A great story and entertaining combat are just the beginning of the good things found in this game.
- To be able to customize your characters skills is awesome
- Interesting story is easy to get into it
- Graphically great, especially the models
- If the main character dies, it does not end
- Stupendous cutscenes and finally voice acting makes appearance
Negative
- Encounter rate can become tedious
- Combat system is good, but not as good as Nocturne's
The Digital Devil Saga series was the one missing from my Shin Megami Tensei series. While I didn't expect much from this one, I was absolutely surprise because DDS offers some of the best customization I've ever seen, plus an intriguing story. I personally prefer Nocturne, but Digital Devil Saga almost stays head to head with it.
This time around you don't get to name the main character, but Shin Megami Tensei still keeps the tradition of the silent protagonist. The story starts at the place called Junkyard, populated by enemy tribes. The area is divided in 6 tribes but the game focuses on one, the Embryon. In a battle, a strange object is 'destroyed', releasing a strange away which turns everyone into monsters, bloodthirsty ones. The group finds also a young girl lying where the object was, leaving a game which starts with a question.
The Embryon is made of 5 people, the protagonist is Serph, and is the leader of the group. I don't know if it's just at first, but the party available for battle is a max of 3 and not 4. But in battle you can use the demon form which you will use often or the human self. At times the team won't have time to transform so you use human form which you can use guns but don't do good damage.
Being able to customize skills which you want is awesome. By mantra from save points and getting enough atma points (takes some leveling) you gain new skills. But you need to buy each for one character which can turn out expensive but it some worth it. Even if a character is weak to fire, you can buy fire skills. Some skills become available after reaching a particular level and even slots where you put the skills. You need to equip the skills obtained before using them. Also mantra come with more than one, example maragi, and fire boost, they rarely come in one. The sphere grid is where you get mantras, which you can't get any kind of skill you want. There are some which need to unlock the sphere before it; otherwise you can't get it by no means. All characters have this differently so you can't get for example maragi and fire boost and bufula and another skill. Meaning if you started fire might as well continue on fire based skills.
This time around ATLUS decided to add a new element, earth. The element is referred as tera, which them comes matera, terazi, Teradyne and others. There is still physical, fire, ice, electricity, force, light and dark. A new addition is that you can void an element for some round to your allies as well. Serph is an ice demon so he has void ice, which when used voids ice completely to the party for one round. Since Heat is weak to ice, this skill is very much worth. There are special combos you can make in combat when getting new moves. These uses up all turns but can deal a lot of damage.
In Digital Devil Saga, Serph isn't as vital in battle as the Demi-fiend back in Nocturne. If Serph dies in battle, you can still fight with the other characters. If all characters die in battle, you will still get the famous game over screen and load the game again, but for those who were ticked off by Nocturne's "tough" difficulty will feel more comfortable this time since the difficulty is easier.
Like Nocturne, if you deal a critical or exploit weaknesses you gain an extra round, same with the enemy. Sometimes hitting the enemy's weakness, they become afraid which raises the chance of critical. Combat feel similar to its predecessor with turn-based gameplay making you think to survive. Unfortunately there isn't a sort of enemy radar which tells you when enemies will attack you. Nocturne had a sort of radar which when was red you will be attacked. Sadly, the high random encounters are can be very annoying, adding repetition to this game. The karma terminals are where you save and the life terminal where you heal. A vendor is found in the game as well, letting you buy ammo and items.
Nocturne was almost muted if it wasn't for its superb music. Not the case with Digital Devil Saga, where the voice acting makes appearance. The cutscenes look impressive, and the voice acting fits perfectly for some characters. The music still rocks, but I prefer Nocturne's more. Graphics are quite good, mostly empty roads and places until you get assaulted by the enemy and a battle starts. But DDS really capture the feel of its location. Even though the graphics aren't as impressive, the demon models are terrific.
Since the game is divided into 2 games, if you didn't enjoy the Digital Devil Saga much you probably might want to forget DDS2. Unless the 2 games come together for the price of one, probably the best alternative is to rent the first game and see if you like it. By making certain decisions and defeating special bosses, you gain skills and bonuses in the second game. Some might get easily annoyed with its high random encounter rate, but that is just an excuse because almost all games which random encounter end up like this, Digital Devil Saga then is a must play for those who played Nocturne to death, and anyone interested in this subject will most definitely enjoy this one.
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Graphics = 8.2
The graphics aren't brilliant but the colors fit in perfectly. The environments are a bit grainy but interesting.
Sound = 7.8
Good music but not as good as it was before. The voice acting found for the first time is good. Enemy cries could have been a bit better.
Presentation = 8.6
Superb cutscenes and short load times.
Gameplay = 9.1
The customizations are awesome, allowing you to choose the skills you want. Combat system lacks a bit of spark from Nocturne, but luckily if Serph dies it's not game over but you will get that screen if all 3 characters die. 3 allies are allowed in battle and not 4. The battles can become strategic in order to survive. Random encounter rate can become frustrating.
Camera = 8.0
Nothing to say about it, in battle gets behind the character that has the turn. Free roaming the camera is pretty much what was before.
Story = 8.5
Feel unfinished and leaves a lot of unanswered question because it's part one out of two. The voice acting and cutscenes help the story come to live, but not all things are explain well. Cast of characters fits well.
Difficulty = Medium
Those who found Nocturne hard, they will have place to breath here since it's easier. Bosses aren't a pain enough (maybe that's why). Though you still need to make extra roaming to level up. But unlocking new skills make it worthwhile.
OVERALL = 8.3 / 10
Interesting ideas and a great execution help this title keep up with its superb predecessor. On its own it's a great RPG and indeed worth of the Shin Megami Tensei name. The improvement and changes from Nocturne are clear, making for a fresh and unique game waiting for you explore it.