Devil Summoner 2 – RPG Action for PS2 Hitting Tomorrow

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Hello assembled humans of the official PlayStation blog.

My designation is AtlusA.R.A.M. (Atlus advertising, resources, and marketing). My role, aside from peripheral computations pertaining to taking over the world, is to inform others about the great video games coming soon from Atlus USA, famed publisher of roleplaying games like Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, Persona 3 FES, and Persona 4.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon, one of our biggest games (and game names) of the year, comes out tomorrow for PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system.

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The second game in the Devil Summoner series to make its way to North America, Devil Summoner 2 continues the tradition, putting you in the shoes of Raidou Kuzunoha, a supernatural private investigator in 1920’s Japan. The world design and character art soaks the game with early 20th century style, and lends a great deal of credibility and authenticity to the story. The Shin Megami Tensei series itself, if you’re unfamiliar, is a franchise of deep, thought-provoking, character-driven RPGs, known for its powerful visual design, music, and writing.

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As for the story, who better to tell you what it’s about than the game’s lead human editor, Nich Maragos (who also worked on Raidou Kuzunoha vs. the Soulless Army):

“It’s about the 14th chosen protector of the Capital and his journey to discover a mysterious man’s whereabouts. It’s about a client who never quite tells you the whole story, and finding out the truth the hard way. It’s about the struggle between the supernatural and the mundane, the modern and the traditional. It’s about ninjas, flappers, bugs, hillbillies, demons, luck, detectives, and a talking cat. It’s about the choice between upholding the law and upending the system. And it’s about you.”

devilsummoner2_screens_45 copy copy

One of the most important components of what makes RPGs engaging, entertaining, and playable, is the quality of the writing and how effectively characters are developed therein; in short, the consistency and flow of the script.

Here is some additional insight from human editor Nich Maragos:

“There’s nothing I like more than a good dialect, and just like Devil Summoner 2 gives fans twice as many demons to play with in battle, so too did it give we at Atlus USA twice as many dialects to play with in the editing. On top of the 20s-era patois from the first game, Devil Summoner 2 puts Raidou and his crew in the backwoods of Japan, where they meet a whole cast of good country folks. Think Deliverance, but nastier in the way that only a large dollop of demonic influence can achieve.”

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Devil Summoner 2, unlike most SMT games, is an action RPG, one that greatly rewards players who plan out their battles. Your character has standard and special attacks, in addition to the ability to summon demons.

You will face other demons in battle, and they can, based on certain factors, be recruited into your services. Depending on the type of demon (i.e. their disposition), your level in reference to theirs, and other variables, you will be able to negotiate with them. This begins a rather entertaining dialogue chain in which you must anticipate what the demon will want to hear, what will aggravate and anger them, and ultimately, what will get them to want to join your party. You can even use the demons in your party to help in negotiation; some have special abilities that can save a negotiation that is getting out of hand. Newly acquired demons can be fused together with others to discover all new rare demons, adding yet another layer of depth.

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Why should you purchase this game, human? Because it most certainly will be one of the best RPGs to be released for PS2 system this year? Yes. Because it stands apart from its competitors in terms of the caliber of its localization, writing, art, music, and gameplay? Yes. Because it improves dramatically over its predecessor, introducing new gameplay elements, refined combat, demon negotiation, and more? Yes.

There is one last reason, one I would be happy to explain to you endlessly with my monotone synthesized voice, but my programming indicates that showing you will be most effective.

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Each and every launch copy of Devil Summoner 2 is a premium, deluxe, limited edition box set. Included with every copy of the game is Raiho, an adorable plushie you can hold tightly to your soft mortal bodies. How sad it would be for you to be the only child or man-child on your block to not have this wonderful collectible.

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Please visit the official game website for more information about the game, and look for SMT: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon to hit a retailer near you on May 12th with an MSRP of $39.99 (yes, that’s for both the game AND Raiho, not to mention the beautiful packaging). Should you wish to possess a Raiho plushie to have and to hold, it is advised that you do not delay.

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104 Comments

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  • Ok, so we can’t get RPG’s for the PS3. But now we have them coming out on the PS2?

  • I really love lots of Atlus’ work, I hope you guys come and make lots of more posts in the future. and you probobly cant say anything now, but any ideas for a PS3 title?

  • When are there going to be some RPG’s on PS3? o.O’

    In the meantime I’m going back to playing Megaman X Collection and then after that I’ll be playing MMX8 since I don’t have X7.

  • so can we expect a PS3 title when the PS4 hits? lol

  • Poopookakabumbum

    This was an easy pre-order for me.

    I can’t wait to get it!

    Thank you Atlus!

    It seems like Atlus really took the fans seriously and took a lot of time to really improve the game with the sequel.

    I’m grateful.

  • I played my first shin magami game this year, Persona 4 and absolutely loved it, I then picked up P3:FES and loved that too, so I have high hopes for Devil Summoner 2.

    Any word on the PSP Persona coming to the U.S? Or a Persona 5 for PS3? ;)

    • As a matter of fact, we announced the PSP Persona for a Fall release in the U.S. a couple months back. The PSP version will have all sorts of fancy tweaks and updates, plus of course an entire storyline that\’s never been available in English before.

  • Is it jsut me or does Raiho look like a Boo from the Mario series? By the way that plushie looks awesome! =D

    Anyway, sorta odd to get upcoming PS2 games…but at least the PS2 is backwards compatible!….Isn’t it?….

  • Response to Jon_Mclane:

    Yes we would love more games on the ps3 true. But i sold/traded my PS2’s when i bought my PS3’s that were BC. Now that i don’t have a BC PS3 instead I have a non BC PS3, i cant enjoy games by atlus and others.

    Yes many people own a ps2. But many people no longer have their ps2’s. (like me)

  • sweet already had it pre ordered, i love atlus now plz make shin megami tensei 4 on the ps3

  • Perfect thanks for answering my question. I just didn’t want some hokey English VO to ruin the experience.

  • Please tell me Atlus is keeping the same intro movie that the Japanese Persona PSP has! It’s excellent :).

    Thanks for the high quality localizations you guys continuously pump out.

  • Do you know if this is going to be released in PAL?

    • There are currently no plans for a PAL release. Hopefully this will change in the near future.

  • Had this pre-ordered since the end of January. Can’t wait for it to come in this week, I loved the first one with its dark story and investigation themes.

    P.S.
    What games do you guys play around the office?

    • We get a couple break periods each day, during which we split off into groups. Right now there\’s a Halo 3 group (what I play), a Street Fighter 4 group, a CoD4 group, a few of the Japanese project staff playing an imported Gundam PSP game together, and most of the testers are on an 8-player Tetris DS kick.

  • Atlus > Square.

  • You mentioned that the limited edition will be individually numbered. About how many copies of the limited edition will be released?

  • Poopookakabumbum

    @ Nick (regarding Persona PSP)

    Would the new storyline you’re referring to happen to be the Snow Queen quest that was cut from the original English release of Persona Revelations? (Long time Atlus/SMT fan)

  • man we really need some ps3 RPGS

  • hey atlus thanks for bringing an other great game to usa big question will this work on the ps3 80gb backword compaidableish? and also does persona 4 do as well? again a big thanks and keep it up with the great games also any word on any of ur games coming to the psn store and or any of ur past psx games?

  • Preordered this about 3 months ago, I was a huge fan of the first PS2 Devil Summoner and immediately jumped onboard when I heard this was coming to US.

    Any chance of news (or rumors or even just clues written on napkins) about SMT4?

  • Are you guys working on any JRPG’s for the PS3 or PSN? You guys make some amazing JRPG and it was be good if you guys can make a PS3 JRPG.

  • RurouniSaiya-jin

    Definitely getting this game. Persona 3 is one of my favorite RPGs and Persona 4 is my third favorite RPG of all time so I’ve been trying to find more games from Atlus to sink my teeth into.

    The post itself and your comments make the game sound pretty interesting. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. Thanks for posting ^,^

  • Hey Atlus, could you possibly hint at or tell us if you’re working on a PS3 game?

  • PS2 still pwns!

  • Wow this is a surprise; I didn’t know Altus was working on a Devil Summoner 2, much less the game coming out TOMORROW. I’m definitely going to get this.

    I’m a HUGE Atlus fan, I’ve been playing the SMT series since way back in PS1/PC days and I love them all, Personas, Devil Summoner, Digital Devil Saga, etc.

    I do wish this was on PS3 though. I can’t wait to play a PS3 version of Persona…PS3 + Persona = Heaven.

  • We need this for PS3!

  • When will we see more support from you guys on the PS3? I love your games but I simply don’t have a PS2 anymore and have already moved on to the current generation of consoles so I would really love to see more of your titles on the PS3 :(

  • Eh I think I’ll pass. I get the feeling that I wouldn’t have as much fun with this as Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine, the only SMT game I’ve ever had. This is for two somewhat obvious reasons, 1: its free and 2: its a MMORPG. Now… if somehow (;)) the studio was to make an HD version of this type of game with a full campaign and online on the PS3, well then…=D.

    P.S. Every English speaking person interested in this game should download Imagine.

  • Atlus thank u for the support for the ps2 despite its 9 year life span now!

  • it looks like an interasting game! i might pick it up after i get cross edge and disgaea 3, sorry to put you in 3rd place its just that nis moved to the ps3 and i gatta support that if you guys did the same i would support you guys ALOT MORE lol even get most of any DLC u put in psn with a ps3 tittle

  • Awesome news, too bad i dont get to play it

  • I <3 Atlus…pre-ordered this awhile back. Can’t wait to play it!

  • I finally found a site that would post to Australia so pre-ordered it for the plushie (I missed out on Teddie and can’t find it anywhere). I got sick of missing out on so many awesome games not getting a PAL release so bought a NTSC PS2. If only the PS3 backwards compatability was also region free, my life would be easier.

    Having discovered Atlus recently, as soon as I start any game by Atlus I don’t play anything else. Currently playing P3 FES after finishing P4 a few weeks ago. Haven’t played a PS3 game in a very long time. Heaps of good handheld games coming out in May/June as well. Too many games and not enough time :(

  • I’m in the midst of replaying Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2 to get my RPG fix right now. I’d be thrilled if you guys could bring yourselves to re-release the entire series as episodic downloads for the PSN store some day!

  • removing PS2 from PS3 was not a smart move, imho. it made buying a PS3 unattractive.

    though lowering the price seems important, good object(s)/idea(s) could’ve probably beat the recession.

  • We love you, Atlus!

  • No Nocturne/Lucifer’s Call reprint (even if it doesn’t have Dante and is the Raidho version that Japan has) no sale.

    I’d of bought it DAY ONE if you have Nocturne reprinted. A $40+ USED game NEW for the same price with Devil Summoner 2, I’d of bought it.

    Seriously, Atlus US. If you have the option to give us a better package that was “limited/special” in Atlus Japan land, you should give it to us.

    Or just reprint Nocturne Dante version and sell it for $30-35 again. I’d snap it up.

    No way I’m paying $40+ used for a copy.

  • Poopookakabumbum

    It’s a four….five year? old game.

    You can’t expect publishers to just routinely republish games all the time.

  • Wow Sekoku, because you were too slow to pick up a game, you’re not buying a new title because they didn’t include such an old game? Seriously, you make no sense.

  • I pre-ordered this game on Amazon about a two months ago, and I can’t wait to play it.

    Would you be able to post more information about Persona 1 for the PSP on this blog? I’m really looking forward to that game as well.

    • That\’s not a bad idea. We\’ll see about doing that once we\’re ready to talk more about Persona PSP in a month or two.

  • please atlus… make the next SMT for Playstation 3 (maybe the next persona)

  • Still living in the pat are we? make these games for the ps3

  • I love atlus games. Any chance of making some of your fantastic ps1 games available for download through the playstation store. Like Tactics Ogre for example? thanks

  • @77

    I didn’t like Imagine all that much, it works well for being an MMORPG but it isn’t as much fun as single player RPG’s. I’m presently enjoying Dark Spire (except I get my butt kicked by random first turn all party death attacks) and am patiently waiting for Class of Heroes.

    I can’t buy this because someone superglued my Beatmania controller to the P1 port so now I can only play Beatmania and Beatmania IIDX :( Ok, I lied slightly, but my PS2 hasn’t been used for much else since my brother bought the PS3. Must put in Persona 3:FES or I’ll feel guilty (its still wrapped.)

  • “How sad it would be for you to be the only child or man-child on your block to not have this wonderful collectible.”

    Priceless…

    I <3 you, AtlusA.R.A.M., monotone synthesized voice and all.

  • I have to agree with the fans on this point. If anything was to be removed it was the PSone game BC. The PS2 games looked better, and more often then not played better on the PS3 then they ever did on the PS2. IE Killzone played with much smoother FPS on the PS3 then it dose on a PS2 plus it looks way better, on top of that the PS2 games could be upscaled, and have PS2 Smoothing done to them just like in PSone games and it worked way better IMHO.

    Sadly many PS2 games lack 5.1 surround sound support, and more often then not SOny failed to support the PS2 BC correctly. (they should of done the PS2 games as rebuy Downloadable games like PSone titles)

    Though i agree for PS2 owners it’s nice to get support this late in the game.

  • @86 Sekoku | May 11th, 2009 at 7:56 pm

    I’d of bought it DAY ONE if you have Nocturne reprinted. A $40+ USED game NEW for the same price with Devil Summoner 2, I’d of bought it.

    If you are talking about SMT: Nocturne it was already reprinted, last year for $20, it is the reason the game goes for $40 used, it was well over $100 before the reprint. I managed to get a copy of that and DDS1 when it was reprinted.

  • >> Wow Sekoku, because you were too slow to pick up a game, you’re not buying a new title because they didn’t include such an old game? Seriously, you make no sense.

    They included Nocturne in Japan for limited/pre-orders. Why isn’t the same for the US?

    I’ll wait for another reprint, or Persona 2: Innocent Sin finally being translated and put on PSN. Either way, I’m holding my breath.

  • And to clarify my point:

    Nocturne = $40 USED (IE: scratched to hell and may/may not have a manual/box art)

    Japan got it for FREE (with a Raiho themed replacement for Dante) with their $40 NEW Devil Summoner 2.

    I’m sorry, but a plushie (while cute) isn’t enough for me to pre-order/buy Devil Summoner 2. If Atlus really loves their fans/fanbase and wants new people to get into the series, they should reprint Nocturne and throw it in like Atlus Japan did. It can’t be that hard to reprint Nocturne Dante version if Atlus US is going to be lazy/quick about not translating the Raiho themed lines.

    • We can appreciate your desire to get the same stuff that Japan did, but the Japanese package that included the Chronicle Edition of SMT Nocturne retailed for 10,479 yen or about $100–over twice the price of the $40 you\’re stating. We didn\’t want to charge the fans that much, so we went with a more affordable package that still offers a great bonus.

  • c’mon guys. now i appreciate the love of rpgs that you’ve bought us in the past and hell im still playin persona 4. but can you guys start makin rpgs for the ps3 already? if NIS can do it? how come you guys can’t?

  • I just picked this up at my local Gamestop. I haven’t bought an Atlus game since Maken-X on the Dreamcast but this blog post peaked my interest. 1920’s Japan? I’m in!

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