The Shin Megami Tensei universe is wide and far-reaching, with spin-offs that have turned into mainline games of their own due to increasing popularity. One spin-off that hadn’t garnered much reputation amongst all this was Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers, which received only a re-release on the Nintendo DS before fading back into a niche side-game with its handful of dedicated players. However, with the announcement of Soul Hackers 2, the chance for this spin-off to turn into something greater is back on the table.

The story of Soul Hackers 2 takes place in the middle of the 21st century, where technology has stagnated and society has followed the same path, plateauing alongside. From this endless stream of information was formed an entity known as Aion, who is able to see a future where the world ends. In turn, Aion creates two agents, Ringo and Figue, to send out and prevent said apocalypse, only to find themselves in the midst of a war between two Devil Summoner groups, the Yatagarasu and the Phantom Society.

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Along the way, they recruit the help of Yatagarasu agent Arrow, Phantom Society assassin Milady, and freelance Devil Summoner Saizo, each unique characters with their own stakes in the plot. In addition to Ringo, these four add a lovely dynamic that grows at a realistic pace through main story scenes and side scenes as well. There do seem to be equal amounts of time given to each and their problems that relate to specific story beats, with Ringo there to act as a fish out of water, figuring out what being a human is like.

And these four will make up the team throughout the entirety of the game. Soul Hackers 2 has a similar approach to the turn-based gameplay the SMT franchise is known for, with a very stylish UI. Each summoner has what’s called a COMP, a weapon that can hold a demon within it to be used in battle. Ringo has control of them all, and this gives them advantages that will be discussed later.

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There are a slew of demons to fight and collect. Equipping them on a team member will give them weaknesses and strengths, even changing their stats, so choosing the best demons is paramount. As for the ones the player fights, each comes with weaknesses corresponding to the several element types that can be utilized throughout the game: Physical, Gunfire, Fire, Ice, Force, Electric, Ruin, and Almighty. Weaknesses are something that should be exploited, because they deliver both extra damage and add a demon to the Sabbath.

Sabbath is a special attack done at the end of every round as long as a weakness is exploited. For every weakness exploited, a demon is added to a stack and once the turn is over, all the demons in the stack will dish out a party-wide attack on the enemies. The Sabbath system encourages the player not to kill the enemies during the round, but leave them with as little health as possible so that they can all be taken out in one fell swoop. There are even Tandem skills, given through leveling demons, that allow the player to take advantage of the Sabbath more, such as healing the party or providing them with MP dependent on the damage dealt.

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Of course, more can be done as the demons level up, which is quite easy, especially since experience is shared even with demons not locked to a specific summoner. As they level up, more skills are unlocked that are either slotted in or switched out with ones already there, or inherited by the demons they are fused into.

For the most efficient use of skills, it’s important to slot in what are called Mistiques, augments to the COMP that can enhance specific skills. Mistiques can be received via gifts from demons or trade with a specific merchant. They can give skills enhancements such as more skill power or lesser mana cost, and more. However, Mistiques can only be equipped to characters whose Affinity Rank matches that, which can be upgraded in specific ways, though some characters’ affinities can’t be upgraded. For instance, Milady leans more toward fire-based affinities, while Arrow is more leaning toward ice-based.

Mistiques, items, COMP upgrades, and more can be attained through the hub worlds that can be explored within the game. When not in a dungeon, the player can hang out at the safehouse, where they can rest or eat meals for bonuses, or roam specific areas of Tokyo, chosen through a map screen. Several stores and establishments speckle these streets, such as Zanfiro, where one can acquire accessories for better stats in battle, or Cirque du Goumaden, where the player can fuse demons to make better, stronger demons.

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In most stores, players will only need to pay with money to acquire items. In special places, such as the stores in Mansei Realm where the player can upgrade their COMP and purchase special items, currency and demon materials are required, so grinding, as is with any RPG, is encouraged.

One place which will be frequented is Club Cretaceous, where the player can take special requests, which basically act as side quests. These can be as easy as clearing a specific demon in a specific area, or can even be story related, with connections to the main characters. Rewards include items, money, experience, new things to buy at shops, and even discounts at said shops.

The art direction in these hub areas is immaculate, going deep into the cyber-aesthetic that Soul Hackers 2 employs. Neon lights streaming with colors blooming from nearly every angle, makes walking through them a spectacular sight, just like the designs of the characters themselves.

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However, despite the dazzling visuals of the hub areas, the dungeons themselves leave a little more to be desired. Besides two, most of the dungeons in Soul Hackers 2 are bland and boring to look at, in direct opposition to the stylishly designed Ringo running around within them. In fact, two dungeons, back to back, are abandoned subways where the only pops of color are emergency lights. There are only two dungeons that really deserve to be called visually interesting.

One particular dungeon is called the Soul Matrix, an ever-expanding area that grows as the characters do. Three dungeons make up the Soul Matrix, representing the three other party members. They come in parts, and grow as the story goes on. As the player goes through them, they’ll encounter memories of this character, and eventually, come across obstacles known as Gates, some with Guardians that act as mini-boss fights.

Gates can only be opened if the player has their Soul Level with that character above a certain threshold. Soul Levels can be raised through the game's social elements, either by choosing certain dialogue lines that pander to a specific character or by spending time with them via hangout events, earned through a modicum of means, at the local bar.

Unlock Gate Demon

Once the Gate is unlocked, or its Guardian is defeated and the memory within shown, the player can then select a permanent summoner skill for that particular character. Summoner Skills can range from map skills that allow the player to go straight to the map screen wherever they are, to ones more advantageous in battle, like an extra demon being added to the stack when a specific weakness is exploited.

There are plenty of ways to get the team leveled up and prepared for any fight they may come across, though it may be a bit grind-heavy. If there’s a particularly tough enemy barring progress, just a visit to the soul matrix, or any dungeon really, can provide what’s necessary to get stronger. The demons collected also assist in these dungeons, as they are sent out to provide recon. If found in the dungeon, they provide items, money, unlocks for hangouts, and even opportunities to recruit new demons to the team.

Despite the rather uninteresting look and settings of these dungeons, the music itself makes up for the lack of style. A series of composers lead the techno-filled soundtrack for Soul Hackers 2, including Keiichi Okabe of Nier fame. When one of his tracks begins to play, it’s easy to tell, and always adds a boost to any situation. In addition, the rest of the soundtrack adds a fitting atmosphere to each area perfectly.

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Depending on how the player spends their time, Soul Hackers 2 could take 40-60 hours to complete, though it never gets tedious. Throughout each main dungeon, it almost seems expected to leave multiple times to improve the team as the difficulty of the enemies grows with progress.

Overall, Soul Hackers 2 is a great new entry to the SMT franchise, offering enough differences from its comrades that it doesn't feel like the exact same game. With its wonderful cast of characters, Soul Hackers 2 delivers a story that shows plenty of heart as well as heartbreak, with a theme that resonates with today’s world. Despite the bland dungeons, the combat is more than satisfying enough to make up for it, and the music is just a bonus to an already stylish game. If there’s an itch to play an SMT game, Soul Hackers 2 is sure to scratch it.

Soul Hackers 2 is set to release on August 26th 2022 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Game Rant was provided a Playstation 5 code for this review.

SOUL HACKERS 2
Soul Hackers 2
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Soul Hackers 2 is a Demon-summoning futuristic Neo Tokyo-inspired turn-based JPRG from Shin Megami Tensei developer and publisher, Atlus. It is set in a cyberpunk Japan, characterized by its neon lights and shadowy threats. Players navigate this world as Ringo, an agent of the organization Aion.

The mission is to prevent a looming apocalypse threatening to wipe out humanity. The gameplay emphasizes exploration of the supernatural realm, encountering a range of stylish summoners and facing dangerous entities.