Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-10443859-20130610070105/@comment-9505008-20130623171351

Okay so I just finished playing the prologue and here are few points which I took away from it:

Pro:


 * "Better" storyline


 * Dynamic battle system


 * Superior music library


 * Better player-player interactions


 * Clear/concise instructions for new players

Cons:


 * Long loading/updating time


 * Bland protagonist/deuteragonist designs

Obviously, these points are made in comparison to AGG. I'll go over what I experienced, but there will be minor spoilers. Nothing too major, seeing as I only played like 20 minutes of it so far.

So! Engaging storyline. In the pre-prologue dialogue, there's the protagonist (male, can be named) engaging in a fight against Yamata no Orochi, set 10 years ago. The city of Tokyo has been ravaged by its wake, with hundreds dead and thousands to follow. In an attempt to save an unnamed 'girl', protagonist makes a temporary contract with the Sun Goddess Amaterasu. In the ensuing battle, the protagonist triumphs with the goddess's help, but instead of banishing/destroying the youkai, Amaterasu instead absorbs Yamata no Orochi, becoming the ruler of both Light and Darkness.

...Yeah that wasn't really a minor spoiler, but whatever. So yes, the initial premise is much darker than what AGG offered, which, if I remember correctly, started off with celebration in becoming a ghost agent with a random goody-two-shoe. Granted, neither premises are original, but the main difference is that while AGG's initial plot seems to be written by a pre-schooler with crayons between nap time, DM's plot was written by gloomy high schooler (figuratively speaking, of course).

The battle system is actually pretty cool - think of it as a mix between Conquest Event and PVP. You and your opponent can each have up to 6 cards on the field (all customizable), and the Devils will randomly strike one other Devil from the opposing side. Along with this static damage, each Devils have special, proccable abilities, which, from what I've seen, can be used to increase the damage dealt, heal the party, or hit every enemy Devils. Strategic element is definitely present, which is something AGG completely lacks, and is, in my opinion, a core feature in a card game.

Story mode is similar to AGG in that health is required to investigae, and it takes 1 minute for 1 health to regenerate. However, that's where all similarities end; in DM, when you travel, you have 1/3 chance to: gain experience, fight against random Devils or fight against Boss Devil. These battles are rpg-oriented, meaning that they aren't scripted wins/losses, and does require player inputs. Cards themselves also take damage during battle, which can be healed with potion (given/bought in the game).

...Okay, I think I'll wrap up around here, seeing as I've written far more than I intended to. The main points to take away from this though, is that this is a GREAT game, and if you're looking for solid game with good gameplay with interesting storyline, you'd give this a go. It is a superior game to AGG in every aspect except art, I can say that with confidence. And to the female players who are put off by lack of male cards... in my opinion, aesthetics are important, but they really shouldn't be a determinant in your decision to play a game.

If anyone has more inquiries about DM, I'll be playing this over the next few days, so feel free to ask about info here or on my wall. And yes, I am going to be writing a full review on this game, seeing as it is by far the best card game I've seen to date.