannot say anything to summarize it all, but I think that there are constant outside influences. It’s hard to answer in detail what kind of influences because there are too many of them, but since we keep making games where the player must clash with others who have different beliefs, I’ve been influenced by games that depict such conflicts (and alliances). Still, this influence isn’t just from video games. I think that I’m influenced by movies, novels, and even real-life incidents.

I can’t say in detail since I haven’t played this game yet, but how Far Cry 5 attempts to integrate social backgrounds that are very difficult to handle into the game world is impressive to me, as a creator myself, and I commend their bravery on tackling such themes.

We’d like to once again thank all our amazing fans for sending in such great questions for the Strange Journey Redux development team. The team is rooting for your success in this mission, and we hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about how mythology and the modern world have been carefully intertwined in designing Strange Journey ’s setting, as well as the interesting challenges and opportunities associated with remastering the game with all new characters, demons, and multiple endings. Our team has offered all the help they can, and now, humanity’s survival rests in your hands. Prepare for the journey of a lifetime when Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux launches on the Nintendo 3DS™ on May 15 in the Americas and May 18 in Europe! To pre-order your copy today, visit atlus.com/strangejourney

* Strange Journey Redux launches on May 18 in Europe.

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Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey review

Pokemon's goth cousin is a journey worth taking.

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Choice to battle or talk to most foes

Ominous chanting soundtrack

Spartan but effective graphics

2D sprites and 3D dungeons can be a bit plain

Might prove too slow for some

Horrifically doom-laden tone

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Some fans call the Shin Megami Tensei games ‘Pokemon with the lights out’. Even though the SMT series predates Pokemon by quite a few years, the flow of catching, levelling up and fusing demons feels very much like the basic Pokemon grind. But what sets SMT apart from other JRPGs is its willingness to tackle mature and truly apocalyptic themes. Strange Journey fits right into that tradition, telling the story of a doomed multinational effort to investigate a mysterious black hole called the Schwarzwelt that has appeared at the South Pole.

Strange Journey repurposes the engine Atlus created for the Etrian Odyssey series, so inside the Schwarzwelt you find maze-like dungeons brimming with demons and mythical creatures that, at best, are ambivalent about humanity’s survival. You’re protected by special power armour called the Demonica that lets you communicate with demons and turn them into allies. You can fight on your own in the dungeon if you want, but your guns and swords won’t take you far without some strong demon allies to watch your back.

The big difference between Strange Journey and Etrian Odyssey, modern paramilitary setting aside, is the alignment system. This is a classic Shin Megami Tensei feature that’s making a return after some time away. Throughout the story you’re allowed to make decisions that can align you as Neutral, Lawful or Chaotic. Your alignment dictates how well you get along with certain demons; if you have compatible creatures in your party, you can gang up on enemies to devastating effect.

In many ways Strange Journey plays like an update of the original SMT games that Atlus released for the SNES. Those games were deeply influenced by first-person PC dungeon crawlers such as Wizardry, and Strange Journey feels no different. Whether this is a positive or negative depends on your proclivities as a gamer, obviously. Many years ago, series creator Kazuma Kanako stated in an interview that the Shin Megami Tensei series was for players who looked at other JRPGs on the market and thought, ‘This isn’t me’. If you’ve ever felt that way, you’ll be quite at home with Strange Journey.

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SMT Strange Journey Redux worth it?

• Thread starter BasilZero
• Start date Feb 26, 2020

• Feb 26, 2020

Hey, need some opinions. I'm interested in buying SMT Strange Journey Redux for the 3DS but I wanna know a few things. 1. I havent played any of the mainline SMT games and the only games close to it I played have been P1, P2 IS, P3P and P4 OG all of which I love. Will I enjoy this one as much? 2. Is this a good game to start the SMT series? 3. Should I play another game to understand the story or what? 4. Should I play the 3DS version or play the DS version?  

BennyWhatever

I haven't played the Persona games but I played the DS version. This game is standalone (you don't need any other games to lead up to it), and is the only SMT game I've played. It's a pretty hard game and you have to have some patience. I absolutely loved the story (which is very sci-fi), but ymmv. I'm not sure of the differences between 3DS and DS versions. As a total SMT noob, I'd still recommend it. It's a cool (albeit difficult) game that you'll sink a lot of time in if you enjoy it.  

One Winged Slayer

I'd recommend starting with SMT IV tbh, but either is fine. Strange Journey is pretty hard, but is a fun standalone game. The 3DS version is fine, but the added content ruins the story, but you can easily ignore, so it's whatever.  

BasilZero said: Hey, need some opinions. I'm interested in buying SMT Strange Journey Redux for the 3DS but I wanna know a few things. 1. I havent played any of the mainline SMT games and the only games close to it I played have been P1, P2 IS, P3P and P4 OG all of which I love. Will I enjoy this one as much? 2. Is this a good game to start the SMT series? 3. Should I play another game to understand the story or what? 4. Should I play the 3DS version or play the DS version? Click to expand... Click to shrink...

Redux adds a decent amount of beginner friendly stuff that make going into it the first time a lot nicer, like no limit on sub apps, healing cost changes, fusion changes. Also has difficulty modes as well. Still bastard hard at points, and the new dungeons and superbosses are alright too even if the story content attached to them is... Less good. The (original) story and general SMT vibes are top notch. I prefer the 1st person games to SMT IV but it's a solid starting point too.  

I'm currently playing through Strange Journey Redux right now. Its not my first SMT but it is the first I've played that is the more old school, dungeon crawler type. Although the 3DS Redux version is easier at the normal difficulty than the original release it is still pretty challenging. As others have mentioned I would probably play through SMT IV first, at least. I played that one last year and found it really enjoyable. SMT IV is still different than the Persona games but way more similar than SJ. SJ has a really awesome vibe but the presentation is more minimal. You are either exploring dungeons or going through menus at your home base. SMT IV has more full 3D environments that you third person navigate and after the first section is a lot more forgiving than SJ is as a whole.  

I'll also recommend IV first, as I just think it's a great game. Strange Journey (Redux) or otherwise is another really good SMT. Would definitely opt for the 3DS version for its improvements, but either is fine, really. It's a fine game to play. I say go with the game that grabs your interest the most. Any of the SMT games on 3DS are worth playing.  

Unfortunately I dont want to get SMTIV yet - apparently it was $10 a month ago on eshop....so lol I would get it on Amazon but its $100 SMT SJR is $20 right now on Amazon which is 50% off....thats why asking about that.  

User requested ban

As someone who reveres Strange Journey as the pinnacle of Shin Megami Tensei, you absolutely need to play it. To answer your questions in order: 1. I havent played any of the mainline SMT games and the only games close to it I played have been P1, P2 IS, P3P and P4 OG all of which I love. Will I enjoy this one as much? Strange Journey is about as far away from Persona as you can get. It's an intensely lonely, isolated atmosphere where it's just you and your demons embarking through twisted labyrinths full of danger. There is NPC support but it's all background; it's really up to you. 2. Is this a good game to start the SMT series? SJ is amazing but I don't know about starting with it if only because it appeals most to the hardcore SMT crowd. If you could pick one to start with I'd go with SMTIV to ease you into the series, however the game explains all its terminology and gameplay mechanics so if you want to start with it, there's no problem except the big one you should know going in: Enemy demons first appear as formless blobs and you have no idea what they are until you beat them for the first time, and then after beating them a few more times to analyze them is when their elemental affinities start appearing. 3. Should I play another game to understand the story or what? Totally self contained, no worries. There's a bit of story beats that make more sense if you're already familiar with SMT, but it's minor stuff. 4. Should I play the 3DS version or play the DS version? Okay so, I'm a huge devotee of the original game and I pointedly do not like Redux for the changes it brought to the game save a little helpful QoL stuff. However, my problems with Redux exist as a result of my love of the original game, and you don't have that, so the QoL updates might help endear you to the game more than playing the DS version. Certainly with the new content it's bursting at the seams with stuff to do so you'll never run out. Altogether Redux's changes make the game much easier to get into for a newcomer to the Shin Megami Tensei. So in summary Strange Journey is my favourite SMT title and the silver medal of my best games ever list. It is an absolute must play for any RPG fan. PS: Don't forget to check out the 3DS' other SMT titles.  

• Apr 1, 2020

Sorry for the bump; I read often that this game is difficult; should I start at easy? From what I looked, I can switch difficulty anytime right? Thanks! I have also SMT IV (the regular one, not Apocalyspe) but I don't know why, Strange Journey is more appealing, maybe because of the scifi nature of the story. I was disppointed by P5 but with all that P5R talking, I want to recruit some demons.  

Mercador said: Sorry for the bump; I read often that this game is difficult; should I start at easy? From what I looked, I can switch difficulty anytime right? Thanks! I have also SMT IV (the regular one, not Apocalyspe) but I don't know why, Strange Journey is more appealing, maybe because of the scifi nature of the story. I was disppointed by P5 but with all that P5R talking, I want to recruit some demons. Click to expand... Click to shrink...

What could explain the review bombing of the Redux? Should I try to find the DS original version?  

Alt Account

I haven't played Redux, but if it's anything like the original, it really depends on what kinds of games you like. It is a hardcore, no nonsense dungeon crawler. The plot is interesting, but not really the focus. I mean, if you've played Persona 1, you might have some kind of idea of the core gameplay loop, but Strange Journey is even more stripped down, and much harder. At a certain point, though, the difficulty outpaced the fun for me. So I didn't play it all the way through.  

Mercador said: What could explain the review bombing of the Redux? Should I try to find the DS original version? Click to expand... Click to shrink...

Well, I have the game already so I guess it won't hurt to try it. I'd rather try something in my backlog than paying full price for P5R, moreover than I wasn't able to go farther than Dungeon #2 on P5 (as much as I loved P4G and P3:FES, I can't stand P5 for some strange unknown reasons).  

Strange Journey is easily the hardest SMT game imo. Dunno if it's the best one to begin with. About Redux x Original, i would say the Redux version is worth for the bonus dungeons and the exclusive final boss.  

Mercador said: Well, I have the game already so I guess it won't hurt to try it. I'd rather try something in my backlog than paying full price for P5R, moreover than I wasn't able to go farther than Dungeon #2 on P5 (as much as I loved P4G and P3:FES, I can't stand P5 for some strange unknown reasons). Click to expand... Click to shrink...

SimonSimon said: I don't think it's an unknown reason. I think P5 is a worse game than both of those. But that's beside the point in this thread, I guess. Click to expand... Click to shrink...

Mercador said: Yeah but I'm still wondering why I was so disappointed by it (P5). It feels on-rails as I couldn't really choose how I fought battles. Click to expand... Click to shrink...

SMT and Persona games seemingly review bombed on Metacritic

I think SMTIV is the most beginner friendly game in the series. I found Strange Journey dull in comparison. I especially disliked the soundtrack. It's just bad faux-orchestral music by a composer who isn't really good at that. Nocturne, I guess, is also good, but some of the later dungeons are painful to play through.  

NeonZ said: Redux itself is controversial among fans though - the main reason is that in the original game you had 3 endings which were all bad in one way or another, while Redux adds 3 new actually "good" endings. You can still go for the original endings if you wish, but even so beforehand you meet new characters that attempt to push you to the new content. You can't just follow the progression of the original game. Click to expand... Click to shrink...

SimonSimon said: Damn, I knew it. It's fan service design at its worst. People liked the original game? Let's remake that, but add in a bunch of stuff that doesn't fit in with the original tone! Why do the SMT devs always pull that trick? Click to expand... Click to shrink...

As others have said, SMTIV is a better way to start the series. SMTIV is a great tribute to the earlier games in the series kinda like Final Fantasy IX or Dragon Quest XI, but it plays more like a modern JRPG. Strange Journey is the complete opposite. SJ has a story and setting that hadn't been done before but plays like the older dungeon crawling games.  

• Featured Content / Reviews

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux Review

by Mike Moehnke · Published July 19, 2018 · Updated November 18, 2018

Age of Extinction

Every few years I get in the mood to tackle something else from the massive Megami Tensei line of titles, and that synced conveniently with the release of Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux . The word from this game’s original edition warned that it would be a considerable timesink, and that is most definitely still the case. Strange Journey in its Redux form actually manages to be even more of a timesink due to the addition of a mammoth new dungeon to explore, but at least this is not a complete waste of the many hours required to persevere. My urge to play anything else in the series has been successfully quashed for another year or two.

A baffling phenomenon in Antarctica called the Schwarzwelt has aroused the intense interest of decision-makers around the world. This phenomenon is slowly expanding from the South Pole and placing all land inside within a black border that is impenetrable to all scanning efforts. No drones sent into the Schwarzwelt have survived to return, and the images they managed to broadcast before contact was lost only produce more questions instead of answers. Four ships crewed with the most talented people possible are about to set out into the Schwarzwelt, in order to hopefully learn what is happening. Upon entering the area matters within quickly diverge from what was planned, and an already-dangerous mission sees its odds of success decrease further. The player takes the on role of a soldier recruited in the event that combat prowess is needed inside, something that quickly proves to be a helpful skill set to aid survival once the demons inside the Schwarzwelt appear.

Strange Journey Redux has an enormously ambitious narrative that attempts to detail a series of events through which a demonic takeover of the Earth could occur, while avoiding any obvious insertions of unbelievable methods to advance the plot. It has a fairly large cast of characters with some depth to their motivations. The personalities at play are not as complex as they could be, since certain key players are locked into paths regardless of what the player might choose. Such ambition is worthy of praise even when not everything the narrative attempts is a success, and Atlus USA’s typically strong localization ensures that what transpires remains gripping. This is an involving tale that manages to keep coming up with interesting developments throughout, and avoids treating the player like a dullard when doing so. Having three potential endings in the original game along with new material including additional endings for the Redux version ensures that plenty of time can be spent with this setting if desired.

Please be more specific. Who are they? If I knew, maybe it would mean something.

Efforts to give the player input into morality are where the narrative does not come off best, primarily thanks to the limited options available. Three morality tracks provide the options for responses in numerous scenarios, but often none of the available responses convey what the player would prefer to do. These segments definitely offer more shades of gray and realistic portrayals of humanity than will be found in most RPGs, but not nearly enough to represent the gamut of possibilities found in the real world.

Armed with a specialized suit that allows him to manipulate his surroundings, the protagonist wanders the multiple dungeons of Strange Journey while encountering plentiful demons along the way. In the vein of many other titles in this series, conversation with just about all battle participants is possible and often encouraged. Demons come with a sizable variety of personality traits, from old fogeys to creatures incapable of uttering more than guttural grunts. Conversation will frequently net rewards, and many demons are perfectly willing to join the player’s stable of party members if the right incentives are submitted. The chance also exists that the player will manage to infuriate instead of ingratiate, but the plentiful options for talking things through are both interesting and worthwhile.

Many demons cannot be convinced to join the player and must be created through fusion. All defeated bosses and numerous scarce beings not regularly encountered can be created via the combination of demons extant in the current stock, which is an absorbing process that will divert a substantial amount of time. As in other games from the series, what can be created is strictly limited by the protagonist’s current level, which at least provides an excellent reason to seek out additional combat. Fused demons can also inherit certain valuable abilities from previously-acquired party members, giving more incentives to spend time with this system.

Demonee-Ho will treat you like dirt, and you will like it, soldier!

Combat itself is a relatively straightforward turn-based affair in which the player and up to three companion demons duke it out against adversaries. Due to the presence of various elemental affinities and weaknesses, there is no such thing as a character optimal for every situation. Some enemies absorb or reflect attacks of specific types, and status ailments work regularly if the recipient is not immune. An important battle component is the automatic supporting attacks unleashed when an enemy’s weakness is hit, something that is most helpful against defensively-powerful opponents. Bosses require attention to be paid, as some of their abilities can destroy an unsuspecting player on even the lowest difficulty.

Navigation of the dungeons is often no less a task than prevailing in altercations, as these are sizable places with many devious tricks to tax the player. One-way doors and poisonous floor tiles are just the beginning — soon enough other nasty elements such as holes in the ground and teleporter mazes add to the bedlam. Patience and the presence of an automap on the lower screen aid in unraveling these tricky places, which are addictive to explore even as they befuddle. Strange Journey oddly locks off certain parts of dungeons until New Game Plus mode is achieved, and it is bothersome to see such locations appear on the map without any way to explore them, especially when the game already requires around eighty hours to complete.  That time can be lowered a bit by attempting to plow through the game without stopping to look around, but a great number of optional missions that usually ask for thorough navigation of the dungeons also exist to contribute still more content.

Redux adds a number of options to the mix, starting with the ability to choose a difficulty upon beginning the game. Casual challenge is not a cakewalk but does make things more manageable. The major addition to Redux is a new character’s appearance in the second dungeon which opens the Womb of Grief, a completely new area which itself takes at least twenty hours to explore. Going through the Womb of Grief is optional but yields extremely helpful abilities that can tailor random encounter rates to the player’s liking and make dungeon navigation much easier. Among the very helpful things to be gained in the Womb of Grief is a function that shows where a teleporter will take the party, something that otherwise is dependent entirely upon memory. Unless one waits until near the end of the game, it is impossible to explore the Womb of Grief in one trek, since its lower portions can only be unlocked once various abilities to open multiple types of sealed areas in the main storyline are achieved. Each new floor represents a completely different undertaking and exploring the place is a worthwhile endeavor. Going through it also broadens the game’s conclusion options.

Want to make your life easier? Get these and turn them on.

Inventory arrangement is not one of this game’s strong suits due to the sheer amount of time it can take. Each specific item has an individual maximum amount that can be in the player’s possession, which at least eliminates the need to constantly return to home base in order to dump surplus supplies. Most new creations of the home base crew available for purchase require very distinct components that enemies and environments won’t consistently produce, and this can lead to many occasions where a tempting thing is inaccessible until the player tediously acquires its constituent ingredients. Just sifting through the huge mass of acquired materials in order to sell what is unnecessary also takes a very long time when several hundred possibilities are present. In most other ways the interface is functional, but this tediousness is difficult to overlook.

Strange Journey Redux betrays its DS origins through the visuals that mostly date from its original iteration, though the result is not so much unpleasant as unremarkable. Dungeon layouts make the various areas distinct from each other but also have these places look pretty much the same within each location. An impressive variety of demon images will be found within, but they don’t move much and numerous designs will have been seen before in other Megami Tensei titles. First-person dungeon exploration rarely attracts much attention through its astounding good looks, and Strange Journey Redux does not break this trend. There are a few cinematic sequences which look nice but take up a very small portion of the time spent playing.

Redux adds voiced dialogue to all the plot developments, something that can help give a little more character to the personalities. Its Japanese cast is workmanlike throughout but does not achieve such a stellar quality of performance as to entice all players to listen, especially when numerous demons have short vocal clips that will be heard many times during the proceedings. The music has some good compositions but really needed more variety, especially in its dungeon themes. Too many areas use male choral effects that sound similar, and later areas get reused compositions from earlier. Certain tracks are indeed very pleasant to the ear, particularly those heard when confronting bosses, but they aren’t heard often enough.

I enjoyed my time with Strange Journey Redux , and the many things its dungeons offered will stick with me. Its narrative is also interesting and should be applauded for what it attempts, even if the story’s reach is not quite what it can attain. I was also ready to be done by the time the credits rolled and uninterested in starting the whole thing again to see another ending or reach the heretofore-forbidden areas, which keeps Redux from being among the crowning achievements in my RPG experience. It was a worthwhile title to encounter though, and should at least be tried by anyone curious.

Redux content is nice

Interesting and alluring setting

Plenty of things to do

Time-consuming inventory management

Dungeon themes don't vary much

Tags: 3DS Atlus Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey Redux

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I’m not sure when I’ll be playing this, seeing as I hadn’t even gotten around to getting the other endings in the original DS release. Still, I think I will enjoy taking this strange journey again.

Thanks for this, Mike. After 150ish hours of Backtrack listened to in 2018, hear your voice reading this in my head (is that weird?). Looks like a pretty decent time sink ahead for me once I clear a few others from the backlog!

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Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

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An enhanced port to the Nintendo 3DS , Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux , was released on May 15, 2018. The game includes new artwork for the characters, voice acting, animation, new demons, and three new endings. 350 demons are fusable in-game.

• 2 Characters
• 3.2 Demon Analysis
• 3.3 Co-Op Attacks
• 3.4 Demon Sources
• 3.6 Password System
• 3.7 Miscellaneous
• 4 Reception
• 7 References
• 8 External links

A mysterious black hole has appeared on the region of the South Pole and is expanding day by day. Concerned about this event, the United Nations sent a collection of elites from around the world to investigate the area called Schwarzwelt (シュバルツバース, Shubarutsubāsu , Schwarz-verse ). Inside, the U.N. Schwarzwelt Investigational Team finds that the area has been infested with supernatural beings known as demons that threaten to cross into the human world. As the team delves further into the Schwarzwelt, they find strange and repulsive callbacks to human society.

The player assumes control of an unnamed soldier from America (or Japan in the Japanese version), who will be working with three other crew members assigned by the Joint Project. The crew dons Demonica suits , which enables access to special abilities as well as regulating the player to the conditions within the Schwarzwelt.

Characters [ ]

From left to right: Zelenin, the protagonist, Commander Gore, Jimenez

The major characters of Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey are:

• The protagonist - A USMC officer who underwent intense combat and command training between tours of duty. He was transferred to the Schwarzwelt Investigation Team by U.N. request. As a member of the Strike Team, his duties include off-ship missions and providing security for the expedition. He is on the crew roster for ship one, the Red Sprite .
• Commander Gore - The overall commander of the Schwarzwelt Investigation Team. He was originally a military officer serving a large country; the leadership abilities he displayed during his service earned him the top position on the team that now holds the fate of mankind. He commands the Red Sprite directly in addition to overseeing operations on the other three ships.
• Jimenez - Another member of the expedition with an American military background, Jimenez began his career as an enlisted man and is now a private contractor, attracted to the expedition by the promise of a financial gain. He serves on ship two, the Blue Jet , as a member of the Strike Team.
• Zelenin - A Russian scientist recognized for her research on the Schwarzwelt. Her position as the First Lieutenant of the Monitor Team was one of the first appointments made. Her chief duty is to research the Schwarzwelt's true nature along with her crewmates on ship three, the Elve .
• Arthur - The command unit for the Red Sprite , installed with an administrative pseudopersonality. From his vantage point tied into all the ship's systems, he extrapolates and proposes missions for the team. He is named after real life writer Arthur C. Clarke, who wrote the science fiction novel 2001: A Space Odyssey .
• Bugaboo - Deep inside the Schwarzwelt, the Schwarzwelt Investigation Team finds Bugaboo, a demon that has undergone torture at the hands of other demons. Scanning Bugaboo shows that it is only 75% demon.
• Mastema - A mysterious entity that appears before the Schwarzwelt Investigation Team, resembling an angel with black wings. He is skilled in mystical arts and has the power to break the demons' barriers, but his countenance is more sinister than divine. He claims to have come to the Schwarzwelt on God 's orders. In the Japanese release, he was called Mansemat .
• Strange Girl - An enigmatic girl who speaks of demons and humans, but seems content to witness the proceedings rather than take an active hand. Her name is Louisa Ferre in the US version.
• Alex : A new character introduced in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux . She is hunting down the protagonist for unspecified reasons.

Gameplay [ ]

Strange Journey returns to the original Shin Megami Tensei style of dungeon crawling with a first person perspective, and uses animated sprites instead of 3D models. Additionally, there is no world map; each major area is completely isolated and can only be accessed through a hub area.

The inclusion of the Demonica ( DEMO untable N ext I ntegrated C apability A rmor) allows the protagonist to upgrade his abilities through the use of "Apps". Apps include both combat and exploration abilities, such as the ability to unlock doors. The number of apps the player can have active is limited in the original Strange Journey , but not in the Redux rerelease.

Among other features, apps automate the effects of Estoma , Liftoma , and Riberama , so those skills are no longer present.

Demon Analysis [ ]

Unlike in other games, demons initially hide their appearance when first encountered, appearing as a sprite that looks like white noise, and all statistics for the demon will be displayed as "??". Attempting to negotiate with an unknown demon results in unintelligible text, and though the player can respond, the effects of the negotiation are completely random.

After defeating a demon once, the Demonica will advance its analysis level to 1, revealing the demon's name and appearance for all future encounters. Defeating demons, using them in your party, and including them in Co-Op attacks will advance their analysis level further. At level 2, the demon's elemental affinities will be revealed, and at level 3, all information about the demon will be revealed. Fusing or recruiting a demon will also immediately upgrade its analysis to level 2.

Co-Op Attacks [ ]

The Co-Op system replaces the Press Turn system from the previous game . If the protagonist or any of the player's demons hit an elemental weakness, all allies of the same alignment (Law, Chaos, or Neutral) will perform a Co-Op attack. Co-Op attacks will only ever manifest as a single hit, but they will be stronger if more allies contribute to the attack. Co-Op attacks are non-elemental and cannot be resisted or negated. Additionally, Co-Op attacks significantly increase the analyze rate of the participating demons.

Unlike the Press Turn system, this mechanic is exclusive to the player, and enemies cannot benefit from Co-Op attacks.

Demon Sources [ ]

When an allied demon's analysis level is maxed out, it will grant the player a Demon Source or D-Source, which can be added to any fusion to grant fused demons additional skills. D-Sources contain up to three fixed skills, as well as a bonus skill randomly selected from the demon's own learned skills. The player can only hold one of each D-Source at a time, and may rarely regain D-Sources from their respective demons as level-up gifts.

In addition to Macca, purchasing items now also consumes a resource known as Forma. Forma is obtained from demons (either by defeat or negotiation), with every demon having its own Forma, and from the overworld, with every Sector having its own Forma. Items are crafted through recipes requiring specific Forma.

Password System [ ]

By using an up to 32 digit code in the Demon Compendium, players can trade passwords to unlock demons from each other. Certain demons can only be obtained in this way, and Atlus revealed certain passwords to give players access. It was decided that this system was easier to use than connecting through Wi-Fi, as passwords can be posted anywhere and used at anytime.

Miscellaneous [ ]

Additional mechanics include:

• Gun attacks have returned after their absence in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne .
• Gun weapons now provide up to three skills when equipped by the protagonist. Each gun has a unique skill list. These skills often cost MP and mimic the effect of offensive spells.
• Stats use the same scale as Digital Devil Saga : Stats go up to 99 and characters gain 3 stat points on level up.
• Unlike in previous games, the player does not choose how to allocate the protagonist's stat points on level up; instead, the protagonist has one of several stat growth patterns based on the player's answer to a personality questionnaire at the start of the game.

Reception [ ]

Strange Journey was well received by critics. IGN gave it 4 stars (8.5 on a scale of 10), saying that "though the game's turn-based combat system is standard stuff, fusing demons, launching co-op attacks, and exploring the environments keeps things interesting." It received a score of 36/40 from Famitsu, which was the highest score given by the Japanese magazine to an Atlus game at the time.

Gallery [ ]

• The American release was accompanied by a soundtrack CD as well as a collectible outer box with all launch copies of the game. Music is done by long-time composer Shoji Meguro .
• A poster was available with the pre-order of the game from GameStop . It is located behind the box art.
• In 2009, a forum thread claimed that the game was developed as Shin Megami Tensei IV according to an interview with Kazuma Kaneko , but since the game's setting does not take place in Tokyo, it is apparently not named as such. [1] However, a new interview with director Eiji Ishida contradicts this. Ishida says that Strange Journey was conceived as a spinoff from the very beginning, but the promotional staff and Kazuma Kaneko thought that its quality was high enough to be called Shin Megami Tensei IV . Ishida ultimately refused to market it as such. Ishida also makes no mention of its setting not being in Tokyo becoming a factor. [2]  
• To date, Strange Journey has the fewest playable characters out of any Shin Megami Tensei game excluding fusible demons.
• The vehicles used to explore the Schwarzwelt are based on the Landmasters from a post-apocalyptic science fiction movie called Damnation Alley .

References [ ]

• ↑ Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey is technically SMT4, says producer GoNintendo. (RawmeatCowboy; September 30, 2009)
• ↑ Embarking on a Strange Journey, redux Retronauts (Parish, Jeremy; July 19, 2018)

External links [ ]

• Official Japanese Site
• Official North America Site
• (Atlus U.S.A. Forums) Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Forum
• (Atlus U.S.A. Forums) Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Demon Password Forum
• (Atlus U.S.A. Forums) PRODUCTION DIARY: "Use Your Allusion" by Lead Editor Nich Maragos
• (Atlus U.S.A. YouTube Account) English Trailer / Gameplay Trailer
• Shin Megami Tensei
• 1 Persona 5: The Phantom X
• 2 Makoto Yuki
• 3 Ren Amamiya

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux - Changes and additions in the re-release

Next week, another Atlus re-release lands on Nintendo 3DS with  Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux getting the do-over treatment this time around. As is now commonplace with Atlus, this port is an enhanced re-release which features both new content and other tweaks not present in the original 2010 game. Additionally, much like with Radiant Historia earlier in the year, this is also the first time Strange Journey will see an official release in Europe thanks to the publishing team at Deep Silver.

I've had some time with the game ahead of launch, and I wanted to break down what additions and changes you can expect in the new version:

Alex & The Womb of Grief

In terms of 'new content' in Strange Journey Redux , it all revolves around a new character Alex and a new dungeon area called the 'Womb of Grief'.  

While playing through the main storyline, you'll inevitably encounter Alex as she tries to murder the protagonist. At this point in the game, a new dungeon is unlocked for exploration, accessed independently from the game's original dungeon areas. Additional floors of the Womb of Grief periodically become available as you progress through the main game.

These new floors offer a slight bump in challenge from the original dungeon mazes, both in enemy strength and dungeon design. Progressing through the Womb of Grief will not only shed more light on Alex and her goals, but will also reward the player with some new demons and new Sub-Apps not found in the original release. 

The Womb of Grief also holds a handful of new Ex Mission side quests. Many of these are 'challenge battles', which place a limitation on the player as you are tasked to defeat a certain enemy group.

Three New Endings

The original Strange Journey had three separate ending you could see, depending on the player's alignment before a key moment near the end of the game. These endings are still available in Strange Journey Redux , but three new endings can also be seen if the player finishes the Womb of Grief.

Without getting into spoiler details, these new endings are still aligned the same way as before, but now you can ultimately choose between the old or new version of the ending of your final alignment - as long as you have completed the Womb of Grief. That means there are six endings in total to see.

New Sub-Apps and Commander Skills

App mechanics have been in several recent SMT titles such as Shin Megami Tensei IV and Apocalypse . Sub-Apps offer a variety of bonuses to the player such as HP regeneration or lowering the encounter rate. In the original release of Strange Journey , the player had a limit on the number of Sub-Apps that could be equipped at any one time.

This limitation is removed in Strange Journey Redux , and now you can simultaneously equip as many Sub-Apps as you'd like  (with the exception of Apps that do opposite effects, such as raising or lowering enemy encounter rate). Additionally, Sub-Apps can be equipped or unequipped anywhere on the field, whereas this had to be done at Terminal locations in the original release.

There are several new Sub-Apps with new bonuses, many of which are obtained through the new Womb of Grief dungeon. One such new Sub-App is 'March to Death', which prevents the Game Over screen when the Main Character is KOed, as long as one demon in the battle party is still alive. Several other new Sub-Apps improve the versatility of the game's Demon Co-op mechanics. There is also a Sub-App that prevents encounters with low-level enemies, and another Sub-App that shows you where teleporters will take you.

Commander Skills

Some of the new Sub-Apps unlock a new mechanic known as Commander Skills. These are battle abilities that the protagonist character can use in combat, with various effects. One such commander skill is 'Assailment', which increases the attack potency of the rest of the team for one turn. There are also some Auto Commander Skills that activate randomly during any given turn. One such Auto Commander Skill is 'Blitzkrieg', which allows the full player party to attack before the enemy party.

Presentation

As expected in re-releasing on 3DS, the game has a noticeable jump in visual design, especially when it comes to the game's user interface. While the character designs were originally drawn by Kazuma Kaneko, these have been slightly updated by Masayuki Doi, who also designed the newcomer Alex. Character portraits are also a little more animated, featuring various facial expressions during dialogue.

A handful of event scenes have been added to key story moments in the game. These aren't fully animated cutscenes, but rather still art with some dynamic effects.

Dialogue is also fully voiced this time around with Japanese voiceovers. A handful of new musical tracks are also found in the re-release, mostly centering around the new content.

Finally, the game has a new animated opening for the re-release. Note, while this is the opening to the game, it does in fact contain some spoilers. The opening is also subtitled in the English release.

Other Changes

Several other changes are also made to the game's numerous systems. Note that some of these changes are significant and others are fairly minor mechanical tweaks.

• The original Strange Journey only held two total save slots on the DS cart, and saves could only be made either at the home-base Command Room or various Terminals scattered among the game maps. Strange Journey Redux has 20 normal save slots in addition to a single field save slot that allows you to save anywhere on any map.
• Three different difficulty options can be selected this time around and can be changed at any time during the playthrough. A fourth 'Impossible' difficulty is available on a second playthrough, which cannot be changed once selected. The original Strange Journey did not have an option to change the default difficulty.
• More demons can be held by the player at one time. By the end of the game, you can hold 18 total demons compared to 12 in the original release.
• When fusing a new demon using a Demon Source, the player can directly choose which skills are transferred to the fused demon.
• When a demon wants to change one of its skills, you can now see what skill it will change to before deciding to allow the skill mutation. 
• When performing a Special Fusion, component demons can be directly added from the Demon Compendium (rather than having all demons in present in the current party).
• ~30* new demons, obtained via the new content. [Note*: Some of the 'new' demons were available in the original release through in-game password only].
• Now sub apps, player level, and map progress can be carried over into new game plus, which was not the case in the original.
• A demon can be changed in the battle party during combat in one turn instead of two.
• When retreating from battle, a chance of success is given as a percentage.
• You can heal your party at the home base for free, rather than at a macca cost.
• The thumb-pad can be set to either move the player or slide the lower screen map via the config menu.
• You can browse maps of other floors, rather than just the one you are currently on.
• Battle animations can be set to Default speed, Double speed, or Skipped entirely.
• You can 'dash' in the dungeon in the forward direction.
• You can set a toggle to have a final check before starting the selected battle actions.
• You can set a toggle to have doors automatically open with a forward movement, rather than having to press A.
• If there is an open slot in the four-person battle party when a demon is recruited, they will automatically join the battle party rather than going directly to the reserve.
• When a demon in your stock reaches Analysis Level 3, they will offer their Demon Source in the same battle, rather than at the next level-up.
• If a demon's weakness is found before Analysis Level 2, it will be remembered in the Demonica's memory (in the original release you had to get the Analysis Level to 2 to see weaknesses at all.)
• A handful of text/localization tweaks throughout.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux releases on May 15 in North America and May 18 in Europe for Nintendo 3DS.

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• Comparing the 3DS Redux with DS version
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