IGN review: Shin Megami Tensei DSO 7.5 'Good'

[longy999]

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked makes for a curious game to review. A port of the DS game, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor, this 3DS version offers the addition of voice acting as well as an extra epilogue and some remastered art. When the game first came out in 2009, it came packing an original and creative premise, making for a mash-up of RPG sub-genres that felt really fresh and interesting. Alas, the same cannot be said for Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked.


The gameplay, unaltered from the original version, provides a unique mix of RPG genres. Battles go back and forth between a grid-style, strategy RPG set-up (a la Final Fantasy Tactics Advance) and first person RPG gameplay (a la Dragon Quest), with some monster catching thrown in for good measure. The battles require the player to think heavily about strategy, choosing just where to position their characters, when to attack or use magic, and when to heal.


Like most games of the genre, each mission can take quite some time to complete, giving the player as much time as they need to devise a plan for getting their party out alive. Some of these missions provide an exceptional challenge, even for those who are well-versed in the genre. The introduction of a Death Clock, a device which shows how many days a character has left to live, also adds to the mystery and the tension, as you try to make decisions to change the fates of your friends and save them from an early demise.


Devil Survivor places much emphasis on story, and throughout the whole adventure an overarching mystery informs the actions and decisions of all the characters involved. Following a group of kids trapped in Tokyo, the hero and his friends gain the power to summon demons to fight alongside them. The choices you make as the main character actually affect how the story progresses, with six different endings based on the various paths you choose.


Together, all of these elements make for a rather deep and satisfying experience, something I've come to expect from Atlus' talented Persona team. However, the problem remains that the original DS game hit store shelves only two years ago. Since you can still play DS games on the 3DS (and Overclocked doesn't use any of the 3DS' unique capabilities, save for briefly featuring 3D in the opening cinematic), this port feels completely unnecessary.


While having an additional epilogue will appeal to those who became obsessed with the original game and want more where that came from, it's honestly not enough to make it worth buying again -- or to make this port necessary. The new chapter does allow players more time to affect the storyline, and throws in some minor character development, but it's not long enough and ultimately irrelevant. The new voice acting doesn't help either. In fact it's downright atrocious, only further lending to the feeling that this game needn't have been remade. Thankfully you can turn the voice acting off in the options menu, but as one of the very few new additions in Overclocked, it's a shame it came out so botched.


CLOSING COMMENTS

If you’ve never played Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor before, this 3DS version might be worth picking up, unless you can find the original for cheaper (which shouldn’t be too hard). The innovative mix of various RPG sub-genres results in an intriguing and incredibly fun overall package. However, given the original came out so recently, it’s rather confusing why this barely enhanced version even exists. If you’ve already played the game, there’s really no need to spend $40 on a newish version to play it again.

7.5 Presentation

Simple, single frame art doesn’t do justice to the captivating story. This should have been expanded on, or even animated, for the 3DS version.

8.0 Graphics

The character and monster designs impress, despite being simple. Too bad there’s not enough additional art.

7.0 Sound

Enjoyable music, though a bit repetitive. A few new themes would have gone a long way.

7.5 Gameplay

An innovative battle system offers plenty of depth and strategy. Still, it needed more new content to make this port worthwhile.

7.5 Lasting Appeal
An innovative battle system offers plenty of depth and strategy. Still, it needed more new content to make this port worthwhile.

TOTAL SCORE 7.5 'GOOD'

[CloudStrife7x]

i love the Shin Megami Tensei Series of games, this looks awesome, nice post longy999

[Serious_M]

Nice looking RPG