Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army

GameBrink

An extremely fun game. The gameplay is unique and plays fairly well, the cast is fantastic, and the visuals do the job. It’s filled with the addicting gameplay of the SMT series, yet provides a different enough type of game that it doesn’t feel like more of the same. [JPN Import]

netjak

A very good RPG. It has a solid battle system, excellent story, and never once becomes a cakewalk nor obscenely hard. Atlus struck gold with this title.

Deeko

I couldn't be more impressed with Devil Summoner. It blew away all of my expectations, and added a number of new features that were a real breath of fresh air.

GamingTrend

One heck of a story, and has a decent engine to back it up.

GameZone

It’s an action packed romp that has all the trappings of the Megaten series, but a bit less of the doom and gloom the series is known for.

eToychest

Though press-turn fans may be a little dismayed at the comparatively-simple battle system, there is a surprising amount of depth once players go deeper into the game, acquiring more and more varied demons.

Play Magazine

One place I never thought this series would go, however, is action. And yet, here it is, and it's tremendously successful. [May 2006, p.74]

1UP

How many games are there that take place in a recently Westernized Japan and involve exposing ill-meaning demons, all laid under a campy detective theme? If there are more than Devil Summoner, they're likely not done quite this well.

Digital Entertainment News

A solid, if silent, installment in the critically-acclaimed Shin Megami Tensei series, Devil Summoner delivers the goods but falls short of greatness.

RPG Fan

If you're a SMT fan, are jonesing for a game that combines Pokémon with an action-RPG, or just are looking for some great characters and setting, then by all means, pick this game up ASAP. Otherwise, wait for it to come down in price or rent it, as it is relatively short.

GameCritics

Though it's been streamlined, simplified, made easier, or even completely changed in parts, it retains all the elements making these games what they are—and the fact is, there is such a thing as being too hardcore. In my eyes, anything that can help Shin Megami Tensei gather a larger audience stateside is a positive thing.

Gamer's Hell

Collecting pets and playing around with merging them is just plain old fun. The setting and character designs are all great and were at times what kept me playing even if the story was a bit slow to get going.

G4 TV

Some may find the real-time combat to be quite a bit more frustrating and less rewarding than the earlier turn-based stuff, but it’s far from a deal-breaker.

Pure Magazine UK

A visual treat that tells a good story while offering plenty of demon breeding and combat. [May 2007, p.72]

TotalPlayStation

It’s not easy to deliver role-playing diehards nowadays with a fresh take on their beloved genre, but Devil Summoner quite ably lives up to the challenge. It’s as engrossing as it is amusing, and for as many hours as you’ll be pouring into it, makes for a wholly entertaining experience.

Worth Playing

This is a Megami Tensei game, meant mostly for Megami Tensei fans, but with a much greater level of accessibility than the already simplified Digital Devil Saga. The real-time battles may turn off purists, but I found them to be simple and creative in all the right ways.

ZTGameDomain

Has enough of what we love about the series to keep it familiar, tosses in a new battle system and original story line to keep fans happy and perhaps gain some new fans to the series.

Just RPG

While Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army is an overall solid game, fans of the series might be a little disappointed with the lighthearted story and mediocre action-oriented combat.

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

While the rest of the SMT franchise is nigh impenetrable for anyone except hardcore RPG players, Devil Summoner provides a quirky entry point for gamers wondering what the fuss is all about. [Dec. 2006, p.118]

VGPub

Devil Summoner is a must-play for anyone who has enjoyed prior SMTs, or for someone who wants something a little different than the RPG norm. The battle system and music here fit that bill, and help it stand out against the Final Fantasies of the world.

Game Informer

Unmistakably an SMT title: It still features the distinctive art of Kazuma Kaneko, demon fusion, and an atmospheric story. It may not have the gameplay or challenge that fans have come to expect, but it does a good job of taking small steps toward the mainstream without renouncing its roots.

Gaming Target

A mixed bag. On one hand, it’s immersed in the time period with a clever script and the intricate fusion system. On the other hand, the storyline itself is very straightforward and the combat isn’t as polished as one would hope it to be.

Gamers Europe

It’s a tried and tested formula with a slightly sinister twist, set to a familiar yet refreshingly different backdrop. Its characters boast a true individuality and the story is an involving – if not a touch slow to begin with – affair, that is let down only by an imbalance in gameplay and minor camera issues.

GameSpot

The newest installment in the Shin Megami Tensei series suffers from repetitive battles and a slow-rolling narrative, but its fascinating premise makes it worth a look.

Jolt Online Gaming UK

It’s just too hardcore for the light-weights and too light-weight for the hardcore.

GamingExcellence

It’s easy to get frustrated in this game, and there’s a lot of leveling-up work involved. In general, despite a somewhat enjoyable battle system, the game feels a little generic in many ways, and gets old quickly.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

I admit it's no blockbuster, but Summoner, like Ms. Hilton's opus, still makes for a fine guilty-pleasure rental. [Nov. 2006, p.124]

AceGamez

The insistence on maintaining the frequent random encounters as an integral part of the gameplay drags the experience right down, and the fact that you can't save whenever you like is not good either.

Official Playstation 2 Magazine UK

A fairly average RPG, rescued from mediocrity by some unique mechanics, an oddball plot and the dozens of demons at youru disposal. [Apr 2007, p.81]

Eurogamer

It's a brilliantly pitched game that, while will inevitably turn many players off either by its reliance on random battles or by the generally low technical standard, is far more accessible than it sounds in synopsis.

PALGN

Devil Summoner starts out with a bunch of fresh ideas, but still retains many of the problems that plague modern day RPGs.

Play.tm

A game that fails to truly engage on any level, producing an underwhelming mix of the RPG, action and adventure genres all wrapped up in adequate if slightly retro visuals.

games(TM)

Somewhere in Devil Summoner is a brilliant game obscured by a multitude of minor flaws and bizarre design decisions. [May 2007, p.122]

GameSpy

It offers a unique setting and design, but it's severely hampered by a mediocre combat engine.

Games Radar (in-house)

It's worth checking out, if only because there's nothing else out there quite like it, but it probably won't be enshrined in the hallowed halls of RPG classics anytime soon.

Play UK

A dull premise and recycled dynamics. [Issue#153, p.87]

Gamestyle

The persisting feeling is that this is a rushed oddity, attempting to attract new recruits to the series while offering a challenge before it returns to its RPG roots. For Gamestyle the return cannot come quickly enough.

Game Revolution

It’s probably not the opus of the series, but it’s a good enough case to warrant further investigation.