Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne is an enhanced version of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Maniax , the first in the series to be officially released in the West. This version contains several features not seen in the Japanese-only original release.
A few scenes and story events have been added, including an optional path for the game's protagonist, called "True Demon". On this path, the hero must face new powerful boss enemies known as the Fiends; some of those appear early in the game, while others are optional unless the player aims to reach the new True Demon ending. A vast dungeon called Labyrinth of Amala has been added to the game.
Exploration of this dungeon is connected to the True Demon path, which also includes an additional final boss. The main character Dante from Devil May Cry games makes a brief appearance in this enhanced version, as a boss enemy and in the opening movie.
The game allows players to select Normal or Hard difficulty level from the start. Gameplay tweaks include fewer enemy ambushes, reduced chance of instant-death attacks, and new features such as a bonus for recruiting early party members, options to recruit certain powerful demons, and a new skill called Pierce.