Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine
Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Online, often shortened to MegaTen, is a 3D sci‑fi MMORPG rooted in the long‑running Megami Tensei series. Set in a ruined vision of Neo Tokyo, it casts players as Demon Busters, mercenaries who track down, negotiate with, and ultimately recruit the demons that stalk the devastated cityscape. Battles, exploration, and character growth all revolve around how effectively you build and command your demon allies.
 | Publisher: Aeria Games Type: Sci-Fi MMORPG Release Date: May 11, 2009 Closure Date: February 7, 2013 Pros: +Spin-off entry based on a well-known Shin Megami Tensei franchise. +Deep demon recruitment, training, and fusion mechanics. +Moral alignment system affecting story and progression. +Highly customizable, skill-driven character system. Cons: -Outdated graphics engine and a clunky interface that never felt fully optimized. -Slow, drawn-out introduction and early-game onboarding phase. |
Shin Megami Tensei Imagine Online Overview
Among the small number of Japanese free-to-play MMORPGs that reached North America, Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Online stands out as an experiment that tried to adapt the core ideas of the MegaTen series into an online world. Known simply as MegaTen by many fans, the game blended traditional MMORPG structure with series staples like demon negotiation, fusion, and alignment choices. While it never attracted a huge global audience, it maintained a dedicated fanbase and continued running on Japanese servers long after Western service ended.
Progress in Imagine is built almost entirely around a flexible, skill-based system rather than rigid classes. Characters gain proficiency in specific actions and disciplines, which slowly shape their combat style over time. This design takes some effort to learn, since you are not handed a predefined role from the outset, but in return it allows for a wide range of hybrid builds and a more tactical feel than many contemporary MMORPGs.
One of the main hooks is the ability to encounter demons in the wastelands and underground facilities of post-apocalyptic Tokyo, then attempt to bargain with or subdue them so they join your roster. Captured demons can be leveled, evolved, and fused, mimicking the single-player Shin Megami Tensei games. The narrative is structured into episodic “Acts,” which play out as story chapters and help give direction to your journey through Neo Tokyo while fleshing out the world and its factions.
Shin Megami Tensei Imagine Online Screenshots
Shin Megami Tensei Imagine Online Featured Video
Shin Megami Tensei Imagine Online Links
Shin Megami Tensei Imagine Online Wikipedia Entry
Shin Megami Tensei Imagine Online Japanese Site
Shin Megami Tensei Imagine Online Music & Soundtrack
Shin Megami Tensei Imagine Online Additional Information
Developer: Cave
Composer: Kenichi Kikkawa
Closed Beta Date: December 1, 2008 (North America)
Open Beta Date: December 30, 2008 (North America)
Release Date: March 30, 2007 (Japan), December 31, 2008 (NA)
Closure Date: February 28, 2014 (NA) [Japanese Server still active]
Publishers:
Japan: Atlus
North America: Aeria Games -> Atlus Online -> Marvelous USA
Development History / Background:
Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine marked Cave’s first attempt at building a full-scale MMORPG, using the Shin Megami Tensei universe as its foundation. The online story is set chronologically between Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei 2, unfolding in and around Tokyo during the early decades of the 21st century. Humanity has barely survived a cataclysm referred to as the “Great Destruction,” and the remnants of society cling to life in fortified sectors of Neo Tokyo while demons roam the ruins.
The North American version of MegaTen entered closed beta under Aeria Games on December 1, 2008, followed by an open beta at the end of that month, and the title officially launched in the region on December 31, 2008. Service management shifted more than once, moving from Aeria Games to Atlus Online on April 9, 2012, then later falling under Marvelous USA after Atlus Online was acquired by XSeed Games and rebranded. On January 27, 2014, Marvelous USA announced that the English-language servers would shut down on February 28, 2014, while Japanese service continued beyond that date.