The cult following of Shin Megami Tensei is getting another opportunity to explore an alternate version of Tokyo, though this time the game will take players on an adventure in person. For the first time ever, the 1993 Shin Megami Tensei Tabletop RPG, titled Tokyo Conception, has been translated into English and is available for pre-order through multiple retailers.
The game is designed for 3-5 players, plus a game master, somost existing D&D groupscan dive right in, while newcomers can form a groupwithout too much recruitment necessary. This tabletop RPG includes everything fans love about the video game version of Shin Megami Tensei, letting players cast spells like Agi and Megido against legendary demons like Jack Frost, Metatron, and the Moirae Sisters. Plus, being an RPG game, there’s plenty of room for the creative problem solving fans are used to employing, such as demon negotiation. Meanwhile, familiar tabletop RPG elements keep everything balanced with affinities, status effects, and, of course, critical hits. Just like the video game, Shin Megami Tensei The Roleplaying Game: Tokyo Conception promises to be a challenging, yet rewarding adventure.
Shin Megami Tensei - The Roleplaying Game: Tokyo Conception
The Shin Megami Tensei - The Roleplaying Game: Tokyo Conception is a deep, yet accessible tabletop RPG for 3-5 players with 1 GM that perfectly captures themes of the original Shin Megami Tensei™ video game series, allowing players to wield familiar spells such as Agi and Megido against legendary demons like Jack Frost, Metatron, and the Moirae Sisters. Tokyo Conception further preserves the franchise’s essence by incorporating staple elements such as demon negotiation, the Affinity system, and punishing status ailments like Poison and Stun while also introducing more typical TTRPG mechanics such as critical hits, fumbles, and exploding dice, to ensure encounters are both challenging and rewarding.
The book comes with over 300 pages of content, offering players more than 100 pages of demon stats and boss information, plus a PDF version of the White Vortex mini campaign to get players started on their journey. Since this is only the first time the book has been localized in English, Tokyo Conception is actually the 4th Edition of the Shin Megami Tensei tabletop RPG. That being said, Tokyo Conception was released in 2008 and shares its setting with the video game Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne. The TTRPG got an expansion, Mala Underground, just a few months after its release, but there’s no word yet on whether that will also be translated anytime soon.
For now, players can place their pre-orders through Amazon or Walmart and count down the days until November 5th, when Tokyo Conception will be released. The game’s MSRP is $50, but pre-orders get a 10% discount, though it’s unclear for how long.
Regardless, given the detailed illustrations and in-depth world-building, coupled with its long-awaited release, fans of tabletop gaming and the Shin Megami Tensei series should definitely add this affordable TTRPG book to their library this fall.
