Info about Soul Hackers 2:

Official game description:
Digital Deluxe Edition
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Digital Premium Edition
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About the Game
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Amidst the glimmer of neon lights, technological advancement causes humans to be consumed by commercial convenience. In the shadows, a war between the Yatagarasu and the Phantom Society is brewing, Devil Summoners who harness the otherworldly powers of “Demons”.  
Existing in the secret sea of humanity’s data, a digital hivemind has evolved into sentience: Aion. Observing humankind from afar, Aion calculates that a world-ending disaster is imminent and creates two agents to combat against it: Ringo and Figue.  
Together, these agents of Aion must investigate and prevent a butterfly effect that will lead to the end of the world.  
Key Features:  
*   Investigate the end of the world as Ringo, an agent of Aion tasked with saving humanity from an apocalypse.  
*   Explore a supernatural RPG with stylish summoners and dark dangers lurking under the neon lights of a cyberpunk Japan.  
*   Amass demons and unlock fusion combinations to create new, stronger demon allies, using their lethal abilities for incredible assaults on your foes.  
*   Strengthen the bonds with your teammates and dive deeper into their souls, reliving their last adventures and discovering the truth of their stories and yours.
The Soul Hackers 2 - Digital Deluxe Edition includes:
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\- Soul Hackers 2  
\- Bonus Story Arc: The Lost Numbers  
\- Booster Item Pack  
\- Pre-Order Bonus - Persona 5 Phantom Thieves outfits
The Soul Hackers 2 - Digital Premium Edition includes:
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\- Soul Hackers 2  
\- Bonus Story Arc: The Lost Numbers  
\- Booster Item Pack  
\- Bonus Demon Pack  
\- Costume & BGM Pack  
\- Pre-Order Bonus - Persona 5 Phantom Thieves outfits  
\- Mary's Maid Frock outfit  
\- Ai-ho Demo

Release date: Aug 25, 2022

Categories: JRPG, Turn-based Combat, Demon Fusion System, Character Customization, Story-driven, Cyberpunk, Dungeon Crawler

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 85; verdict: Predatory Monetization; summary: The game has significant issues with its monetization strategy, particularly around Day-1 DLC and the locking of convenient gameplay elements behind paywalls. Users feel that the game is overpriced and that significant content is being withheld to force additional purchases. There are also reports of DLC not being delivered as promised, adding to the frustration.
- Proton/Linux: score 10; verdict: Works Well; summary: The game exhibits strong compatibility with Linux through Proton, with users reporting a seamless experience on both Ubuntu and Steam Deck. There are no notable issues mentioned, indicating a well-supported game on Linux platforms.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with stability and DRM, leading to frequent crashes and unplayable conditions. However, there are also positive reports regarding compatibility across different platforms. The overall experience is marred by critical technical barriers that need to be addressed.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $20.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence consistently suggests that the game is worth purchasing only when it is discounted. Multiple reviews mention that the game is not worth its full price and recommend waiting for a sale. Specific price points mentioned include $30 or less and $20, indicating that the community considers these prices to be fair for the base game.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 30.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 1.5h
  - Endgame: 5.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides direct and indirect mentions of playtime metrics. The first quote mentions a 90+ minute session, which is useful for estimating session length. The second quote mentions grinding for hours, which supports the endgame metric. The third quote explicitly states a total runtime of around 30 hours, which aligns with the game completion metric. The fourth quote mentions spending 80% of the time on a specific activity, which helps estimate session length and overall playtime.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game's fun is significantly hindered by its repetitive and tedious dungeon design, which players find boring and complex.
  - Stance: Never clicks
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: 0h 0m
  - Friction: Repetitive dungeons; Tedious dungeon design; Complex and long dungeons; Boring and samey dungeons
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: N/A
- Player Archetypes:
  - Accessibility Advocate (sale)
    - Motivation: Accessibility and ease of entry into the SMT/Persona series
    - Playstyle: Casual, enjoys the game for its simplicity and accessibility
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: newcomer; casual player
    - Reference games: Persona; Shin Megami Tensei; Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE
  - Franchise Supporter (sale)
    - Motivation: Support for the SMT/Persona franchise and enjoyment of the story and characters
    - Playstyle: Story-focused, willing to overlook gameplay flaws for the sake of the narrative and characters
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: hardcore fan; SMT/Persona fan
    - Reference games: Persona 3; Persona 5; Shin Megami Tensei
  - Story-First Explorer (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Engagement with the story and characters
    - Playstyle: Story-focused, may skip or endure grinding and dungeon sections
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: story enthusiast; narrative-focused player
    - Reference games: Persona; Shin Megami Tensei
  - Build-Crafter Grinder (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Customization and optimization of gameplay through grinding and demon fusion
    - Playstyle: Grinding and customization-focused, enjoys the process of upgrading and fusing demons
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: grinder; customization enthusiast
    - Reference games: Shin Megami Tensei; Persona


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Strong character design and development (weight 0.36): The game features well-designed characters with unique and memorable appearances. Players appreciate the character development and relationships throughout the game.
- Enjoyable and fun gameplay (weight 0.35): The gameplay is described as fun and enjoyable, with good variety and depth. Players find the overall experience engaging and entertaining.
- Decent story and plot (weight 0.32): The story is considered decent and well-paced, with some interesting elements. Players find the plot satisfying and entertaining.
- Visually appealing graphics (weight 0.27): The game is praised for its beautiful and distinctive visual design. Players enjoy the appealing graphics and artistic choices.
- Ringo as a standout protagonist (weight 0.25): Ringo is highlighted as a well-written and enjoyable protagonist. Players appreciate her design, personality, and development.
- Simple and smooth game mechanics (weight 0.18): The game is noted for its simplicity and smooth performance. Players appreciate the clear game system and controls.
- Good music and soundtrack (weight 0.15): The game features a good soundtrack with enjoyable music. Players appreciate the quality of the music at times.
- Balanced and challenging difficulty (weight 0.13): The game offers a well-balanced difficulty level that is challenging yet reasonable. Players find the difficulty appropriate and engaging.
- Classic demon fusion system (weight 0.12): The demon fusion system is a classic and enjoyable feature. Players appreciate the depth and convenience it adds to the gameplay.
- Positive Chinese reviews (weight 0.08): Chinese players appreciate the story, battle performances, and art design. The game is noted for its mix of visual novel elements and decent character development.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive and boring dungeons (weight 0.57): Players consistently report that dungeons are repetitive, boring, and monotonous. The design lacks variety and interest, making the dungeon-crawling experience tedious and unengaging.
- Poor map and dungeon design (weight 0.31): The map and dungeon design are criticized for being poor, confusing, and linear. Dungeons are often described as generic, simplistic, and lacking variation.
- Game overpriced (weight 0.23): Many players feel that the game is not worth its full price and is only worth purchasing if it is on sale for more than 50% off. The DLC is also criticized for not being worth the cost.
- Tedious and unrewarding side quests (weight 0.16): Side quests are frequently mentioned as tedious, repetitive, and unrewarding. They are often seen as fetch quests that lack guidance and are not enjoyable.
- Worst Atlus game (weight 0.1): Some players consider this to be the worst game developed by Atlus, citing various flaws in story, gameplay, and design that make it inferior to other titles in the franchise.
- Lack of variety in music (weight 0.1): The game's music, particularly in dungeons, is criticized for lacking variety. There is limited variety in dungeon and battle themes, making the soundtrack feel repetitive.
- Few demons and lack of variety (weight 0.08): Players note a reduced number of demons and a lack of variety among them. This lack of diversity affects the gameplay experience negatively.
- Poor demon negotiation system (weight 0.08): The demon negotiation system is criticized for being poorly handled, randomized, and less enjoyable. Some players feel that it is gutted or removed entirely, affecting gameplay negatively.
- Soul Matrix dungeons are frustrating (weight 0.08): The Soul Matrix dungeons are specifically criticized for being poorly designed, frustrating, and too long, contributing to a negative gameplay experience.
- Chinese players dislike dungeon design (weight 0.08): Chinese players criticize the dungeon design for being monotonous, repetitive, and lacking in visual variation and puzzle elements. The exploration process is described as sleep-inducing and the design as anti-player, increasing time costs.

Gameplay feedback:
- Dungeon crawling and exploration (weight 0.25): The game includes dungeon crawling with linear layouts and side quests. Players can explore and map dungeons, although some find the design repetitive and monotonous.
- Turn-based combat mechanics (weight 0.2): The game features a turn-based combat system with mechanics similar to the Press Turn system. Players can speed up combat and customize characters, simplifying actions while maintaining strategic depth.
- Demon fusion and customization (weight 0.18): Demon fusion and customization are significant aspects of the game. Players can collect, fuse, and customize demons, as well as inherit their abilities through a registration system.
- Persona-like combat system (weight 0.18): The combat system is inspired by Persona and other similar games, featuring turn-based mechanics and a weakness system. This includes elements like demon abilities and strategic combat.
- Character development and customization (weight 0.17): Character development is a key focus, with extensive customization options for skills and progression. Players can tailor their characters' abilities and equipment to suit their playstyle.
- Story-driven narrative (weight 0.16): The game features a story-driven narrative with a strong main protagonist and side quests. Character relationships and hangout scenes add depth to the story.
- Dungeon aesthetics and design (weight 0.14): The dungeon aesthetics and design have received mixed reviews, with some players finding them flat and uninspired, contributing to a less engaging exploration experience.
- Challenging difficulty levels (weight 0.1): The game offers various difficulty levels, providing a challenge for players. The combat difficulty can be adjusted to suit different playstyles.
- Sabbath combat system (weight 0.1): The Sabbath combat mechanic introduces a unique twist to battles, adding an extra layer of strategy and fun to the combat system.
- Repetitive gameplay loop (weight 0.09): Some players find the gameplay loop repetitive, with grinding for levels and monotonous map design contributing to a sense of redundancy.
- Slow movement speed (weight 0.08): The movement speed in the game is perceived as slow and sluggish, which can affect the overall gameplay experience.
- Innovative battle features (weight 0.05): The game introduces innovative battle features, including a unique combat system that adds variety and depth to the gameplay.
- New Game Plus mode (weight 0.05): The game includes a New Game Plus mode, allowing players to start a new game with retained progress and abilities from their previous playthrough.
- Soul Hacking mechanic (weight 0.05): The Soul Hacking mechanic is a unique feature that adds a new dimension to the gameplay, allowing players to interact with the game world in innovative ways.

Performance notes:
- Game runs smoothly (weight 0.18): The game runs well without bugs, frame drops, or technical issues. It has a stable frame rate and performance across different platforms.
- High performance on various hardware (weight 0.15): The game runs great on high-end hardware like RTX 4060 at max settings and 4K 120 FPS. It also performs well on different operating systems and hardware configurations.
- Loading times and screens (weight 0.11): The game has quick loading times but also has issues with atrocious loading screens and frequent loading occurrences.
- Visual and technical issues (weight 0.11): While the visuals are praised for looking astounding, there are some technical issues with aliasing and a lack of polish in small details. Some players also report stuttering and graphical shortcomings.
- Frequent crashes and freezes (weight 0.1): Some players experience frequent crashes, especially during specific boss battles, and game freezes. There are also issues with the game crashing the entire PC.
- Alt-tabbing and field of view issues (weight 0.06): Alt-tabbing can cause the game to freeze, and there are issues related to the field of view and full-screen display on ultrawide monitors.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for fans on sale (weight 0.4): The game is frequently recommended for fans of the series, particularly those who enjoy Atlus games, but only if purchased during a sale. This suggests that while the game has its merits, it may not be worth the full price.
- Recommended for JRPG fans (weight 0.22): The game is often recommended for fans of JRPGs, especially those who enjoy specific niches within the genre. It is suggested for those who like difficult RPG combat and classic dungeon design.
- Not recommended at full price (weight 0.12): Several reviews explicitly state that the game is not recommended at full price due to various issues, including lack of interesting content and numerous problems.
- Recommended for specific audiences (weight 0.11): The game is recommended for specific types of gamers, such as those who enjoy deep stories, trophy hunters, and fans of the developer. It is also suggested for those new to the MegaTen series.
- Caution advised for DLC (weight 0.06): Reviews suggest caution regarding the purchase of DLC, indicating that they may not be worth the investment. Some recommend specific DLCs for reducing grinding.
- Mixed feelings on replayability (weight 0.05): Some reviews indicate that while the game is worth a single playthrough, it may not hold up for multiple playthroughs. Others express that they won't play it again despite completing it.
- Language and translation issues (weight 0.02): There are suggestions to use fan translations or play in specific languages, indicating potential issues with the official translation or language support.
- Suggestions for future games (weight 0.02): Some reviews include suggestions for the developers to create more games in specific settings, showing a desire for more content in particular styles or universes.

Other player notes:
- Buy complete edition on sale (weight 0.03): Players suggest purchasing the complete edition of the game when it is on sale to save time on grinding.
- Translation resource available (weight 0.03): A link for translation resources has been provided, which could be helpful for non-native speakers.
- Child voice actor annoyance (weight 0.02): Some players find the child voice actor's performance annoying or irritating.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.32): Players feel let down by the game's lack of innovation and polish compared to other Atlus titles. The dungeon design is repetitive and boring, the story is predictable and unengaging, and the overall gameplay feels simplified and uninspired. Additionally, the reduction in the number of demons and the removal of negotiation mechanics have disappointed fans of the series.
- Frustration (weight 0.24): Players are frustrated with the game's poor dungeon design, which includes repetitive elements, confusing layouts, and excessive warping. The combat mechanics and slow movement speed also contribute to the frustration, along with the game's high price and lack of quality content, including the Day 1 DLC and its issues.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.15): Despite its flaws, many players enjoy the game's story, characters, and music. The combat mechanics and character design are also praised, along with the overall game experience. The cyberpunk setting and distinctive art design contribute to the enjoyment as well.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.13): Players find satisfaction in the game's character development, story, and overall gameplay experience. The demon fusion system and combat mechanics are also enjoyable, providing a satisfying RPG experience despite some drawbacks.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Players are angry about the game's high price and poor quality, including the use of Denuvo DRM. The numerous problems and lack of interesting content, along with the game's pricing and DLC practices, have also contributed to this anger.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the game's character Ringo and the interesting setting. Despite its lower budget, the game's design and presentation, as well as its story and characters, are positively received.
- Positive (weight 0.01): Players have a positive view of the game's interesting story and good gameplay. The enjoyable story, characters, gameplay, and music contribute to this positivity, along with the straightforward characters and learning curve.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players are enthusiastic about the game's story and characters, highly recommending it. The game's design and combat system are also praised, contributing to the overall enthusiasm.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Players admire the game's visuals and characters, describing it as a true triumph. The game's strong story and unique aesthetic are also admired.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): Players are excited about the game's combat system, graphics, and overall enjoyment. The positive description of the game's style and characters contributes to this excitement.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Players feel nostalgic due to the game's similarity to old school MegaTen titles. This nostalgia is evoked by reflecting on the evolution of gaming preferences over time.}