First Soul Hackers 2 direct gameplay showcases combat and classic demons

Ever since Soul Hackers 2 was announced in February, Shin Megami Tensei fans have been fiending for more. We have a good sense of how the game will play, but seeing it in action is still important. Luckily, the first direct feed gameplay has surfaced.

YouTube channel Persona Central has the gameplay, which was originally streamed as part of the annual Nico Nico Cho Kaigi event in Japan. The gameplay video shows a nice sample of what we can expect, as protagonist Ringo and her party explore a shipyard. Combat plays out in typical SMT fashion: party members use attacks of varying affinities to strike the enemies’ weaknesses and earn extra turns. Striking an enemy on the overworld also starts the battle in your favor, as usual. The fights feature a handful of familiar demons like Othrus and Valkyrie. The demo caps off with a Sabbath, Soul Hacker 2’s take on an All-Out Attack. With every enemy in a weakened state, our party bombards them with a joint attack involving Baphomet, Futsunushi, Hell Biker, Nekomata, Quetzalcoatl, Succubus, and Surt.

One strange part of the demo is the player’s field of view. The camera is positioned awfully low, and we spend a lot of time watching Ringo’s butt as she runs around the shipyard. Practically speaking, it’s not a good way to navigate a dungeon. Hopefully, it can be moved to a different angle for those who want a more helpful view.

Soul Hackers 2 is out on August 26, and it’s headed to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC. Save transfers are available from PS4 to PS5 if you decide to upgrade — a feature that will be offered for free. Sadly the game has not been announced for Nintendo Switch at this time.