Author who inspired JRPG hits Shin Megami Tensei and Persona says devs need to draw ideas from media other than games, or "you'll usually just end up making the exact same system"

Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne protagonist fiend.

Aya Nishitani, author of the Megami Tensei novels – which inspired the Atlus series of the same game – has said it's crucial that games take inspiration from other media.

While The Witcher is probably the biggest one in terms of popularity, when it comes to video games based on books, Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei has to take the crown. Atlus' flagship series started with a sequel to the first two books in the series, and eventually grew and spawned the likes of Shin Megami Tensei, Devil Summoner, Soul Hackers, and, of course, Persona (and Jack Bros. for the Virtual Boy, most importantly).