Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2

 DS
  • Publisher: Atlus
  • Release Date: Feb 28, 2012
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. Digital Chumps
    Mar 19, 2012
    72
    As a first foray into SMT games, Devil Survivor 2 was both inviting and discouraging. I liked the premise, in that it kind of reminded me of my favorite DS game, 9-9-9, and I also like dialogue sequences that mean something. On the other hand, the slow-paced, harsh difficulty made this one tough to stick with and easy to put down. Naturally, fans of the genre and SMT games are going to get better mileage than I have, and while I may have my reservations about the game, I'm able to respect and appreciate its quality.
  2. Official Nintendo Magazine UK
    Mar 24, 2013
    71
    Everything is thrown at you, ramping up the already shocking difficulty level. [Apr 2013, p.90]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. RPGamer
    Feb 28, 2012
    70
    Devil Survivor 2 remains an addictive experience for a large chunk of its length.
  5. Nintendo Gamer
    May 8, 2012
    68
    Treads on its predecessor's toes too many times to impress in its wake. [May 2012, p.93]
    All this publication's reviews

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best DS Game of 2012
4
#4 Most Discussed DS Game of 2012
4
#4 Most Shared DS Game of 2012

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
4.6

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 229 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 94 out of 229
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 229
  3. Negative: 127 out of 229
  1. DarkRecon
    May 23, 2012
    8
    The changes Devil Survivor 2 had brought are pleasant, but some of these changes feel as if the hinder the game more so than help it. TheThe changes Devil Survivor 2 had brought are pleasant, but some of these changes feel as if the hinder the game more so than help it. The story, music, and environment changes is all good, the gameplay changes however might not be as great. The vitality stat now affects both magic and physical defense, rather than only affecting physical, which isn't a bad change. However, the Magetite system used in the last game has been replaced by the Add-on function. These add-ons are only applicable during demon fusion and only one add-on is allowed per demon and you can only have 6 add-ons at once. While these add-ons do give your demons helpful boosts, I feel that the Magetite system is superior as it allows you to change the command skills for demons in your party, thus, allowing you to customize the demons' skills based on their strengths and you are now stuck with your demon's default command skill set plus one or two more they get through fusion. Granted, one could use their Demon compendium to chain fuse skills into a certain demon but they are still stuck with the default skill set that they can never hope to change. Plus, summoning demons require Macca, the currency in the game, which brings me to my next point, free battles.

    In it's predecessor, Free battles came in two different forms, normal free battle, and hard versions with stronger monsters. This allowed you to grind your characters' and demons levels to a suitable amount which you could take on the boss with some, but not a lot of difficulty. The demons in the free battle also got stronger as the game progressed, making it worthwhile to go back and fight said demons. However, free battles in this game only come in one difficulty, and it is barely enough to prepare you for the day's upcoming boss battle, unless you constantly grind for a couple hours straight. Another thing is that the monster you fight in the free battles stay relatively the same until you move into the next day, and only some of them are replaced with slightly stronger monsters. Since many are less likely to do free battles as a result, it makes farming Macca harder and one has to result to story-based battles in order to get the money as well as more exp.

    Some of the gameplay changes, however aren't all bad. The new fate system allows for joint skill cracking which allows characters with a certain level fate or higher to not only crack their skill, but yours as well, thus allowing more than one skill to be cracked after defeating a demon. In order to raise the fate level of a character, the player has to interact with the character during the free time, which provides for some fun dialogue and quirky moments.

    Overall, I think that Devil Survivor 2 is a good game. However, some of the gameplay changes aren't all that welcoming. If Atlus decides to create a third entry in the series, I hope that they remove the Add-on system and go back to the Magetite system and allow the option to have harder free-battles.    … Full Review »
  2. Mogipoki
    Apr 20, 2017
    4
    After finishing the anime, and enjoying it I thought I'd give the game a try. Having played Shin Megami Tensei games a few times in the past,After finishing the anime, and enjoying it I thought I'd give the game a try. Having played Shin Megami Tensei games a few times in the past, I was skeptical about the gameplay. The battle system fails to impress me, and by far it is quite irritating to handle after playing for 3 hours now. Everything else about the game I enjoy, but if you're looking for an interesting tactical battle system than this game will bring much joy to you. Sadly the gameplay turned me away from this title.… Full Review »
  3. 77kbk77
    Feb 19, 2014
    7
    Devil Survivor 2 continues the tradition of Shin Megami Tensei by having an average story and cast, a plot revolving around demons and the endDevil Survivor 2 continues the tradition of Shin Megami Tensei by having an average story and cast, a plot revolving around demons and the end of the world, and a combat system that punishes those without at least a little veterancy with its combat style.

    Fans of tactical RPGs will feel at home here, with a challenging combat system that revolves around fusing current demons to stay up to par with the enemy, learning new skills by defeating said enemies, and playing tactically to beat an almost always larger force. There's not much to complain about here except for the occasional spike in difficulty which can lead to hours of grinding due to the need for new demons.

    Story wise is where the game falls short, and it falls short very fast. The characters are all very hit-or-miss, and the "Fate" system doesn't do a very good job of fleshing them out, despite that being the sole reason it's in the game. The plot is centered around your group of ragtag civilians having a week to solve the demon problem that threatens Japan, and the problem is only exacerbated due to the usual SMT Law or Chaos decisions that come into play late in the game, fracturing the party if you haven't followed a specific guide to ensure everyone's Fate level is nearly maxed. Overall, the story is forgettable, even though at the time I was slightly intrigued by it.

    In the end, Devil Survivor 2 straddles the fence between "average" and "great". The unforgiving and tactical combat help to push it over to the "great" side, while the god awful 80% of the cast and story keep the game locked in place. Perhaps when the remake comes out it'll finally complete the transition, but for now the game will have to be content with a fence up its bum.    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »