14 DAY TRIAL // 
Soul Hackers is a much smaller JRPG series than Persona and anything else Shin Megami Tensei related franchise, but just like every other similar game, it does have a fan base that would like to see more of these titles becoming popular among newcomers.
It would be an understatement to say that Soul Hackers has been living under the shadow of the Persona series, but those who played games belonging to both franchises know perfectly what I mean. Playing Souls Hackers 2 feels like playing a dumbed-downed, cheap version of a Persona game. All the game mechanics are there, but the entire game reeks of “low-budget” in comparison with the last entry in the Persona series.
That being said, Souls Hackers 2 is a perfectly fine JRPG if you don’t mind an awful lot of grinding. For once the title’s game is 100% accurate about its premise. Although soul hacking is the definitely mechanic that sits at the base of the game, you won’t be doing that too much in Soul Hackers 2.
Most of the time will be spent in forgettable dungeons with boring environment griding levels to beat the next boss. Everything that you would expect from a Persona game has been cheaply integrated into Souls Hackers 2, but instead of using Personas, your characters will employ the services of captured Demons to beat other people’s Demons.
In Soul Hackers 2, you take on the role of Ringo, the embodiment of Aion, a digital hivemind that has evolved into sentience. After observing humanity for millennia, Aion realizes that a world-ending event is about to happen very soon, so decides to send two of its agents to Earth to try to prevent it: Ringo and Figue.
The entire game is a race against time to save the world from an unusual demise. The journey is peppered with long conversations meant to further improve the bond between the characters, strange sects, weird-looking Demons, and overwhelming amounts of uninteresting loot. Although the story feels tense and dark in the beginning, it becomes a chore midway and a complete disappointment towards the end because it’s very predictable.
Unsurprisingly, Soul Hackers 2 is an enjoyable experience until you hit the grindy part, but that’s certainly not thanks to the many innovations or twists on the SMT formula that the developers added. Souls Hackers 2 is devoid of its own identity and while it does try to offer fans of the genre a different take on the Persona recipe, it feels more like a poor man’s version of it.
Regardless of where the game draws inspiration from, Soul Hackers 2 is worth a playthrough, especially if you love games like Persona and Shin Megami Tensei. ATLUS’ game has a similar gameplay loop and the same combat system. You’ll be discovering new demons, unlock fusion combinations to create new, stronger demon allies to make your fights easier.
The social aspect of the game is required if you want to strengthen the bonds with your teammates and get to know them better. Soul Hackers 2 replaces Persona 5’s massive, multi-level Mementos dungeon with multiple dungeons set in the Soul Matrix. Each dungeon belongs to a teammate and allows you to access their memories if you beat the final bosses of each level. It’s a good way to grind some more experience for you and your teammates, as well as discover the truth of their stories.
Beyond that, Soul Hackers 2 has a bucketload of side quests that you can do for various rewards. Some are interesting, some are weird, but most of them aren’t worth the time. The game already requires you to invest a lot of time in keeping up with the story, so if you’re not planning to 100% this, you’re probably better off sticking with the story and a little bit of grinding in the Soul Matrix.
What I really loved about Soul Hackers 2 is the cast of characters and the cyberpunk world blended with fantasy elements. Unfortunately, none of these are explored fully, despite having a lot of potential. Only very small parts of the city are available in the game, and the characters feel two-dimensional. We’re allowed to take a peek at behind the curtain from time to time, so instead of getting the full picture, we’re served slices of lives.
One other thing that can certainly be classified as “mixed bag” is the combat system. Everything has been simplified to accommodate newcomers to the series. Things like Demon recruitment, gear loadout and loot search have been streamlined and devoid of any excitement.
At the beginning of each dungeon, Ringo sends her demons to scout the area, which consequently will reveal some points of interest in the dungeon where you’ll be handed loot by friendly demons. It’s also how many of the Demons can be recruited. Many dungeons have puzzles that require you to find certain objects to access other areas, but they are merely a nuisance on your way to the objective.
The first few dungeons in the game are also the most interesting because you immediately learn the patterns and realize they’re all the same. If not for the rather interesting characters and cyberpunk world, Soul Hackers 2 would probably be a generic Persona-wannabe JRPG.
The Good
- Interesting cast of characters
- Beautiful cyberpunk world
- Simplified mechanics for newcomers
The Bad
- Disappointing story
- Lacks innovation and identity
Conclusion
ATLUS’ game is devoid of any innovations or twists on the Persona and SMT formulae, which isn’t exactly a negative but rather a disappointment. I’m always in for more Persona-like action, but Soul Hackers 2’s simplified and very grindy mechanics aren’t fun to experience.
If not for the interesting cast of characters and beautiful cyberpunk world, Soul Hackers 2 would truly be just a poor man’s Persona game. If you hate grinding in JRPGs, stay away from this one, but if you absolutely love fusing Personas … uh Demons until you find the perfect party, Soul Hackers 2 is quite serviceable in that aspect.
Review code was provided by CD Media.
