February 25, 2005 - The land of Nirvana can only be reached by the champion of Junkyard, a domain torn by a seemingly endless battle for supremacy among several tribes. One of them is the Embryon. Along with four companions, it's leader, Serph, sets out for this destination, encountering ever-increasing resistance. In the midst of this chaos, a strange entity, the Pod, suddenly appears before the intrepid little band. It emits globes of light that infect them all, awakening their inherent demonic powers and an almost irresistible desire to shred the flesh and splinter the bones of their enemies, who have been similarly affected. They are only stopped from devouring everything in their path by the arrival of Sera, a dark-haired girl who, although unaware of her origins, who somehow possesses the ability to control the party's transformations. Naturally, a perilous journey lies ahead.

The setting summary above introduces Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga, Atlus' PS2 RPG that we've had an eye on for the past several months, during which time we've managed to learn various other key facts. For instance, we know combat will involve strategically switching between human and demon forms so as to take best advantage of your opponents' particular vulnerabilities, and that "devouring" enemies will allow you to acquire their powers and special abilities. Link attacks will permit you to unleash the combined strength of multiple characters, while a break system will protect you from your foes and even reflect their attacks back at them. With the title approaching release within the coming months, and interest rising, we were fortunate enough to get hold of Atlus USA's Tomm Hulett and Bill Alexander to fill us in on various elements.

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Jonric: To help put Digital Devil Saga into perspective for readers who aren't familiar with the Shin Megami Tensei property, how would you introduce the game to them?

Tomm Hulett: Shin Megami Tensei, as a series, features darker imagery and deeper themes than RPG players may be used to. The games often tie into various world religions, and the games involve demons and spirituality. While games like SMT: Nocturne take place in the real world, Digital Devil Saga takes place in a world called The Junkyard, which is in a state of constant war. It's up to the player to discover what this world is, and how it came to be.

Playing off a foe's weaknesses is still a key mechanic, but each character is also able to transform between human and demon forms.

Bill Alexander: SMT: Digital Devil Saga was designed to make the franchise more appealing to a broader audience. While the series has a large following in Japan, here in the US it is relatively unknown. The developer, our parent company, hoped to expand its audience in both countries by making the game more appealing and accessible to mainstream gamers, while staying true to its roots. This title also has extremely high production values, including well-known voice talent and eye-popping movie sequences. For gamers who like games such as Final Fantasy, but are tired of the same old hero-saves-the-world plot, SMT: Digital Devil Saga will satiate their hunger for something new. While the artistic style and mature themes are common to all games in the series, the stories are unrelated, so gamers need not have played other SMT titles to enjoy this one.

Jonric: What's the game's current status with respect to shipping this spring? Are there any major obstacles to meeting this date?

Bill Alexander: Currently, the game is in the process of being localized and tested. Basically, once the text has been translated and edited, then it goes to the developer for implementation into the game. Once a script has been compiled, voice recording can be done. We have completed voice recording, and are prepared to begin testing the title to make sure that the English text and voices are appearing correctly.

Although delays come as disappointments to gamers, they are usually for good reasons. Consumers expect a game to be error-free, and most publishers strive to reach this level of quality. Occasionally, unexpected bugs will be discovered late in the testing process, and these must be fixed. Furthermore, since a game must pass Sony's approval process, and because so many games are released before the holidays, this can sometimes cause delays. However, because releasing a game is a coordinated effort with the sales and marketing departments, a game will only be delayed if it is unavoidable. That said, we are doing our best to release the game on time.

Jonric: What kind of player is Digital Devil Saga most geared toward and what's likely to be the average playing time?

Tomm Hulett: While SMT: Nocturne is geared more toward hardcore RPG players, DDS should appeal widely to everyone who enjoys a good adventure. The battle system takes the core of Nocturne's and enhances it. Playing off a foe's weaknesses is still a key mechanic, but each character is also able to transform between human and demon forms. As a demon, they need to make use of powers learned from different Mantras. As a human, different ammunition must be fired depending on the situation and the enemies at hand.

DDS should average around 35 to 40 hours, like most RPGs. There are a number of branching paths the player can select, which slightly alter how the story plays out. There is also a rather lengthy optional quest that can be embarked upon.