Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey -Replacement soundtrack CD available- Out now!

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IRVINE, CALIFORNIA -- NOVEMBER 5, 2009 -- Atlus U.S.A., Inc. today announced Shin Megami Tensei®: Strange Journey™, a first-person science fiction RPG for Nintendo DS™. A startlingly original entry in the award-winning Shin Megami Tensei universe, Strange Journey takes the heralded RPG franchise to exciting new frontiers. The game has already released in Japan to strong demand and critical acclaim, earning a 10/9/9/8 from Famitsu, the highest score the popular magazine has ever awarded a Shin Megami Tensei title.

In the near future, a mysterious, growing, black void appears at the Earth's southern pole. Unable to determine its cause and powerless to stop its deadly encroachment, humanity sends an elite team of explorers into the heart of the phenomenon, just as Strange Journey's look and feel represent a return to the heart of Shin Megami Tensei, bringing to mind the all-time classic Nocturne™. With over 300 demons to bribe, coerce, and negotiate with to gain assistance in battle, Strange Journey is every bit the deep, rewarding RPG experience fans have come to expect from the SMT franchise, yet delivered with a fresh new sci-fi story that taps into mature themes of morality and introspection.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey for Nintendo DS is currently scheduled for release in Spring 2010.

For more information, visit the official website: http://www.atlus.com/strangejourney

About SMT: Strange Journey

When the black spot appeared in the Antarctic, mankind became nervous; when it began to spread, that anxiety turned to panic. The Joint Project, convened to discuss how to deal with the expanding anomaly, decided to send in four ships carrying humanity's finest soldiers and most cutting-edge technology. The mission: to investigate what lay on the other side of what had been dubbed the Schwarzwelt and find out if there was a way to stop it from eventually covering the Earth.

You are an elite soldier hand-picked for the Strike Team, outfitted with a Demonica environment suit and posted to the Red Sprite under Commander Gore. Upon entering the Schwarzwelt, the crew finds itself forced to deal with harsh conditions, supernatural interference, and throngs of demons populating the bewildering world. What exactly is the Schwarzwelt? What awaits at the end of this strange journey? It is entirely in your hands to find out...

Key Features

* Shin Megami Tensei goes beyond -- Strange Journey's game mechanics represent a return to the proud tradition of the all-time dungeon-crawling classic SMT: Nocturne, while its story takes players into the near future on a mission to save Earth and to understand humanity's position within the larger universe.
* A dark turn into science fiction -- Who or what is causing the black hole that is engulfing the Earth? A mission to investigate the cause uncovers a whole world of demons that humans knew nothing about. Do they seek your destruction or will you seek theirs? Will you decide to save Earth or choose another path for humanity?
* Team up with demons -- Demons may be friends or foes depending on your ability to negotiate, bribe, and coerce them to join your party. With more than 300 types of demons, you'll have a huge variety of battlefield encounters and an equally large base of options on which to build your party strategy.

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A spatial rift appeared over Antarctica, threatening the seven billion humans who live on planet Earth. Humans call the place it leads to “Schwarz-verse,” and exploring this mysterious dimension is your goal as the protagonist in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey.

As a member of the exploration team sent in order to find a way to counter this unknown factor, you discover that the other world was much harsher than you could have imagined, with demons that only appear in legends and myths appearing before you.

“You” are the nameless protagonist, a Japanese elite soldier who has received harsh training and discipline. Under the orders of the country, you join the exploration team on the ship Red Sprite No. 1. This amphibious ship serves as a base in the unknown world, being the only place you can consider safe. Aside from the Red Sprite No. 1 that the protagonist rides, there also exist other ships, named the Blue Jet No. 2, Elves No. 3, and Gigantic No. 4.

Your crew is a hodgepodge gathering of elite scientists and soldiers from all over the world. The men on No. 1 are the commanding crew, while those on No. 2 and 4 specialize in battle, and the people on No. 3 are scientists. Here is a quick glimpse at some of your crew members:

Captain Gore – The Captain of the Schwartz-verse exploration team. On account of his exceptional skills and leadership abilities, he was appointed to be the leader of the team that determines the fate of mankind. “So long as all in this ship cooperate, investigation is not an impossibility.”

Himenez – An American who has had experience in campaigns. He’s worked his way up from the bottom and, looking forward to the rewards after this is all done and over with, he volunteered for the team. “As long as I get what I deserve, I plan on contributing what I can as long as I’m not dead.”

Selenin – A Russian scientist, she was recruited based on her knowledge related to the Schwarz-verse. “The populace is being deceived with the false information that there is a large blizzard storm, but the truth is…”

The game is laid out in sprawling 3-D dungeons. The top screen shows the world as you see it, in first person. With upgrades that you can pick up through the game, you may be able to discover things you couldn’t see before. The bottom screen reflects the screen on the arm-piece of the Demonica Suit you wear, which displays vital information. Thus far, the only confirmed function is a map, but almost certainly there are several other support options available such as mission log, analyze, and videmonica.

In order for humans to stand a chance against the danger of this new world, they wear the Demonica Suit, state-of-the-art armor pieced together by scientists. Not only does it have the ability to adjust to the environment, but in anticipation of encounters with unknown life forms, it also improves battle capabilities. Various applications are included in the suit, such as the ability to search for enemies that won’t appear at first sight or to confirm unknown life forms, as well as a system for the suit to improve itself. There are other mysteries surrounding this armor and you’ll discover more about them as you customize the suit to your liking.

Essential to the series are the demons, and there are plenty of them in Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey. In fact, there are more in here than in any other series in the SMT main series, numbering at 300. Kaneko Kazuma, the artist behind the SMT series since the very first game, returned to create new monsters for Strange Journey. Morax, a humanoid with a bison head (one of the many demons in the Key of Solomon), and the demonic-looking Bugaboo are two examples.

And of course, all of these monsters can be recruited and used to fuse new ones. This is done through conversation. Each demon has their own personality and the correct choices must be chosen in order to convince them to join you. However, sometimes, instead of joining, a monster will just give you an item or heal you instead.

These demons can be used in battle, taking advantage of enemy’s weaknesses or performing combos with fellow teammate demons. Various monsters will also give you quests out of boredom, allowing you to find rare items. Just like core SMT games monsters can also be fused, combining their abilities and gaining even stronger ones.

Also of note is the importance of your relation to your crew members. No matter how many demons you collect, you cannot complete your missions without the cooperation of your crew members. With their help you can create new items. Based on your answers in crew conversations, the story may move towards a happier future for mankind or an apocalypse. You decide.

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey is scheduled to come out in Japan on October 8. A North American release has not been announced at this time.

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The newest MegaTen, due out October 8 in Japan, got reviewed in this week's post-TGS issue of Famitsu magazine -- and the adulation came fast and furious all over Atlus' latest. The game nabbed a total of 36 points out of 40 from Famitsu's reviewers, all of whom had nearly nothing but good things to say about it.

"Strange Journey is balanced pretty severely throughout, but the game itself is kind, and there's constant tension as you're having fun exploring around," wrote one. "Combining demons is the greatest asset the game has -- they give you better results the more you use them, encouraging you to keep plugging away, and the battles are strategic enough to never get old. The experience is totally worth it, and it's easy to get wrapped up in this unique world." Another agreed: "The game's accessible enough that series fans and people just passing by can enjoy this equally. The tutorial's nice, and the mission goals are clear enough that you're never really lost."

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