Game Review| Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 (iOS, Android)

Hi guys! My name is Kevin, and go by KebinPls in most, if not all of my online handles. I’ll be doing a monthly game review for BAYOG, and hope to also use my skills in photography when needed. For my first monthly review, we’ll be looking at Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2.

Shin Megami Tensei is a series with a lot of variety and history in the video game world. With 4 main game titles and endless spinoffs, including the insanely popular Persona series, it is one of the more successful JRPG series, especially with the success Persona, in particular, has seen outside of Japan.

Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 is Sega’s mobile entry of the SMT series for mobile devices, available now on iOS and Android. This is a free-to-play game with a mobile transaction store; one of the pricier ones I’ve seen at that. And yet, after completing the first chapter, and the missions and goals that come along with it, I’ve never found myself struggling with resources or energy to play. The game has a fantastic progression system and gives you the resources and methods to play without ever spending money. In the world of games with strict energy requirements and terrible leveling, it’s an honest breath of fresh air.

The game takes place in Tokyo, with you as a “Liberator,” one of the protagonists of the game. You’re pinned against a group named the “Acolytes” who plan on kick-starting the Apocalypse. Right from the get-go, you are recruited by the leader of the Liberators, who installs the Devil Summoning app on your characters cell phone.

From there, you are placed in a tutorial and into the first chapter of the game, which serves to show you how to summon demons, talk to demons to recruit them, etc. Basically, all staples of the SMT games. This includes devil summoning, devil combination, the main world of the game which acts as the chapter select aspect of the game, and much more. It truly is amazing how Sega made this mobile game so vast and loaded with features. As you battle demons, through trial and error you learn what they’re weak to, what they’re resistant to, and if you gain one as an ally, you learn all of their stats immediately. It serves to give the game some depth that is in the main games, meaning that the player does not get a watered-down experience. The game simply does not feel toned down at all; this is something you can pick up and sink an hour to easily on a daily basis.

The visuals for this game are vibrant and colorful, which is a breath of fresh air for the SMT core series. Story cutscenes are sprite animations, which is a step up on simple 2d pictures of the characters with some conversation text beneath them (Looking at you SMT IV). The biggest surprises to me were the battle sequence animations. Considering that the 3DS had TWO SMT games with simple 2D sprites battling (Think the first couple of generations of Pokémon), now we have 3d character models, dynamic camera angles, all the move sets have their own animations, and this is all in a free mobile game. It shows that the game is finally moving into a new generation of gameplay; just in time for SMT V’s release on the Nintendo Switch soon.

Overall, for fans of the Persona series and core SMT series, I would highly recommend this game to you. Even if you are looking for an RPG that actually feels playable without sinking a single penny into it, this is the game for you. It is fun and full of things to do. One day, you can go through and complete a couple of chapters. The next, you can take your experience, acquired Demon allies and resources, and see what Demon combinations you can come up with to strengthen your party. The day after? Do some demon training and special missions! This is a game that is simply fun to play. Kudos to Sega for creating a free to play game that actually feels free to play; and they did it on a game that has a great story, fantastic visuals, and SO much to do. Considering that this is a mobile game, this is a solid 10/10 for me. Let me know if you enjoy it as well!