The main selling point here is the fusion system, which feels like an upgrade over previous SMT titles in terms of customizability and ease of use. As far as I'm aware this is the first game in the franchise where you can directly choose which skills your demons inherit after fusion, something that wasn't even present in Nocturne which came out 3 years later. I expect this was originally added into the game purely to make it easier but it did end up becoming a staple QoL feature in the series after a certain point so it's interesting to learn that this was where that originated. This results in your Demons feeling a lot more unique, even among those of the same species, than they did in the 90s mainline games as previously every demon of the same species was essentially a perfect copy of the other with a few exceptions. While on the topic of demons, it was very fun to explore a world where they serve as the primary NPCs you engage with for exploration and conversation. The first area is especially great with as many Jack Frosts present as you could ask for in a Megaten game. Most of the demon redesigns are pretty cute and funny as well, its interesting to see how they managed to make demons like Succubus and Incubus fit into a game intended for a younger audience.

When it comes to the battle system, this game shrunk the number of characters present in each battle down significantly opting for a focus on 2v2 battles which I found to be pretty unique. I expect this was done due to some combination of hardware limitations and wanting to ensure that enemy spires were big and colorful for a younger audience but I still found it pretty fun overall.

As far as what wasn't good about the game, well I find that a lot less interesting to talk about as the issues are fairly obvious.. the story is mostly nonsense, the dialogue is laughably simple, the music is repetitive and grating after a certain point, the dungeons are pretty empty and bland, etc. I really think I got as much enjoyment as I did out of this purely due to my love for the franchise more than anything else.

Game Review - originally written by Hawthorne

The Devil Children series was Atlus’ answer to Pokemon. There are three Gameboy Color versions: Black, Red, and White. In each of these games, you play as a different Devil Child (half human, half demon).

It’s not quite like Pokemon as it has a somewhat stronger storyline (though that’s not saying much). Much like some other Shin Megami Tensei games, you recruit demons by talking to them in battle.