[[PietaPlagiarism http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/SMT2.jpg]]

The second game in the ''ShinMegamiTensei'' JRPG series and direct sequel to ''[[ShinMegamiTenseiI Shin Megami Tensei]]''. It was released in Japan in 1994 for the [[{{Nintendo}} Super Nintendo]], with remakes coming out for the Playstation and Game Boy Advance in 2002 and 2003 respectively.

At the end of ''Shin Megami Tensei'', the protagonist decided to create a world where the forces of Law and Chaos could exist freely, and people would have the freedom to make their own choices. Well one hundred years later and something has clearly gone wrong with that initial plan. Demons run freely throughout the wastelands of the world, the air is unbreathable and the only place where humans can live is an encapsulated city called Tokyo Millennium, run by the Messians.

The main character is Hawk, a [[LaserGuidedAmnesia amnesiac]] gladiator living in the Valhalla district of Tokyo Millennium. The citizens of Valhalla fight in a tournament for the prize of being allowed to live in the Center district, a place of luxury which is completely demon-free. Hawk wins the tournament and gains his citizenship in the Center, only to find out from the leader of the Messian religion that his true identity is Aleph, the prophesied Saviour of the human race who will bring about a paradise called the [[{{Utopia}} Thousand Year Kingdom]].

Aleph is set to work by the Center eradicating demons in preparation for the Thousand Year Kingdom, but as he fights he bears witness to the various tragedies brought about by the Center's rule, eventually learning that the Thousand Year Kingdom [[UtopiaJustifiesTheMeans necessitates the complete genocide of everyone outside of the Center]]. But then again, the alternative is allowing the last bastion of human life to be over-run by demons. Should Aleph [[YouCantFightFate fulfil his destiny]] and become the Thousand Year Kingdom's champion, or should he [[ScrewDestiny turn to the other side]] and bring down Tokyo Millennium?

Main characters:

* Hawk/Aleph - The [[HeroicMime silent protagonist]]. The DesignatedHero of the Messians. Using the [[PowersAsPrograms Demon Summoning Program]], he can converse with and [[CharacterMagneticTeam recruit demons into his party]].
* Hiroko - A [[ActionGirl Temple Knight]] of the Messians. She meets Aleph whilst searching for a missing scientist and shares a immediate rapport with him. Eventually becomes your main female companion. [[{{Stripperiffic}} Appears to have forgotten her pants]].
* Beth - A [[ActionGirl Temple Knight]] of the Messians assigned to aid Aleph in establishing the Thousand Year Kingdom. She tells Aleph that she will be his "eternal partner"... and [[ShinMegamiTenseiI the last time]] someone called you that in a [=MegaTen=] game, [[StalkerWithACrush things didn't work out so well]]. [[{{Stripperiffic}} Also seems to be missing half her clothes]].
* Zayin - A [[KnightTemplar Temple Knight]] of the Messians. He is completely devoted to the Center at the beginning of the game, but after witnessing some of the less moral acts that they commit, he begins to reconsider his allegiance.
* Gimel - A quirky young man with a harp who rules over the beautiful forest of Arcadia. He seems to be unusually knowledgeable on Aleph and the Center, so can you trust him?
* Daleth - An arrogant man who shows up and [[TheRival proclaims himself to be the true Saviour]]. Clearly, you're going to have to kick his ass.

Yes, the game is chock-full of religious symbolism, but this was ''before'' [[NeonGenesisEvangelion it became popular to oversaturate your work with it]]. It uses the same system as ''Shin Megami Tensei'' but refines several aspects, such as the fact that you can now access your minimap with a single button press rather than having to go through three menu screens. The graphics and environments have been improved, though the difficulty is still as high as ever. Also, several features that would go on to be mainstays in the ShinMegamiTensei series were added, such as fusion accidents and skill inheritance from "parent" demons.

Though [[NoExportForYou the game was never released in the West]], a group called Aeon Genesis [[http://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=smt2 has released a translation patch for the ROM]].

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Tropes seen in this game:

* AfterTheEnd
* ArtificialHuman - [[spoiler:All of the main characters listed above, with the exception of Hiroko]].
* AsLongAsThereIsEvil - [[spoiler:YHVH. As long as one person continues to desire a Higher Power to believe in and rely upon, he can never truly be destroyed]].
* ButThouMust - For the first part of the game. Eventually you get the freedom to make your own choices.
* CharacterAlignment - Measured by two axis: Law-Neutral-Chaos and Light-Neutral-Dark. Your alignment affects what demons you can recruit (Lawful demons will not contract with a Chaotic protagonist and vice versa) and if you can use certain pieces of equipment.
* CrapsackWorld
* DarkMessiah - Daleth. You can choose to make Aleph one of these too.
* DesignatedVillain - [[spoiler:Daleth, who was created specifically to oppose- and lose to- Aleph]].
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: [[spoiler: More of Did you just punch out {{GOD}}]]?
* EndOfTheWorldSpecial
* FakeMemories
* FateWorseThanDeath - The updated rerelease of ShinMegamiTenseiNocturne implies this happens to [[spoiler:the main character]]. What do you expect when you commit ''[[spoiler:deicide]]''?
* GattacaBabies
* {{God}} - Actually identified as "YHVH".
* GodIsEvil - And ''how''!
* HeroicSacrifice - [[spoiler:Beth]].
* HotShounenMom - [[spoiler:Hiroko]].
* KarmaMeter
* KnightTemplar - The Temple Knights of the Center.
* InsideAComputerSystem - [[spoiler:Arcadia]].
* LotusEaterMachine - [[spoiler:All of Arcadia]].
* LouisCypher
* MultipleEndings
* NintendoHard
* NoExportForYou - For a whole ''boatload'' of reasons. Not the least of which the whole [[spoiler: deicide]] thing; any company that tried to bring it to America would probably have their offices firebombed by religious fanatics.
* NoOntologicalInertia - [[spoiler:Both Satan and Lucifer crumble to dust after their creator is destroyed]].
* OneWingedAngel - [[spoiler:Zayin, upon discovering his true nature as Satan]].
* OrderVersusChaos
* PietaPlagiarism - see the page image.
* RageAgainstTheHeavens
* {{Satan}} - ''aka'' [[spoiler:{{God}}'s [[TheDragon Dragon]].]]
* SeinfeldIsUnfunny - Probably one of the first [=RPGs=] to use such heavy religious themes and employ the GodIsEvil trope. Tends to come across as ''extremely'' ham-fisted and overbearing to modern gamers, especially Western ones.
* ThatsNoMoon - Mountains seen in Makai and underground is actually dragon Kuzuryu.
* WaveMotionGun - The Megiddo Arc.
* WordOfGod - [[spoiler:Despite being the main villain in this game and several others in the series, {{God}} is not the source of all evil.]]
* ZettaiRyouiki - Beth
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