Shin Megami Tensei: Synchronicity Prologue

Shin Megami Tensei: Synchronicity Prologue
Developer(s)	Ladybug
Publisher(s)	Atlus
Genre	Platformer
Platform(s)	PC
Release	Japan October 16, 2017

Shin Megami Tensei: Synchronicity Prologue is a 2017 side-scrolling platformer game for PC, and a spin-off prologue of Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux from the Shin Megami Tensei series. The game was developed by Ladybug and published by Atlus Japan on their website as a limited time, free download from October 16 to December 24, 2017.

The game received a fan translation by Brento_Bento.

Blurb

Japanese

ある日、パソコンに不可解なメッセージが届いた……「添付ノ プログラムヲ 起動シ 未来ヲ 切リ開クノダ」と……。 そのプログラムはシュバルツバース内の悪魔に自分の意識をリンクさせ操ってしまう、シンクロという恐るべきプログラムだった。 はたしてこのプログラムが送られてきた目的とは……？ そしてシュバルツバースでどのような冒険が巻き起こるのであろうか？

Aru nichi, pasokon ni fukakaina messēji ga todoita...... Tenpu no puroguramu o kidō shi mirai o setsu ri hiraki kunoda to...... Sono puroguramu wa shubarutsubāsu-nai no akuma ni jibun no ishiki o rinku sa se ayatsutte shimau, shinkuro to iu osorubeki puroguramudatta. Hatashite kono puroguramu ga okura rete kita mokuteki to wa......? Soshite shubarutsubāsu de dono yōna bōken ga maki okoru nodearou ka?

One day, I received a mysterious message on my computer..... "Run the attached program and pierce the future......" This program was a terrifying one named Synchro, which linked my consciousness to a demon in the Schwarzverse, allowing me to control it. Why was this program sent......? And what kind of adventures will I have in the Schwarzverse?

Synopsis

After being sent a program named Synchro by an unknown party, a human identified as Subject No. 02 has their mind synchronized with a Demon in the Schwarzwelt. He awakens as Jack Frost, with a feeling that there is something he must do. Subsequently, he is told that he is humanity's last hope, and that he must "pierce the future."

While traversing the Schwarzwelt, he rescues Jack-o'-Lantern, a Demon who was frozen by Black Frost, whom the two must now pursue.

See full plot...

Gameplay

Shin Megami Tensei: Synchrocity Prologue is a 2D Metroidvania game, where the player takes control of Jack Frost and Jack-o'-Lantern (when rescued), who can be swapped around by pressing the Character Switch button. Jack Frost moves normally with gravity being applied, shoots icicles, has a charge attack that can freeze enemies and resists against ice damage. Jack-o'-Lantern, however, has a Hover Power ability where he can fly and aim his fire attacks through all 8 directions, and reach higher places, but only if there is ground below him. He also resists fire damage. The party travels through many areas of Schwarzwelt, which is infested by many demons with varying resistances and weaknesses that can be exploited, and has many puzzles to solve and hidden items to be found, in which the game's ending is affected if all are collected. The stages also features terminals, that serve as the game's save points, and coming into contact with it regenerates the party's HP and MP much faster. And portals that teleports the party to other identified portals, with each one being in a respective stage (with the exception of the last stage, as there is no portal for there). Like previous Shin Megami Tensei titles, it also incorporates the Moon Phase mechanic, where MP recovers faster during full moons.

Development

The game was first shown off as a "hoax" in the Japanese trailer for Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux on October 13th, 2017, which received great positive feedback from viewers, wanting it to be a real game. Later on it was revealed to be a fully playable game, and released for free as part of the 25th anniversary of the Megami Tensei series, and as a marketing campaign for Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux.

Gallery

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  Screenshot of Jack Frost & Jack-o'-Lantern in the beginning of the first stage.

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  Screenshot of Jack Frost & Jack-o'-Lantern traversing through the first stage.

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  Screenshot of Jack Frost & Jack-o'-Lantern fighting against Girimekhala.

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  Screenshot of Jack Frost & Jack-o'-Lantern encountering Alice, asking if they want to die for her.

Trivia

• The game was built from another game by Ladybug, KonoSuba: Revival of Beldia, as they both share the same engine, contains many placeholder sprites and other similiarities to it.
• Jack the Ripper was planned to appear as a playable character, but he was scrapped due to time constraints. His sprites were shared by Ladybug on Twitter after release.
• Yurlungur was also planned to appear as an enemy, as the game contains an unused icon sprite of his head. He was scrapped, but his sprite was reused for the yellow Yurlungurs at the end of Paradise.

External Links

• Japanese Download Website
• English Translation Patch by Brento_Bento