Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
While Atlus has released a slew of new titles this year, Devil Survivor proves the company is still giving its Shin Megami Tensei line the creative effort it deserves. The new RPG-tactics hybrid manages to maintain many of the elements that hooked players on previous titles like Shin Megami Tensei Persona 3 and 4, while offering a fresh plot and new mechanics that make it a solid purchase for seasoned fans.
The action follows three high-school students whose programmer buddy gives them new portable computers just before Tokyo gets locked down by a military quarantine. The city is infested with demons, and the teens discover that their gadgets let them summon demons to fight on their side.
True to the name, the key to the game is surviving. Exploration is done through a menu screen where you are often forced to choose how to use your limited time. You’ll quickly discover that chatting in one end of town can have dire consequences when you don’t have time to stop a demon attack in another zone. Luckily, there are always battles where you can power-level while off the game clock.