The Hardest Games Developed By Atlus

After decades of relative obscurity in the West, Atlus has become synonymous with high-quality RPGs. Beyond their renowned craftsmanship, another defining attribute of their games is the notorious difficulty. The Shin Megami Tensei series and its spin-offs rank among the most challenging RPGs of the 21st century.

While not every Atlus series is equally demanding, even the “easier” games under the company’s banner present a steeper challenge compared to franchises like Final Fantasy or Pokemon. Atlus RPGs are less forgiving, feature deeper mechanics, and often include random encounters with unexpectedly powerful foes.

10

Persona 4

Although Persona 4 elevated Atlus’ popularity to a new level, it remained a fairly challenging RPG. Its difficulty is particularly pronounced in the early stages, as the bulk of the challenges occur in its opening sections.

The first two arcs of Persona 4 are rough because your resources are too limited to fully utilize its combat system. It isn’t until Kanji is rescued that your skills and resources scale in a way that makes the rest of the journey more manageable.

9

Persona 3 FES

Most of the Persona games since Persona 3 are of comparable difficulty, but the FES version is arguably the hardest Persona game to date. Unlike more modern iterations, such as Persona 3 Portable, Persona 3 FES does not allow you to control your party members directly, often resulting in wasted items or inefficient attacks.

Another factor that makes Persona 3 FES slightly more challenging than other Persona games is its unpredictable difficulty spikes. While the bosses are generally manageable, random encounters can occasionally pit you against enemies capable of defeating you within just two turns.

8

Shin Megami Tensei

The original Shin Megami Tensei is not so much difficult as it is archaic. It lacks many of the quality-of-life features that make later Atlus titles more accessible and less tedious to play. For the most part, the battle system is relatively simple, and bosses appear frequently enough with rich EXP rewards.

However, like many older RPGs, it is easy to get lost in the dungeons. You may spend significant amounts of time trying to find the correct path through the sprawling, maze-like areas.

Although Metaphor: ReFantazio borrows heavily from the Persona series, it is overall more challenging than any of them. The game features more complex mechanics than a typical Persona title, resulting in a higher learning curve.

While exploiting elemental weaknesses is a common mechanic in Persona games, Metaphor demands that you master this tactic — especially during boss battles — or the fights can feel like tedious grinds. Additionally, inheriting key skills and switching archetypes at the right time require careful planning and take time to fully grasp.

6

Shin Megami Tensei 4

Similar to Persona 4, the beginning of Shin Megami Tensei 4 is particularly challenging. The monsters are intelligent and well-equipped, with many demons exploiting your weaknesses early on. It’s also difficult to predict how demons will react to certain actions, as the game involves a mix of RNG and rote memorization from past encounters.

You can mitigate some of the difficulty curve by offering the same tributes to demons three times, but you are still at the mercy of Shin Megami Tensei 4’s inherent randomness. The game’s first half ranks among the hardest in Atlus’ library, but the difficulty drops significantly in the second half, making it far more manageable.

5

Digital Devil Saga

Compared to most RPGs, Digital Devil Saga is more puzzle-oriented. Problem-solving skills are necessary to overcome many of the game’s obstacles, though the puzzles are not overly complex. The dungeons in Digital Devil Saga are relatively small, meaning you’ll spend less time worrying about running out of supplies compared to other Atlus RPGs.

The most challenging aspect of Digital Devil Saga is the boss fights. The Demi-Fiend, in particular, remains a nightmare for players who have faced it. With hard-hitting normal attacks and random AoE moves that can essentially one-shot your party, it stands out as one of the most daunting challenges in the game.

4

Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne

Unlike many other challenging Atlus games that are difficult due to strong bosses or rough beginnings, Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne maintains a consistent level of difficulty throughout its playthrough. Nocturne is arguably the best game in Atlus’ library because it gradually increases the challenge as you progress, creating a constant sense of tension that mirrors the apocalyptic theme of a world lost to Armageddon.

While buffs are often the key to overcoming tough encounters in RPGs, Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne features enemies that can nullify these advantages, removing a crucial strategy that many players rely on to navigate difficult battles. Despite its difficulty, Nocturne is also one of the fairest Atlus games, balancing challenge with well-thought-out mechanics.

3

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor

Not many of Atlus’ RPGs require as much extra grinding to progress through the levels as Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor. Simply completing the required mission battles will leave you significantly under-leveled. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor is also highly sensitive to team composition, with certain scenarios demanding an ideal setup, which further increases the amount of grinding needed.

While most battles in Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor are not particularly difficult despite the grind, the challenge ramps up significantly on the 7th and 8th days, requiring serious preparation and effort.

2

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2

The second half of Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor’s story maintains a similar level of difficulty. In contrast, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 is far less grindy than its predecessor, offering a more consistent challenge that keeps you on edge, regardless of your progress in the plot.

Like many other tactics games, it’s easy to overextend in Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2. For less experienced players, playing conservatively is key to navigating many battles. The sequel emphasizes tactical thinking in more encounters compared to the first game, where the bosses were the primary threats. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 feels fairer and less tedious overall.

1

Shin Megami Tensei: A Strange Journey

Shin Megami Tensei: A Strange Journey shares many of the same difficulty elements seen in other SMT games, but it places extra emphasis on breeding demons to overcome specific obstacles. This often results in A Strange Journey becoming a deceptively grind-heavy experience.

When players first encounter Shekinah, the final boss, there’s a strong likelihood of losing — not just failing to defeat her, but struggling to even come close to doing anything. Despite being near the end of the game, it is not uncommon for players to engage in extensive grinding to adequately prepare for this formidable challenge.