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Awesome Music / Shin Megami Tensei

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    Megami Tensei 
Megami Tensei
  • The game may not have aged well, but the soundtrack's an exception. Case in point: the intense, driving "Sea of Flames".

Megami Tensei II

  • With the power of the N163 chip at his fingertips, Tsukasa Masuko gives the Famicom one of its finest boss battle songs: "Death Match".
  • Devil Speak, the theme of the Jakyou Manor/Mansion of Heresy/Cathedral of Shadows all began with this.
  • The game's casino theme, I Love Money, might be the finest soundalike of "Johnny B. Goode" in a video game. Eat your heart out, "Hippie Battle".

    Shin Megami Tensei 
Shin Megami Tensei I
  • The game provides a rather soothing and friendly theme with Pascal's Theme. A nice little tune for your loyal canine companion. Pascal the dog is here indeed.
  • The initial map theme Kichijoji is an incredibly catchy song despite its harsh percussion and eerie undertones. It was even remixed for Persona 5 Royal, and it's even more catchy.
  • One of the most famously awesome songs of the series comes from the original: Ginza has to be one of the coolest songs in the series.
  • The Battle Theme is pretty hard rocking for being one of the earlier games.
  • The Boss Theme, note that this link is for the track from the official soundtrack, and the full version isn't heard in game until it's reused in Shin Megami Tensei If.... Before then, the first part of the song is just looped. Also awesome are the remixes from NINE and IMAGINE.
  • Arcade was remixed admirably in Nocturne as the Ginza theme.

Shin Megami Tensei II

  • The Chaos theme manages to sound both peaceful AND threatening.
  • The Law theme is straight on sinister. Fitting, considering Law is still out to commit genocide and end free will.
  • The Neutral Theme sounds very otherworldly, as well as hopeful, more so than Law.

Shin Megami Tensei if...

  • If reuses many tracks from both I and II; however, there are rare cases where it instead remixes a track from those games. The Domain of Envy is a perfect example of this, as it adds a peaceful and almost solemn touch onto 2D Center from II, breathing new life into the track.
  • Old Enemy - Akira Volume, one of the staple battle themes of the game that has become a favorite for both fans and the developers, with it making appearances in Nocturne, IMAGINE and Persona 5.
  • Battle - Akira Volume remixes the battle themes of the first two games into a catchy, intense song that gets one ready to slay some demons.

Shin Megami Tensei NINE

  • Instead of one standard battle theme for random encounters, NINE has different battle themes depending on the player's alignment. For example, the Light/Neutral route gets this absolute banger.
  • Jakyou Manor gets a real organ for the first time, and it is glorious.
  • For important story moments, there's Choosing Sides. It gets remixed for the final battle's first phase, somehow managing to sound even more somber.
  • Final Battle 2, on the other hand, is a lot more triumphant and aggressive, which is fitting for the final battle's home stretch.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne

  • Mysterious and foreboding, the opening is the perfect foreshadowing of what is to come.
  • The overworld music of Tokyo before the Conception, titled Large Map: Real Universe is a kickass introduction to the game and a taste of how awesome the rest of the soundtrack will be.
  • The music that occurs during the scenes before and during the Conception. It starts with a somber yet peaceful piano intro during the conversation with Yuko before steadily begins to build up moments before the Conception occurs. Once the apocalypse starts in full sway, a majestic and epic organ plays throughout the following destruction of the world and the forming of the Vortex World, building up to a magnificent crescendo before being followed by an epic rock piece mixed with the organs to show that shit just got real.
  • Fierce and bestial, Beelzebub's battle song will make you fear flies.
  • The Reason boss battle song is as dignified as an angry god. Nothing says you're fighting the god behind an entire world's philosophy quite like that.
  • A two-fer! Demon World Master lets you know who exactly is in charge, while Metatron's battle song does the same.
  • And then there's Battle with Dante/Raidou. When you hear this song, you know that badassery is just around the corner.
  • The Normal Battle theme. The fact that it's used during the Superboss fight in Digital Devil Saga over the half dozen others themes is proof that it is that badass. The best part of the theme (which you don't get when listening to a single recording of it) is that it has multiple variations of the main riff that are chosen randomly during the actual game. It really helps to keep it sounding fresh.
  • When you look death in the face, you don't hear yourself laughing. You hear this.
  • The boss battle theme has a rocking beat and lyrics that befit a defiant Demi-Fiend standing against his foes.
  • Large Map: Last Area. If there were ever a theme that would perfectly underscore a Team Power Walk, this would be it.
  • From among the other regular battle themes: World Map Battle goes for straight up rocking. Town Battle throws in a jazzy flair to complement the rocking. Amala Network Battle which is originally from Shin Megami Tensei If.. And finally, there's the Labyrinth of Amala Battle Theme.
  • The Forced Battle theme, which plays whenever you fight a miniboss, perfectly encapsulates the feeling of overcoming the odds and somehow winning what would otherwise be a Curb-Stomp Battle and even has some cool lyrics which are text-to-speech, with one part often misheard as "ONE MORE GOD REJECTED!".
  • Get to Lucifer and the theme is the aptly named Final Battle, which exchanges some of the game's usual intensity for a great guitar solo on a more subdued beat. It really drives home how far you've come. Don't disappoint Lucifer!
  • Last Battle -Before Transformation-, a track so out of place for a final boss it loops around all the way to the perfect fit.
  • Metatron's battle theme. Ideally suited for the Voice of God.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

  • The Fear of God is the random battle theme, and you know you've got yourself a game with good music if the normal battle theme is awesome.
  • The title screen music, where we see the Red Sprite, Blue Jet, Elve, and Gigantic racing toward the Antarctic storm that is the Schwarzwelt, while listening to this.
    • This track gets a triumphant return at the end of the game as Take the Shield, Raise the Spear, reminding you of how far you've come as you confront the Final Boss.
    • And once more, the main theme is arranged into Scepter of Justice, the credits theme, a beautiful piece to go with reflecting on the fruits of your journey.
  • The first dungeon music that plays is A Scorched Nation. The game has no pretenses about making it clear that you're entering hell.
  • It doesn't end there, since when you fight an unknown enemy or a Mini-Boss, you get An Honor Befitting That Name.
  • At the lowest points of the game's story where you feel like you can't go on, you'll definitely need inspirational speeches and Morale.
  • In the Master's Name plays whenever you're in a situation where shit just got real.
  • Holy Miracle. Never before has the phrase "God is PISSED!" been more appropriate.
  • Vehement Rage, the track for a sector boss, gives you an grand orchestra match the threat you're facing.
  • You're probably used to The End as it plays during the battle results screen. But when it begins playing during the alignment-locking dialogue tree, it drives home how much weight your answers carry.
  • The Tyrannical Hero is perhaps the best battle theme in the whole game, and it really captures the emotion of a battle to the death with Jimenez, pretty much your closest friend on the Red Sprite.
  • Sorrow, while not awesome in the traditional sense, does a fantastic job with enhancing sad moments.
  • A Land Bringing About Life, a beautifully somber track for the second half of Sector Horologium, the last section of the game before the final battle with Mem Aleph. For bonus points, on the Neutral route it first plays just before the above mentioned Jimenez battle.
  • Redux brings us The Great Sign, Alex's battle theme. It's equal parts intimidating and heroic, perfectly fitting her goals and motivations as well as her power as a boss.
  • Also from Redux is the theme of the True Final Boss (spoiler alert in the link), a triumphant piece as you fight to create a new future for the planet.

Shin Megami Tensei IV

  • Shin Megami Tensei IV's music has plenty of candidates, such as the hard-rocking Boss Battle and The Archangels, which plays against Uriel, Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael, who are fought in DLC. The main boss theme also plays during several of the ultimate Superbosses (such as Astaroth and Beelzebub) in place of the Challenge Quest boss themes, to hammer home how dangerous these particular demons are.
  • The Main Menu Theme, which also plays right before you face a boss. Raw, gritty and industrial as hell, it almost sounds like a Nine Inch Nails song, perfectly setting the tone of the game.
  • The Tokyo Overworld theme is incredible as well. It is both epic and sad at the same time. Fitting for a world that is about to end.
  • As you and your fellow Samurai reach Ueno Station shortly after arriving in Tokyo, the rather dreary Ueno Underground District theme plays, highlighting just how much of a Crapsack World Tokyo is compared to Mikado.
  • And as you get accustomed to Tokyo and arrive in Shinjuku Station, the more upbeat Shinjuku Underground District theme plays.
  • The catchy-as-hell Midtown theme.
  • The Members-Only Club theme, an incredibly snazzy piece used for only one shop in the entire game. Sure, getting to said shop requires 165,000 Macca in total and the shop itself has some excellent equipment that's even more expensive, but the music makes getting there to begin with Worth It.
  • The Tokyo Battle Theme opens with loud guitar and a fast beat to excite the player.
  • Tired of listening to that theme? Don't worry, the Blasted Tokyo Battle Theme (a very similar song is used for the Infernal Tokyo Battle Theme) will have you rocking again.
  • The Domain Boss Theme, despite rarely playing in the main story, is one of the best battle themes in the game. It also plays in Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse, when you betray Dagda in the Bonds route.
  • The Infernal Kasumigaseki is a simple but heavy theme that gets your blood pumping. Sadly, it's only used in one room in the entire game.
  • Merkabah I has one of the richest full-blown orchestra battle theme in the game. Not to mention it was used again for DLC bonus boss Ancient of Days, aka God's avatar.
  • Merkabah II plays for the One Winged Angel form for the fusion of the Archangels and Jonathan who serves as the leader of the Law forces.
  • Lucifer I plays for the first phase of the fight against...well, guess. It plays again for the Chaos DLC Superboss, Sanat.
  • Challenge Quest Alpha, which plays while a Challenge Quest to slay demons is activated, keeps your blood pumped for the quest.
  • Challenge Quest Beta, which plays while an exploration or escort Challenge Quest is activated, keeps you focused on your task.
  • The Ikebukuro Underground District gets some pretty snazzy music after you liberate it from Xi Wangmu.
  • So you're just beating up hordes of reasonably difficult mooks for a quest, finish off the last one, and breathe a sigh of relief. Then David appears and the Fiend theme from III comes back in all its "prepare to get wrecked" glory!
  • The theme for Camp Ichigaya, an ideal synth piece for the last dungeon before you go to the alternate versions of Tokyo. It comes back in Apocalypse for the same area, and manages to sound even more badass because this time, the place is on fire.
  • Isabeau's Theme. A really epic yet sad piece, perfect for late in the story when you are forced to fight her to the death in the Law and Chaos routes. It also comes back in Apocalypse, during the Player Punch moment as you fight through your former allies the moment you select the Massacre ending.
  • The Neutral Theme, a haunting, sorrowful, yet beautiful theme that reflects Isabeau's and Masakado's resolve and hopes of salvaging humanity and liberating Tokyo from the 25-year-old Firmament.
  • The final area for the Law and Neutral routes is a great, heavy, piece that captures the atmosphere of the place. Note, the song title contains spoilers for the final boss of said routes.
  • The dungeon theme for Purgatorium makes you feel like you're traversing God's domain.
  • Kiyoharu's theme plays in Blasted Shinjuku. As a subdued arrangement of the Shin Megami Tensei I Law theme, it reflects the catastrophic damage that the forces of Law inflicted upon Tokyo, forcing humans to corral up in the last bastion of safety.
  • The battle theme for Masakado himself in his full form, a suitably dramatic piece as you try to pull a Get A Hold Of Yourself Man on him, as he's gone insane trying to form the Firmament around Tokyo. It's a Time-Limit Boss battle, and the music fittingly includes Masakado's roaring and a sound very reminiscent of a city warning siren as the nuclear ICBM is ten turns away from striking Tokyo.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse

  • The haunting Main Theme that also plays in the Tokyo Collapse animation and as part of the SMTIV:A 3DS theme.
  • The new Tokyo theme is a soothing overworld theme that feels like a leisurely walk through the (albeit demon-infested) place.
  • Time of Selection, the second overworld theme. An epic remix of the main theme that really reflects the increasing tensions as Law and Chaos resume their war. As far as overworld themes are concerned, it's up here with Nocturne's Last Area.
  • The Divine Powers battle theme stands out from the regular boss theme, reminding you of the nature of the threat you face. The Divine Powers really hit the jackpot when it comes to strong, intimidating themes.
  • God Killer, also known by the more spoileriffic title Vishnu, plays twice on Peace and Anarchy: the battles against Vishnuflynn and Satan.
  • Foreseeing the Horizon, the theme of the Final Boss's first form, features an intense buildup and a godly choir, reminding you of just who you and your companions are fighting against.
  • The Final Boss's theme, referred to as either "Evil Incarnate" or "To Become God's Enemy". It plays for YHVH's demonic second form and is a remix of battle themes from both games. It also plays in the DLC battle against Stephen.
  • The Twisted Tokyo theme is unnaturally calming for an alternate Tokyo overrun by the Fiends.

Shin Megami Tensei V

  • Battle -Da'at-, the normal battle theme, is a catchy song that is fitting for fighting demons.
  • While the enemies faced in Abscess fights have simplistic movesets, the Abscess battle theme reminds you not to take them lightly. Also, this is the same theme used throughout the Daily Demon Preview series.
  • Battle -Humans, demons, and...-, used for major bosses, uses the same melody as the normal battle theme but also throws in intimidating instruments to make the battles much more intense.
  • The guitar work of Battle -Droll- makes for an amazing beat that's not out of place in Digital Devil Saga.
  • Battle -dancing crazy murder- starts with a sick electronic beat and adds eerie chanting that befits the deities of the other Bethel branches.
  • Shiva's battle theme is a slow, eerie and powerful theme that makes you feel like you're fighting him in a realm between the world's reincarnation cycles.
  • Visit the World of Shadows during a Full or New Moon, and you're greeted with this theme that's much more sinister than the usual fare.
  • This game's version of the Fiend theme is less about the feeling of imminent death, and uses a melody similar to Philemon's fight from Persona 2 to make the duels feel more majestic.
  • Lord of Chaos plays when Lucifer shows up in a cutscene. It may be simple, but it reflects his nature as a fallen angel very well, and manages to be soothing and chilling at the same time.
  • The credits theme is a beautifully done track, exuding a strong sense of finality as well as a touch of melancholy, the perfect song to mark the end of your long journey.
  • Battle -Abdiel- takes cues from Dream Theater to stunning effect. It really captures both how desperate Nahobino Abdiel is and how it might almost feel tragic to fight her, given how she's been trying to keep everything together almost the entire game and only falls apart near the end.

    Majin Tensei sub-series 
Majin Tensei

    Persona series 

Subpages

Persona 4: Arena

Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth

  • The opening song, "Road Less Taken", is not only a fun and jazzy number with lyrics that match the game's themes, but also a Crossover in itself with the vocals of Yumi Kawamura, Shihoko Hirata and Lyn Inaizumi perfectly harmonizing (plus a memetic rap section by Lotus Juice!).
  • The game brings out four random battle themes, one for each game's cast (and P3P).
  • The FOE theme, "Hunting, Hunted", starts with riffs that capture the danger of being ambushed by one. If you dig your heels in and keep fighting, it brings out a great tune to keep you motivated.
  • The boss theme, "Nothing is Promised", is an intimidating piece with tense rapping by Lotus Juice. Since the first time it plays is against the notoriously ferocious Kamoshidaman, it befits a very tough battle.
  • "Our Strength" is an intense rockin' battle theme commonly played for the Sooty Film battles with the Velvet Room attendants. The game classifies this as a "midboss" theme, but the theme channels enough danger to remind you that the Velvet Room attendants, even Theodore, are no pushovers.
  • The Final Boss has two themes for each phase, "The Calm" and "The Tempest". The former theme slowly builds up before busting out its full melodies, but keeps its instrumentation restrained. The latter theme, befitting its name, builds off the former into something more triumphant.
  • "Colorful World", the credits theme, brings together the lead vocals from all three home games for a hopeful song to end the game on a high note.

    Devil Summoner 
Devil Summoner

Soul Hackers

Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army

  • Battle ~ Raidou, the random battle theme, has an incredible guitar melody. It even gets reused in Soul Hackers when you square off against Raidou as an Optional Boss!
  • Both Raidou games have "Formidable Foe". It is glorious.

Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon

  • The boss theme from Devil Summoner 2, Decisive Battle, is basically everything a boss theme should be.

    Digital Devil Saga 
Digital Devil Saga
  • "Prayer", the opening for the Japanese version of Digital Devil Saga 1 and the Leitmotif of Sera, as well as a Recurring Riff for the entire duology. With its hauntingly divine lyrics and intense accompanying rock, it's sure to put you in the mood for some Digital Devil Saga action.
  • "Danger", the alternative opening, is just as good with its catchy techno jazz that opens up the game just as nicely as "Pray."
  • Hell, the Hunting, the normal battle theme from the first game kicks ass. The second game's normal battle theme, Battle for Survival, is good enough that players are willing to overlook the high encounter rate.
  • When you take the normal battle theme from the first game, add MORE awesome to it, you get "Hunting~Betrayal", one of the boss themes of the 2nd game. Its uses are also amazing, from the fight with Meganada, the penultimate boss of the game to the fight with Satan, the ultimate boss of the game and one of the strongest bosses in JRPG history.
  • Hunting~Compulsion deserves special mention for the guitar alone.
  • Two words. Big. Battle. Who knew that you could turn several simple melodies into one kickass battle theme that makes you feel like a real strategist? It gets an awesome techno reprise towards the end of Digital Devil Saga 2 as Enemies Reborn to really make the journey come full circle.
  • Spider's String, the soothing calm before the final dungeon truly gets underway. Once it does begin in earnest, The Second Movement begins, adding more and more to the song as you ascend.
  • The first final boss theme from the first game: Hari-Hara. The opening light guitar up to 0:21 makes you feel really cool and calm...until the really strong guitar kicks in, and the part from 1:03 to 1:24. The second final boss theme (of the "we are so fucked" variety) is the imposing Hari-Hara: 2nd Movement.
  • The airport theme from the 2nd game. One-Way Stairs. It starts out sounding like a fairly generic techno track, but around 0:30 it kicks into high gear.
  • Madness from the second game is a chaotic piece that plays whenever your characters enter the battle in Berserk Mode. It's a shame that the associated battles are very short.
  • "Divine Identity", the song that plays during Digital Devil Saga 2's final boss battle, has the grandiosity that fits the finality and scale of the game's last enemy.

    Devil Survivor 
Devil Survivor
  • Demon Of Darkness plays during the opening and manages Soundtrack Dissonance without sounding any less epic.
  • Action, the oddly calm 80s pop inspired map theme. This plays for large portions of the game's downtime, and somehow manages to stay engaging the whole while thanks to some incredible drum work.
  • Pinch Battle, the stage theme for your Big Damn Heroes moments; you'll feel like a badass every time you hear it.
  • Depending on what ending you got, Deep Darkness will make you feel like either a powerful god or a total jerk.
  • And of course the main theme, in both vocal and instrumental flavours.
  • Deep Night, the map music that plays during a boss fight, manages to sum up the battle in four words using music alone: "Shit just got real."
  • Garuda, the map music that plays when you fight against the final boss, and the bonus boss. It manages to rock your socks off, and still maintain a majestic feel to it. Last Decision, the final boss theme in most routes, may as well be an extension to this theme with a faster tempo for the skirmishes.
  • Rival Battle, the wonderfully creepy map music that plays when fighting a formerly friendly character.
  • Even the standard battle songs, Battle Beat and Aggressive Tune, are utterly awesome rock pieces.
  • Soul Survive. The opening theme of Overclocked is just amazing.
  • Overclocked gives us Confusion as the map theme for the final fight of the 8th Days, with High touch being the new fast-paced final boss theme.
  • Cool Jam is a comically catchy theme that plays for the demon auction. It also serves as a theme tune for Black Frost, one of the sillier playable characters.

Devil Survivor 2

  • Mugen no Sekai can be translated variously as "Infinite World" or "Dream World". The opening theme of the game has a sweet and hopeful vibe to its deadly-sounding title.
  • Beyond the Firmament is a version of "Mugen no Sekai" but done almost entirely on piano, making for one of the most beautiful and Tear jerking tracks on the OST and a great accompaniment to the credits at the end of each adventure. You've outdone yourself, Kenji Ito.
  • The Septentriones' themes, both the obviously-titled field theme Septentrion and the battle theme Break Out. The field theme shows Dissonant Serenity appropriate for when you're readying yourself to attack a incomprehensible enemy, but when you get to the actual battle theme, you realize just how much weight the battle holds.
    • Will of the Species is a slower and more ethereal-sounding version of the Septentrione theme, played for the second phase of the Final Boss. Coming off the standard Septentrione theme from the first phase, it demonstrates Polaris's unworldly power as she calmly challenges the vision of the world you wish to create.
    • Speaking of the final battle, here is Akashic Record and The World's Administrator, the field and skirmish themes for Polaris's final phase. The orchestral field theme shows that Polaris is done "testing" the party and willing to fight at her full power, while the skirmish theme pumps you up to kick her ass when you finally get within range.
  • Desperate Situation kicks in when mission circumstances take a turn for the worse, and the frantic theme further descends into Songs in the Key of Panic with a very long guitar solo.
  • A Gloomy Person is the Anguished One's Leitmotif, and it conveys the fascinating feeling of communicating with someone not from this world. Amidst a week's worth of deadly alien invaders, this shows that the Anguished One isn't hostile, and can be reasoned enough to continue to speak with him as the days go by.
  • No matter what ending you take, it feels good and fulfilling when you get "New Order" playing to make you feel like a badass for managing to recreate the world.
  • Shudder makes for a very intense skirmish theme whenever you fight an Optional Boss. It clearly demonstrates that you're in for a fight far tougher than the standard demon fare.

    Catherine 
Catherine
  • The Boss Chase Music is extremely catchy and something to climb to. Which helps since you'll be running away from hands, babies, and everything in between while it plays. The rest of the bosses, except for the True Final Boss, get Woman's Hand, which is all about cranking up the Nightmare Fuel, especially during the Shadow of Vincent fight.
  • Revolutionary Etude is a frantic version of the classical piece by Fryderyk Chopin, and captures how busy the block field gets in the showdown against the Final Boss. The ascending and descending notes are quite adequate for climbing blocks and falling off them, which is going to happen a lot in this stage.

Alternative Title(s): Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne

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