Soul Hackers 2 Reviews
Soul Hackers 2 is an entertaining Atlus JRPG, if also one that doesn't do much to stand out.
A frustrating mix of the best and worst of Persona results in a disappointing Shin Megami Tensei spin-off that prioritises streamlined gameplay over innovation.
Throughout the 30 hours it took to hit credits, I kept trying to latch onto the elements that work. Soul Hackers 2’s saving grace lies in its main characters, each with a distinct personality that often clashes with the rest. Witnessing the group’s growth by putting their differences aside and opening themselves up to camaraderie was a joy.
Soul Hackers 2 is a stylish, engaging JRPG with great characters, but dull dungeon design dampens the experience.
I wandered into Soul Hackers 2 expecting a general sense of quality from Atlus, and ended up getting sucked into its world. While dungeon design can feel samey at times, it’s not enough to distract from the flashiness of the game as a whole. As usual, Atlus really nails the details; it was fun to hang out with this crew and see where things went.
Soul Hackers 2 it's a good game with some annoying issues. At it's core, Atlus new sci-fi JRPG it's an high-stakes 35/40 hours adventure with a charismatic and well written cast of characters, a protagonist - Ringo - which is both fun and interesting, and an enjoyable combat system. However, as a dungeon crawler, the game gets repetitive fairly quickly, and doesn't do enough to keep the player's attention high throught it's entire duration. Nonetheless, Soul Hackers 2 it's enjoyable experience, easy to recommend to all the fans of the Megami Tensei franchise, and a great starting point for a new series.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Soul Hackers 2 is good news for fans of Persona and Shin Megami Tensei, a JRPG that, despite not reaching the excellence of its more direct predecessors, delivers a remarkable experience that knows how to find its own space within Atlus' demonic universe.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Soul Hackers 2 has great combat and a story worth checking out, but the repetitive environments and constant barrage of enemies make the experience less than stellar.
Is that bad? Not necessarily. The story is interesting, the characters are likeable, and the voice acting is good. If you enjoy the core game loop for the SMT games, you are getting exactly that. Just don’t expect a huge new experience with a lot of new gameplay concepts.
Soul Hackers 2 delivers a well-crafted experience separate from other SMT entries.
Soul Hackers 2's only saving grace is its visual design. The characters look cool, the town is interesting, and the UI is somewhat stylish, but that's it. It's not broken or anything, just incredibly uninteresting. There's absolutely no substance to the story, characters, battle system, or level design. It's such a shame, because that style is very appealing, but there's absolutely no reason to play the game otherwise.
Soul Hackers 2 is a wonderful JRPG that features an intriguing story, a cast of likable characters, and addicting gameplay that is both welcoming to newcomers and challenging for veterans. While the beginning can be slow, and some of the dungeons can be cumbersome to trudge through, the rewarding payoffs are worth the effort.
Soul Hackers 2, at its core, is enjoyable if you like rattling through dungeons, playing with demons, and building a kick-ass party.
Soul Hackers 2 is a game that compares unfavorably to the recently released SMT V which I consider one of the series best. However, even when viewed on its own merits and nothing else, it falls far short of excellence due to its poor pacing, simplistic combat and endlessly dull dungeon crawling.
Soul Hackers 2 is a familiar but great entry in the Shin Megami Tensei franchise, gifting players with one of Atlus's best-styled games to date.
Some of the best turn-based combat around mixed with a surprising amount of customization makes Soul Hackers 2 another engrossing winner courtesy of Atlus.
A disservice to the original Soul Hackers mythology, Ringo and Figue's adventure to avert the end of the world feels all too predictable and lacks the risk-taking of other Shin Megami Tensei titles.
Soul Hackers 2 delivers a dry and essential experience for Megami Tensei fans in an old-fashioned dungeon crawler that doesn't dare to risk something new. In its caution it proves to be a good game for those who can't sleep waiting for the next Persona, but those who know Atlus' demons inside out won't find anything truly innovative.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While the game does a good job of establishing the agents of Aion as emerging AI, Soul Hackers 2 tells a deeply human story. This isn’t a shock to me, as Shin Megami Tensei spin-offs have always been more character-focused than the mainline games. I like Soul Hackers 2’s anime noir approach to character building. I recommend it to anyone who likes RPGs or cyberpunk.
Soul Hackers 2 is a competent Atlus JRPG that will tick a lot of boxes for fans of the genre, but it falls well short of being that next breakout star from Japan. With awful dungeon design and little else to do outside of them, it falls upon the engaging combat system and interesting enough narrative to pick up the pieces. It's by no means the next must-play JRPG, but there's just enough to Soul Hackers 2 that warrants a playthrough.