Y'know - whenever Atlus do anything SMT, god quite literally flips a coin. It can be modern classics like P3FES/P5R, and legitimately underrated titles like Soul Hackers 2 and SMTIVa... or it can be pig slop like SMTV and Persona 4.
But even with that said, after around 50 hours here... I don't know how you make a game as bad as this. I really don't.
I don't generally write reviews for this site (hell, if I wasn't short on time today, this would be a Substack article on one specific aspect like SMTV's (as I called it) 'dyslexic' alignment system). But hey, I feel like a change.
Gameplay:
WOULD be standard SMT fare (sans the whole transforming into a customisable demon thing) if the in-game mantra economy wasn't completely bollocked (good shit like Elemental resists will set you back around 700k in in-game money, and while you do get sellable cores, it's not something you often come across). Other characters are stuck grinding out weaker mantras just to kill time.
As for the dungeon design... oh Christ all-bloody-MIGHTY, the dungeon design. Too many gimmicks, and the backtracking makes me want to get caught in a NATO-Russia nuke strike on a count of an encounter rate that will not leave you alone. Say what you will about Xenogears and Saga 1 having similar(ish) issues, at least their combat systems allowed you to get in and get out quickly (especially Deathblows). Oh, and the difficulty curve is either Mudo spammers going 'better pick the right side of this weighted coin, ya' brummy pillock!' or a complete steamroll on your end - it's whatever the game feels like, and there's no consistency. Sure, you have options, but that's in the same way that Multi-billionaires have money, you're either on autopilot (not auto-battle, although the game occasionally has that problem too), or you're getting Stoned (looking at you, Jatayu!).
Story:
Any AoT fans familiar with Squad Levi? Well this is a Squad L, let me explain... if I could because NOTHING HAPPENS.
Long and short of it is 'there's an egg that gives your tribes demon powers, you get fucked around by them for a bit, and then some Woman in a white robe claiming to be your restraint check's mum shows up out of basically nowhere'. There's scarcely what I'd call any worldbuilding (on a count of precious little dialogue), Heat and Argilla are the worst on a count of going into the personal Agency and Accountability test wanting to flunk it (no, cautionary tales don't count here) and everyone else is just kinda... there (except Cielo, he's kinda cool ig).
EDIT: I should add that Lupa is a microcosm of the 'Squad Levi' comparison. He seemed fine for a while, but then Cerberus goes out with naria wimper. To paraphrase a quote from Blizzic 'It's not the death of someone you care about, it's the death of the potential to care about them'.
OST:
I heard DDS2's OST is kinda cool! But that doesn't count for DDS1... tonally inappropriate at worst, and repetitive and rather droning even at it's most benign. Not much to say here.
Graphics:
The 'point' of the Junkyard aside, it looks like benefits street in Bolton, and that is NOT a complement. Constant clipping, janky animations, low-health animations for enemies just aren't there for some reason (?)... oh, and this is the first time a PS2 game has ever crashed on me running off FreeMCBoot and a respective Hard Drive, so... take that for what you will. Shame, the game runs OK otherwise.
But... Oh, look at the time, got places to be. Hoping DDS2 is better than this, but I'm tampering my expectations.
But even with that said, after around 50 hours here... I don't know how you make a game as bad as this. I really don't.
I don't generally write reviews for this site (hell, if I wasn't short on time today, this would be a Substack article on one specific aspect like SMTV's (as I called it) 'dyslexic' alignment system). But hey, I feel like a change.
Gameplay:
WOULD be standard SMT fare (sans the whole transforming into a customisable demon thing) if the in-game mantra economy wasn't completely bollocked (good shit like Elemental resists will set you back around 700k in in-game money, and while you do get sellable cores, it's not something you often come across). Other characters are stuck grinding out weaker mantras just to kill time.
As for the dungeon design... oh Christ all-bloody-MIGHTY, the dungeon design. Too many gimmicks, and the backtracking makes me want to get caught in a NATO-Russia nuke strike on a count of an encounter rate that will not leave you alone. Say what you will about Xenogears and Saga 1 having similar(ish) issues, at least their combat systems allowed you to get in and get out quickly (especially Deathblows). Oh, and the difficulty curve is either Mudo spammers going 'better pick the right side of this weighted coin, ya' brummy pillock!' or a complete steamroll on your end - it's whatever the game feels like, and there's no consistency. Sure, you have options, but that's in the same way that Multi-billionaires have money, you're either on autopilot (not auto-battle, although the game occasionally has that problem too), or you're getting Stoned (looking at you, Jatayu!).
Story:
Any AoT fans familiar with Squad Levi? Well this is a Squad L, let me explain... if I could because NOTHING HAPPENS.
Long and short of it is 'there's an egg that gives your tribes demon powers, you get fucked around by them for a bit, and then some Woman in a white robe claiming to be your restraint check's mum shows up out of basically nowhere'. There's scarcely what I'd call any worldbuilding (on a count of precious little dialogue), Heat and Argilla are the worst on a count of going into the personal Agency and Accountability test wanting to flunk it (no, cautionary tales don't count here) and everyone else is just kinda... there (except Cielo, he's kinda cool ig).
EDIT: I should add that Lupa is a microcosm of the 'Squad Levi' comparison. He seemed fine for a while, but then Cerberus goes out with naria wimper. To paraphrase a quote from Blizzic 'It's not the death of someone you care about, it's the death of the potential to care about them'.
OST:
I heard DDS2's OST is kinda cool! But that doesn't count for DDS1... tonally inappropriate at worst, and repetitive and rather droning even at it's most benign. Not much to say here.
Graphics:
The 'point' of the Junkyard aside, it looks like benefits street in Bolton, and that is NOT a complement. Constant clipping, janky animations, low-health animations for enemies just aren't there for some reason (?)... oh, and this is the first time a PS2 game has ever crashed on me running off FreeMCBoot and a respective Hard Drive, so... take that for what you will. Shame, the game runs OK otherwise.
But... Oh, look at the time, got places to be. Hoping DDS2 is better than this, but I'm tampering my expectations.
NOWITSREYNTIME17
1 month ago