Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2 (PSN) Review

The saga continues.

 Developer Atlus continues its PS2 offerings with Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2, the follow-up sequel to the sleeper hit that was Digital Devil Saga. Released months after its predecessor in 2005, the game continues the mysterious story while adding a few gameplay tweaks as well. Serph and company's adventure continues, this time in a whole new world. Does DDS2 deliver a better exprience than the first game? Let's find out.


 After the events of Digital Devil Saga, Serph and his friends find themselves transported to another bleak and post-apocalyptic world-- which turns out to be Nirvana! With no whereabouts of the other members and the sudden appearance of demon users, the Embryon gang must find out the truth behind Sera and the black sun that's plaguing the world. The story was far more engaging and interesting as previous questions left by DDS get answered while new threats emerge.

 The characters also get a great deal of backstory as their pasts get revealed and the villain was more interesting this time around. I also liked some of the new characters like Fred and Roland, who offered their own perspectives on the state of the world. The game even wraps on a cheery note too considering all the depressing moments the gang went through, so the ending is a fulfilling one. Being a sequel, your enjoyment of the story depends on whether or not you've played DDS since newcomers can get lost with the premise and callbacks to the first game.


 The gameplay is near identical to DDS, albeit with subtle tweaks. You still control up to three party members, defeat enemies to level up, move to the next location and beat a boss. You equip skills with Mantras, which are basically capsules which contain magic spells, physical attacks, buffs/debuffs, and the like. When in demon form, each member has their own weaknesses and you'll have to be wary of enemy attacks as the Press Turn system makes a return. Exploration and puzzle solving still make up a large portion of the gameplay, with you flipping switches and avoiding traps in various areas of the game. That being said, I still found the environments to be bland and uninteresting.

 A new feature is Berserk mode where you receive a massive physical attack boost in human form at the cost of defense and accuracy. They always offer a decent amount of experience and mantra points, so they're worth checking. Speaking of mantra, DDS2 streamlines the mantra grid, making it easier to get the mantras you want without having to master anything prior. I prefer this simple layout over DDS's more archaic one as since everything is on-screen and clear.

 DDS2 took me around 40 hours to beat, which included exploring the game's areas, taking on a few side quests and optional bosses. Much of that time was spent levelling up inside the last dungeon, which dragged on after a while but at least the encounter rate is toned down slightly. Also, if you've transferred your DDS save data, then you will get some bonuses such as more money at the beginning of the game, extra stat boosting rings, and your story choices made. Overall, there's little in the way of replay value aside of Hard mode and the optional secret bosses.


 Visually, Digital Devil Saga 2 looks the same as its predecessor in terms of character models and backgrounds. I did like some of the new enemy designs and I enjoyed watching the game's action-packed cut-scenes, which hold up well. It's still disappointing that the environments you explore like the airport and research centers were pretty boring though.  The game ran decently though I experienced some stuttering during cut-scenes in the PSN version, which was very distracting during story moments. The voice work is great though lip-syncing is still off. None of the voices felt out of place and I especially enjoyed the performances of Heat, Cielo, and Gale. The soundtrack from Shoji Meguro continues to impress with new tracks with the opening theme "Alive", the battle theme, the final boss theme, and end-credits theme being my favorites.


 All in all, Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2 was a great sequel and fitting conclusion for the more story focused entries in the series. The story kept me hooked and the characters were fleshed out, which left me happy with the ending. The gameplay is more of the same but better than DDS, with the revised mechanics making it a more polished experience. The presentation was top-notch, with the soundtrack being a highlight. If you're either a fan of Atlus' works or just looking for a tough as nails but fun JRPG, then definitely check out Digital Devil Saga 2 and its predecessor.