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…I haven’t been a portable gamer for quite some time. Jumping back into it with an RPG seemed like a horrible idea, but given my unfortunate relationship with mass transit, I was able to dive deep into the game in question. This game was Devil Survivor: Overclocked. Being a fan of the Shin Megami Tensei series I expected some pretty solid existential arguments, Pokemon-laced demons geared towards an older demographic, and maybe some boobs. I got everything I wanted minus the boobs so my complaints are to a minimum.

Story : The Whole World Has Gone To Crap

This is no exaggeration given the plot; demons have taken over Central Tokyo due to the efforts of a religious cult known as the Shomonkai. Their true intentions become unravelled throughout the course of the game, but all that’s known originally is that these demons are the cause of a Lockdown by the Japanese Government. It’s an unfortunate set of circumstances for everyone involved and in true SMT fashion, they just keep piling sh-t on top of our heroes. If the situation that’s got the Government all riled up isn’t settled within 7 days, a final option incinerating Central Tokyo will happen. Basically everybody is boned.

With such an uplifting first few minutes we’ve learned that this game is more of an escape than anything. The story lends itself to the older Shin Megami Tensei titles with the protagonist going on a quest of self-identity and power. In controlling every aspect of his leveling, decisions, and personality, the story unfolds on the player depending on who they agree with. A lot like Nocturnewithin the same series, Devil Survivor has plenty of endings dependent on the battles you set off to face. The story is massive and its characters are all extremely poignant keeping that whole ‘world gone to crap’ mentality at bay enough for you to enjoy the dynamics set by each of them. Find the path that fits you as the player and the personal investment you’ve made into seeing what happens to ‘you’ makes the story genuine. Become the savior or the antichrist, or just chill and let the leaves fall where they may; your call. Everything else compliments your decisions.

Gameplay : I Choose You! Pika…whoops. My Bad.

At its core you could claim that Devil Survivor is a turn-based RPG with strategy elements. The battles take place on a map where characters have turns and can only move an allocated amount of spaces depending on their stats. Then, when they contact an enemy, a turn-based system pops up out of nowhere and you’re playing Pokemon; Pokemon for adults. Being a fan of Shin Megami Tensei I don’t like admitting this, but it’d be silly not to. The collection of demons, fusing them (evolution for the Pocket Monster generation), and having unique bonds with particular demons showcasing personality traits are all from Ash Ketchum’s playbook.

But here’s the deal – Pokemon was fantastic. Take Pagan, Christian, anything-ism and throw some faces on their symbols, give them fire spells, and presto – Shin Megami Tensei. I’m not going to get caught up in a ‘Simpsons Did It’ mentality which will throw off my ability to enjoy the game.

Difficulty : You Gonna Die.

The level gaps between pinnacle points in Devil Survivor almost had me throw the game down in angst and watch my Nintendo 3DS shatter in slow motion on my bathroom floor. Yes I’m implying that while playing this game…I was in the bathroom. Your mind went there. I didn’t.

Just with any entry drug the game will coax you into believing that with proper strategy and deployment of characters you’ll stand a fighters chance against the trickier enemies. By level 30 or so you’ll run up against a demon named Beldr, whose improperly spelled name has the ability to wipe out a character at anytime with his chosing.

It’s at that time grinding becomes essential and the flow is thrown asunder creating a void where anticipation turns into annoyance. Unfortunately it’s something you’ll have to accept if you’re invested enough into the plot, which most of you will be, which means you’re going to be fighting quite often in the hopes of overcoming an obstacle down the road. Devil Survivor is a grind fest that subtly rewards you incrementally with more information on the path you chose by the fights you…fight. Certain paths are harder than others so the choice directly effects the difficulty. That said, safely assume the ‘cooler‘ option you pick will be the most difficult.

Everything Else : I Can’t Imagine A Child Playing This, But RPG-Adults with 20/20 Vision Should Love It

It’s always been a gross assumption that portable gaming is for children since adults do important things like drive cars, go to business meetings, and play Golf. This game is not for children. It’s not the subject matter that is in question; it’s because kids aren’t going to ever get to the 3rd day within Devil Survivor. They will quit and play something much more enjoyable for them which doesn’t involve fusing demons, strategy, and constant trial and error from an overpowering boss.

Also, Overclocked pumped the 3D notion quite a bit and never fully utilized it. The only 3D effects are the fusing of demons (which is pretty pathetic since they are in card form) and the title sequence. The voice acting, however, is a notable touch that adds to the story and gives a more personal appeal to the game rather than text only like Dragon Quest IX or 9-9-9.

All in all the story is its saving grace as the gameplay and other features lack originality or compassion. A brutal grind fest with flashbacks to Professor Oak and a quest to the Elite Four, Devil Survivor is a cruel exercise for compelling content harboring in the murky waters of the Nintendo 3DS.

But I guess enough people liked it for ATLUS to make a sequel. So there’s always that.