Hazama
A student whose occult ambitions transform Karukozaka High School into the setting’s supernatural crisis and make him the central antagonist.
Documented for this version
Which controls does this version use?
Actions
Arrow UpArrow DownArrow LeftArrow Right | Move through dungeons and menus |
|---|---|
A | Confirm selections and interact with objects or characters |
B | Cancel selections and return to the previous menu |
How it plays
How does Shin Megami Tensei if... play?
The game alternates between first-person exploration of labyrinths and menu-driven, turn-based battles. The party moves through grid-like environments, searches for items, talks with demons, and fights or negotiates to build a useful team.
The protagonist is accompanied by a chosen guardian, with route selection influencing available areas, story events, and the ending. Demons can be fused into stronger allies, while equipment, magic, alignment, and resource management determine survival. The objective is to uncover Hazama’s plan and escape or resolve the crisis affecting the school.
Plan your run
What is the best way to play Shin Megami Tensei if...?
Talk to demons regularly rather than treating every encounter as a normal battle. Negotiation can recruit allies, provide resources, or avoid costly fights, but responses depend on demon personality and alignment.
Save resources for difficult floors and bosses. Fuse demons often, keep coverage for several elemental weaknesses, and pay attention to the chosen guardian route because it changes the path through the game.
Map each dungeon carefully. Healing points, teleporters, locked passages, and hidden items are easy to miss in first-person corridors.
Meet the cast
Who are the key characters?
Yumi Shirakawa
A student who can become the protagonist’s companion and guardian-route focus.
Charlie
A student companion associated with one of the game’s guardian routes.
Akira
A student connected to a guardian route and a later portion of the story.
Reiko Akanezawa
A student whose route provides another perspective on the school’s supernatural crisis.
Before you begin
What should you know before playing?
- 1
Recruit and fuse demons frequently; older demons quickly become less effective.
- 2
Keep a balanced party with healing and several elemental attack types.
- 3
Record dungeon landmarks and revisit blocked passages after story events.
- 4
Choose the guardian route according to the companion and story perspective you want to follow.
Community discussion
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