More than a remaster
What a busy year this is going to be for Atlus. With the release of Persona 5 in the coming months, there are a lot of expectations for what’s ahead with the Shin Megami Tensei franchise. In order to keep fans satiated till then, the publisher is offering another dose of MegaTen with a revisit to another much-loved title.
Just last month, Atlus released the follow-up to Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 in Japan. As an updated version of the Nintendo DS’s Devil Survivor 2, the new 3DS release will have players re-experiencing the events of the original game along with a new story to unfold. Though fans in the West were left wondering about the fate of its release on this end, all we got was a vague confirmation that it was coming with no concrete date set.
Fortunately during a special hands-on session hosted by Atlus, the publisher has now revealed plans for the western release of Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker on May 5, 2015. Now on a new system, this ultra-quirky and devilishly difficult take on the MegaTen formula will get players to experience Devil Survivor 2 in a fresh way.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker (3DS)
Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus
Release date: May 5, 2015
MSRP: $49.99
Set in near-future Japan, the world is facing an invasion from a demonic force known as the Septentriones. As the protagonist, you soon discover that a cellphone app called Nicaea sees the possible future deaths of friends and allies, which may also have clues on to how to stop the invaders. With only seven days to defeat them, the protagonist and his allies make a pact with a demon who dubs them the Devil Messengers, granting them the abilities and strength to fight back. The fate of the world now rests on the group to take down the Septrentriones, but along the way they’ll have to manage the responsibilities of controlling an army of demons while handling teenage drama that can distract from the reality of their situation.
As stated previously, Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker is an enhanced version of the original game in addition to a substantial amount of new content. Including the original game’s Septentrione arc, which features a new script and dialog, cutscenes, updated voice-work and music, and new demons to recruit — it also has a brand new campaign taking place after the events of the original story known as the Triangulum arc. For those who are familiar with the original arc and want to jump into the new story, you can do so right from the get-go.
The Triangulum arc features many parallels to the original story, such as the foreshadowing Nicaea app and returning characters, but there any many deviations that’ll surprises returning players. Not to give too much away, but certain characters and events will be entirely different, and will even have players looking at established characters in a new way. Though no progress will be carried over from the original campaign, the new content will take anywhere from 20-30 hours to complete, which also includes more demons and characters to recruit.
Much like its predecessor, Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker tasks players with interacting with party members to forge friendships and create teams to battle armies of demons invading Tokyo. Battles take place in turn-based strategy format, where characters have to maneuver around the field to make their move against the enemy. Bringing four teams into battle, each ally leads their own unit with two demons fighting alongside them. Players will have to think ahead and use their strengths and special skills to outwit enemies.
The importance of character interaction is one of the hallmarks of MegaTen, and Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker expands upon that with strategic gameplay. Character interaction and forming friendships is important to succeed, and you’ll even have to make deals with the devil (literally) to get your own demon army ahead. Over the course of seven days, you’ll have to the strengthen bonds of allies with the Fate System (similar to Persona‘s Social Links), and recruit powerful demons to stand a chance against the enemy forces.
I had a nice amount of time with Record Breaker, and it seems to retain the heart and fun that SMT fans adored from the original title. There’s a rabid following for Devil Survivor 2, and it feels that this enhanced version is very much a love letter to the original game that seeks to give it a much more exciting and satisfying finish. I got quite a laugh with the new voice work and script, which remains as self-aware and humorous with its characters than ever.
Though there’s been some concern about the premium price tag ($49.99), there’s definitely a lot more content to go around with this entry. With the updated Septentrione arc along with a sizable epilogue campaign in the Triangulum story arc, Record Breaker is the most robust package in the Devil Survivor series, and it will see even more content with future DLC. It’ll certainly tide you over until Persona 5 will be released.
