History VideoGame / DevilSurvivor2

TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, three {{Ordinary High School Student}}s are heading home after a mock exam. They simultaneously receive a phone message from [[MurderDotCom Nicaea]], a "dead face delivery site" ([[ObviousBeta in beta]]). The attached video shows a subway accident killing all three of them.

* ObviousBeta: InUniverse with the Nicaea app, which is shown to be in Beta. During the Triangulum Arc, it's been upgraded to version 2.0.

* ThreeAmigos: Notable in that Daichi and the protagonist didn't meet Io until the beginning of the game. [[spoiler:Played straight in the Restorer ending, where it's hinted that this is their future as well.]]

** The melody that Trumpeter plays is a segment of the Law theme from the [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTensei first]] Shin Megami Tensei game.

* WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs: InUniverse, Joe mentions that he likes to read a manga called ''Offside Goalie Masahi'', about the titular character who doesn't know how to play the game and has a crippling fear of heights, which keeps him from flying to the World Cup by airplane. Apparently, every goalie in Japan also ''dies'' in a 'graphic, page-spanning tragedy'. What?!

* OffModel: Miyako was designed by the same artist, but her in-game artwork has thicker lines than the others.

** The BonusBoss of the Triangulum Arc can freely resummon demons into their party as soon as the player engages them. Just in case the player wanted to remove their lackeys and damage reduction on the leader.

* LifeDrain: The ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Drain]]'' skill, which steals HP and MP from the opponent. [[spoiler:[[BonusBoss Alice]] has a stronger form that drains HP from every enemy within a range of six tiles from her.]]

* LovePotion: Charm inflicts this. [[spoiler:[[BonusBoss Lilith]]'s battle has her charm men into willingly coming towards her and her racial skill, Temptation, inflicts this on men and demons.]]

** [[BonusBoss Alice]] is found in [[VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiI Roppongi]].
** [[BonusBoss Belial]] is fought on the [[VideoGame/DevilSurvivor Bugeikan Stage]].

* BackFromTheDead: [[BonusBoss Nebiros]] brings back defeated demons using his Necromancy skill.
* BarrierChangeBoss: [[BonusBoss Beelzebub]] changes his elemental resistance every turn.

* BodySurf: [[BonusBoss Nebiros]] will use his turn to summon more demons, if there are less than three demon teams left on the battlefield.

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: During the battle against [[BonusBoss Lilith]], the player must avoid defeating any of the men under her control. If they are defeated, they count as dead and the mission fails, in contrast to other civilian battles where you simply force them to retreat after their phones are broken.

* OptionalBoss: In accordance with ''Shin Megami Tensei'' tradition, defeating the following unlocks them for fusion.

** Starting a NewGamePlus unlocks battles against Belial; Nebiros; Lilith; Beelzebub; the Sage of Time and Alice, with the last being the {{superboss}} of this arc.

** [[BonusBoss Beelzebub]]'s entire reason for being a boss to fight. [[spoiler:He's heard a lot about how strong the Protagonist is and has come to test that strength for himself.]]
** [[BonusBoss Belial and Nebiros]] pick the party members as potential friends for Alice because they are so strong that they are worthy of the girl's friendship.

TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, [[ThreeAmigos three]] {{Ordinary High School Student}}s are heading home after a mock exam. They simultaneously receive a phone message from [[MurderDotCom Nic]][[MeaningfulName aea]], a "dead face delivery site" ([[ObviousBeta in beta]]). The attached video shows a subway accident killing all three of them.

Before the train hits them, Nicaea offers the students [[DealWithTheDevil a chance to change their fate by becoming demon tamers]]. They agree, and after being saved by (and subduing) demons that appear from their phones, the trio return to the streets of Tokyo to find Earth is under attack by [[EldritchAbomination extraterrestrial invaders]] called the [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Septentriones]]. Opposing the aliens is JP's ([[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction Japan Meteorological Agency, Prescribed Geomagnetism Research Department]]), whose charismatic leader enlists their aid but also [[GovernmentConspiracy knows more about what's going on than he should]].

''[[UpdatedRerelease Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker]]'' is an enhanced UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS port of [[FanNickname DeSu2]]. In addition to a complete voiceover of the original game, it adds a new story arc with a second set of alien invaders, a new cast member named Miyako Hotsuin, and [[NoExportForYou (Japan only)]] a crossover where ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'' characters cameo as demons.

Compare and contrast ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon''.[[labelnote:Seriously!]]Teenagers fight off {{Eldritch Abomination}}s, on behalf of a secret organization that's led by a cruel genius with a hidden agenda.[[/labelnote]]

In Spring 2013, ''Devil Survivor 2'' received an [[http://ds2a.jp/ animated adaptation]]. Tropes from the anime can be [[Anime/DevilSurvivor2TheAnimation found here]].

* NoPronunciationGuide: An early conversation with Daichi gives the protagonist a chance to pronounce Nicaea as ''Nekaya'', which is likely how a lot of players pronounced it prior to voice acting.

* ThePeepingTom: The ''Secret Garden'' scene has Daichi and Joe peeking in on the women's physical exam. The protagonist can join as well, leading to eavesdropping on a conversation the women are having about their [[BuxomIsBetter assets]].

Before the train hits them, Nicaea offers the students [[DealWithTheDevil a chance to change their fate by becoming demon tamers]]. They agree, and after being saved by (and subduing) demons that appear from their phones, the trio return to the streets of Tokyo to find Earth is under attack by [[EldritchAbomination extraterrestrial invaders]] called the [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything Septentriones]]. Opposing the aliens is JP's, ([[GovernmentAgencyOfFiction Japan Meteorological Agency, Prescribed Geomagnetism Research Department]]), whose charismatic leader enlists their aid but also [[GovernmentConspiracy knows more about what's going on than he should]].

* {{Biodata}}: [[spoiler:Everything is stored as data in the Akashic Records, including a person's death and the world itself. The current Administrator has the power to delete or rewrite the world, with the Records.]]

* TheBlank: Generic [=JP's=] members are drawn without a face to portray FacelessGoons.

* EleventhHourSuperpower: The [[spoiler:Prime Factors]] that the party has to crack before confronting the FinalBoss. [[spoiler:They are the factors that make up the universe. ''Heat'' boosts all Elemental damages; ''Gravity'' boosts all Physical damages; ''Time'' boosts [[InfinityPlusOneElement Almighty]] and Curse damage; ''Space'' adds 4 to every person's movement range.]]

---> '''Ghost Q:''' Let's have a fair, one-on-one fight!
---> ''Ghost Q summons multiple demons to gang up on the player''

** The six death clip events where your party members can actually be KilledOffForReal are hard capped at three deaths. Furthermore, they are mutually exclusive (Jungo/Io, Keita/Makoto, and Joe/Otome), and losing the first character in the set prevents the second character's death from happening as well (as the game will force you to pick the right events to save them), and in [[spoiler:Makoto's case, if Keita is already dead, she survives even if you side with Rolando during the mission]]. Thus, you can never lose more than three characters before the alignment route split (and no more than five characters total in a single playthrough).

** Usually done by the game when they ''really'' want you to stop joking around.
** Averted during the first battle. The player can choose to die and [[NonStandardGameOver get a Game Over]].

* CommonHTTPStatusCode: The original ends its GameOver message with 403 Forbidden. The message often appears when a website's code is being rewritten. In the context of the game, the world is being altered. Its UpdatedRerelease ''Record Breaker'' goes for 404 Not Found instead, to signify the world being destroyed.

* NewGamePlus: The player earns titles for their accomplishments in the game, with each title having its share of points. Those points can be used to unlock perks like the ability to carry over things like demons, skills, money, the demon compendium and remove the Fusion or EXP limit. This is also the only way to unlock the super-tough BonusBoss, [[spoiler:the two Ticos]].

* AntiFrustrationFeature: When fighting Team Tokyo's leaders on the 7th Day, [[spoiler:Io Nitta]] will begin to channel Lugh and give a power-up to the entire faction after a certain amount of damage has been dealt to them. Defeated [[spoiler:Io Nitta]] before this happens? No problem, they'll get up again and channel Lugh, making it impossible to miss out on Lugh during that battle.
** The six death clip events where your party members can actually be KilledOffForReal are hard capped at three deaths. Furthermore, they are mutally exclusive (Jungo/Io, Keita/Makoto, and Joe/Otome), and losing the first character in the set prevents the second character's death from happening as well (as the game will force you to pick the right events to save them), and in [[spoiler:Makoto's case, if Keita is already dead, she survives even if you side with Rolando during the mission]]. Thus, you can never lose more than three characters before the alignment route split (and no more than five characters total in a single playthru).

* BonusBoss: In accordance with ''Shin Megami Tensei'' tradition, defeating the following unlocks them for fusion.
** Ghost Q and Billiken can be challenged in optional events.
** Starting a NewGamePlus unlocks battles against Belial; Nebiros; Lilith; Beelzebub; the Sage of Time and Alice, with the last being the ultimate boss of this arc.

* FiveManBand: You can actually customize your team. But, the characters split up after different opinions in the game. It depends on you to choose the routes. [[spoiler:But, they come back if you persuade them after defeating them in battle. Except Yamato in Ronaldo and Alcor route; Ronaldo in Yamato and Alcor route; and Alcor in Yamato, Ronaldo and Daichi route.]] Alcor doesn't count in it. Because, it's just the protagonist and him. [[spoiler:Of course it's doesn't last long until 10 people came join in.]] Like:

* BonusBoss: Unlocked through the Rewards menu, the two Ticos can only be fought during the Triangulum arc and only during a NewGamePlus.

* AnyoneCanDie: Similar to the previous game, but on a ''worldwide'' scale this time around. [[spoiler:A mandatory death occurs to one Fate Link character in each route. And over half of your party members can die during the course of the game, if the player does not manage to save them in time.]]

* BrainwashingForTheGreaterGood: Yamato wants to convince Polaris to change human nature to be purely meritocratic. When Ronaldo listens in on the said plan, he decides to do the same, except he wants to create an egalitarian society.
** Daichi thinks both of these plans suck, but gets called out by the others for having [[NeutralityBacklash no concrete plan]] to offer.

* [[DefrostingTheIceQueen Defrosting The Ice King]]: Spending enough time with Yamato and Keita allows them to [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold mellow out]].

*** Daichi's Route: [[TheProtagonist You're]] TheLeader, Daichi TheLancer, Hinako TheHeart, Jungo TheBigGuy, and Io TheSmartGuy.
*** Ronaldo's Route: [[TheProtagonist You're]] TheLeader, Ronaldo TheLancer, Otome TheHeart, Airi TheBigGuy, and Joe TheSmartGuy.
*** Yamato's Route: [[TheProtagonist You're]] TheLeader, Yamato TheLancer, Makoto TheHeart, Keita TheBigGuy, and Fumi TheSmartGuy.

* IllGirl: Joe's girlfriend. [[spoiler:Her condition is worse than she let on and ends up dying as the week progresses. Although the Restorer ending shows that she was brought back to life, her illness apparently no longer a problem.]]
* [[ImTakingHerHomeWithMe I'm Taking It Home With Me]]: Taken to ludicrous extremes by a Badb Catha when it grabs [[spoiler:one of Lugh's essences]]. It squees like a little girl and directly mentions this trope.

* LifeDrain: The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Drain]] skill, which steals HP and MP from the opponent. [[spoiler:[[BonusBoss Alice]] has a stronger form that drains HP from every enemy within a range of six tiles from her.]]

* MyRulesAreNotYourRules: ''Drain'' works differently in battles between [=NPCs=], not draining anything.

* TheCapitalOfBrazilIsBuenosAires: According to the artbook, Ronaldo Kuriki is part-Brazillian, although he sometimes drops Spanish greetings. Those are a {{woolseyism}}, though.

* AllThereInTheManual: The artbook has a lot of supplementary information about the characters - their heights; birthdates and zodiac signs; where they'd like to travel to - and even contains information on the idea of Yamato having a younger sister called Miyako. She does not exist in the initial arc, but does make an appearance in [[UpdatedRerelease Record Breaker]].

* MyRulesAreNotYourRules: Drainworks differently in battles between [=NPCs=], not draining anything.

* Nerf: Drain was one of the few things from the first game to be touched in this one, and it suffered a major damage decrease, to the point of being nearly worthless.

* NiceHat: Joe wears a flat cap; Airi has a white pillbox hat and Jungo wears a black bucket hat that is similar to [[VideoGame/DevilSurvivor Atsuro]]'s.

** The copy protection flag actually goes off earlier in the game, where Makoto is normally supposed to be able to kill Bai Suzhen, but instead leaves her with 1 HP, forcing the main parth to land the finishing blow on her.

* StandardStatusEffects: All the ''Shin Megami Tensei'' mainstays are here. Poison, Paralyze, Stone/Petrify, Charm, Forget and Curse. [[spoiler:Alcor adds the unique Ill-Starred effect, which adds damage to any attack against the target.]]

* ItsPronouncedTroPAY: An early conversation with Daichi gives the protagonist a chance to pronounce Nicaea as ''Nekaya'', which is likely how a lot of players pronounced it prior to voice acting.