I'm quite a big fan of the Shin Megami Tensei series. So when the most recent one, Devil Survivor, was revealed to be on the DS, which was a first for the series, and that it was also going to be a strategy game, another first, I was intrigued and concerned. I've nothing against the DS, so that wasn't an issue. It was more to do about the strategy side of it. Most of the ones I've played, which I admit is a small amount of the ones available, have been pretty good. But there are always some awful ones. I've played a few myself.
All concerns were alleviated when I actually got around to playing it though. Movement is like any other grid based strategy game, which isn't anything out of the ordinary. Being an RPG at the same time though, there are a variety of skills you can assign, that range from increasing movement range, to simply ignoring walls and stairs and just teleporting right next to an enemy. Actual combat though, is more like traditional SMT. Since the series moved to PS2, you were rewarded for abusing an enemy's weakness. Use a fire based attack on something made out of ice for example and you'll be rewarded with a bonus attack to deliver. The enemy gets the same chances though, so you have to think about who attacks what based on their strengths and weaknesses lest you walk right into a battle that wipes you out, which can and most likely will happen. Much better than some RPGs where you can simply select 'Attack' over and over to win the game.
Despite that though, it's not what has me hooked. A lot of RPGs, Japanese ones in particular, are very linear. Devil Survivor seems to be one of the rarities that allow you some degree of choice in how events play out. Based on your decisions throughout the game, certain characters may live or die. There's also a large range of responses you can make in cutscenes, which helps make you feel like you're relevant, rather than along for the ride. I have noticed that I'm acting nicer towards some characters than others though, in an attempt to keep them on my side and, hopefully, alive until the end. I've always been keen on stories where there's a large amount of risk involved for the characters. Again, not something that's too common in Japanese RPGs.
I've yet to finish it, but it already feels like the sort of RPG that I'm going to play through more than once, which is unfortunately not a regular occurrence.
All concerns were alleviated when I actually got around to playing it though. Movement is like any other grid based strategy game, which isn't anything out of the ordinary. Being an RPG at the same time though, there are a variety of skills you can assign, that range from increasing movement range, to simply ignoring walls and stairs and just teleporting right next to an enemy. Actual combat though, is more like traditional SMT. Since the series moved to PS2, you were rewarded for abusing an enemy's weakness. Use a fire based attack on something made out of ice for example and you'll be rewarded with a bonus attack to deliver. The enemy gets the same chances though, so you have to think about who attacks what based on their strengths and weaknesses lest you walk right into a battle that wipes you out, which can and most likely will happen. Much better than some RPGs where you can simply select 'Attack' over and over to win the game.
Despite that though, it's not what has me hooked. A lot of RPGs, Japanese ones in particular, are very linear. Devil Survivor seems to be one of the rarities that allow you some degree of choice in how events play out. Based on your decisions throughout the game, certain characters may live or die. There's also a large range of responses you can make in cutscenes, which helps make you feel like you're relevant, rather than along for the ride. I have noticed that I'm acting nicer towards some characters than others though, in an attempt to keep them on my side and, hopefully, alive until the end. I've always been keen on stories where there's a large amount of risk involved for the characters. Again, not something that's too common in Japanese RPGs.
I've yet to finish it, but it already feels like the sort of RPG that I'm going to play through more than once, which is unfortunately not a regular occurrence.
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