zigfried's Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2 - Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon review

I realize you wrote this back in August but having played the game myself back then I felt your review, while good, was a little harsh. You mentioned that negotiations with demons was random while in fact it is not. Very often which demon you have speak to the demon you wish to entice to your side determines the outcome of the negotiation. There are many side quests in the game which you did not mention that really enhance the game play and add items otherwise unobtainable. The "shrine" can deliver many bonuses to the character in terms of items and demons to capture. There are also secret bosses to be found should you decide to explore the game in depth. Personally I would give the game a 7. The combat is quick and easy to catch onto but at the same time has depth depending on the demons at your disposal. Fusing demons and being able to add skills that suit your play style is also a redeeming feature in my opinion.

Thanks for the feedback. I found the game to be somewhat atmospheric but really inadequate, to the point of annoyance. Especially compared to other SMT games, I thought the harshness was justified, but I realize some people will disagree.

Regarding the "random" bit, I was referring to the player dialogue options (the effects of which really are random) -- I should probably go back and clarify that. In re-reading the review, I can see how my intent was unclear (especially since my verbatim example of an in-game demon interjection also contained the word "random").

I'll also try to fit in a mention of the side quests, so that people know they're there. I thought the sidequests were pretty lame for the most part, but I can see the benefit in at least mentioning their existence. Describing the addition of skills at the point of fusion is getting a little bit more in-depth than necessary, though (since I already cover the general fusion concept and the elemental-type skills).

//Zig