Atlus, the acclaimed developer behind some of the most beloved JRPG franchises of all time, including Persona, Catherine, and Shin Megami Tensei, is back for more.
Soul Hackers 2 is a new sci-fi mystery, rebooting the classic Devil Summoner series with Atlus' modern expertise. In a war that threatens to bring about the end of the world, hive-mind AI Aion creates two new agents in an attempt to avert this disastrous fate.
One of those is Ringo, who you'll play as as you attempt to discover the cause of the apocalypse. Aion's first creation, Ringo is essentially newborn, with all the naivety and curiosity that you might expect from someone newly arrived in our world. Headstrong and sure of herself, Ringo is also fascinated by the humanity that she's charged with saving; society and culture captivate her, but nothing is more engrossing to her as human emotion.
That naivety, however, doesn't mean that Ringo can't look after herself in battle. Handy in a fight, she's particularly adept at Electric skills, which means her partnership with early devil companion Pixie is especially powerful. Ringo can handle herself, but she can also buff her allies during combat, and call in a wide array of summoned devils in order to turn the tide in her favour. Perhaps most important of all Ringo's skills, however, is her ability to Soul Hack - by reaching into the memories of the recently-deceased and triggering their sense of regret at having died, Ringo can resurrect her fallen friends. Although an extremely powerful tool, the secret of Soul Hacking is still a mystery to Ringo.
As Ringo explores the bright lights and dark corners of Soul Hackers 2's cyberpunk take on Japan, she'll be far from alone. For one thing, you'll be working alongside Figue, the other agent created alongside Ringo to provide support and expertise. Despite being born alongside Ringo, Figue shares little of her fellow agents' uncertainty about the world. She's cooler, calmer, and more collected, but does share Ringo's interest in human culture. While she won't fight by your side, she's on-hand to offer help via her owl-drone, Mimi. Figue might not appear in your party, but she's crucial to your success, providing both intel and advice in her role as a sisterly, almost mentor-style figure to Ringo.
While the sentient, super-intelligent Aion might be the entity that brought Ringo and Figue into the world, they'll be helped along the way by characters with some very different motivations. The war raging between the Yatagarasu organisation and the Phantom Society will see you join forces with two summoners, with Arrow and Milady.
The first of that troubling making pair is a former member of Yatagarasu. Often calm and quiet, Arrow is haunted by the mistakes he made in his previous life and determined not to make them again. It's the strict moral code that stems from that determination, however, that can get him into trouble - in a pinch, he can sometimes freeze up, racked with indecision. It's that lack of certainty that can see him often clash with Milady.
Far more pragmatic (and with far less uncertainty) than her counterpart from Yatagarasu, this member of the Phantom Society is nimble and fiercely intelligent. Treasuring her independence as a summoner, she's a ruthless fighter, but her desire for revenge and the intensity of her feelings can often make her seem somewhat callous.
Rounding out your Ringo and Figue's party is Saizo. A cheeky, witty freelancer, he shares no affinity with either side of the conflict. Fortunately, that makes him well-placed to settle disputes between Arrow and Milady with little more than a quick word and his natural charm. Unfortunately, that charm also means he's something of a romantic; his gentle flirtation with Ringo is amusing to him, but not to the object of his affection.
Newborns Ringo and Figue are brand-new to Soul Hackers 2's cyberpunk take on Japan, but Arrow, Saizo, and Milady all have their own complex, often tragic stories, which you'll explore further as you progress through the game. That means a suite of other characters to get to know; there's the mysterious and threatening Iron Mask and his muscle, Zenon; the brilliant scientist Ichiro Onda; and the likes of Raven, Kaburagi, R.S., and Ash, all of whom have left their mark on your new allies.
Soul Hackers 2 released worldwide on August 26, on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One.
