The Shrine

Great game. Not as strong as Nocturne, but DDS is effectively a miniseries of games, so I honestly couldn't judge DDS alone without taking into factor DDS 2 - and I haven't thrown that in the PS2 yet.

In some ways it's much easier than Nocturne - save points everywhere, and you need the whole party killed to die as opposed to just the hero - but in other ways it's just as difficult. Bosses tend to rely more on fun strategies and tricks than brute strength - in particular, the final boss fight was one of the best I've seen in ages. On the other hand, if you don't have the particular abilities needed to counter/prevent some of the bosses' actions, you might need to do some emergency Mantra Grid levelling (I managed to get through the whole game without needing to do that, but I diversified my party from the start - if I'd done all of the optional bosses, though, I'd have needed to powerlevel/power-Mantra).

The Mantra Grid system works. It makes money by far the biggest issue, as higher power Mantras are extremely expensive. It's sorta like a more open-ended FFX Sphere Grid system. The fact that once you've learned a Mantra's abilities you can allocate those on your characters whenever means that you can adjust to situations as needed.

Plot has a lot of potential, but I'm only at the midway point, so I can't make a decision one way or another.

All in all, it's a very good RPG. Know that going into it, however, you're going to want to play DDS2 as well, so if you're simply looking for a single RPG purchase, go for Nocturne instead. DDS is a short game (33 hours, about 5 of it on optional content, but I left a great many optional bosses alone because they'd have required a lot of levelling/devouring to defeat) but a great lead-in to the upcoming proceedings. It's also a nicely twisted game - they don't pull any punches in game tone or gloss over the fact that you're not just defeating your foes, you're eating them (sometimes alive). Definately unlike most RPGs in tone.

I will note that they nailed the transition from DDS1 to DDS2 perfectly. So awesome.

Is DDS1 on the PS2?

Both are. Even lets you import your DDS1 save into DDS2 for bonuses and such.

I'm a few more hours into DDS2, and still loving it.

Can you even find it? I haven't heard of it even advertized, or anywhere in a game store?

Atlus does relatively small print runs. You'll probably have to order DDS1 online. DDS2 came out a week or so ago, and I've seen plenty of copies in stores.

Awwww...cops finally let the Godfather of Soul out of the lineup, I see.

No offense meant by that, by the way. I like the new av.

It's in honor of DDS. Serph (and Varna) owns.

About 12 hours into DDS2 now. Really like where the plot is headed - one of the best ones I've seen in a while. Some aspects are distinctly creepy and/or fucked up, which is nice - this game really did earn the M rating.

That being said, I am playing on Hard difficulty, and holy shit. That's an understatement. Fun, but probably the most difficult RPG experience I've had in ages. I'm sure it's no worse on normal than DDS1 was, and I never consciously had to do any extra levelling during the main game.

Edit: Mmm. Plot twists.

Maybe I should hunt down a copy of DDS1, though I'm playing too many games right now. Focusing on Shadowhearts right now.

I'd go so far as to say that you shouldn't play DDS2 without playing DDS1. I'm not going to endorse the first's plot as anything truly great, but it's passable. It adds tremendously to DDS2's plot, which is shaping up to be truly great - but without the knowledge and experience of the first I'd be lost or potentially apathetic to a lot of the goings-on.

Despite coming in two different boxes, treat DDS as one single game. You wouldn't take other random RPGs and start on disc 2, so don't let the fact that you could in this case motivate you to do so.

Yeah, exactly. I would regard most "sagas" to be like Xenosaga or .Hack, where the story is pretty much picked up where the previous one left off. Given the terrible story/dialogue on Shadow Hearts, I doubt I could have stomached the first one, so I'm glad I can just start it from the 2nd game.

I finished DDS2 tonight.

DDS is, as a whole, my favorite RPG since Deus Ex.

I do not in any way make that statement lightly.

Awesome, awesome game. DDS2 was equal to or better than part 1 in every way. Great dungeons. Combat was tuned up a bit, and the Berserk mode was great. The revised Mantra Grid worked great. Soundtrack was better, and the first had amazing music to start with. The balance of dungeon to plot was better, and the plot rocked. The most "holy shit, that did not just happen" moments in a game in recent memory.

I'm so damn tempted to put part 1 back in and try to be completist about both games, but there's other stuff I want to work on. I have no doubt that at some point I will do so, though.

I could gush about the game a lot more, but no need. Simply bloody fantastic. Atlus is the win.

I've been looking for the first one everywhere lately, but i guess i'll just have to order it online. I hate waiting for games to ship to me, but i guess if i had just ordered it when i started looking for it, it would have been here by now.

I've been craving a serious RPG and cant wait!

I loved DDS1 but as I dont have a PS2 anymore I am not able to try out DDS2. This makes me sad.

I know I have mentioned it before, but I found a fun MegaTen community. For anyone interested, check it out here

http://www.popanime.net/megami/phpBB2/index.php

Bumping an older thread here.

I'm almost finished with DDS1. I managed to find a used copy of both games at an EB Games. (Bought the first one, played for a while, and both the 2nd one before it disappeared.)

The battles are pretty cool. I would say below Xenogears 2, and above Shadow Hearts in fun RPG battles. Trying to figure out which skills to use for which area can be a bit of a challenge. (And I only have 8 slots to play with...)

I've discovered that you have to play with a FAQ handy, because figuring out the weaknesses can get kinda annoying quickly. (How can you fight a boss without losing to it once first or reading a FAQ?) Though, here in the later levels, when you figure out the pattern of Weakness, Weakness, Devour, for every fight, most of the dungeons are a breeze, until you fuck up, and give them a turn. Then they do some damaging shit, and you tend to retreat A LOT.

I'm at level 70ish and I'm exploring the really high level mantras. Already got Gale with Null Attack, and Heat's got all of the physicals and the Null Phys/Element/Ailment combo. (Really disappointed with Null Ailment, which doesn't block Ache or Death. I've got him going towards all of the elements for Null Attack, just because they take up sooo many slots.) Beat a few of the extra bosses, and plan on beating them all except the Demi-Fiend. (I don't think I have the patience for beating the game a 2nd time only to rely on a mostly luck-based battle.)

The plot is decent, but right now, it doesn't seem all that great. Neat concepts, but not enough being shown to me to really appreciate it yet. I guess that will change. The stereotypical RPGish characters are too one-sided for my tastes. (Cielo is especially annoying.) The music is original, though I wish they had more battle songs. (Heat: "I like metal. I don't know what that means, but it just sounded right.")

Just wait till you get to the 2nd DDS, it really gets good. All the lose story plots get wraped up rather nicely. Plus you DO get a really good ring in DDS2 for beating the demi-fiend (Hitoshura - the hero from SMT Nocturne.)