Soul Hackers 2is the latest game from popular JRPG developer Atlus. A sequel to the 1997 gameDevil Summoner: Soul Hackers, it follows a brand-new story focusing on two supernatural entities known as “Aions.” These Aions, Ringo and Figue, enter the human world during the 21st century to investigate and avert a catastrophic event that threatens to destroy the planet.Soul Hackers 2borrows elements from bothShin Megami TenseiandPersona, while attempting to carve out its own identity.
TheMegami Tenseifranchise is vast, beginning withDigital Devil Story: Megami Tenseiin 1987. Since then the franchise has spawned several series of games and spin-offs. Within all of these titles, there are inevitably some elements that cross over, making theworld ofMegami Tenseicomplex and even daunting to untangle the web and understand how each game fits into the overarching world.Soul Hackers 2shares various similarities with otherMegami Tenseigames, though it is not linked with any of them directly.
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Soul Hackers 2 Borrows Heavily from Persona
While it is technically a sequel,Soul Hackers 2doesn’t have much in common with its 25-year-old predecessor - even choosing to dropDevil Summonerfrom the title. It is much closer in look and feel to the more recent titles in the overall franchise,Shin Megami Tensei 5andPersona 5. In fact, fans will probably only need to spend an hour or so withSoul Hackers 2to feelPersona’s influence in its catchy, upbeat music and stylish, vibrant visuals.
There are also social elements that allow the player to bond with their party members. While it doesn’t have anywhere near the same level of depth as the social elements in aPersonagame,Soul Hackers 2is much more aligned withPersonain this aspect than aShin Megami Tenseigame, which is usually a solitary affair by contrast.
The combat retains a form of the popular “Press Turn” system from the mainlineShin Megami Tenseigames, albeit putting a fresh spin on things. The system is fun, engaging, and varied, which is important since the bulk of the player’s time inSoul Hackers 2will involve dungeon crawling and large amounts of combat encounters. Fans of theMegami Tenseifranchise will recognize familiar elements such as demon summoning, as well as some returning monsters. These elements act as an invisible needle and thread, weaving this series into the overarching franchise.
Where The Megami Tensei Franchise Could Go Next
WithShin Megami Tensei 5having only just released in 2021, it is safe to assume fans won’t be seeingShin Megami Tensei6 soon.Soul Hackershad to wait 25 years for a sequel, but whether it will need to wait another quarter-century forSoul Hackers 3remains to be seen. The safe assumption is thatMegami Tensei’s next new title will be aPersonagame.
WhilePersona 6has yet to be officially confirmed, given the incredible success ofPersona 5, it seems like an inevitability. Atlus has teased that there is something in the pipeline, but fans are eagerly awaiting official confirmation.Soul Hackers 2is the latest example of theMegami Tenseifranchise going from strength to strength, and garnering an increasing popularity with western audiences, so the future looks bright for Atlus.
Soul Hackers 2is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
