Soul Hackers 2

1. Belloman

   Sep 4, 2023

   10

   This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As I highly appreciate this title, I subscribed mainly to provide a counterbalance to the (legitimate) negative opinions.
   
   My comment will be brief: I loved almost everything about it, but especially the fact that I felt represented as a 30+ year-old guy.
   
   This is the first time in my experience that I encountered a game whose characters (in my opinion, excellently crafted) conveyed problems and feelings I can relate to at this stage in my life.
   
   I believe this game revolves around relationships, both friendly and romantic, from an adult perspective, without the emphasis on family that Western games tend to have. (I'm generally uninterested in Western games, but that's another point.) It's a game with a narrative centered on friends and lovers, well-written and mature. The only character lacking in this regard is Arrow, I fear. But aside from him, the story is about characters and their loved ones, especially evident in the world-building and all the texts that appear during "social links" interactions.
   
   The ending itself, with its significant lack of depth (probably rushed for budget reasons, as I can't think of another explanation for the criminally disregarded elements of the plot that don't receive resolution), tells a tender story of someone who wasn't emotionally ready to love.
   
   This review primarily focuses on the writing, so it's time to mention the other pros:
   
   + The game system is very polished. The team behind Tokyo Mirage Session seems to excel in this field.
   + The Sabbath system might seem dull, but I spent the entire game strategizing when and with which variant to activate it to optimize combat – meaning it is meaningful. In other Megaten games, "all-out attack" and "extra turn" are merely things I aimed for but seldom used. They are a goal rather than a means, and I appreciate means in game design. That said, I'm not disparaging all-out attacks or extra turn mechanics; quite the opposite, I love them.
   + I personally think the soundtrack is great, but I understand that many may not share that sentiment.
   + As previously mentioned, the overall writing and characters.
   
   Cons:
   
   - Some elements of the story remain unresolved in the finale.
   - Three dungeons are essentially the same, and while I didn't find it unbearable, I didn't appreciate it either.
   
   If you have the time and come across a good deal in the store, I recommend giving this title a chance.… Expand

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2. KyleBr

   Sep 4, 2022

   10

   I love Soul hackers 2 I have not finished the whole game yet but I love the characters and the story I wish others have the same experience

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4. GabbeMartins

   Jan 13, 2023

   9

   It's a straight-to-the-point JRPG, without much fluff and bringing in a "lighter" and more dynamic way all the mechanics and resources fromIt's a straight-to-the-point JRPG, without much fluff and bringing in a "lighter" and more dynamic way all the mechanics and resources from other games in the SMT line, Persona and Devil Summoners itself, which in a way is very good, because it doesn't make the game exhausting and tiring, on the other hand... for hours there seems to be the feeling that something "more" is missing, even more so for someone who came straight from Persona to this one.
   
   The game really shines in its aesthetics, soundtrack and graphics, it also features a female protagonist for the first time, which makes it even more interesting and visionary, Ringo (the protagonist) is super charismatic, humorous and mysterious... which leaves the whole plot much lighter in the face of heavy and adult subjects portrayed.
   
   It's a balanced and very good game for those who want to start in this incredible universe of SMT and its various spin-offs. … Expand

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5. RowanBlack

   Aug 31, 2022

   7

   Reminds me of the glory days for PS2 jRPG's in it's gameplay. A middle of the road rpg experience that is polished enough to bring it up fromReminds me of the glory days for PS2 jRPG's in it's gameplay. A middle of the road rpg experience that is polished enough to bring it up from a middle score a few points. Suffers from several normal jRPG issues, bland environments, long "Visual Novel" dialogue dumps, "Grindy" game mechanics and questing.
   
   Recommend for jRPG lovers only.… Expand

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6. Sufi-Sufi

   Aug 30, 2022

   7

   Pretty well developed RPG! There are some thing which could have been better, such as the dungeons and the repetition aspect of the “grind” ofPretty well developed RPG! There are some thing which could have been better, such as the dungeons and the repetition aspect of the “grind” of the game. The world seems quite alive and it’s a nice twist from other RPG’s I’ve played. Knowing later the team did not have a large budget unfortunately shows in some areas of the game. However, if you’re a fan of the “Mega-Ten” franchise or have played any of the “Persona” franchise, I suggest you give it a shot!… Expand

   • 1 of 1 users found this helpful
7. Cobalt_Red

   May 5, 2023

   6

   Soul Hackers 2 is not really a sequel to the original 1997 game and the first Devil Summoner, so it is not mandatory to have played theSoul Hackers 2 is not really a sequel to the original 1997 game and the first Devil Summoner, so it is not mandatory to have played the previous ones, however, it is always nice to have a bit of a cameo.
   The game is a JRPG quite similar to DDS in basic structure, however, the tug and pull between the few dungeons and soul matrix weighs a bit, I did not find the subquests particularly boring, nevertheless they are blatantly put in to lengthen the game.
   The gameplay is the usual of the saga, seek and strike weakness, with few differences.
   
   I didn't find the characters particularly bad, but I think the matrixes are superfluous, there was no reason why you couldn't find a way to implement their conversations during the story.
   I don't find Ringo a good main character, usually MCs are quieter to inmedesimate the player, and in dialogue choices it weighs quite a bit when you have one who seems to have his own opinions.
   I would have preferred Arrow to lead in the dungeons and Ringo in the matrixes, it would have made more sense.
   
   The thing I liked most about the game is the translation, don't make these games in English if that's possible, the European translations of the game are much better edited, and close to the Japanese script.
   
   To keep in mind that a part of the story is kept as DLC, and grinding is not among my favorite activities some aspects of the game could have been finished better.… Expand

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8. Tzelanit

   Sep 22, 2022

   0

   More derivative weeb garbage from a company that hit their peak almost 15 years ago. Once Kazuma Kaneko and Shigenori Soejima got pushed outMore derivative weeb garbage from a company that hit their peak almost 15 years ago. Once Kazuma Kaneko and Shigenori Soejima got pushed out because they wanted to keep Persona games dark so that they were more similar and faithful to mainline SMT, Atlus went to hell. More repetitive uwu for virgins who watch anime to escape from their mundane lives. This is a hard pass for anyone over the age of 16.… Expand

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