History VideoGame / MegamiTensei

''Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei'' is the first game in the ''[[Main/MegamiTensei Megami Tensei]]'' franchise and was [[Main/AlternateContinuity a sequel]] to the first two ''Literature/DigitalDevilStory'' novels. It was developed by Atlus and released by Namco for the Famicom in 1987. In 1995, an updated version for the Super Famicom was released along with an update of its 8-bit sequel ''[[Main/MegamiTenseiII Megami Tensei II]]'' as ''Kyūyaku Megami Tensei'' (''Megami Tensei: The Old Testament'' in the English fan translation). To date, even with the popularity of the ''Megami Tensei'' franchise, the game has never received an official translation in the English-speaking world. The original version has gotten a fan translation from [[http://yojimbo.eludevisibility.org/ Stardust Crusaders Translations]] while a translation of ''Megami Tensei: The Old Testament'' was finished and released by [[http://aerie.wingdreams.net/ the Romhacking Aerie]].

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The plot's connections to the first two ''Literature/DigitalDevilStory'' novels and the lack of any post-apocalyptic elements, multiple endings, or anything having to do with Order versus Chaos alone gives ''Megami Tensei'' this. Gameplay-wise, there are ties to the 16-bit ''Shin Megami Tensei'' games, like the presence of the COMP and having a male protagonist armed with a COMP and a magic-using female protagonist, but the spell names are completely different, lacking the distinctive ''MegaTen'' names, and there's far less emphasis on buffing/debuffing magic. The ''Old Testament'' remake changes this somewhat, by renaming the spells and introducing ''Shin Megami Tensei'''s auto-mapping system.

* NintendoHard: It's an 8-bit era dungeon crawler, a ''MegaTen'' game, and by Atlus. But in particular you ''cannot'' buy this game's HP-restoring items, Jewels, in stores. They have to be farmed from specific types of enemies or found (rarely) in treasure chests. Also there are enemies who have a particular special attack that can permanently lower the protagonists' ''experience levels.''

* AdaptationalHeroism: The game downplays Nakajima's villainous past [[spoiler:and unlike the original novels, wherein he was possessed by Lucifer and ultimately killed off by Izanami, here he successfully battles and defeats Lucifer.]] Justified consider both the technological limitations of the time and the fact that the game was made and completed before the third novel was even finished.

''Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei'' is the first game in the ''[[Main/MegamiTensei Megami Tensei]]'' franchise and was [[Main/AlternateContinuity a sequel]] to the first two ''[[Literature/DigitalDevilStory Digital Devil Story]]'' novels. It was developed by Atlus and released by Namco for the Famicom in 1987. In 1995, an updated version for the Super Famicom was released along with an update of its 8-bit sequel ''[[Main/MegamiTenseiII Megami Tensei II]]'' as ''Kyūyaku Megami Tensei'' (''Megami Tensei: The Old Testament'' in the English fan translation). To date, even with the popularity of the ''Megami Tensei'' franchise, the game has never received an official translation in the English-speaking world. The original version has gotten a fan translation from [[http://yojimbo.eludevisibility.org/ Stardust Crusaders Translations]] while a translation of ''Megami Tensei: The Old Testament'' was finished and released by [[http://aerie.wingdreams.net/ the Romhacking Aerie]].

Something of an oddball in the franchise despite [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness being the game that started it all]], ''Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei'' tends to be overshadowed by ''ShinMegamiTenseiI.'' No doubt this is at least partially because it still is heavily connected to the franchise's roots in the ''Digital Devil Story'' novel series, and has very little to do with the post-apocalyptic, order versus chaos themes that would come to define the franchise. Also its continuity has been "dead" for some time, and indeed the game barely has any continuity links with its own immediate sequel, ''Megami Tensei II'', much less later installments.

* AdaptationalHeroism: The game downplays Nakajima's villainous past [[spoiler:and unlike the original novels, wherein he was possessed by Lucifer and ultimately killed off by Izanami, here he successfully battles and defeats Lucifer.]]

* ContinuingIsPainful: The game gives you one small mercy against its NintendoHard tendencies in that you have the option to continue without having to use your last password or save. You'll keep all your experience and progress, but you will lose half your Makka (money) and all your Jewels.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The plot's connections to the first two ''Literature/DigitalDevilStory'' novels and the lack of any post-apocalyptic elements, multiple endings, or anything having to do with Order versus Chaos alone gives ''Megami Tensei'' this. Gameplay-wise, there are ties to the 16-bit ''ShinMegamiTensei'' games, like the presence of the COMP and having a male protagonist armed with a COMP and a magic-using female protagonist, but the spell names are completely different, lacking the distinctive ''MegaTen'' names, and there's far less emphasis on buffing/debuffing magic. The ''Old Testament'' remake changes this somewhat, by renaming the spells and introducing ''ShinMegamiTensei'''s auto-mapping system.

* WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou: Like later games in the series, if Nakajima and Yumiko die, it's game over even if the demons in your party are still alive. Of course, it makes sense in that, with the human demon summoners dead, demons are no longer bound to them.

* AlternateContinuity: To the ''Digital Devil Story'' novels past the second one. Plus this game and [[VideoGame/MgeamiTenseiII its sequel]] represent one to the franchise as a whole.

* AlternateContinuity: To the ''Digital Devil Story'' novels past the second one. Plus this game and [[ShinMegamiTenseiII its sequel]] represent one to the franchise as a whole.

* WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou: Like later games in the series, if Nakajima and Yumiko die, it's game over even if the other demons in your party are still alive. Of course, it still makes sense in that, with the human demon summoners dead, demons are no longer bound to them.

* BeefGate: Especially true after you free up the Sky City of Bien, which is meant to be the second section of the dungeon but will let you teleport to the final section immediately. It's also easy to miss without a guide that you're supposed to go into one small part of the Corridor of Valhalla and ''then'' go to Bien, not keep exploring Valhalla; that is, it's easy to miss until you get slaughtered.

''Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei'' is the first game in the ''[[Main/MegamiTensei Megami Tensei]]'' franchise and was [[Main/AlternateContinuity a sequel]] to the first two ''[[Literature/DigitalDevilStory Digital Devil Story]]'' novels. It was developed by Atlus and released by Namco for the Famicon in 1987. In 1995, an updated version for the Super Famicon was released along with an update of its 8-bit sequel ''[[Main/MegamiTenseiII Megami Tensei II]]'' as ''Kyūyaku Megami Tensei'' (''Megami Tensei: The Old Testament'' in the English fan translation). To date, even with the popularity of the ''Megami Tensei'' franchise, the game has never received an official translation in the English-speaking world. The original version has gotten a fan translation from [[http://yojimbo.eludevisibility.org/ Stardust Crusaders Translations]] while a translation of ''Megami Tensei: The Old Testament'' was finished and released by [[http://aerie.wingdreams.net/ the Romhacking Aerie]].

* PasswordSave: In the original Famicon version, you had to use a naturally convoluted password to continue. Not only that, but whenever you wanted the password you had to go back to Micon Village at the very beginning of the dungeon or use a spell only available to Yumiko at a certain level. The remake not only replaced the password system with a save system, but put multiple save points (in the form of village elders) throughout the game.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The plot's connections to the first two ''DigitalDevilStory'' novels and the lack of any post-apocalyptic elements, multiple endings, or anything having to do with Order versus Chaos alone gives ''Megami Tensei'' this. Gameplay-wise, there are ties to the 16-bit ''ShinMegamiTensei'' games, like the presence of the COMP and having a male protagonist armed with a COMP and a magic-using female protagonist, but the spell names are completely different, lacking the distinctive ''MegaTen'' names, and there's far less emphasis on buffing/debuffing magic. The ''Old Testament'' remake changes this somewhat, by renaming the spells and introducing ''ShinMegamiTensei'''s auto-mapping system.

* FetchQuest: Lucifer and each of the Tyrants except the first, Minotaur, require one of these to make them beatable, which serves to make the game about twice as long. For example, without the White Dragon Gem, Lucifer can completely heal his HP whenever he wants.

* NintendoHard: It's an 8-bit era dungeon crawler, a ''MegaTen'' game, and by Atlus. But in particular you ''cannot'' buy this game's HP-restoring items, Jewels, in stores. They have to be farmed from specific types of enemies. Also there are enemies who have a particular special attack that can permanently lower the protagonists' ''experience levels.''

* GeckoEnding: This game serves as an alternate ending to the novels, to which the third volume had yet to be published; supplemental materials claims that the end of Megami Tensei segues to DigitalDevilStoryMegamiTenseiII.

* SequelHook: When beating the game, you are met with a screen that says "The End. However..."

* DiscOneNuke: Cerberus, who can be recruited on the first (and last) floor of the dungeon's first section, Daedalus Tower. He's not quite the nuke he is when you first have him in ''ShinMegamiTenseiI'', but he's considerably stronger than any demons you can recruit at that point and even better than most if not all of the demons you'll likely be able to fuse then. He also has the [[MythologyGag game's resurrection spell Recarm]], something no demon you'll probably be able to recruit soon will have. Likely enough you'll want to keep him in your active party up until you get halfway through Valhalla.

* PasswordSave: In the original Famicon version, you had to use a naturally convoluted password to continue. Not only that, but whenever you wanted the password you had to go back to Micon Village at the very beginning of the dungeon. The remake not only replaced the password system with a save system, but put multiple save points (in the form of village elders) throughout the game.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The plot's connections to the first two ''DigitalDevilStory'' novels and the lack of any post-apocalyptic elements or anything having to do with Order versus Chaos alone gives ''Megami Tensei'' this. Gameplay-wise, there are ties to the 16-bit ''ShinMegamiTensei'' games, like the presence of the COMP and having a male protagonist armed with a COMP and a magic-using female protagonist, but the spell names are completely different, lacking the distinctive ''MegaTen'' names, and there's far less emphasis on buffing/debuffing magic. The ''Old Testament'' remake changes this somewhat, by renaming the spells and introducing ''ShinMegamiTensei'''s auto-mapping system.

* GeckoEnding: This game serves as an alternate ending to the novels; supplemental materials claims that the end of Megami Tensei segues to DigitalDevilStoryMegamiTenseiII.

* InfinityPlusOneSword: The Hinokagetsuchi Sword, the best weapon for Nakajima. Unlike the game's other optimal equipment, which can be found or bought in Infini Palace, getting this sword takes some backtracking, knowing that the special item you have for opening secret passages isn't just meant for finding the last couple of bosses, and making your way through a hidden part of Bien full of teleportation traps.

* InfinityPlusOneSword: The Hinokagetsuchi Sword, the best weapon for Nakajima. Unlike the game's other optimal equipment, which can be found or bought in Infini Palace, getting this sword takes some backtracking and knowing that the special item you have for opening secret passages isn't just meant for finding the last couple of bosses.

* InfinityPlusOne Sword: The Hinokagetsuchi Sword, the best weapon for Nakajima. Unlike the game's other optimal equipment, which can be found or bought in Infini Palace, getting this sword takes some backtracking and knowing that the special item you have for opening secret passages isn't just meant for finding the last couple of bosses.

* InfinityPlus1 Sword: The Hinokagetsuchi Sword, the best weapon for Nakajima. Unlike the game's other optimal equipment, which can be found or bought in Infini Palace, getting this sword takes some backtracking and knowing that the special item you have for opening secret passages isn't just meant for finding the last couple of bosses.

* Infinity+1 Sword: The Hinokagetsuchi Sword, the best weapon for Nakajima. Unlike the game's other optimal equipment, which can be found or bought in Infini Palace, getting this sword takes some backtracking and knowing that the special item you have for opening secret passages isn't just meant for finding the last couple of bosses.