Soul Hackers 2 is quite a bit like Shin Megami Tensei and its more and more fashionable spin-off collection Persona. It has the pleasing turn-based fight, demons we have all come to know and love, and huge dungeons to discover. It additionally tells a reasonably entertaining story full with a spin on social hyperlinks, character interactions, and hangout spots. The issue is Soul Hackers 2 does just about all of this worse. It is a good recreation, however it might’t maintain a candle to the Atlus greats.
As an entry in a collection with only one different instalment from the Nineteen Nineties — which was remade for simply the Nintendo 3DS in 2013 — the quantity two on the finish of the sport’s title might understandably have some folks frightened. In any case, you are not going to discover a GameStop shelf packed stuffed with Shin Megami Tensei: Satan Summoner: Soul Hackers copies within the yr 2022.
Nevertheless, you needn’t fret as a result of Soul Hackers 2 assumes no prior information in any respect. Possibly you may miss out on one or two minor references (we have not performed the unique recreation both), however it is a standalone story that introduces itself as if it is a new IP the place everyone seems to be a newcomer.
That narrative focuses on Ringo and Figue, two humanoids created by an AI named Aion. This synthetic intelligence is designed to watch humanity from afar, besides it should intervene when it learns the tip of the world is nigh. One thing generally known as the Nice One is being known as upon, and the twosome should put a cease to it by stopping objects of energy known as Covenants from falling into the incorrect fingers.
When you begin the journey alone, you’ll shortly assemble a celebration of 4, stuffed with oddballs and contrasting personalities. A lot of the story is character-focused, detailing how the assorted Satan Summoner factions relate to 1 one other and crafting plot twists round them. The motivations of the antagonist are compelling too, with cool character design making them an actual focus for the plot because it unfolds. It is a neat story typical of a JRPG, but it surely’s unlikely to go down as a very memorable one.
Cutscenes stay participating all through and the story does sufficient to maintain issues attention-grabbing. Nevertheless, they lack the intrigue of a Persona 5 plot level or the gripping nature of a Shin Megami Tensei twist. Though the narrative has its moments, it is abundantly clear Soul Hackers 2 wasn’t afforded the identical form of funds as Atlus’ premier RPGs. The story suffers considerably in consequence.
So too do the areas you are capable of discover exterior of dungeons. Throughout downtime, outlets will be rummaged by means of to supply new gadgets and tools, aspect quests will be accomplished for bonus loot and cash, and a bar will be visited to enhance your Soul Degree with social gathering members. These retailers and sights are located on extremely quick and slim streets that go away completely no room for exploration exterior of the random townsfolk you may chat to.
It is virtually as if the sport recognises there’s little level to the cobblestones exterior: you may quick journey instantly to each retailer and enterprise as soon as you have found them. There’s little to do exterior of fight; the one characters you may create any form of bond with are your core social gathering members. And even then, they’re restricted to easy Soul Ranges that enhance by means of dialogue responses.
When you do get right into a dungeon and tough some demons up, although, Soul Hackers 2 takes a way more constructive flip. Its turn-based fight system is quite a bit like different Atlus RPGs: it is actually enjoyable to have interaction with, tremendous trendy, and addictive to the purpose the place you are actively trying to find battles. It is all very acquainted when you’ve performed current titles from the developer, but it surely has a formulation that works.
The standard choice of magical skills and bodily assaults are at your disposal. So too are gadgets, utilizing your flip to dam, and trying to flee the scene. Exploiting enemy weaknesses is the important thing to profitable fights, that are found by experimenting and studying into the form of abilities they throw again at you. Whereas not fairly as troublesome as a Shin Megami Tensei V, quite a lot of difficult encounters await — notably boss fights with distinctive skills.
One thing the sport does otherwise from the remaining is a brand new mechanic known as Stacking. As an alternative of gaining an additional flip after focusing on an enemy’s Achilles heel, you may construct up stacks that type one almighty assault as soon as your social gathering members have had their go. This provides a brand new layer of technique to the expertise whereby you may nick stacks off a stronger enemy — even when it hardly does any harm — as a way to drain the HP of each demon in entrance of you. Attain a excessive Stacking depend and it is attainable to wipe a full lineup of foes in a single go.
With added depth, the fight system does not really feel like a rehash of prior Atlus efforts. Whereas it might look virtually indistinguishable from the skin, Soul Hackers 2 creates its personal little nook that rewards aggression and experimentation with stronger assaults down the road. Throw in some enemies that may change their elemental flaws on the fly and you have got a demonic drive that retains you in your toes.
All of these encounters happen in dungeons, which symbolize far and away the worst factor concerning the JRPG. A few of the most uninspired, lifeless, boring areas await with recycled corridors and hallways offering an extremely uninteresting backdrop for the battles at hand. These areas aren’t like your stylised Persona 5 Palaces; they’re primary procuring malls and delivery districts with out even a touch of character.
Some new mechanics are launched partway by means of so as to add a small trace of complexity, however all they actually do is make you wander the repetitive and mind-numbing passageways of the dungeons some extra. It can’t be overstated how genuinely crap they’re. It is virtually as if Atlus forgot about them till the final minute after which hurriedly slapped collectively some belongings. However, in fact, that is not truly the case. They had been all designed like this proper from the off.
Even the map used to navigate the dungeons is garbage. Its labyrinthine nature scrawls everywhere in the display and manages to get in your manner regardless of being pretty translucent on-screen. For as pleasing fight is inside dungeons, the rest you do in them exterior of the story is as uninteresting as dishwater.
It is fairly a weird distinction, actually, as a result of Soul Hackers 2 retains that trendy, vibrant nature of an Atlus recreation in its menus and just about anyplace exterior of a dungeon. The streets — as small as they’re — are alive with exercise and vibes. Trendy transitions seamlessly swap you between cutscenes and gameplay, and the menus in-between are fashionable and hip. It is a actually cool recreation to take a look at in the precise areas, and great character artwork makes dialogue pop.
Background scenes are the true stars of the present, although. Pay a go to to any one of many shops stocking fight provides and you will be greeted by a flat however trendy picture full with a shopkeeper simply as funky. Atlus is aware of what it excels at within the artwork division, and its newest lives as much as these expectations more often than not. Why this modern method wasn’t carried into the dungeons will perpetually stay a thriller.
Conclusion
Soul Hackers 2 is a reliable Atlus JRPG that can tick loads of containers for followers of the style, but it surely falls nicely wanting being that subsequent breakout star from Japan. With terrible dungeon design and little else to do exterior of them, it falls upon the participating fight system and attention-grabbing sufficient narrative to select up the items. It is in no way the following must-play JRPG, however there’s simply sufficient to Soul Hackers 2 that warrants a playthrough.
