History VideoGame / ShinMegamiTenseiI

The first game in the ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' JRPG series, and SpiritualSuccessor to ''Megami Tensei''. It was released in Japan in 1992 for the [[Platform/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem Super Nintendo]] and later released for the [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine Super CD-Rom]] and UsefulNotes/SegaCD. Remakes for the Platform/PlayStation and UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance came out in 2002, which was eventually ported to UsefulNotes/{{iOS|Games}} in 2012[[note]]Though it no longer works with the current operating system, and Atlus has shown no interest in updating it[[/note]]. It later got a direct sequel in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiII''.

The first game in the ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' JRPG series, and SpiritualSuccessor to ''Megami Tensei''. It was released in Japan in 1992 for the [[Creator/{{Nintendo}} Super Nintendo]] and later released for the [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine Super CD-Rom]] and UsefulNotes/SegaCD. Remakes for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation and UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance came out in 2002, which was eventually ported to UsefulNotes/{{iOS|Games}} in 2012[[note]]Though it no longer works with the current operating system, and Atlus has shown no interest in updating it[[/note]]. It later got a direct sequel in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiII''.

The first game in the ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' JRPG series, and SpiritualSuccessor to ''Megami Tensei''. It was released in Japan in 1992 for the [[Creator/{{Nintendo}} Super Nintendo]] and later released for the [[UsefulNotes/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine Super CD-Rom]] and UsefulNotes/SegaCD. Remakes for the Playstation and Gameboy Advance came out in 2002, which was eventually ported to UsefulNotes/{{iOS|Games}} in 2012[[note]]Though it no longer works with the current operating system, and Atlus has shown no interest in updating it[[/note]]. It later got a direct sequel in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiII''.

* EvilStatesOfAmerica: The [[spoiler:nuclear strike that obliterates Tokyo and turns it into an utter CrapsackWorld]] comes from the United States, [[spoiler:and the one who gleefully breaks this to the heroes is Thorman, the American ambassador who is actually a disguised Thor]]. The ChurchMilitant Messians are also American.

* EvilStatesOfAmerica: The [[spoiler:nuclear strike that obliterates Tokyo]] comes from the United States, [[spoiler:and the one who gleefully breaks this to the heroes is Thorman, the American ambassador who is actually a disguised Thor]]. The ChurchMilitant Messians are also American.

** This is a prevalent problem for new players that will end in much ceaseless wandering before they find the next locale or individual that they need to find in order to progress.
*** The first big one is finding a logbook to get into the rebel base, which you get by going to a specific bar in the very mall where the base is situated in and giving a bartender specific responses to give you the logbook.

* TheCuckoolanderWasRight: Plenty of people at the beginning of the game are labelled as crazy or hallucinating when they ramble on about [[UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories demons appearing in the streets, the government kidnapping and experimenting on people, and the world coming to an end]]. That doesn't even ''begin'' to cover what happens AfterTheEnd. If you're willing to sift between the {{Cassandra Truth}}s and the people who actually ''are'' crazy, you can learn some important plot points far earlier than you normally do. Some things you can learn early: [[spoiler:Everyone in Roppongi is a zombie, the Basilica is the Millennium Kingdom, and Thorman isn't human]].

* GuideDangIt: This is a prevalent problem for new players that will end in much ceaseless wandering before they find the next locale or individual that they need to find in order to progress.
** The first big one is finding a logbook to get into the rebel base, which you get by going to a specific bar in the very mall where the base is situated in and giving a bartender specific responses to give you the logbook.

* WritingAroundTrademarks: There's a late game dungeon called "[[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Tokyo Destinyland]]" where one of the leaders of the Chaos faction makes her base. Also doubles as a MeaningfulName, as it features a minigame that can change your "destiny" (i.e., TheHero's alignment), and numerous traps that have a lower chance of activating if you have a high LuckStat. There are DummiedOut sprites in the Super Famicom version of WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse and WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck [[{{Expy}} Expies]] wielding katanas and a chainsaw.

* KillEmAll: [[spoiler:Your mother is killed and eaten by a demon. Tokyo is ruined in a nuclear strike from the USA, starting a catastrophic war that leaves the rest of the world in a similar state. You kill lots and lots of demons, and do the same to quite a few humans too. In the Neutral Path, you kill all your friends. You kill their demonic or godly leaders. Then, there's a ''second'' apocalypse where a great tectonic movement causes gargantuan amounts of water to flow into Tokyo, plunging pretty much the entire post-apocalyptic Japan underwater, killing pretty much everyone you haven't yet killed yourself. The only habitable area within the '''entire city''' is a small island holding a large "cathedral" tower where the final confrontations take place. TakeAThirdOption by killing both bosses and there will be only three characters and a handful of nondescript demons and humans left alive ''in all of Japan'' at the end of the game.]]

** On the Demon side of things, Vishnu is generally considered by the community to be the best summonable ally in the game. In the one game in the series where demons only get three skills, all of Vishnu's manage to be top-tier in their utility-- add on to that some amazing stats, and he can sweep all of the endgame bosses. Oh, and players on the Lawful path get to recruit him ''for free''.

The game [[NoExportForYou never got a release in the West]], but a group called Aeon Genesis has released a translation patch for the SNES ROM; a second patch by a modder called Orden was released, fixing some of the bugs in the Aeon Genesis patch and making some translation changes to get the script more in line with the official translations. [[AvertedTrope However]], an English version was made available on the iOS app store on March 18, 2014. Although technically, the Japanese version was available worldwide on the iOS app store for a while until it was apparently region locked, [[{{Irony}} with the description reading that the game would never get an English translation]]. Unfortunately, it is no longer compatible with current [=OSes=], with Atlus not appearing interested in updating it. Not to let the work on the official translation go to waste, another modder called Gymzatan ended up back porting the iOS script to the GBA version. Another English translation patch was released for its [=PlayStation=] remake in 2022. On August 11, 2022, the Sega CD version of the game was announced to be included in the selection of games for the Sega Genesis Mini 2.

The game [[NoExportForYou never got a release in the West]], but a group called Aeon Genesis has released a translation patch for the SNES ROM; a second patch by a modder called Orden was released, fixing some of the bugs in the Aeon Genesis patch and making some translation changes to get the script more in line with the official translations. [[AvertedTrope However]], an English version was made available on the iOS app store on March 18, 2014. Although technically, the Japanese version was available worldwide on the iOS app store for a while until it was apparently region locked, [[{{Irony}} with the description reading that the game would never get an English translation]]. Unfortunately, it is no longer compatible with current [=OSes=], with Atlus not appearing interested in updating it. Not to let the work on the official translation go to waste, another modder called Gymzatan ended up back porting the iOS script to the GBA version. Another English translation patch was released for its [=PlayStation=] remake in 2022.

The game [[NoExportForYou never got a release in the West]], but a group called Aeon Genesis has released a translation patch for the SNES ROM; a second patch by a modder called Orden was released, fixing some of the bugs in the Aeon Genesis patch and making some translation changes to get the script more in line with the official translations. [[AvertedTrope However]], an English version was made available on the iOS app store on March 18, 2014. Although technically, the Japanese version was available worldwide on the iOS app store for a while until it was apparently region locked, [[{{Irony}} with the description reading that the game would never get an English translation]]. Unfortunately, it is no longer compatible with current [=OSes=], with Atlus not appearing interested in updating it. Not to let the work on the official translation go to waste, another modder called Gymzatan ended up back porting the iOS script to the GBA version.

* InfinityPlusOneSword: The weapons the Fiends drop. Pale Rider's Angel Trumpet is the absolute strongest weapon for a Law-aligned player, High Priest's Reaper Bell is the strongest for Chaos, and David's Stradivari is the strongest for Neutral. Unfortunately, they only have a 1/256 chance of dropping from foes that appear 1/256 of the time, for a grand total chance of 1/65536. Good luck.

** BonusBoss Beelzebub cannot be fought in the Chaos route because he joins you.

* WeaksauceWeakness: In a bizarre aversion of ContractualBossImmunity, not only do none of the [[BonusBoss Fiends]] have any resistance to Expel, but Daisoujou is ''weak'' to it. It's entirely possible throw out Hama or some Holy Water on the first turn and instantly win.