Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2

Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 is a role-playing video game developed by Atlus and Sega, and published by Sega for iOS and Android. It is part of the Shin Megami Tensei series, which in turn is part of the larger Megami Tensei franchise. The plot follows a player-customised character who battles demons with a smartphone app.

Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2
Developer(s)Atlus, Sega
Publisher(s)Sega
Director(s)Keiichi Ono
Producer(s)Furuichi Norio[1]
Designer(s)Tatsuro Iwamoto
Programmer(s)Tatsuhide Nakakita
SeriesMegami Tensei
Platform(s)iOS, Android[2]
Release
  • JP: 22 January 2018
  • WW: 24 July 2018
Genre(s)Role-playing

The game was initially released in January 2018, in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, and later released worldwide. A mode similar to Pokémon Go was later added after the game's launch, showing demons in augmented reality.

Gameplay

Dx2 is a role playing game, featuring game mechanics found in gacha games, as well as the Shin Megami Tensei series. Battles are turn based, and follows the "press turn" battle system founded in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne.[3] Under the press turn battle system party members can gain additional moves from exploiting enemy weaknesses.[4] Dx2 is a free to play game, with microtransactions, featuring a single-player, and a combative player verses player mode.[5]

Dx2 features over 250 demons. All of them be recruited, summoned through gacha mechanics or fused through normal play, without microtransactions, and have a player rating system in place.[6]

Plot

Dx2 follows the player, that becomes a member of the secret Liberators organisation, a group with members gaining the ability to control demon-like beings; based in Akihabara, Japan.[7] Anyone with this power, is known as a Devil Downloader (Dx2).

Dx2's and are split into two warring factions, the Liberators and Acolytes.[8][9] The Liberators are tasked with stopping the Acolytes, who are targeting civilian members of the public who have high empathy.[10] Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 follows several members of the Liberators, including schoolgirl Rika Ryuzouhi, professional media streamer "Megakin" Taro Fuse, Boxer Jeng Yun Tsai, computing student Shiang Sun, light novelist Ririn Ueda, idol Shiori Koden, retired soldier Gakuto Inoue and fung shui master Seiran Saikawa.

Release

Dx2 was released in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau in January 2018, following a short private beta. The game was eventually released worldwide after a public beta in July 2018.[11] In an interview with producer Yamada Riichiro of Sega, Riichiro commented that he immediately wanted to work with Atlus within the SMT series, and presented a plan to the company for a new release.[4] Riichiro commented that he saw the mobile platforms as a way to expand the audience for SMT, and also to "take advantage of the F2P (Free to play) model".[4]

The final release of Dx2 saw 3-Dimensional models of over 180 demons in the game at launch.[4] Whilst some of these models were reused from other games in the series, over 40 were developed by Sega for the release.[4]

On October 3, 2018, the game was discontinued for Belgian-based players from October 18, 2018 due to anti-gambling laws preventing the F2P from being implemented.[12]

Reception

Dx2 received "generally favorable reviews" according to media review aggregator website Metacritic.[13] The game received high praise for its high graphical content, and its adaptation of the Shin Megami Tensei gameplay. The Verge commented that Dx2 did an "admirable job" of retaining the "soul of SMT", and praised the game for it retaining the same battle mechanics found in other SMT games.[8] Ethan Gatch of Kotaku commented that the game succeeded in being a "console gameplay experience on smartphones".[16]

Dave Aubrey of Pocket Gamer was positive about the game, but felt that it didn't reach the same levels as those of the mainline series of SMT. Aubrey commented that despite the cast being "beautifully designed", the characters were "not as interactive or likeable" as those in other SMT games.[15] Matthew Sholtz of Android Police compared the game to Pokémon, with similar experiences to the series, such as a strength/weakness system, and the ability to catch and evolve monsters.[17] Zack Reese of website RPG Site commented on the poor story, in comparison to regular SMT games, but also stated that Dx2 is "worth playing especially if you’re a series fan."[18]

References
    1. "Interview with Furuichi Norio, Chief Producer for Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 - GameAxis". GameAxis. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    2. "Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 now available worldwide | AndroidPIT". AndroidPIT. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    3. "Persona and Shin Megami Tensei Fans Should Look Forward To New Game, Liberation Dx2". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    4. Andriessen, CJ. "Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 wants to be the complete console experience, but on smartphones". destructoid. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    5. "Talk it out with demons in Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2, out now on Play Store". Android Authority. 24 July 2018. Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    6. "Shin Megami Tensei Players Are Writing The Funny (And Horny) Demon Reviews". Kotaku Australia. 27 July 2018. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
    7. "10 minutes of Dx2 Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation English gameplay - Gematsu". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    8. "Cult RPG Shin Megami Tensei is surprisingly great on mobile". The Verge. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    9. "Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 - IGN.com". IGN. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
    10. "Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 Review - You'll Never See It Coming - GamerBraves". GamerBraves. Archived from the original on 23 January 2019. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
    11. "Shin Megami Tensei Liberation DX2 will be releasing in English This Week". IGN Southeast Asia. 24 July 2018. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2020.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    13. "Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    14. "Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 review | 148Apps". 148apps.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    15. "Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 Review". Pocket Gamer. 27 July 2018. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    16. Gach, Ethan. "The Shin Megami Tensei Mobile Game Embraces The Hell World Of Social Media". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018. console gameplay experience on smartphones
    17. "Download some devils in Sega's new gacha JRPG 'Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2'". Android Police - Android news, reviews, apps, games, phones, tablets. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
    18. Reese, Zack. "Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 Review | RPG Site". rpgsite.net. Archived from the original on 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
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