So I've been playing Devil survivor on the DS

[Ghaleon]

As title says, when I'm playing games on a portable that is.

Damn this game is sweet. I've never played a tactical rpg so good before. I feel like there is actually deep strategy to it other than milking your enemies weakness, abusing your class's op move over and over again, etc. The way you get new units (demons in this case) is interesting. The difficulty is great, totally reminds me of Ys. It's very easy to be underlevel and give yourself a nice challenge if you want to be. But if you want to "level up", all it takes is just 1 MAYBE 2 free battles and you gain in power significantly, making the process fun actually. Hell, I even like pretty much all the main characters. I'm actually worried about having to "dump" some of the ones I like at the end of the game cuz I'm scared that each of the multiple endings screw some of them in the end. I don't know yet though. I guess it's safe to assume that liking this game means I should try the rest of the series for sure? (was really planning to anyway though, but this game was even better than I expected)

[Bananamatic]

Ys

Played VI? :V

[Ghaleon]

Played VI? :V

Which one is that again? I have ark of napishtem. that's 6 or 7 I think, I forget.

[Bananamatic]

Which one is that again? I have ark of napishtem. that's 6 or 7 I think, I forget.

Yeah. I've played it in one sitting once :V
Definitely the most challenging action RPG I've ever played....on Nightmare, that is.

[Fightest]

I guess it's safe to assume that liking this game means I should try the rest of the series for sure? (was really planning to anyway though, but this game was even better than I expected)

The Megaten (Shin Megami Tensei shortened) series, which Devil Survivor is a part of, from what I understand, is mostly very good at that kind of stuff. The Persona series in Megaten is wonderful, and I'd personally recommend Persona 4. Although you're gonna have to go multiplatform, as it's for the PS2.

[Ghaleon]

Yeah. I've played it in one sitting once :V
Definitely the most challenging action RPG I've ever played....on Nightmare, that is.

Yeah, it has the absolute coolest/impressive/intimidating boss fights for any game of its type. Zelda ain't got nothing over it for cool boos fights.

I especially like the one guarding the wall Dogi smashes.

The Megaten (Shin Megami Tensei shortened) series, which Devil Survivor is a part of, from what I understand, is mostly very good at that kind of stuff. The Persona series in Megaten is wonderful, and I'd personally recommend Persona 4. Although you're gonna have to go multiplatform, as it's for the PS2.

Persona 3 is ps2 too I believe. Which is ok, I have both a ps2 and 3 so.. yeah, no biggie. I'd prefer to try at least 1 non-portable iteration of every series I like anyway.

[Bananamatic]

You might want to skip Persona 3 if you mostly play for the gameplay, since the AI is very, very bad. P4 allows direct party member control.

[theshirn]

If you're going to play Persona 3 at all, best to play it before 4.  Once you play 4, 3 will just drive you insane.

I honestly didn't care much for Devil Survivor (read: I got bored halfway through and stopped) but after playing a bunch of Persona 3 and 4, I should probably go back and finish it up; it's easier, so they say.  I just didn't care much for the gameplay (which is really odd, 'cause I'm a huge sucker for SRPGs), and the music started grating WAY TOO FAST.

Also, if you're going to play P3 at all, get P3:FES.  An enhanced remake, which is basically saying a lot of better things and added stuff.  Also runs cheaper than the original these days.

[Ionasal kkll Solciel]

If you're going to play Persona 3 at all, best to play it before 4.  Once you play 4, 3 will just drive you insane.

Also, if you're going to play P3 at all, get P3:FES.  An enhanced remake, which is basically saying a lot of better things and added stuff.  Also runs cheaper than the original these days.

I agree with this completely, and would like to add that FES also won't require you to follow an exacting schedule to max out all the S. Links (degrees of friendship that affect the Personas you create), though it is unbearably strict.

[Bananamatic]

I agree with this completely, and would like to add that FES also won't require you to follow an exacting schedule to max out all the S. Links (degrees of friendship that affect the Personas you create), though it is unbearably strict.

Maxing out the S.Links is also awfully useless.....the persona you get is only useable at the secret boss, which is extremely stupid. You fight alone, the boss follows an exact pattern and you have to follow some retarded rules or you get 9999 Megidolaon'd all the time.
Not to mention that you have to play through the game in NG+ to even reach that boss, which completely ruins the challenge.

[Ionasal kkll Solciel]

Granted, maxing out all the S. Links is stupid, but maxing out a number of them can be very useful to the player, as FES includes a weapons forging system.  Using certain Personae (such as Thor or Cu Chulain (how do you spell that?!) can give out unique weapons, e.g. Thor's Mjolnir hammer or Cu Chulain's Gae Bolg lance.  Many of them can only be created after maxing the Persona's Arcana.

Not to mention the nice five level bonus you get for fusing with a maxed link.

[Formless God]

Also check out Nocturne and Persona 2 while you're at it. They are the best games in the series :V

[Verloren]

This game is mean. The first Bel is impossible.

[Formless God]

Uhh ... your level ?
I got him at Lv.25~27 :V

[trancehime]

This game is mean. The first Bel is impossible.

Well, he IS impossible without the special item...

[Verloren]

I'm supposed to kill him with a hero who can only damage him by punching him in the face with a cellphone strap? >.> The hero sucks at basic attacks...

And I was about that level, too.

[theshirn]

Beldr only took me two tries with a MC who hasn't put a point in Strength.  Just kill off everyone else first, then start hitting him and have someone to heal for a couple rounds.  Once more enemies spawn and get close to you, everyone else goes to kill them while the MC keeps punching away.

And I think I was level 23 or so...

[Ionasal kkll Solciel]

You can also use Aggravate on the MC - since Devil's Fuge is considered a Physical attack by the game engine, Aggravate will ensure a Critical, most likely eliminating Beldr's Extra Turn.

[Ghaleon]

Aggravate is good, getting a kishin in there is also good (I think that's w hat they are called, first one I got was a stone-golem looking dude). I opted for a healer instead but the boss doesn't really fight well, so it wasn't really needed, just rely on other groups to heal you if you must.

I couldn't kill him before he rezzed all the enemies again, and I had to re-kill a few, but it still didn't seem to bad.

My beef with the game is that whenever an enemy can cast a spell that one of my units is weak against, it seems like I ALWAYS get stunned, frozen, whatever. Yet if I ever get to cast mabufu on 3 frost weak enemies, chances are not one of them gets frozen. argh

[AlexX Unlimited]

I couldn't kill him before he rezzed all the enemies again, and I had to re-kill a few, but it still didn't seem to bad.

It's only really an issue if one of the Cait Siths manage to reach Beldr since they'll heal him first chance they get, and if you're not using a physical-based MC that's likely going to cause problems.

[Ghaleon]

I just remembered that I also had alot of dark-magic ( I don't know what it's called,that's my guess) strong/null/absorb units in my army. When I had every unit alive his vampire mist wouldn't even heal him for 100. That also helps I rekon >=p

[AlexX Unlimited]

That's the "Mystic" affinity. Resistance/immunity to that is nice, because that's the affinity most status effects are.

Personally, my only real complaint about the game is overall lack of demons at higher levels. After a couple New Game+'s you'll get a decent amount of high-level demons to use, but for the most part you won't have too many options by the time you reach the endgame the first time, even more limited by the fact they're all listed as Unique so that you can't have more than one copy...

[Krusty]

Just started playing Devil Survivor as well.  Just got the Devil's Fuge, so I gotta fight Beldr. The main character has awesome headphones.

[Ghaleon]

Just started playing Devil Survivor as well.  Just got the Devil's Fuge, so I gotta fight Beldr. The main character has awesome headphones.

Heh, reminds me of me. When I was going to college people made fun of me cuz I always had them on. People would say I showered with them on. Of course, they were included on all of my photo IDS as well >=P.

[Krusty]

I've also been known to wear headphones everywhere I go. My friends ask why I insist on wearing them all the time, I just say they're to drown out their annoying voices. What kind do you use? I've been using Sennheiser PX100's for my recent outings.

[Ghaleon]

I've also been known to wear headphones everywhere I go. My friends ask why I insist on wearing them all the time, I just say they're to drown out their annoying voices. What kind do you use? I've been using Sennheiser PX100's for my recent outings.

My current pair, which are over 6 years old now so I've been considering an upgrade, are...*checks*
Fostex T20RP mkII