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Soul Hackers 2is a JRPG developed by Atlus, who is responsible for other large titles likePersonaand theShin Megami Tenseiseries. It has similarities to both franchises but manages to shine on its own by having a unique art design, complex storyline, and multidimensional characters. Players must save the world as Ringo, a newly born AI equipped with conscious thought and emotions, from an unknown creature called “The Great One.” Ringo is thrust into a world of Demons and Demon Summoners with her twin Figue, and they find themselves stuck between two summoner societies in a doomed war.
The gameplay and mechanics will be familiar to fans of JRPGs, but it can be overwhelming for beginners as there are a lot of combat mechanics, world lore, and character boosts to learn about. Thankfully,Soul Hackers 2is still relatively tame in the genre and is an excellent introductory game for players with a little guidance.
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Dungeons
Dungeons are semi-open maps that players explore to progress in the story. Ringo’s first mission is to explore the East Shipping District, where she gains the ability to summon Demons herself and meets her first party member. Dungeons are filled with Demons, items, and enemies so players can take advantage of them for training and gathering purposes.
Demon Recon
Once players enter a dungeon, Ringo sends out the party’s Demons for Demon Recon. This is when Demons spread out and search the entire map. They will find things such as cash, items, and other Demons looking to join the group. Occasionally they will heal all the characters when players talk to them. If an enemy is giving chase, talk to one of the Demon Scouts to make it disappear.
Enemies
Enemies are groups of Demons that hang out in dungeons and attack players when spotted. They can attack in groups ranging from 1 to 5. Enemies will drop things when they lose a battle. Players can get medicines, battle bonus items, COMP upgrade parts, or money. The hard battles typically have better rewards for winning. When they’re in their non-battle form, knock them down to avoid a fight or to trigger an Ally Ambush that attacks all of them at once at the commencement of the battle. Players can also avoid battle by selecting “Escape” on their first turn. Enemies are color-coded by the following:
The Soul Matrix
The Soul Matrix is a doorway into the party members' souls and can be used to earn higher relationships, find rare Demons, and learn new summoner skills. The Soul Matrix is unlocked after Saizo joins the players' party. It is located on the Axis, a floating area outside the city that is home to Ringo and Figue’s birthplace. Ringo gains accessto each party member’s matrixwith her ability to Soul Hack. The deeper she goes into each member’s matrix, the better skills she can learn through them, all the while unlocking more and more about their lives along the way. The Matrixes function the same way as dungeons.
Map Skills
Every dungeon comes with a map. These maps are drawn in real-time as players move through the dungeon for the first time. They are marked with icons that signify locked doors, teleportation portals, exit doors, and gates. Some maps are tricky to figure out, but party members can equip different Map Skills, making navigating around them easier. Map Skills are found in the Soul Matrix. A particularly helpful one is Milady’s Assassin’s Step. Assassin’s Step gives Ringo a speed boost as she travels through dungeons. Alternatively, players can use a skill like Traesto that lets players immediately exit a dungeon and access the City Map. OtherMap Skills affect enemy encountersand can give players an advantage when entering a new battle.
Battles
Every arc requires players to travel through Demon-infested dungeons and fight main bosses and a few side bosses. Turn-based combat is the battle form used in Soul Hackers 2, so strategy and planning are more beneficial than brute force if players want to win. There are some important battle mechanics players should be aware of.
MP, HP, and EXP
MP is what players pull their Demon’s power from. Demon Skills require a certain amount of MP with each use. Once MP runs out, players are forced to use their primary attack. Be careful in the first arc, because running out of MP makes the boss battle increasingly difficult, and at that point in the game, there are limitedways to replenish MP. HP are used to monitor party members' health. Once all members hit zero HP, players are forced to quit the game and return to the title screen to continue from their last save. EXP are earned whenever players win a battle and are the juice behind leveling up. More EXP is gained from beating higher-level Demons or when larger groups attack. Leveling up allows players to contract stronger Demonsthrough negotiation or fusion, increase MP and HP meters, and learn new Demon skills.
Affinities
Skills have affinities that align with a Demon’s species. Affinities are the source and type of attack a Demon is equipped with. Affinities include Ice, Fire, Gunfire, Ruin, Electricity, Recovery, Force, and Physical attacks. Depending on a Demon’s species, they will be weak or resistant to certain affinities, so make sure that teams are well-rounded and prepared to take on all kinds of Demons. Keeping a Demondedicated to using Recovery Skillsand items is a great way to keep the team on the field longer when facing stubborn enemies. Another perk of Recovery Skills is that players can fully recover HP outside of battle if they have at least one on their team.
Demon Summoner Battles
Players will also have tofight other Demon Summoners. These inescapable battles aren’t as easy to get through as the summoners can summon Demons continuously throughout the fight. Enemy summoners also will have a special attack that gives out massive amounts of damage to all party members. If possible, targeting the summoner first rather than their Demons is best. Once the summoner is KO’d, so are their Demons, meaning the fight ends immediately.
Soul Hackers 2is available now on Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox 1, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
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