Shin Megami Tensei: Synchronicity Prologue

Shin Megami Tensei: Synchronicity Prologue is a game developed by Den-fami Nico Game Magazine’s Ladybug team for PC. The game was a limited time free offer on Atlus Japan's official site from October 16th to December 24th, 2017. An unofficial English patch has been released by Brento_Bento.

Initially, the game was labelled a hoax in the Japanese trailer for Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux on October 13, 2017 upon which it received strong positive feedback from viewers for the production of such a game. Three days later it was revealed to be a fully playable game ready for public access as part of the 25th anniversary of the Megami Tensei series and marketing campaign for Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux.

Plot
Taking place shortly before the events of Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, Jack Frost is synchronized with the mind of a human in order to traverse and fight demon hordes. He rescues the non-synchronized Jack o' Lantern after he was frozen by Black Frost, who decimated all the Jacks that previously attempted an assault. They meet a small creature who names himself J-kun.

The Jacks traverse the different Sectors of the Schwarzwelt to defeat Black Frost, fighting against Bifrons, Decarabia, Alice, and Girimehkala on the way. After defeating the latter, the Jacks meet again with J-kun, who tells them he's remembered he used to be human, until he booted up a synchronicity program sent to him, sending his mind into the body of a demon in the Schwarzwelt. They realize destroying Black Frost is the only way to send J-kun back.

After defeating Black Frost, J-kun appears, revealing Black Frost to be the missing part of his mind, and asks the Jacks to destroy Black Frost to release him, hopefully to return to his human body. The Frosts do so, releasing J-kun.

The credits show a list of world news, including the death/recovery of a famous programmer (depending on the ending), a mysterious blizzard in Antarctica, and the formation of the Schwarzwelt Joint Project.

Characters

 * Jack Frost
 * Jack o' Lantern
 * J
 * Black Frost
 * Bifrons
 * Decarabia
 * Alice
 * Girimehkala
 * Dwarf

Gameplay
The game is a 2D platformer with the classic rule of the player character taking damage when it comes in direct contact with the enemy. Initially the player can only control Jack Frost but very quickly it will rescue Jack o' Lantern to join. Jack Frost can walk and jump. Switching to Jack o' Lantern allows hovering slightly above the ground. Mid-way through the game, Jack Frost obtains the mini-Demonica armor which transforms it into Demonee-Ho, this gives it additional null-poison resistance and change its attack to gun-type. The player can also obtain optional spells at various points in the map which cost MP to cast. Innate attacks on the other hand do not consume MP.


 * Jack Frost's innate attacks:
 * Horizontal ice projectile with moderate range.
 * During air holding down button and pressing attack button allows downward ice projectile. Mashing the attack button allows Jack Frost to remain in air briefly during the attack execution.
 * Holding the attack button until "charge" bubble appears and then release the button will unleash a larger horizontal projectile which pierces through enemies on its line of fire, has much higher range, and freezes the enemies briefly but does minimal damage.
 * All ice projectiles can freeze water surface permanently until switching area or melted by Jack o' Lantern's fire attack.
 * Jack o' Lantern's innate attacks:
 * Three fire projectiles spread slightly like a sharp cone. It can change to 8 cardinal directions by holding the directional key and pressing attack button. For example, holding left and up buttons and pressing attack button shoots the fire projectile upper-leftward.
 * Holding the attack button until "charge" bubble appears and then release the button will unleash a stronger single projectile which pierces through obstacles and enemies on its line of fire.
 * During charging, its firing direction can be rotated freely with a trajectory line visible for indication.
 * All fire projectiles can melt the frozen water surface.

All player characters and enemies possess elemental resistance affinities: Gun, Fire, Ice, Electric, and Wind. Jack Frost nulls Ice and is weak to fire. Jack o' Lantern nulls fire and is weak to ice. Element skills including ones for Gun, Wind, and Elec can be obtained by exploring each area.

Enemies drop macca on the ground and grant experience for level up upon defeat. Macca must be collected manually and can be spent on Dwarf's shop or his vending machines for recovery items.

Through out the map, there are save points and portals. Save point also recovers HP and MP fully upon saving. Portal allows free teleport to another previously visited portal.

Trivia

 * Jack Ripper was planned to be playable, but was scrapped.