Twenty years after it originally launched in Japan, tabletop RPG Shin Megami Tensei – The Roleplaying Game: Tokyo Conception is now officially available to purchase and download in English! This localized version was first announced earlier this year, promising digital and physical editions. Anyone who pre-ordered/pre-orders a bundle including the hardcover gamebook plus PDF versions also gain access to the digital version now.
Shin Megami Tensei – The Roleplaying Game: Tokyo Conception (which I’ll shorten to Tokyo Conception) is for three to five players plus one Game Master. It is based on Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne and promises a faithful recreation of the game series’ essence, with familiar spells, characters, demons — even the Vortex World! For example, spells like Agi and Megido can be used against legendary foes like Jack Frost and the Moirae Sisters. Tokyo Conception also brings in the staple elements of the video game series while incorporating popular TTRPG mechanics: demon negotiation, the Affinity system, and punishing status ailments like Poison and Stun are all there alongside critical hits, fumbles, and exploding dice.
No prior knowledge of or experience with tabletop RPGs or the Shin Megami Tensei is needed to play Tokyo Conception, making it a great place to start with either. Those more experienced with TTPRGs can expect familiar gameplay features, pre-made scenarios, engaging mechanics, and deep character advancement. The game can be played over days, weeks, months, quarters/seasons… you get the picture. The gamebook has almost 100 pages of stats for every demon — bosses included — and seeds for new adventures.
The game begins with players choosing one of three character classes. Human, Fiend, Demon: each has unique strengths and weaknesses. Fighting against and negotiating with demons is only the beginning, as faction dynamics also come into play. Kagutsuchi continues to burn in the Vortex World, waiting for anywho who chooses to give their Reason as the, well, reason for the new world. There are three existing factions. Will players support one of the three existing factions? Will the manikins develop their own Reason? Will they use faction rules to establish their very own?
“We feel privileged to collaborate with ATLUS on such a prestigious franchise,” said Bradly Halestorm, CEO and President of localization company and game publisher LionWing, in a press release. “Tokyo Conception was initially released in Japan in 2004 and received positive reviews and saw strong sales. However, it remained inaccessible to Western audiences for almost two decades. This has been a 20-year journey for the game, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to share it with the rest of the world.”
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