Remember the grid system in Final Fantasy X? Remember how
stupidly difficult it was to navigate that grid sometimes? Well confusion be
damned with Digital Devil Saga. As
you defeat monsters you earn macca which the currency in the game. At every
save point you can select a new discipline to learn, want the main character to
be a healer, you can do that. Each time you want to start a new discipline then
you just head to the start of the grid. You will learn new skills by acquiring
atma, which is done at the end of every battle. You can acquire it at an accelerated
rate by devouring your enemies. There are a number of skills that allow you to
devour your enemies, some have a higher success rate than others, but you’ll
always want to devour them when they are frightened. You’ll figure that out as
you play the game.
Like I’ve said before these games are difficult, and the
game doesn’t cut you any slack during the transition between Digital Devil Saga 1 and Digital Devil Saga 2, you will have to
relearn all your skills, and re-level. Which is a big stinker when you consider
a game like .Hack allowed you to carry over all of your stats and items. Digital Devil Saga has a few story elements that pertain to how
you respond to specific situations, but it’s not anything absolutely major.
This little end-game gripe and the difficulty are the only things I think keep this
game from getting a higher score. Everything else in the game is fantastic,
music, story, battles, all of these things combine to make for an epic
experience.
Digital Devil Saga is one of the standout RPGs in a year
without a Final Fantasy. If you picked up the first Digital Devil Saga earlier
this year then for completion of the story alone you must get your hands on the
second title. You will not be disappointed.
A-
One of the standout RPG's for the year, if you like Final Fantasy style RPG's you need to own both of these titles.
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