CrimsonFist
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Genre: Turn Based SRPG
Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus
Platform: 3DS
Price: $50
Release Date: North America: 5th May 2015, Europe: Autumn 2015
E-shop Download Size: 28217 blocks/3.44GB (Japanese Version)
Day 1 Purchase Bonuses:
Devil Survivor is an SRPG spinoff of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise. Taking typical SMT elements such as recruiting your enemies to fight alongside you, and turn based combat where exploiting weaknesses is key, and mixing it with a grid based SRPG. Record Breaker is an enhanced rerelease of Devil Survivor 2, originally released on the Nintendo DS in 2011.
The Triangulum Arc: The biggest new feature is the addition of the Triangulum Arc, an additional scenario which acts as a direct sequel to the original game. This new scenario is almost the length of the original game.
The Triangulum Arc can be started from the title screen at any time, however beating the Septentrione Arc first will allow for certain bonuses to be carried over. As it is a direct continuation of the story, it is not recommended for new players to begin with this mode.
Difficulty Selection: There are now two difficulty options available: Apocalypse, the original game’s difficulty, and Blessed, a new easier mode. These can be switched between at any time.
Voice Acting: Both scenarios are now fully voiced in English, and voice acting can be toggled off if desired. There is no dual audio.
New Music by Shoji Meguro: The new music added for the Triangulum route is composed by Shoji Meguro, the composer behind Persona, Digital Devil Saga, Strange Journey and many other Atlus’ games.
Streetpass: Passing other players allows you to see their progress and grants power ups to your demons.
Spotpass: New demons and skills will be periodically made available through Spotpass for a limited time. These demons will be fusible in game, however will not be required for 100% compendium completion.
Other new features include:
- More save data slots
- A new retry option to restart battles after dying
- A new animated opening movie
- The English script has been retranslated
The Septentrion Arc:
A mysterious catastrophe has laid waste to Japan. At the heart of this disaster is a cabal of ominous, supremely powerful invaders and the sudden arrival of legions of demons. The people that still live struggle to survive, clinging desperately to their last shreds of safety and sanity as the world collapses around them.
Thirteen demon tamers emerge from this chaos, with powers earned through forging contracts with demons. They alone can stand against these monstrous invaders.
Meanwhile JP’s, a secret government agency led by the demon tamer Yamato Hotsuin, rises to prominence in the wake of the disaster, working constantly towards their own covert goals.
A mysterious website known as Nicaea has also appeared. Regarded as no more than an urban legend, rumour has it that, once you register, you will be sent videos detailing the violent deaths of your close friends.
The Triangulum Arc:
The heroes survived seven gruelling days of war against demons and the Septentrione invaders. With their victory, a new world was to begin, a world of potential. For one brief moment, it seemed peace would reign. Then, in a flash, disaster struck once again. A familiar chaos courses across Japan and new invaders have appeared to bring humanity to its knees.
The mysterious invaders, known as the Triangulum, seek to destroy it. Still reeling from this new invasion, the heroes meet a mysterious girl with incredible power. She claims to be the Chief of JP’s, Miyako Hotsuin. A dream of death haunts the heroes, and Yamato Hotsuin seems to have disappeared.
The thirteen demon tamers gather once again, for a new war to begin.
Devil Survivor 2's story is completely standalone, and there is no need to play the first Devil Survivor game beforehand.
Game flow: The game is split into a number of days, with the player being given a certain amount of time each day to complete events and progress through the story. After each event, the player will be presented with a number of locations, with various different events, including battles, story events and character events. Most of these events will take up half an hour of time, and as the day progresses, different events will open up or become unavailable. Some events are compulsory, and the story will not progress until these are completed. There are also free battle which can be used for grinding and do not take up time. How you chose to spend your time can have an impact on the story, and even determine who lives and dies.
Combat:
Combat begins after entering an event labeled "battle."
Field:
Combat takes place on a grid. You can have up to four parties at a time. Player parties, enemy demon tamers, demons and bosses take turns to move around the field and act. Movement is affected by both the character you are using, and the demons in your party, with certain demons having skills which might allow for flight, enhanced, or reduced movement.
Whilst on the field, the player may also use certain skills to heal, or apply buffs. When in range of an enemy, usually one space away, but greater if demons with certain abilities are in the party, combat may be initiated.
Battle:
Combat is reminiscent of more traditional Megami Tensei games. The game enters a first person view, and the player selects from a number of skills to attack the enemy party. Each participant gets one action before the battle ends and returns to the map, however an extra turn can be gained through, dealing enough damage or KOing demons.
Combat is won or lost when the leader, the centre party member is killed, however they will take less damage as long as the surrounding members live.
Whether the battle is won or lost, returning to the map will grant experience and currency, macca, depending on how many demons were defeated. Doing well in combat might also grant other bonuses.
Combat Trailer
Skill Cracking: Skills for party members are acquired through Skill Cracking. At the start of a battle, you select an enemy’s skill to attempt to crack for each party member. If the party member manages to kill the enemy with the selected skill, then that ability will be cracked, and will be assignable to any party member. A skill may only be assigned to one party member at a time, however they can be freely reassigned at any point when not in battle after the skill has been cracked. Some skills may have specific stat requirements before they can be set, however they can still be cracked even if these requirements are not met.
Auction:
New demons are acquired through the auction. This allows you to either bid for demons against other demon tamers, or bypass this and buy them immediately for a higher price. Spend enough macca at the auction and it will rank up, granting access to more powerful demons.
Auction Trailer
Fusion:
Fusion allows you to fuse together two demons to form a new, more powerful one. The player can freely choose which skills are to be inherited.
Fate:
As you spend time with party members and get to know them better, their Fate will level up. Levelling Fate will unlock new demons for fusion and increase that member’s usefulness in combat. Fate might even have an impact on the story.
Fate Trailer
There will be several pieces of DLC released following the games launch. These will be downloadable from an ingame menu after a certain amount of story progress has been made. Most of these will scale along with the players level, so can be attempted at any point during the game:
5th May:
Beginner’s Brawl – Free – A free battle against weaker enemies. This is an easy way to earn quick money to spend in the auction. This battle will not scale with level.
Macca Makes an Escape – $0.99/CA$1.49 – Demons are fleeing with their pockets stuffed with Macca, and the player must chase them down and beat the cash out of them.
12th May:
Lost Demon Rescue – Free – A persuadable demon is caught in a battle between two hoards. Protecting it and surviving the battle will make it join you.
All Skills Must Go! - $0.99/CA$1.49 – The battle field is littered with memory sticks containing powerful skills. Race against demons to collect them first.
Let the Demons Grow - $0.99/CA$1.49 – A free for all battle where demons grant extra experience.
19th May:
Addonetarium - $0.99/CA$1.49 – A battle aimed at higher level players which eases the earning addons, which give fused demons a bonus.
New skills and demons will be distributed through spotpass periodically following the game’s launch, allowing them to be fused in game. Spotpass content can be accessed through an in game menu after a certain amount of story progress has been made. After all the spotpass demons have been released, the content will cycle back to the first pack, allowing anyone who missed a set to obtain it.
The first set, available from 05/05/2015 contains:
Level 22 Fallen Dantalion
Level 46 Touki Momunofu
Level 23 Megami Ishtar
Level 48 Fairy Troll
Level 55 Fairy Spriggan
Level 58 Avian Kau
The second set, available from 12/05/2015 contains:
Level 69 Herald Lucifer Frost
Level 37 Divine Dominion
Level 14 Touki Dokkaebi
Level 17 Genma Roitschaggata
Level 54 Wilder Catoblepas
Level 87 Kishin Okuninushi
The third set, available from 19/05/2015 contains:
Level 74 Tyrant Seth
Level 69 Dragon Fafnir
Level 37 Tyrant Lucifuge
Level 73 Megami Black Maria
Level 83 Touki Ongyo-Ki
Level 72 Beast Cabracan
The fourth set, available from 26/05/2015 contains:
Fiend - Mother Harlot - Level 79
Avian - Rukh - Level 49
Femme - Jahi - Level 70
Jaki - Macabre - Level 75
Divine - Sraosha - Level 67
Snake - Yurlungur - Level 76
Screens
Trailers:
Story Trailer
Announcement Trailer
Official Website
Metacritic
Nintendo Life - 9/10
Hardcore Gamer - 4/5
Cubed3 - 9/10
God is a Geek - 9/10
Thanks to BlackJace for making the banners. All screens are taken from the official website.
