Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga

by Atlus

Product Features

• Epic sci-fi fantasy adventure with over 50 hours of gameplay
• Devour your enemies and absorb their devastating powers and special abilities
• Strategic battle system as you switch between human and demon to take advantage of your opponents' weaknesses
• Customize and develop your characters using the unique Mantra Flow system
• All-new Break system allows you to protect you from an enemies attack and even reflect it back at them

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00008KTRS
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches ; 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: April 5, 2005
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,854 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #2 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Strategy
  • #79 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > All Games
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga collects the Digital Devil games that redefined role-playing in Japan, and updates them for an all-new experience and a new audience. You are seeking the path to Nirvana when you develop the power to change into a demon. Use this power to defeat your enemies and build up enough to storm Nirvana and earn a place in paradise. Discover special link attacks to unleash the power of your party

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent RPG in line with the best, June 24, 2005

By 

Terry Mesnard (Bellevue, NE) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga (Video Game)

Having played most of the RPGs out on all three console systems, I had been looking into another time waster RPG that I could play that would not only keep me entertained gameplay-wise but also story-wise. There was a series I kept hearing about, Shin Megami Tensei. Two games have been released not even 8 months apart from each other, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne and now Digital Devil Saga. I quickly bought both. One I loved, the other not so much.

As it turns out, I tried playing Nocturne first and was completely and utterly frustrated at some design choices in the game. Not only that, but the story didn't seem to be going anywhere, so I quit playing it. I decided to give the Shin Megami series a second chance and tried Digital Devil Saga. All of my complaints of the first game were completely addressed in this game.

Let's start with the story. Digital Devil Saga incorporates a very dark story involving demons and human nature and computers into a wonderful package. The strengths of its story not only lie in the huge events that propel it along but also in some subtle areas. Character reactions that seem a bit over the top in the beginning make perfect sense the more you think about it. SPOILER: it's like the characters are experiencing feelings for the first time and therefore all of their actions and reactions may seem over the top because they are experiencing this heightened feeling for the first time. The story continues up to a climax that leaves the game hanging. Good thing the sequel comes out in August.

Another positive is that you are playing with static characters, humans who can transform into demons. These characters allow more a story format to follow since you have a full party that talks and acts on their own. It's also nice not to have to worry about screwing the characters up (like you could in the fusion system of Nocturne).

And this is a good thing because the combat system in DDS is exactly like in Nocturne. It's based on strength and weaknesses. Every character in the game (save for some bosses) have strengths and weaknesses and it is through manipulating these weaknesses that you can win battles. For instance, if a monster is weak against fire, you want to use fire on him not only to do more damage but to also give you an extra turn to attack. Each character gets one action but by using a weakness, the character only uses 1/2 of their action points. Conversely, enemies can use your weaknesses against you. It's here that you want to combat that. If they use an ability a character is strong against, it takes away their turns. By manipulating strengths and weaknesses, you can control the tide of battle.

I also like what they did with the abilities. Whereas in Nocturne, if you took a new ability you had to effectively forget another ability and it was lost forever, DDS fixes this by allowing you to learn abilities then giving you slots to choose which ones to equip. That way you never fret over having to "forget" an ability which might be the only key to your success later on. It seems like such a small thing, but the ability to customize your characters to battles really helps the game move along.

Speaking of abilities, DDS uses a system much like the sphere grid in FFX. Each character starts with certain abilities already learned from Mantras, and by learning beginning Mantras, you open up paths to bigger and better Mantras. You download Mantras from Terminals for Macha (the monetary system) and by winning battles you gain AP used to learn each Mantra. Afterwards, you can equip learned abilities how you see fit. This gives you a much more rewarding customization option than seen in Nocturne.

The graphic style is also like Nocturne and is real interesting to me. And the art style is also intriguing, the demon designs are inspired, especially the demon you and your friends can turn into. The music is pretty decent (you get the soundtrack album with the purchase) and the voice acting is decent. Once I realized why the characters were over-emphasizing every little emotion they have I appreciated it much more. In the beginning, it is a little jarring because they are talking about emotions in such a heightened, over the top, roll your eyes way. But it's all for a point.

I know that in my review I kept referencing Nocturne. I can't help it. The two games are so intertwined on so many levels that comparisons are impossible to miss. I also bring it up because there might be other players out there like me who couldn't really get into Nocturne and are on the fence with this game because of it. I think if you are new to the Shin Megami Tensei series and want to get your feet wet, try this game before you try (if you even want to try) Nocturne. It is more in line with a traditional RPG format. I will say that DDS is a truly exceptional RPG game with a dark and mature story that brings to life questions about humanity. And it solves all of the problems I had with Nocturne (you can see my review on Nocturne to see what I mean). Not only does it fix problems in Nocturne, but it stands in line with what are considered the pillars of the console RPG community. An excellent adventure with fun gameplay. If you like RPGs you should definitely give this one a try.

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Game!!!, April 28, 2005

By 

Richard Baldwin "Gator Cub" (Gainesville, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga (Video Game)

Great Game!!! I purchased this game with high expectations only to find that those expectations were right on!

It has a great story in that you are a gang struggling in a place called the junkyard to survive. Each gang (there are about 7 of them) must fight with each other, and the last gang standing gets to a place called Nirvana. That's where the game starts, but it takes a twist right off the bat!

The graphics and sound are great! If you order the game now, you may be able to get the boxed set, which actually comes with the soundtrack, so you can't go wrong! The graphics are the cell-shaded type, but it's very well done. The tone in the game is a very run down civilization, raining all the time, and Atlus does a great job at giving that feel. In my opinion, the dungeons are one of the best in a long time in a RPG. It has a mix of puzzle and exploration mixed together perfectly. The puzzles are very minimal but really add a great experience to the game. There are a lot of places to explore, and there is actually some mini games mixed in as well!

The combat is where this game really shines! It is turned based, but thank goodness it is! With all the RPGs now going to real time combat (even FF XII is going to be real time), this game is a diamond in the rough in that it brings the turn base combat back with a challenge. You MUST use strategy each and every time you fight, and if you don't, you won't last long.

The leveling up system in the game is also very well done. Your character earns experience points after each battle just like every other RPG you've played along with currency. The twist that Atlus has done to make each character very customizable is that you need to buy what powers your characters will use! This adds incredible depth to the leveling up experience! The faster you defeat your enemies, the more currency you get, so again, the strategy you use really plays a big part in the game.

If you are looking for a great RPG, with a unique feel, you can't go wrong with Digital Devil Saga. It's a deep rewarding experience that any fan of the RPG genre will enjoy.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent Game worth having a sequel for., May 22, 2005

By 

Benoit (High River, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga (Video Game)

Digital Devil Saga continues the Shin Megami Tensei trend of offereing more mature games for a growing audience. Immediately the game starts off with a heated and bloody confrontation between two tribes in a mysterious world called the "Junkyard"

This opening also introduces you to a style that just won't quit. Eerie landscapes and one of the, if not THE best example of Cell shaded Graphics seen thus far.

Things pick up right away when a mysterious structure explodes amidst this skirmish, and everyone starts having violent spasms and begin turning into monsters. You know this takes a more supernatual seat as Your main character, Serphs Monoscope begins reading the words "EAT THEM ALL" All across the screen.

The Battle system is Turn based, with an emphasis on exploiting the weakness of your enemies. This can grant your team extra actions during its turn, but you'd best be wary. The same applies for the enemy. This adds a level of depth to combat that can make or break a good team. You won't get away with simply button mashing here.
The Bosses are also some of the harder ones seen in a Role playing game. Things can heat up quickly, so you always need to watch out for potential weakness while covering your own.

The Music is very fitting for the Indian influenced theme, but some of the of the tracks are rather short. Still, with the boxed set you manage you'll get the OST, so the tunes will quickly grow on you.

The plot remains fairly simple for the first half of the game, so the buildup doesn't start until the latter half, which leads to a bit of anitclimax while it pauses, waiting for the second installment coming out this August.

In closing, this is an excellent start to what promises to be a satisfying end.