Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Soul Hackers

1. Sir_Pantyson

   Feb 1, 2015

   10

   I've beaten this game three times. Got 100% of demons in the compendium. Beat the extra dungeon three times. Fulfilled every trade request inI've beaten this game three times. Got 100% of demons in the compendium. Beat the extra dungeon three times. Fulfilled every trade request in the Nemechi shop thing, and I still feel like replaying it again.… Expand

   • 3 of 4 users found this helpful
2. Foxi4_Qnet

   Feb 20, 2014

   10

   I'm giving it a 10/10 because it's exactly what I expected from it - a great SMT experience. The game obviously has its issues - the 3D andI'm giving it a 10/10 because it's exactly what I expected from it - a great SMT experience. The game obviously has its issues - the 3D and the monster sprites are clearly simplistic, but that's not because the game is underdeveloped - it's simply a faithful port of the Saturn original which I personally couldn't enjoy as I don't know Japanese. I was eagerly awaiting this release as it was the only way in which I could experience Soul Hackers in an enjoyable way and I was not disappointed by it. The animated FMV's are charming, the demon-collecting (or rather, chatting with them) mechanics are fun (especially because the demons can actually *leave* or disobey you if you don't follow the moral guidelines they believe in) and fun, the combat is diverse (Close-range attacks, ranged attacks, magic, status effects, front and back row - things that you're familiar with if you play dungeon crawlers, all executed great), demon fusing is as much fun as it always was and I can't wait to dig deeper into the game. I haven't finished it yet, but I'm a good couple hours in and so far I'm very satisfied with it. The only thing that could possibly make the game better would be a new coat of paint - remade sprites, environments and whatnot, but that'd make it a remake, not a port.… Expand

   • 2 of 3 users found this helpful
4. godef

   Mar 15, 2014

   10

   A great game.Shin Megami Tensei is one of my favourite sagas,and this game,it's one of the best games in 3ds.The 3D effect looks nice in thisA great game.Shin Megami Tensei is one of my favourite sagas,and this game,it's one of the best games in 3ds.The 3D effect looks nice in this game.I recommend you this game.I'm never tired of playing it in my 3DS.I'm waiting for Persona Q,I think it will be even better than this SMT.… Expand

   • 2 of 2 users found this helpful
5. Flame_Noir

   Jul 5, 2017

   8

   Great game for fans of Shin Megami Tensei or Etrian Odyssey, but not a good intro game for those new to the series. Most of the bad user andGreat game for fans of Shin Megami Tensei or Etrian Odyssey, but not a good intro game for those new to the series. Most of the bad user and critical reviews for this game come from simple ignorance and/or lack of appreciation for staple game mechanics of Shin Megami Tensei; things like Magnetite and Demon Negotiation demand judicious decision making a careful strategy, and players who go in expecting to "throw a pokeball and catch a 'mon" are going to be frustrated by the skill required to do those things in Soul Hackers.
   
   There is one unusual game mechanic in Soul Hackers that is unique to the Devil Summoner series: Loyalty. Demons have varying personalities, and these affect how they react to different commands; giving the demon commands they dislike will often result in loss of loyalty, which in turn increases the chance of future disobedience. However, once the player acquires even a superficial understanding of the quirks of the six personalities, the mechanic loses most of its frustration-factor. In short, most demons can either be appeased with gift items that are commonly dropped by enemies, can be easily "farmed" up to max loyalty in one or two battles simply by repeatedly giving their preferred command, or can be given Sake to (briefly) change their personalit6y and make it easier to "farm" their loyalty. Once at max loyalty, demons almost never disobey, so it is no longer problematic once you get acquainted with the system.
   
   Overall, the game has good voice acting, decent are, some nice fully-animated cut-scene sequences, and loads of interesting demons to use and battle, each complete with a background page in the compendium--basically, like a demonic pokedex. (very fun to read). Pros and cons as follows:
   Pros:
   -Good voice acting
   -Numerous options to adjust difficulty, allowing less-experienced players to enjoy the game
   -Good art/music
   -Good characters, and a decent story that unfolds around them.
   -Tons of demons, many with unique and interesting skills and spells to try out.
   -huge world to explore, with several intricate and amusing side-quests
   
   Cons:
   -Demon fusion can be irritating in some ways; for example, the "search" function is antiquated and not as well-designed as later titles (like Devil Survivor), and demons' skill inheritance is finicky and annoying.
   -Menu interface shows its age; while it can be partially excused as, essentially, a ported SNES game, the menu design has some very annoying aspects. For example, you can view a list of your demons' skills from the menu, but you can't see their effect description unless you're already in battle.
   -While not as bad as it may seem to impatient newcomers, the Loyalty system has its share of problems; namely, Calm demons, which cannot be bribed to raise loyalty, and have no specific "preferred" actions... instead, they like you to pick the "best" or "smart" move as determined by the computer, which is often so subjective that raising their loyalty is a guessing game. They can still be given Sake to simplify things, but that costs money and requires a trip to the shop.
   
   So, all in all, 8/10. The 'cons' section may have a higher word-count than the 'pros,' but the cons are limited to specific annoyances and frustrations that don't affect enjoyment of the game much in the long run. Not really the best SMT game for beginners, and maybe not even the best SMT game in this style (Strange Journey actually fixed most of the cons back in Nintendo DS days, though it lacked voice acting and had no difficulty options), but a great experience for anyone who is a fan of Atlus' style of dungeon-crawlers.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. smasherwolf

   Jul 20, 2013

   8

   Fun, and also a very challenging game. Its super satisfaying to kill that pesky boss using some strategic moves.
   It does feel a bit outdatedFun, and also a very challenging game. Its super satisfaying to kill that pesky boss using some strategic moves.
   It does feel a bit outdated since its a "re-release" of an old Megaten game, and its a bit fast at the beggining (kinda makes you go WTF), but overall its a really good game, worth every $
   
   I give it an 8.5. (I cant give that score actually T_T)
   
   Also, it comes with a little OST CD, so its even better!… Expand

   • 3 of 5 users found this helpful
7. mrfroglegs

   Mar 7, 2019

   8

   this is a fantastic game, with a great voice cast, one of the most unique story lines and an amazing soundtrack by Shoji Meguro. I would notthis is a fantastic game, with a great voice cast, one of the most unique story lines and an amazing soundtrack by Shoji Meguro. I would not recommend this game for casuals, since it's brutally hard, enemies do obscene amounts of damage and the loyalty system will definitely a source of constant frustration until you figure it out. I'd recommend it ten fold!… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. midipon

   Dec 31, 2014

   5

   The dungeon visuals are flat and drab, the demon loyalty system is a pain, Magnetite is just an annoyance, demon fusion limits inheritedThe dungeon visuals are flat and drab, the demon loyalty system is a pain, Magnetite is just an annoyance, demon fusion limits inherited skills, Zoma fusion is also a pain, heck, most of the mechanics are just a pain in the neck. It's an alright game, but it's definitely the worst MegaTen game I've played. Only get it if you like the series in general.… Expand

   • 1 of 3 users found this helpful

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