The Shin Megami Tensei series is known for featuring some of the toughest JRPGs of all time. While hardcore fans of the series appreciated this unique gameplay dynamic, Atlus also wanted to attract more gamers to the series. Instead of compromising the challenging nature of the base games, the developer decided to go down a different route and release a spin-off with more approachable gameplay and unique life sim mechanics. This has proven to be a winning formula, with the gameplay changes brought forth in Persona 3 doing a great job of making this series one of Atlus' most valuable properties.