RPGamer's SMT: DS Review

[Macstorm]

Here are my thoughts. Tear me apart.

http://www.rpgamer.com/games/megten/devilsurvivor/reviews/devilsurvivorstrev1.html

Irony that this was the 666th post in this forum?

[Gen Eric Gui]

The lack of voice acting is also noticeable, but with the insane amount of dialogue, voicing even a large portion of the game would have been a major undertaking.


I HATE it when people complain about this, especially in handheld games. Are we that lazy that we can't read the text ourselves anymore?

[Macstorm]

First, I'm not complaining about it, just listing that it's not present.

Second, while people can still read, when more and more RPGs have voice acting, it's more desired to have that option in new titles regardless if the game is on a handheld or console.

[Gen Eric Gui]

I was just kind of speaking in general. I hate when people complain about Devil Summoner not having voices just as much as I hate it when people give mediocre games like Luminous Arc high marks because it HAD voices.

I just don't feel it's an important part of gaming, and it grates on me when people talk about it like it's some kind of requirement.

[Manly Biceps]

Luminous Arc is not mediocre!

As far as voice acting goes, it's like graphics. If that's your thing, then you want more of it. If it's not, then you don't care so much. So, I can see it being something you at least comment on.

What I don't get is people looking at a DS title, and saying, "Why isn't this fully voiced? That's unacceptable!" For me, that's basically like admitting that you have no ability to think. There are obvious reasons why a DS game wouldn't be fully voiced, come on, think a little.

[AdrianMorales]

Luminous Arc and voiced dialogues aside, the review is hot and so is the game. Great job Macstorm! Anyway, I can’t wait to play the game:)

[Nephlabobo]

Well, it's better than the godawful Devil Summoner 2 review.

[Yukichin]

I don't get the NEED for voices. Yeah, they're a nice thing to have, but people still play games like Final Fantasy VII and Chrono Trigger, and THOSE don't have voices. geez.

Also, one of their cons is "End challenge encourages grinding". Well, this IS an SMT game, and it IS an RPG that's more challenging than others. So... isn't that kind of natural?

[Enzeru]

Also, one of their cons is "End challenge encourages grinding". Well, this IS an SMT game, and it IS an RPG that's more challenging than others. So... isn't that kind of natural?
I think it's just complaining about the difficulty curve being uneven, so that in the beginning, you barely even have to grind, but then the end hits, and BAM!, it's like a slap in the face.

[Gen Eric Gui]

Also, one of their cons is "End challenge encourages grinding". Well, this IS an SMT game, and it IS an RPG that's more challenging than others. So... isn't that kind of natural?

I don't see why an RPG being hard should mean that it encourages grinding. None of the past US-released SMT games have required it at all, and they were "hard". And then there's Yggdra Union, where the game is hard but makes grinding nearly impossible as well as totally pointless.

"Hard" games are more about requiring you to learn the system better to progress, not requiring that you spend X hours doing some boring task over and over again.

[Ryuujin]

Nice review, enjoyed the read.
anyways cant wait to get my hands on it and play.

[mjemirzian]

Anyone complaining about having to grind is just bad at games.

Any RPG or SRPG can be completed without grinding or save/reload abuse if you understand the systems well enough, plan ahead, and have enough skill.

Gen Eric knows what I mean, considering I completed Operation Darkness without grinding or even using the silly 'Auto Restore' skill.

[Macstorm]

Hi mjemirzian.

[Nephlabobo]

Gamespot made the same complaint that this review did, and it's a stupid one.

No voice acting.

It's a DS GAME.

/facepalm

[Ido]

Now the question I have is, are the battles really dynamic?

Guys get over voice acting and such comments...it's their review right?

Or better yet... instead of complaining go write your own review bitching those that bitch over voice acting （・∀・）

[Zborno]

Gamespot made the same complaint that this review did, and it's a stupid one.

No voice acting.

It's a DS GAME.

/facepalm

Many DS games have voice acting, although it's usually limited to select scenes. That would have worked well here - text for most of the game, but voice for the most important scenes. Given the quality of the voice acting in the Persona and Digital Devil Saga games and how much it added to them, its absence in Devil Survivor is disappointing and a missed opportunity to make the game even better.

[mjemirzian]

Hi mjemirzian.

omg.. I'm being stalked

Maybe you can make yourself useful and send me your review copy, since stores in Canada probably won't get it for a couple days, like most Atlus releases.

[Wiseman4545]

Many DS games have voice acting, although it's usually limited to select scenes. That would have worked well here - text for most of the game, but voice for the most important scenes. Given the quality of the voice acting in the Persona and Digital Devil Saga games and how much it added to them, its absence in Devil Survivor is disappointing and a missed opportunity to make the game even better.
DS games almost never have console quality voice acting. It's partly due to the inherent low quality of the sound of the DS, but the overall quality of the voice acting often seems to be sub-par in comparison to consoles as well.

[Macstorm]

Hi mjemirzian.

omg.. I'm being stalked

Maybe you can make yourself useful and send me your review copy, since stores in Canada probably won't get it for a couple days, like most Atlus releases.

I think you have that backwards, considering I made this thread. :)

I wish I could send you my copy, that way you have plenty of time to grind your way through the game.

[Gen Eric Gui]

its absence in Devil Survivor is disappointing and a missed opportunity to make the game even better.


IMO, the game is better -because- it doesn't have any voices. I can give the characters whatever voices I want to.

It's nice to see that mjemirzian is still a jerk.

[PainKilleR-[CE]]

I agree with Gen, but maybe it's because I'm getting up there in age and the games I grew up with didn't have voice acting anyway. Additionally, I rarely play handheld games with the sound on, and find much of the voice acting on home consoles poor at best.

[mjemirzian]

Yes I sure will need to grind to get through this average (at best) difficulty game even though I haven't needed to with any other SRPG, including ones that have far more difficult challenges. Totally nailed that one there.

EBgames Canada says it won't be in until monday at the earliest.

[Macstorm]

Fun thing is that sometimes it's not the challenge that leads to grinding. Valkyria Chronicles was that way, you totally didn't need to grind in that one... but of course, you've played Devil Survivor, so you'd know... oh wait, that's right, you haven't.

[Nephlabobo]

EBgames Canada says it won't be in until monday at the earliest.

I got told the same thing.

Goddammit Atlus, if you're going to have different shipping dates for different countries, at least make note of it so I don't have to call different game stores two days in a row.

Thanks for nothing.

[Inzaghi]

Let's not reprise the RPGamer thread here, please. Once was enough.

[Nephlabobo]

Let's not reprise the RPGamer thread here, please. Once was enough.

This is the RPGamer thread. How exactly can you reprise it in the same thread?

And you're skirting the issue.

What's up with multiple release dates for different countries - and not bothering to mention it?

[mjemirzian]

Fun thing is that sometimes it's not the challenge that leads to grinding. Valkyria Chronicles was that way, you totally didn't need to grind in that one... but of course, you've played Devil Survivor, so you'd know... oh wait, that's right, you haven't.

What leads to grinding is lack of understanding the games systems, lack of planning/development (leading to a poor party), and lack of skill.

What about Valkyria Chronicles? I can't tell whether you are being sarcastic or not. Grinding doesn't even help very much in that game.

[Inzaghi]

This is the RPGamer thread. How exactly can you reprise it in the same thread?

I meant the thread relating to this review on RPGamer.com itself, where the same two people are sniping over the same issues. (Which I see mjemirzian is continuing to do. Stop.)

And you're skirting the issue.

What's up with multiple release dates for different countries - and not bothering to mention it?

We gave an accurate ship date, which holds true for all countries. However, things such as customs and international shipping can mean some countries will receive the game later than specialty stores who went with next-day shipping within the same country.

[mjemirzian]

uhh ok? My posts have been very civil and fact based. It's called a discussion.

"What leads to grinding is lack of understanding the games systems, lack of planning/development (leading to a poor party), and lack of skill." Is not in any way sniping at anybody.

Anyway I bought the game and it's very easy so far. I'm not sure how free battles are set up so I haven't bothered with them yet.

[Macstorm]

Feel free to lock this thread, Inzaghi. With the official reviews thread up, this one serves no purpose other than pettiness now. My apologies for any inconvenience.

[Gen Eric Gui]

Please, no lock. We'll miss out on comedy gold from mjem up there.

Or am I the only one who finds his posts hilarious?