Devil Survivor 2 makes some subtle, yet welcome tweaks to the formula while expanding on what made the original great.
Of course the main attraction here is definitely the unique combat. Units comprised of three fighters move on a grid similar to any other SRPG. However, when a unit initiates combat the perspective shifts to one more reminiscent of a traditional turn based RPG. From there the battles are divided into a number of rounds. Fighters who excel in combat by taking advantage of an enemy's weakness, making use of one's own elemental resistance, or simply possess a good agility rating or a relevant ability can advance to a second round of combat.
For the most part this is all very simple, but don't be fooled. Depth in combat comes not from the mechanics themselves, but from the strategies available to the player. Every team consists of one human and two of the game's one hundred plus demons, both of which can be perfectly tailored to the player's needs. This plethora of options goes a long way towards keeping combat fresh and exciting throughout the entire game.
The actual process of tailoring these demons to your personal tastes can be a bit daunting at first. Demons can be purchased through an auction, but for a demon you can be proud of you'll be relying on the game's fusion system. Fusion allows you to trade two demons for a more powerful one. This demon can retain skills and stat bonuses from its fusion material. It's easy to learn but hard to master; towards the end of the game I found myself creating demons that took several fusions and lots of planning to get just right.
Aesthetically the game is more of a mixed bag. For the most part the music is great. Devil Survivor 2 features a varied and exciting soundtrack that fits the action perfectly. Graphically the game doesn't fare as well. The visuals are inoffensive and certainly get the job done, however they fail to impress. While it may be an exaggeration to say that it would look at home on the GBA, Atlus seems uninterested in taking full advantage of the DS' capabilities. The lack of animated sprites is especially disappointing considering that the last game in the series to grace the system, Strange Journey, managed to do just that.
For veterans of the original wondering what this sequel has to offer, Devil Survivor 2 makes a few subtle yet welcome tweaks to the formula, as well as expanding on what made the first game so great in the first place. The addition of new demons and skills should be expected, however the Compendium, which essentially gives players the ability to clone their demons for a fee, changes the game considerably. Another new trick at your disposal is SDTP, which allows you to trade demons between characters mid battle. The gameplay will be familiar for the most part, but these changes, along with changes to the Fusion and Skill Cracking systems and multiple save slots, make a return to the series worthwhile.
The game does suffer from some small issues I'd like to address. Touch Screen support would fit the gameplay perfectly and its exclusion is certainly odd under the circumstances. Speaking of exclusions the lack of a female hero is disappointing. I would have liked to see a way to save move sets as well; I found myself spending too much time reorganizing my party whenever certain units were made unavailable.
Nitpicking aside, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 is an engaging and addictive experience that's highly recommended. The game also offers a compelling new game plus mode that makes replaying the game a joy. I have to say it's been an absorbing experience; I found myself losing hours to its intricate fusion system and clever battles without even realizing it.