History VideoGame / DevilSummoner

''Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner'' is a turn-based RPG originally released for the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn on December 20, 1995, and the first game in the ''Devil Summoner'' sub-series. In fact, it was the first game from the entire ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' franchise to be released for the Saturn, and it has been re-released several times since then, with the first being for the UsefulNotes/PlaystationPortable on December 20, 2005, and the latest one being for the Japanese-based Playstation Network in 2010. A live-action [=TV=] adaptation was aired in Japan in the early 2000s with 25 episodes, being initially based loosely on the game, but diverging halfway through with some original stuff thrown in that makes it a bit different from the original source.

* {{Psychopomp}}: Charon, a reccuring one in Shin Megami Tensei games. He is also the one who resurrects the protagonist, although in Kyuoji's body.

* Myth/MesopotamianMythology: While as ever the game contains demons from various mythologies, characters from the civilisation of Qin, are named after Sumerian gods, as elaborated more in the prequell novel ''Shin Megami Tensei Devil Summoner Gaiden: Requiem of Lamentations'' [[spoiler: detailing the past of the FinalBoss Inaruna]]. Inaruna is an intentional misspelling of Inanna, her mother was named Anu, after the Sky God of Sumerians, her suitor Enki, and a hunter who helped Inaruna is named Dumuzi.

* Myth/MesopotamianMythology: While as ever the game contains demons from various mythologies, characters from the civilisation of Qin, are named after Sumerian gods, as elaborated more in the prequell novel ''Shin Megami Tensei Devil Summoner Gaiden: Requiem of Lamentations'' [[spoiler: detailing the past of the FinalBoss Inaruna]]. Inaruna is a intentional misspelling of Inanna, her mother was named Anu, after the Sky God of Sumerians, her suitor Enki, and a hunter who helped Inaruna is named Dumuzi.

* TragicVillain[=/=]TragicMonster: [[spoiler: Princess Inaruna who had to watch her civilization destroyed, most of its population murdered and after that, being executed. Inananna's hate for herself and her country' murderers -- Yamato (proto-Japan), warped her into an apocalyptically powerful evil spirit. After her defeat, Inaruna even thanks the hero, for being finally freed of her pain and hatred.]]

* AlternateTimeline: To the one seen in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiI'' and ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiII'', with some crucial differences described bellow in MythologyGag.

* TragicVillain / TragicMonster: [[spoiler: Princess Inaruna who had to watch her civilization destroyed, most of its population murdered and after that, being executed. Inananna's hate for herself and her country' murderers -- Yamato (proto-Japan), warped her into an apocalyptically powerful evil spirit. After her defeat, Inaruna even thanks the hero, for being finally freed of her pain and hatred.]]

* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: [[spoiler: Inaruna, if resurrected, will destroy the world, and she is as she is for the reasons listed above in TragicVillain / TragicMonster.]]

''Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner'' is the first game in the ''Devil Summoner'' sub-series. In addition, it was also the first game from the ''{{Franchise/Shin Megami Tensei}}'' franchise to be released for the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn (on December 20, 1995), and it has been re-released several times since then, with the first being for the UsefulNotes/PlaystationPortable on December 20, 2005, and the latest one being for the Japanese-based Playstation Network in 2010. A live-action [=TV=] adaptation was aired in Japan in the early 2000s with 25 episodes, being initially based loosely on the game, but diverging halfway through with some original stuff thrown in that makes it a bit different from the original source.

For now, the game is the only one in the ''Devil Summoner'' franchise to not have an official release outside of Asia. Atlus did attempt to promote the game for an international release at one point, but they later decided to stop promoting the game outside of Japan. However, there is an attempt to get a fan translation for the Sega Saturn and/or the Playstation Portable.

''Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner'' is the first game in the ''Devil Summoner'' series, and takes place entirely in modern-day Japan. In addition, it's also the first game from the ''{{Franchise/Shin Megami Tensei}}'' franchise that is released in the Sega Saturn in December 20, 1995 with another release on the Playstation Portable in December 20, 2005 with several releases over time with the latest one from the Japanese-based Playstation Network in 2010. A live-action [=TV=] adaptation was aired in Japan in the early 2000s with 25 episodes, being initially based loosely on the game, but diverging halfway through with some original stuff thrown in to make it a bit different from the video game.

The game is followed up (in terms of canonicity in modern times) by ''[[VideoGame/SoulHackers Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers.]]'' A prequel game, ''[[VideoGame/RaidouKuzunohaVsTheSoullessArmy Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs The Soulless Army]]'' explores the origins of the Kuzunoha clan and how they were involved in fighting against hostile demons in a post-Meiji Revolution Japan.

The story of Devil Summoner takes place in Hirasaki City in the mid-1990s. You play a normal university student who's living out an ordinary life in the city... That is until he gets reports on the local news that there are witnesses who had reported to the police about sightings of mysterious demons prowling around the city. The city's police force are also in trouble since they were now investigating cases that cannot be solved since the only perpetrators responsible for them are not human. But never mind that now. The student's girlfriend, Kumiko Hatano, informs him that she needs to borrow a book written by Professor Azuma at the city's library in order to read up on his studies regarding the dark past of Japan prior to the 20th Century. After doing a few errands, the students is ambushed by demons and is saved by anti-demon detective Kyouji Kuzunoha and his partner, Rei Reiho.

Despite this event, Kyouji is assassinated under unknown circumstances. Later on, the student is also hunted down and assassinated by a man named Sid Davis, who wants the book Kumiko has borrowed from the library. While his soul is suppose to be transported through the River Styx, Charon informs him that he needs to get back to the real world. Thus, the adventure begins when the student's soul gets planted into Kyouji's body. Together with Rei, they work together to hunt down Sid and eliminate the demons prowling in the city. Along the way, Kumiko gets kidnapped thanks to Sid and the duo later learns that the city has a dark past tying back to the early history of Japan and why it involves her abduction.

Like in the mainstream ''Shin Megami Tensei'' games, the core mechanic of recruiting and using demons to fight alongside the player is retained. This involves using appropriate answers or handing out money and macca to any kind of demon before it joins your ranks. Sometimes it doesn't work due to either their personality or due to the presence of a full moon. Quests are given by the various residents of Hirasaki City due to Kyouji's reputation as an anti-demon detective, most of them to advance the story while some allow the player and the demons to earn experience, money and macca. Demon fusion is also retained, allowing the players to create any kind of demon with specific strengths/weaknesses and skills.

As of 2014, the game is the only game in the ''Devil Summoner'' franchise to not have an official release outside of Asia. There is an attempt to get a fan translation for the Sega Saturn and/or the Playstation Portable despite Atlus' attempt to promote the game for an international release before the company decided to end promoting the game aside from Japanese.

''Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner'' is the first game in the ''Devil Summoner'' series that takes place entirely in modern-era Japan. In addition, it's also the first game from the ''{{Franchise/Shin Megami Tensei}}'' franchise that is released in the Sega Saturn in December 20, 1995 with another release on the Playstation Portable in December 20, 2005 with several releases over time with the latest one from the Japanese-based Playstation Network in 2010. A live-action [=TV=] adaptation was aired in Japan in the early 2000s with 25 episodes, being initially based loosely on the game, but diverging halfway through with some original stuff thrown in to make it a bit different from the video game.

Currently [[NeedsWikiMagicLove a work in progress]]. Anyone who would like to help can give a hand is more than welcome to help edit the article and such.

* SinisterMinister: As an example in this game we have Sid Davis, a SerialKiller and OmnicidalManiac who is ''Devil Summoner's'' BigBad, although he's probably only a self styled priest, not a reall one. [[spoiler: He does though work with the [[GodIsEvil Demiurge]], who was revealed in [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTensei later]] [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV games]] as part of [[GodIsEvil YHVH]].]]

* TragicVillain / TragicMonster: [[spoiler: Princess Inaruna who had to watch her civilisation destroyed, most of it's population murdered and after that, being executed. Inananna's hate for herself and her and her countries murderers -- Yamato(proto-Japan), warped her into an apocalyptically powerful evil spirit. After her defeat, Inaruna even thanks the hero, for being finally freed of her pain and hatred.]]

* OlderThanTheyThink: A lot of [=MegaTen=] demons, or their designs, first appeared in this game, unkown to many fans. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], as Devil Summoner never came out outside of Japan, or got a FanTranslation, as opposed to many other Megami Tensei games.

* SinisterMinister: As an example in this game we have Sid Davis, a SerialKiller and OmnicidalManiac who is ''Devil Summoner's'' BigBad, although he's probably only a self styled priest, not a reall one. [[spoiler: He does though work with(or maybe even for, seeing how Sid refers to the Demiurge as "sir") the [[GodIsEvil Demiurge]], who was revealed in [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTensei later]] [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV games]] as part of [[GodIsEvil YHVH]].]]

* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: [[spoiler: As detailed above, Inaruna again.]]

* Psychopomp: Charon, a reccuring one in Shin Megami Tensei games. He is also the one who resurrects the protagonist, although in Kyuoji's body.

* SinisterMinister: As an example in this game we have Sid Davis, a SerialKiller and OmnicidalManiac who is ''Devil Summoner's'' BigBad, although he's probably only a self styled priest, not a reall one. [[spoiler: He does though work with the [[GodIsEvil Demiurge]], who was revealed in [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTensei later]] [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV games]] as part of [[GodIsEvil YHVH]].]]

''Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner'' is the first game in the ''Devil Summoner'' series that takes place in modern-era Japan. In addition, it's also the first game from the ''{{Franchise/Shin Megami Tensei}}'' franchise that is released in the Sega Saturn in December 20, 1995 with another release on the Playstation Portable in December 20, 2005 with several releases over time with the latest one from the Japanese-based Playstation Network in 2010. A live-action [=TV=] adaptation was aired in Japan in the early 2000s with 25 episodes, being initially based loosely on the game, but diverging halfway through with some original stuff thrown in to make it a bit different from the video game.

''Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner'' is the first game in the ''Devil Summoner'' series that takes place in modern-era Japan. In addition, it's also the first game from the ''{{Franchise/Shin Megami Tensei}}'' franchise that is released in the Sega Saturn in December 20, 1995 with another release on the Playstation Portable in December 20, 2005 with several releases over time with the latest one from the Japanese-based Playstation Network in 2010. A live-action [=TV=] adaptation was aired in Japan in the early 2000s with 25 episodes, being initially based loosely on the game, but diverging halfway through.

The story of Devil Summoner takes place in Hirasaki City in the mid-1990s. You play a normal university student who's living out an ordinary life in the city... That is until he gets reports on the local news that there are witnesses who had reported to the police about sightings of mysterious demons prowling around the city. The city's police force are also in trouble since they were now investigating cases that they can't solve since the only perpetrators responsible for them are not human. But never mind that now. The student's girlfriend, Kumiko Hatano, informs him that she needs to borrow a book written by Professor Azuma at the city's library in order to read up on his studies regarding the dark past of Japan prior to the 20th Century. After doing a few errands, the students is ambushed by demons and is saved by anti-demon detective Kyouji Kuzunoha and his partner, Rei Reiho.

As of 2014, the game is the only game in the ''Devil Summoner'' franchise to not have an official release outside of Asia. There is an attempt to get a fan translation for the Sega Saturn despite Atlus' attempt to promote the game for an international release before the company decided to end promoting the game aside from Japanese.

''Devil Summoner'', or ''[[ColonCancer Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner]]'' (Which is the game's official title) is the first game in the Devil Summoner series that takes place in modern-era Japan. In addition, it's also the first game from the Megami Tensei frachise that is released in the Sega Saturn in December 20, 1995 with another release on the Playstation Portable in December 20, 2005 with several releases over time with the latest one from the Japanese-based Playstation Network in 2010. A live-action [=TV=] adaptation was aired in Japan in the early 2000s with 25 episodes, having some basis with the game, except it has a story of its own. They were released in [=DVD=].

Like in the mainstream Shin Megami Tensei games, the core mechanic of recruiting and using demons to fight alongside the player is retained. This involves using appropriate answers or handing out money and macca to any kind of demon before it joins your ranks. Sometimes it doesn't work due to either their personality or due to the presence of a full moon. Quests are given by the various residents of Hirasaki City due to Kyouji's reputation as an anti-demon detective, most of them to advance the story while some allow the player and the demons to earn experience, money and macca. Demon fusion is also retained, allowing the players to create any kind of demon with specific strengths/weaknesses and skills.

As of 2014, the game is the only game in the Devil Summoner franchise to not have an official release outside of Asia. There is an attempt to get a fan translation for the Sega Saturn despite Atlus' attempt to promote the game for an international release before the company decided to end promoting the game aside from Japanese.

* DivineConflict: [[spoiler:After killing Sid, the new Kyouji and Rei must fight a resurrected Inaruna in order to save Hirasaki City from being wiped out as foretold by prophecy.]]
* MythologyGag: The presence of Gotou from the first Shin Megami Tensei game. This time, the officer was arrested by [=JGSDF=] military police officers for attempting to create an arsenal of small arms from the [=JGSDF=] in order to launch a revolt. The police don't know if he needs psychiatric attention since Gotou's fellow [=JGSDF=] officers mentioned in the news that he was acting very unusual prior to his arrest.

* UnholyGround: The city itself whenever parts of it gets distorted by the Makai thanks to Sid.
* UrbanFantasy: Is one set in modern times away from the mainstream Megami Tensei games, next to the Persona games.