Soul Hackers 2 is an interesting title to begin with. It takes a now 20-year-old franchise, aiming to give it another bite at the cherry while giving it the Atlus treatment.
And, if you’re looking for a JRPG there are few developers doing the business like Atlus just now. The Japanese studio is on a bit of a roll just now with the likes of Persona 5 and Shin Megami Tensei V in their wake.
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To say this game had big shoes to fill is a bit of an understatement. And these shoes were cobbled bigger still when Atlus themselves labelled Soul Hackers 2 the new flagship title for the studio.
JRPG Top Table
Soul Hackers 2 delivers what you would expect from a JRPG story-wise, though it’s a bit of a slow burner. One takes a few hours to get going before it deals with heavier topics before things escalate in that oh-so JRPG way.
Set in a near-future city. Soul Hackers 2 technically follows on from the 1997 game. Humans and demons coexist in secret, with some humans able to form pacts with demons to become Devil Summoners.
The Dark Summoners are split between two main factions, Yatagarasu and the Phantom Society, who don’t really get on. You play as Ringo, a sort of android robot who has to save two people who are linked to the end of the world.
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After the game eventually kicks off, Soul Hackers 2 turns into a battle for the Infinity Stones in all but name. These hold five powers that can bring an all-powerful entity into being.
It’s over the top and fast moving. A focus is placed on the tight group which you bond with quickly. This team relationship adds depth to the overall tale.
And on the whole, Soul Hackers 2 nails most of its tale, but is lacking that something that lets the likes of Persona 5 and Shin Megami Tensei V sit at the top table of contemporary JRPGs.
Hack ‘n Select
Gameplay is built around a very slick combat system that feeds from the Press Turn system featured in the mainline Shin Megami Tensei games. Although the combat in Soul Hackers 2 does take its own path at times, it’s feels familiar but also different in equal parts.
Elemental combat plays a large part in the fights. These leave the enemy open to ever more powerful attacks called Sabbath. As the more your party hits an enemy’s weak point, the more demons you summon who create a stack. The bigger the stack at the end of the turn, the more powerful your Sabbath will be.
Fans will spot the flavour of other Atlus titles, though that’s not a bad thing. Soul Hackers 2 is built on a solid foundation, on top of which Atlus layered new and interesting ideas.
Complex Caper
Strategy plays a huge part in proceedings. Using buffs and de-buffs are key features, as fights – especially boss battles – are far from short encounters.
You yourself become stronger you level up. But advancing also grants better (and stranger) demons to swap out at will. You will also meet a host of other character as the take progresses which in turn opens up stronger gear.
Soul Hackers 2 runs a simple core loop, but it is fun and addictive. You’ll grow your party, in strength and size, by mixing different demons and characters. The game also actively encourages you to experiment with your blend to get the perfect flow in battle.
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Dungeons are hand-crafted and are fun to get stuck into, as you explore every corner to find its secrets. You get a real kick fighting new demons in a hope of recruiting them as part of a refined recruitment system. The more you fight them, the more likely they are to want to join you.
A Sense of Deja Vu
The dungeons become a bit too similar. Soul Hackers 2 reuses its visuals a little too often, something adds to that sense of ‘grinding’ rather quickly. You can only battle through a dark and dull underground system so many times.
This also brings in issues with a player becoming lost. It’s extremely easy to get stuck into a battle and with little in the way of landmarks of variety, being disoriented after the frequent battles is a frequent occurrence. The lack of a dedicated map screen only compounds this.
Soul Hackers 2 is simultaneously easy on the eye and visually striking. That is, until the game begins to suffer from dungeon repetition. Audio presentation is handled well with some cracking tracks and few grating voices. A few lines are repeated more than I would like, especially in areas with lots of combat.
Soul Hackers 2 is a real curve ball and something most Atlus fans will not have seen coming. Overall, it’s a solid JRPG just with a few missteps that hold it back from greatness. However, if you’re looking for something a bit different, it’s worth taking a look.