Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army review

Definitely more entertaining than trying to hold a seance in your goth buddy's basement

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Solving the mysteries you encounter involves investigation, and Raidou will need to speak with witnesses and persons of interest, collect clues and evidence, and even travel to the Dark Realm occasionally for some good old-fashioned devil hunting. Rather than constantly progressing to new areas, Raidou will often revisit familiar places, particularly after obtaining key information. Seeing the same old locales does get tiresome - especially when maps are re-used in the Dark Realm - but usually you'll be too caught up in your detective work to care.

Combat, sadly, isn't nearly as interesting as the story sequences. Rather than being turn-based, Devil Summoner 's battles are full of action, with you and a summoned demon pal taking on a group of enemies in real time. But for being a badass demon handler, Raidou is surprisingly limited in his combat skills, with only a few sword and gun techniques at his disposal. Demons offer more variety, coming into combat with plenty of skills, but they still can only perform a few special techniques beyond standard attacks. Success in combat essentially boils down to finding the best demon to take advantage of an enemy's weakness while not getting killed. It's hardly rocket science, and grows boring after a while.

More info

GenreRole Playing
DescriptionThe popular RPG series get an infusion of action and 1920s style in this noir adventure.
Franchise nameShin Megami Tensei
UK franchise nameShin Megami Tensei
Platform"PS2"
US censor rating"Mature"
UK censor rating""
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