Whenever a long running RPG franchise announces that it will be getting a mobile adaptation, it usually is a sign of concern. Having spent some time playing Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 however, we can safely conclude that some of that worry has been alleviated as it is a well-made attempt for SMT fans that want something on the go.

To start off, the combat system will be familiar to fans of the console games, albeit slightly simpler in order to win over newcomers. It revolves around the Press Turn system which determines how many actions either side is able to take. If certain results occur such as an weakness being exploited or a critical hit is landed, you will be able to make another turn. Changes to MP system have been made, where you are only limited to 10 which refills once the enemy has had its turn. Certain abilities now also have limited uses per battle regardless, so you will have to take into consideration as to when the best time to use these skills are.

As always, you will be able to communicate with demons during the fight in order to win them over. Demons have their own personalities so you will have to approach them accordingly with the answers you provide to their questions. This time around, the conversations are no longer randomly generated, so if you got the answer wrong in a particular fight, you will be able to get things right the next time around. Other means of gaining demons include using premium currency and tickets. The fusion system here too, and you will be able to get a lot of the top tier demon through combining one or more of them.

Gameplay-wise, Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 is as good as it can be for the smartphone. Unfortunately however, the same cannot be said for the story. The plot here is bare bones and serve only to guide players along the various story chapters, and it provided very little motivation for us to advance through the campaign. That said, this can be improved upon by the developers should the game gain traction, as seen in games such as Fate/Grand Order and Star Ocean: Anamnesis where their respective stories got better over time.

Minor issues aside, Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 is very much worth playing especially if you’re a series fan, as it is quite fleshed out and in depth.  Newcomers will not be able to appreciate it as much, but if anything, it is more of a reason to play the other games first.