This is just a quick 'lil something in-between full reviews; I thought you guys might get a kick out of it. Some of you probably remember the review I did last year for the Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner Raidou Kuzunoha figure. This is related to that, and you can find out a bit more after the cut.
Right, so our boy Raidou is the protagonist of two action-RPG video games released back for the PS2 by Atlus. The first game received the localized title Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army, and the second received the rather similar Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon. I am sure there has to be a Guiness Book record for longest video game title, and this is either the winner or a very close runner-up.
I gave a brief run-down of the game's plot in the figure review, but I'll quote myself here: Let me explain--no, there's too much, let me sum up--the Devil Summoner Raidou games. They're set in pre-WWII Japan, one that happens to be home to supernatural forces and all manner of creatures from myth and legend. Our intrepid and taciturn protagonist Raidou Kuzunoha is a teenage Devil Summoner who moonlights as a detective's assistant while defending the Japanese capital from any and all threats. He's accompanied in his endeavors by a mysterious and fluffy talking black cat named Gotou-Douji. They fight crime!
I'm very fond of all of the Shin Megami Tensei games, and I own almost all of the ones that Atlus USA has localized. All except for Devil Summoner 2. And there's a good reason for that! See, back when Atlus USA first released the game in North America back in 2009 (Good grief, 6 years ago...how time flies), the first wave of releases were offered in limited editions. Atlus USA has always been pretty good about giving their fans a few little extras with their localized games. We almost always get a full manual and a soundtrack CD. (Although I'll admit that with each release, the CDs have become more like "samplers" with maybe 10 minutes' worth of music. But I digress.) This release was a little different.
The game came in a box, packaged with a collectible plush toy; I think it's the first time that something like this was done, although I can't be entirely sure. The toy is Jack Frost, who is Atlus' mascot: a cute, cheerful snowman with a jack o'lantern grin. He's fond of saying "Hee ho!" Here, he's dressed up as Raidou, and is calling himself "Raiho." (Get it? Oh, the puns. They slay me)
The limited edition originally retailed for $39.99, and was available only in limited quantities. Come to think of it, the PS2 Shin Megami Tensei games went in and out of stock quite a bit over the years. Atlus did a fairly large reprint a year or two ago, and you can now find the standard edition of Devil Summoner 2 for about $30 on Amazon, new. Limited edition sets are harder to find in good condition, and even harder to find for a reasonable price--although what 'reasonable" construes will obviously vary from person to person. It isn't uncommon to see these secondhand limited editions go for anywhere from $60-$90--and that is not assuming that they're sealed.
I got mine on eBay for $50, with a free shipping offer. It basically works out--in my estimation--to paying the $39.99 retail price and then paying $10 for shipping and handling. I'm satisfied with the deal, at least. The box has never been opened, so the game itself is still sealed/shrink-wrapped. The only caveat is that one corner of the box has completely cracked--you can lift the plastic up, and there's a hole big enough to stick your finger through. Kind of mirrors my Raidou D-Arts, where the corner of the box was a little smooshed. Alas, poor Raidou, your packaging is always damaged.
I'm not planning on opening mine for the time being. Items like this don't have any real value outside of the collectors' market for any given franchise or hobby, true, but the fact that it's still sealed gives me pause. I'm not planning on selling it, but it's like a little voice in my head is pointing out, "Hey, this is still sealed! Could be valuable down the line!" Maybe this is something all collectors go through? Anyway, I purchased the digital version of the game on sale from the Playstation Network, so I can have my sealed game and still play it, too.
For anyone who's interested in the game, I would describe it as a dark action RPG where you collect monster allies like Pokemon. They fight by your side during battles, and you can fuse them to make new, stronger allies. Both of the games have engrossing stories, and excellent dialogue that is written using actual 1920's slang, to stay true to the game's setting. It's a bit hard at first, but once you get a good roster of allies, there are lots of options and skills to use during battle. Here's a clip of gameplay from the first game, if you're interested. The second game is a bit easier since you're allowed two allies in battle, and random battles only occur in the dungeon areas, not in the town areas. For the curious, it's available digitally on PSN for $10 or less, and the PS2 physical copy is in stock at Amazon for about $25-30.
Miss Scarlett suggests: JRPG fans who are looking for something different might want to try this older game; it's hard but loads of fun!
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