Armed with a six-shooter, a katana, and a thick pile of demons, Raidou must slash and summon his way through one random battle after another in a mix of menu commands and real-time button mashing. While a quick finger directs Raidou's gun and sword, the menu enables Raidou to command the demons that fight alongside him. That's right. Unlike its predecessor, Devil Summoner 2 allows Raidou to summon not one, but two demons to the field. This way, you can be a little more flexible when it comes to mixing and matching magic. Bring in a Skill-Order Pixie to heal and Pyro Jack for roasting. Or perhaps Pablisbag for Venomstrike and Lilim for a little eye-candy. Either way, there are lots of combinations to be had.

And honestly, that's where the fun comes in. Katana clashing and ceaseless commands can only get you so far. To me, it's all about filling an already stocked cache of hellish companions to the brim with a variety of different types and levels. In order to nab a new demon, you must either fuse two demons from your current stock or persuade a foe to join the party. These so-called “negotiations” are a tad silly. For example, you might have to give an elderly demon the correct kind of backrub or donate half of your energy. Summoned demons can also intervene with some flirtatious advances or intimidating growls, depending on the type.

Since newly allied demons only possess one to two skills, you can't build a truly forceful demon without fusing two of 'em together. Thus, you must head to the eerily dark Gouma-Den where a zany Dr. Frankenstein-ish fellow happily does the deed for you. Melding two demons will get you an entirely new ally with a random combination of combat skills and your choice of passive skills (e.g., Magic Boost). After fusion upon fusion, a single demon can end up with extremely powerful combat tactics and a selection of more than thirty passive skills. In other words, fuse. A lot.

But the mad doctor doesn't only fuse demons for Raidou. He can also construct weapons with advanced strength and special traits using items that Raidou collects throughout his journey. For example, using a demon in battle will increase its loyalty to Raidou. When you fuse a demon with maxed loyalty, he will gift Raidou a gem or crystal. These presents are not only good for building frightfully powerful katanas but can add powers to new fusions as well.

Unfortunately, all of these fancy tricks – sword alchemy, skill setting, demon manipulation, and fusions – still lead to rather repetitive and eventually boring battles. Each foe has a weakness that you can exploit with one of your summon's magic. Damaging a weakened enemy releases more MAG which you use to perform, well, more magic. So the battles really come down to a three step process: 1) Analyze the foe, 2) Exploit its weakness, 3) Bash the hell out of it. Rinse and repeat. So eventually, the battles come down to just padding your demon stock. Encounters become about negotiations rather than the fight. But even though the process can be a bit tedious, adding a new demon to the team always feels rewarding.

All in all, Shin Megami Tensei games aren't everyone's cup of tea. Repetitive battles, quirky dialogue and complex fusion charts make some gamers squeal in delight while simultaneously sending others in search of a brick wall for some good ole head-bashing. But if you are the type to become obsessive-compulsive about filling your collection to perfection, Devil Summoner adds a dark twist to “catching them all.” Plus you get a cute li'l Jack Frost plush doll in Raidou attire with a new copy.