Soul Hackers 2 Review
After laying pretty much dormant for 25 years, Soul Hackers is an unexpected series for Atlus to try and bring into the modern age. While it doesn’t take any risks or bring anything new to the JRPG table, Soul Hackers 2 is enjoyable enough to justify that long-awaited revival. It may be held back a bit by its uninspired level design and turn-based battle mechanics, but the story still shines bright enough to help carry it thanks to a diverse cast of characters and engaging themes about what it means to be human.
Soul Hackers 2 may technically be a sequel, but it smartly serves more as a soft reboot, benefitting players who are hopping into the franchise for the first time. Created as an agent of a near-all-knowing artificial intelligence, you play as Ringo, a charismatically curious human construct who is sent on a mission with their partner Figue to change the future and save the world from being destroyed. Ringo brings an intriguing perspective while saving the world, trying to learn more about both it and the human race while doing so. Throughout the story they learn more and more about humans, why they’re important to save, and why their flaws matter, and it was fascinating to watch them go along that journey.
Even with the knowledge that Soul Hackers 2 and its predecessor are hardly connected, it is worth mentioning the change in tone between them. The original presented itself as dark and grimy while the sequel is bright and flamboyant, exploring bustling locations in Japan to shop, upgrade weapons, or complete requests. It feels like Atlus wants to shift this franchise into a new light, and while this updated style does bring more flashy flair, it doesn’t seem to have much other benefit to it. The minute-to-minute
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