Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha versus King Abaddon for PlayStation 2 Reviews by Gamers

I have a sneaking suspicion that publisher Atlus loves long game titles. That's, clearly, the most obvious explanation behind its decision to bring Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon to the United States. An action RPG filled to the brim with demons, Devil Summoner 2 follows in the footsteps of the first Raidou-centric Devil Summoner, which was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2006. Devil Summoner 2 is very similar to its predecessor, while taking a few steps forward in terms of gameplay mechanics. Despite suffering from several frustrating problems, Devil Summoner 2 is a surprisingly charming game that's sure to please PlayStation 2 owners looking for a new JRPG to enjoy in these game-less times.



Set in a fantasy-tweaked, 1920s Japan, Devil Summoner 2 follows Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th, a high school student hailing from a long line of Devil Summoners. The Kuzunoha clan has long since worked with the Yatagarasu, the protectors of the Capital, and Raidou -- who has taken the name of one of Kuzunoha's most revered summoners -- now finds himself working as a Capital guardian along with his talking feline companion, Gouto.



If there's one thing Devil Summoner 2 has going for it (besides its long title), it's the setting. It's rare to see a game set in 1920s Japan, and Devil Summoner 2 plays up that quality very nicely. Being a big fan of Japanese culture myself, I truly appreciate a localized game that openly embraces its Japanese roots and comes packing plenty of names, locales and styles that Western gamers might not be immediately familiar with. There's definite charm in running down the streets of these "realistic" towns and visiting traditional Japanese inns nestled in the mountains.



But Devil Summoner 2 isn't just about taking in the scenery. As Raidou Kuzunoha, it's your job to protect the Capital from otherworldly harm. Using the Narumi Detective Agency as your base of operations, you'll work with the extremely slick Shouhei Narumi in solving mysteries that threaten the Capital and its people. At the start of the game, Raidou and Narumi notice that "luck" is on the minds of plenty of Capital citizens; some claim that they have an abnormal amount of good luck, while others despair under the weight of extreme misfortune. In the midst of this unusual setting, the Narumi Detective Agency is visited by one Akane Narita, a young woman looking for a mysterious man named Dahn. And so, your quest begins.



During the course of Devil Summoner 2, you'll fight demons, assassins and other various critters in an attempt to unravel the mysteries that plague the Capital. Again, the setting and style of Devil Summoner 2 is one of its most prominent strengths, but I wish that more emphasis was placed on the "detective element" of the experience. The game assumes that the player is completely unable to keep track of the relatively straight-forward plot, as there are constant recaps, summarizations and explanations that I found completely unnecessary. I think RPG gamers are more than accustomed to keeping up with insane narratives by now, but I suppose the careful pace will be a welcome addition for RPG newcomers (if there are such things).



Part of the charm that comes from Devil Summoner 2's setting is how old-school the game feels as a whole. Backgrounds are static, painted-on affairs like the numbers we saw in Final Fantasy VII all those years ago. Even more noticeable is the complete lack of voice-overs. Characters will grunt and mutter catchphrases, but all the dialogue in Devil Summoner 2 is straight text. This actually didn't bother me at all as it focuses your attention on the text, which is generally well-written and fitting of the game's style.



I could talk about the game's tone all day, but what we really need to get to are the raw game mechanics. In Devil Summoner 2, you'll only be controlling one character directly and that's Raidou. When wandering the game's various dungeons and dark, spooky places, you'll encounter random battles quite often. During battle, you have complete real-time control of Raidou and his trusty weapons. The left stick moves Raidou around and the X button is used for evasive rolls. Raidou can string normal attacks together with the Circle button and the Triangle button executes a more powerful, weapon-based special attack (there are only three weapon types, though). Lastly, your trusty pistol is mapped to the Square Button.



That about sums up the offensive part of the equation. Raidou can block with L1, which comes in very handy, but some of the most important battle features stem from the remaining three triggers. R1 brings up the battle menu, which graciously pauses time and gives you a moment to think. From this menu, you can try to escape, use items or -- most importantly -- command your demons. R2 is a shortcut to the demon command menu and L2 calls your demons back to Raidou.



During combat, Raidou can summon two demons at a time to aid him. This is one of the biggest differences between the first and second Devil Summoner, as the original game limited Raidou to one demon at a time. The demons act on their own, but they can be given commands, like performing a particular attack once or setting up a repeating skill. Your demons feed off of Raidou's MAG (Magnetite is like your magic gauge), which can be replenished by attacking enemies when they're in their weakened state. This boils down to using the proper elemental attack on a monster to "stun" it and following up with plenty of physical attacks.



The battle system of Devil Summoner 2 isn't the most robust system I've seen in an RPG, but it's definitely enjoyable. The sheer fun of running around and slashing at demons is palpable and having your own demon pals to back you up is great, but I would have loved to see more variation in the way the demons actually feel. As it stands, demons in Devil Summoner 2 feel more like aesthetic variations of each other than completely separate characters. They'll always float around the battlefield in a similar fashion and they all pull skills from the same pool of special moves. If they behaved more like individual entities, I think it would have enhanced the whole "collection process," which is also a major part of the experience.



Raidou needs to collect demons in order to have a well-rounded party, as there's no way you can fight on your own. In order to acquire a demon, you'll need to negotiate with one that you meet in battle. This is a multi-step process. The first section involves working through a branching dialogue tree as you attempt to convince the demon that going with you is a good idea. Once it agrees, it begins listing its demands before the negotiation is complete. These demands include draining your life and MAG, as well as taking specific items.



If you satisfy the demon's demands, they'll join your party. Unfortunately, doing everything perfectly won't always end in success, which is another frustration I have with this system. Sometimes, the demon in question will up and run after taking all your hard-earned items, which is a huge pain. I understand that this enhances the risk/reward dynamic in the negotiation process, but the likelihood of your success seems sketchy.



Once you've captured a demon, you'll be able to repurchase that demon at Victor's lab, even if you've released the one you captured. Victor is a mad scientist, by the way, and his lab is the hub for demon and sword fusion. One of the keys to creating a more powerful mini-army of demons is fusing the ones you have to create new creatures. You can also use the crystals you find during your questing to temper Raidou's sword.



Unfortunately, Devil Summoner 2 has enough problems to keep it from being the cult classic it has the potential to be. I obviously don't expect PS3-caliber visuals in a PS2 game, but the graphics in Devil Summoner 2 just aren't very impressive, especially the awkwardly animated CG cutscenes. This issue is exacerbated when you realize that the backgrounds in the game, as charming as they are, are often taken directly from the previous Devil Summoner.



There's also a hefty amount of repetition in the game's otherwise enjoyable text. Demon negotiations start getting repetitive very quickly and I found myself starting to skip through them entirely because different demons just kept asking the same questions and making the same comments over and over. This repetition extends into the game's battle system as well, as the aforementioned similarities in your demon companions hurts the satisfaction you get out of combat. There's also a lack of a progressive "combo tree" for Raidou. As opposed to earning new moves and combos as you go, Raidou's standard attacks never really change.



And I know that Raidou is supposed to be "you," but I would have liked to get more background information about his character, especially at the game's beginning. I have a hard time feeling for any of the characters when my primary connection to them (Raidou) is a relatively hollow figure wearing a cape.

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