<s>
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
:	I-Application
Digital	I-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
is	O
a	O
duology	O
of	O
role-playing	O
video	O
games	O
developed	O
by	O
Atlus	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
are	O
a	O
spin-off	O
of	O
the	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
in	O
2004	O
,	O
North	O
America	O
in	O
2005	O
,	O
and	O
Europe	O
in	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
direct	O
sequel	O
,	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
:	I-Application
Digital	I-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
released	O
in	O
2005	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
and	O
2007	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
follows	O
the	O
Embryon	O
,	O
a	O
tribe	O
who	O
fights	O
against	O
five	O
other	O
tribes	O
in	O
a	O
digital	O
world	O
called	O
the	O
Junkyard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
being	O
infected	O
with	O
a	O
demon	O
virus	O
that	O
grants	O
them	O
demonic	O
powers	O
,	O
the	O
Embryon	O
must	O
fight	O
with	O
and	O
devour	O
the	O
other	O
tribes	O
to	O
ascend	O
to	O
"	O
Nirvana	B-General_Concept
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
having	O
escaped	O
into	O
the	O
devastated	O
real	O
world	O
,	O
the	O
Embryon	O
are	O
caught	O
up	O
in	O
the	O
fight	O
against	O
the	O
Karma	O
Society	O
,	O
who	O
are	O
intimately	O
linked	O
to	O
the	O
source	O
of	O
the	O
disaster	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
began	O
development	O
pre-2002	O
under	O
the	O
working	O
title	O
New	O
Goddess	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
concept	O
of	O
characters	O
transforming	O
into	O
demons	O
was	O
based	O
on	O
an	O
unused	O
idea	O
for	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
:	I-Application
Digital	I-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
role-playing	O
games	O
,	O
players	O
take	O
control	O
of	O
the	O
characters	O
Serph	O
,	O
Heat	O
,	O
Argilla	O
,	O
Gale	O
and	O
Cielo	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
characters	O
Sera	O
and	O
Roland	O
becoming	O
playable	O
in	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
character	O
can	O
learn	O
abilities	O
from	O
one	O
of	O
four	O
categories	O
:	O
Physical	O
,	O
Magic	B-Application
,	O
Shield	O
and	O
Auto	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
games	O
use	O
a	O
turn-based	O
battle	O
system	O
,	O
with	O
three	O
allied	O
characters	O
fighting	O
in	O
battle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
characters	O
will	O
sometimes	O
enter	O
battle	O
in	O
a	O
half-transformed	O
"	O
berserk	O
"	O
mode	O
,	O
which	O
increases	O
attack	O
power	O
while	O
locking	O
away	O
magic	B-Application
skills	O
and	O
lowering	O
a	O
character	O
's	O
defense	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
magic	B-Application
system	O
uses	O
nine	O
magic	B-Application
attributes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ice	O
and	O
Lightning	O
magic	B-Application
have	O
a	O
chance	O
of	O
causing	O
the	O
"	O
freeze	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
stun	O
"	O
status	O
,	O
while	O
Expel	O
magic	B-Application
reduces	O
an	O
enemy	O
's	O
hit	O
points	O
by	O
a	O
certain	O
percentage	O
,	O
and	O
Death	O
magic	B-Application
causes	O
an	O
instant	O
kill	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Status	O
magic	B-Application
can	O
inflict	O
status	O
effects	O
on	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
special	O
Karma	O
Ring	O
items	O
can	O
be	O
assigned	O
to	O
characters	O
to	O
grant	O
stat	O
boosts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
Junkyard	O
,	O
a	O
combat	O
simulator	O
program	O
where	O
it	O
always	O
rains	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
protagonists	O
of	O
the	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
duology	O
are	O
silent	O
protagonist	O
,	O
leader	O
of	O
the	O
Embryon	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
a	O
woman	O
who	O
can	O
commune	O
with	O
God	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
two	O
new	O
main	O
characters	O
are	O
introduced	O
:	O
Roland	O
,	O
the	O
alcoholic	O
leader	O
of	O
the	O
Lokapala	O
resistance	O
group	O
;	O
and	O
Madame	O
Margot	O
Cuvier	O
,	O
head	O
of	O
the	O
Karma	O
Society	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Once	O
they	O
are	O
assembled	O
there	O
,	O
a	O
female	O
being	O
calling	O
itself	O
Angel	O
orders	O
the	O
tribes	O
to	O
conquer	O
their	O
neighbors	O
and	O
ascend	O
the	O
Temple	O
's	O
tower	O
to	O
"	O
Nirvana	B-General_Concept
"	O
,	O
bringing	O
Sera	O
as	O
proof	O
of	O
their	O
achievements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
the	O
Embryon	O
appear	O
in	O
the	O
real	O
world	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
slowly	O
being	O
destroyed	O
by	O
the	O
Black	O
Sun	O
:	O
the	O
only	O
ones	O
able	O
to	O
survive	O
the	O
sun	O
's	O
rays	O
are	O
those	O
infected	O
with	O
the	O
demon	O
virus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Production	O
on	O
the	O
initial	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
started	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
active	O
development	O
on	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
Nocturne	I-Application
in	O
2002	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
project	O
was	O
formed	O
in	O
part	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
series	O
accessible	O
to	O
a	O
broader	O
audience	O
while	O
staying	O
true	O
to	O
its	O
roots	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
games	O
were	O
directed	O
by	O
Katsura	O
Hashino	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
director	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
in	O
lesser	O
roles	O
in	O
previous	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
battle	O
system	O
was	O
taken	O
from	O
that	O
used	O
in	O
Nocturne	B-Application
,	O
but	O
with	O
elements	O
added	O
to	O
both	O
differentiate	O
it	O
from	O
other	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
games	O
and	O
incorporate	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
themes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
development	O
of	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
,	O
the	O
team	O
were	O
faced	O
with	O
repeated	O
problems	O
with	O
fitting	O
the	O
entire	O
experience	O
on	O
a	O
single	O
DVD	O
:	O
the	O
amount	O
of	O
data	O
was	O
estimated	O
to	O
be	O
two	O
times	O
that	O
of	O
Nocturne	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Her	O
submitted	O
proposal	O
for	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
was	O
accepted	O
,	O
and	O
she	O
temporarily	O
moved	O
to	O
Tokyo	O
to	O
work	O
with	O
Atlus	O
on	O
refining	O
the	O
project	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Production	O
of	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
began	O
immediately	O
after	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
the	O
team	O
expanded	O
upon	O
the	O
systems	O
implemented	O
in	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
aspect	O
that	O
separated	O
him	O
from	O
other	O
silent	O
protagonist	O
within	O
the	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
series	O
was	O
that	O
his	O
name	O
was	O
spoken	O
by	O
the	O
other	O
characters	O
rather	O
than	O
chosen	O
by	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
emphasize	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
the	O
world	O
of	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
was	O
unlike	O
the	O
typical	O
setting	O
for	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
titles	O
,	O
he	O
gave	O
all	O
the	O
characters	O
hair	O
and	O
eye	O
colors	O
that	O
would	O
be	O
naturally	O
impossible	O
in	O
the	O
real	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
concept	O
behind	O
the	O
demon	O
transformations	O
originated	O
during	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kaneko	O
,	O
who	O
worked	O
on	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
,	O
had	O
wanted	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
Chaos	O
Hero	O
to	O
regularly	O
switch	O
between	O
his	O
human	O
and	O
demon	O
forms	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
idea	O
did	O
not	O
appear	O
in	O
the	O
finished	O
game	O
,	O
but	O
eventually	O
reemerged	O
and	O
became	O
the	O
base	O
for	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Sagas	I-Application
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
character	O
models	O
were	O
created	O
based	O
on	O
development	O
knowledge	O
from	O
Nocturne	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Nocturne	B-Application
was	O
defined	O
by	O
its	O
"	O
static	O
"	O
feel	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
wanted	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
to	O
have	O
a	O
feeling	O
of	O
motion	O
to	O
contrast	O
Nocturne	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Makoto	O
Kitano	O
was	O
responsible	O
for	O
creating	O
3D	O
representations	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
demons	O
,	O
A	O
noted	O
element	O
was	O
the	O
design	O
of	O
Cerberus	O
,	O
which	O
combined	O
elements	O
of	O
the	O
three-headed	O
version	O
first	O
designed	O
for	O
Devil	B-Application
Summoner	I-Application
:	I-Application
Soul	I-Application
Hackers	I-Application
and	O
the	O
shape	O
of	O
sharks	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
the	O
additional	O
challenges	O
was	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
title	O
to	O
feature	O
extensive	O
voice	O
acting	O
,	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
need	O
to	O
fully	O
express	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
themes	O
and	O
story	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
the	O
wish	O
to	O
appeal	O
to	O
a	O
wider	O
audience	O
than	O
previous	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
games	O
,	O
the	O
proposed	O
amount	O
of	O
violence	O
and	O
graphic	O
imagery	O
was	O
cut	O
down	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
music	O
for	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
was	O
composed	O
by	O
Shoji	O
Meguro	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
multiple	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
games	O
,	O
with	O
some	O
additional	O
tracks	O
for	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
being	O
written	O
by	O
Kenichi	O
Tsuchiya	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
opening	O
theme	O
for	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
"	O
Alive	O
"	O
:	O
it	O
was	O
written	O
by	O
Meguro	O
,	O
sung	O
by	O
Kayoko	O
Momota	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
backing	O
vocals	O
by	O
Yumi	O
Kawamura	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
was	O
first	O
announced	O
in	O
the	O
Japanese	O
director	O
's	O
cut	O
version	O
of	O
Nocturne	B-Application
in	O
February	O
2004	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
eight-megabyte	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
memory	O
card	O
was	O
sold	O
that	O
featured	O
artwork	O
of	O
Serph	O
and	O
his	O
demon	O
form	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
officially	O
announced	O
at	O
the	O
2004	O
Tokyo	O
Game	O
Show	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
promote	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
a	O
special	O
DVD	O
containing	O
selected	O
music	O
tracks	O
and	O
movie	O
material	O
was	O
created	O
as	O
an	O
over-the-counter	O
giveaway	O
for	O
the	O
initial	O
print	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
games	O
were	O
re-released	O
by	O
Atlus	O
in	O
2006	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
their	O
"	O
Atlus	O
Best	O
Collection	O
"	O
budget	O
release	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
was	O
officially	O
announced	O
for	O
the	O
west	O
at	O
the	O
2004	O
Electronic	O
Entertainment	O
Expo	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
the	O
winter	O
of	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
subsequently	O
delayed	O
into	O
2005	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
deluxe	O
edition	O
which	O
would	O
include	O
a	O
box	O
for	O
containing	O
both	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
games	O
was	O
announced	O
as	O
a	O
consolation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
games	O
were	O
published	O
in	O
Europe	O
by	O
Ghostlight	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
was	O
the	O
first	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
project	O
to	O
feature	O
an	O
extensive	O
voice	O
acting	O
element	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Nocturne	B-Application
,	O
the	O
"	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
"	O
moniker	O
was	O
attached	O
to	O
the	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
games	O
to	O
help	O
with	O
marketing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
did	O
not	O
manage	O
to	O
meet	O
its	O
projected	O
sales	O
targets	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
and	O
contributed	O
to	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
console	O
division	O
posting	O
a	O
substantial	O
loss	O
for	O
the	O
2004/2005	O
financial	O
year	O
,	O
resulting	O
in	O
several	O
staff	O
members	O
being	O
laid	O
off	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Speaking	O
in	O
2013	O
,	O
a	O
Ghostlight	O
representative	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
duology	O
had	O
"	O
met	O
with	O
great	O
success	O
"	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
their	O
re-release	O
on	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
,	O
the	O
games	O
appeared	O
in	O
the	O
top	O
ten	O
rankings	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
received	O
positive	O
critical	O
reception	O
:	O
aggregate	O
sites	O
GameRankings	O
and	O
Metacritic	O
show	O
ratings	O
of	O
80%	O
and	O
78/100	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
for	O
1UP.com,	O
despite	O
missing	O
the	O
demon	O
fusion	O
systems	O
from	O
earlier	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
titles	O
,	O
thoroughly	O
enjoyed	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
calling	O
it	O
"	O
a	O
great	O
Final	O
Fantasy	O
alternative	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
's	O
Bethany	O
Massimilla	O
said	O
that	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Sagas	I-Application
combat	O
and	O
world	O
design	O
made	O
it	O
a	O
compelling	O
title	O
worthy	O
of	O
the	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
moniker	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
RPGamer	O
's	O
Derek	O
Cavin	O
said	O
that	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
"	O
manages	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
good	O
game	O
,	O
despite	O
its	O
flaws	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
's	O
Rob	O
Fahey	O
said	O
that	O
players	O
expecting	O
a	O
traditional	O
role-playing	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
disappointed	O
,	O
while	O
stating	O
that	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
delivered	O
a	O
generally	O
positive	O
impression	O
while	O
avoiding	O
many	O
cliches	O
of	O
the	O
RPG	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
received	O
an	O
even	O
better	O
reception	O
:	O
its	O
aggregate	O
scores	O
from	O
GameRankings	O
and	O
Metacritic	O
were	O
83%	O
and	O
83/100	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
com	O
's	O
Shane	O
Bettenhausen	O
said	O
that	O
while	O
the	O
game	O
shared	O
many	O
similarities	O
with	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
as	O
repetitive	O
as	O
other	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
.hack	B-Protocol
series	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
still	O
a	O
good	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Masimilla	O
said	O
that	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
had	O
managed	O
to	O
realize	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
's	O
storytelling	O
ambitions	O
,	O
enjoying	O
the	O
experience	O
despite	O
noting	O
some	O
design	O
flaws	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fahey	O
said	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
"	O
everything	O
that	O
an	O
excellent	O
sequel	O
should	O
be	O
"	O
,	O
generally	O
praising	O
its	O
mechanical	O
and	O
narrative	O
improvements	O
over	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
reviews	O
,	O
RPGFan	O
named	O
both	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
games	O
as	O
"	O
Editor	O
's	O
Choice	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2011	O
,	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
and	O
its	O
sequel	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
ended	O
up	O
topping	O
the	O
site	O
's	O
"	O
Top	O
20	O
RPGs	O
of	O
the	O
Last	O
Decade	O
"	O
list	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kurt	O
Kalata	O
,	O
writing	O
for	O
1UP.com	O
in	O
an	O
article	O
concerning	O
the	O
controversial	O
content	O
of	O
the	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
series	O
,	O
made	O
mention	O
of	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
due	O
to	O
its	O
examination	O
of	O
the	O
ethics	O
of	O
eating	O
others	O
to	O
survive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
manga	O
spin-off	O
of	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
titled	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
:	I-Application
Avatar	I-Application
Tuner	I-Application
-	O
Shinen	O
no	O
Matou	O
was	O
published	O
in	O
Japan	O
in	O
2005	O
by	O
Jive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Using	O
gameplay	O
systems	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
console	O
games	O
,	O
the	O
story	O
is	O
an	O
original	O
narrative	O
set	O
within	O
the	O
Digital	B-Application
Devil	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
universe	O
:	O
when	O
Serph	O
awakens	O
in	O
an	O
enormous	O
tower	O
with	O
no	O
memories	O
,	O
he	O
and	O
the	O
other	O
Embryon	O
must	O
explore	O
the	O
towers	O
with	O
Sera	O
's	O
help	O
to	O
recover	O
his	O
memories	O
.	O
</s>
