Megami Tensei is a series of role-playing video games (RPGs) primarily developed by Atlus. It began with 1987's Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei, which is based on Aya Nishitani's novel of the same name, and has spawned a sequel and several sub-series, such as the Persona and Devil Summoner series. The original Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei games and the Shin Megami Tensei sub-series form the core of the series, while other entries are considered spin-offs.[1][2]
Early games have received infrequent releases outside Japan: the first title to be released in North America was 1995's Jack Bros., and the first Megami Tensei RPG released in the region was 1996's Revelations: Persona. The first game released in the PAL region was 2003's Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, which was released there in 2005. The series has several recurring themes, including demon-summoning, Japanese folklore, and the occult. Despite its thematic roots in Japanese culture and mythology, it has found a cult following internationally.[3] It is Atlus's flagship role-playing game series,[4] and one of the biggest in the genre in Japan.[5] Several other types of media based on the series have been made, including anime and manga.[6][7]