Shin Megami Tensei's Alignment Problem
Tony4You・41 minutes read
The text explores the alignment endings in various Shin Megami Tensei games, showcasing Law, Chaos, and Neutral paths with different outcomes and themes, often favoring Chaos as the most appealing ending. The portrayal of Yahweh as consistently evil and the lack of nuanced moral dilemmas in the games are criticized, urging for more complex storytelling and representation in alignment defining choices.
Insights
- Mainline Shin Megami Tensei games often have alignment endings skewed towards law or chaos, while spin-offs like Devil Survivor or Ryto 2 handle alignment more effectively.
- The portrayal of Yahweh as consistently evil in Shin Megami Tensei games raises questions about biases and storytelling choices, urging for more nuanced moral dilemmas and less one-dimensional antagonists in alignment defining choices.
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Recent questions
What are the alignment endings in Shin Megami Tensei games?
The alignment endings in Shin Megami Tensei games often revolve around Law, Chaos, and Neutral paths. Law typically involves establishing order under a higher power, Chaos focuses on freedom and survival of the fittest, while Neutral seeks a balance between the two extremes.
How does the Law alignment differ from Chaos in Shin Megami Tensei games?
The Law alignment in Shin Megami Tensei games often involves establishing order under a higher power, aiming for salvation and peace through subjugation. On the other hand, Chaos focuses on freedom, survival of the fittest, and a world where humans and demons coexist freely.
What is the significance of the Neutral alignment in Shin Megami Tensei games?
The Neutral alignment in Shin Megami Tensei games represents a balance between Law and Chaos, emphasizing the importance of avoiding extremes to ensure true happiness for humanity. It offers a compromise that allows for various endings based on player choices.
How do the alignment endings in Shin Megami Tensei games impact gameplay?
The alignment endings in Shin Megami Tensei games significantly impact gameplay by influencing the story, character interactions, and ultimate outcomes. Players' choices throughout the game determine which alignment path they follow, leading to different endings and moral dilemmas.
What themes are commonly explored in Shin Megami Tensei games regarding alignment?
Shin Megami Tensei games often explore themes of order versus chaos, freedom, survival of the fittest, and the consequences of human actions. The alignment system in these games delves into moral dilemmas, philosophical questions, and the complexities of power dynamics within different belief systems.
Related videos
Summary
00:00
Exploring Alignment Endings in Shin Megami Tensei
- Mainline Shin Megami Tensei games often exhibit alignment endings that are heavily skewed towards law or chaos, with spin-off games like Devil Survivor or Ryto 2 handling alignment more effectively.
- The alignment endings in SMT-1 are explored, starting with Law where Messiahs aim to establish a kingdom under Yahweh, promising safety in exchange for faith, leading to a hopeful ending of gathering survivors for a paradise under God's rule.
- Chaos in SMT-1 involves anarchists from the Ring of Gaia aiming to destroy established order, culminating in a world where only the strong and beautiful survive, perpetuating a cycle of death and rebirth with no guaranteed safety.
- Neutral in SMT-1 presents a compromise between Law and Chaos, emphasizing the importance of avoiding extremes to ensure true happiness for humanity, with a bias towards neutrality but still open to other endings.
- SMT-2 delves into Law where Messiahs establish a theocracy under Yahweh, leading to a draconic belief system that ultimately results in the destruction of the world, showcasing a drastic shift in character motivations.
- Chaos in SMT-2 involves fighting back against Yahweh's destruction, freeing gods from the Abyss, and creating a new world free from oppression, portraying Chaos as an underdog story with a positive outcome.
- Neutral in SMT-2 presents a world where humans rule despite destruction, hinting at the inevitability of seeking guidance from a higher power, showcasing a clear bias towards Chaos as the most appealing ending for humanity.
- SMT-3 Nocturne explores Law, Freedom, and Demon as neutral, with Law emphasizing traditions for the greater good, Chaos focusing on survival of the fittest, and Neutral as a world where humans alone can rule, with a clear bias towards Chaos as the most appealing ending.
- The True Demon Ending in Nocturne involves heeding Lucifer's call to destroy everything, offering a sense of closure and permanence by becoming the most powerful being in the universe, showcasing Chaos as the preferred ending.
- Neutral endings in Nocturne consist of Demon and Freedom, with Demon portraying apathy and ignorance, while Freedom offers a hopeful ending of reshaping the world by disregarding rules and embracing true freedom, showcasing a bias towards Chaos as the most fulfilling ending.
13:01
"Law vs Chaos: Moral Choices in Strange Journey"
- The original and redux endings for the Law segment of Strange Journey are discussed, focusing on Zelenon, Mastima, and the moral choices faced.
- Law path involves achieving incredible heights with Zelenon ascending to an angel, aiming for a thousand-year kingdom with complete subjugation of humanity's will.
- Law-aligned decisions involve giving up aspects of humanity for the greater good, leading to a peaceful yet stagnant world of salvation.
- In the Redux Law ending, humans are stripped of demonic ambition but not forced to adhere to God's rule, leading to a utopia where humanity coexists with demons.
- Chaos path in Strange Journey involves Jimenez's transformation in philosophy, aiming to create a chaotic world where humans and demons coexist freely.
- Chaos ending results in human civilization being wiped away, leading to eternal bloodshed and the end of progress.
- In the Redux Chaos ending, humanity coexists with demons, with no restrictions on freedom, and many gods regain their power.
- Neutral ending in Strange Journey focuses on bringing together the worlds of Tokyo and Mikado for coexistence, with Isabo playing a crucial role.
- SMT4 Law alignment is portrayed as genocidal, aiming to destroy indigenous people of Tokyo and establish a new world order under God's rule.
- SMT4 Chaos alignment initially fights against classism but later turns into a hostile takeover of Mikado, leading to Lucifer's rule and potential chaos.
26:08
"SMT5: Gods, War, and Secret Endings"
- Nahobino concept changes dynamics with gods having different domains, personalities, and goals.
- Fusing with humans to carry out their will poses challenges due to irreconcilable differences leading to war.
- Neutral ending in SMT5 comes in regular and secret forms.
- Regular neutral involves Nua and Yakumo advocating chaos-like views, emphasizing human survival by any means.
- Destroying the Throne of God in regular neutral prevents future god or demon takeovers.
- Chaos and neutral endings in SMT5 often confused; chaos aims to emancipate demons, neutral to counter law and chaos.
- Secret neutral ending in SMT5 achieved through specific side quests, erasing all demons and gods from existence.
- Secret neutral ending avoids bloodshed but leaves the world devoid of religion, revelations, or judgment.
- SMT5 portrays alignments with a bias towards chaos, favoring chaos over law.
- History of Christianity in Japan influences SMT5's narrative, reflecting the persecution of Christians in Japan by the Tokugawa Shogunate.
- SMT5's portrayal of Yahweh as consistently evil raises questions about biases and storytelling choices in the game.
42:38
Critique of Yahweh in Shin Megami Tensei
- In the Shin Megami Tensei series, the portrayal of Yahweh as an evil mind-controlling tyrant is criticized for being cliché and not conducive to good storytelling, with a desire for more nuanced moral dilemmas and less one-dimensional antagonists, urging for better representation in alignment defining choices.
