One of the cool things about playing Shin Megami Tensei games is sifting through the library of demons, fairies, and folklore brought to life. You can actually learn a decent amount about world mythologies by thumbing through an SMT game's demon compendium, and it's always cool to see all the demon designs, both tried and true and revamped.

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Soul Hackers 2's compendium features quite a few familiar faces from across the Shin Megami Tensei timeline, as well as a handful of newcomers and revamps. Every demon is worth bringing over to your cause, whether you intend to use them in combat or just as fusion fodder, but some are definitely better than others. Some demons have more useful abilities in combat, while others are so weird or unusual that you can't help but be fascinated by them.

10 Jack-o'-Lantern - The Spirit Of Halloween

Jack O Lantern Soul Hackers 2

It was pretty much a given that we were going to have at least one Jack on this list. While Jack Frost may be Atlus's unofficial mascot, though, we'd be remiss not to acknowledge the sheer utility of his brother, Jack-o'-Lantern (occasionally known as Pyro Jack), the smiling spirit of Halloween.

Jack-o'-Lantern is every Devil Summoner's best friend because he serves as a great Fire element workhorse. He's got both Agi and Maragi under his belt, and his high INT stat allows him to keep pace even once everyone else's skills upgrade to the second tier. Besides that, he's so cute! Look at him with his little lantern and his hat. So cute.

9 Take-Minakata - The Armless Wonder

Take Minakata Soul Hackers 2

You wouldn't think a bound up guy with no arms would be much to write home about, but you'd do well not to underestimate this Japanese deity. Even putting aside his super-cool face, covered in fangs and horns, Take-Minakata is also a fantastic early-game Elec specialist in Soul Hackers 2.

Against some of the early bosses, Take-Minakata's natural affinity for Elec attacks, not to mention his ability to reflect enemy Elec attacks, make him surprisingly handy. He's also no slouch in the physical attacking department, which makes him a bonafide double threat.

8 Titania - The Mega Ten Standby

Titania Soul Hackers 2

If you pick just about any Shin Megami Tensei game off the shelf, odds are good that Titania will be one of the best demons in that particular game. Through both the mainline games and spin-offs, Titania has been a steadfast ally and an absolute must-have for any well-rounded party.

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In Soul Hackers 2 in particular, Titania is packing both Diarahan and Mediarahan right from the get-go, making her a master-class healer and support specialist. Plus, she's got Bufudyne for an extra elemental kicker, just in case you need something for her to do between awesome heals.

7 Hell Biker - Pretty Much Ghost Rider

hellbiker Cropped

While not often, the Shin Megami Tensei games have occasionally drawn from popular culture to fill out the ranks of its demons. Hell Biker, for instance, is partially inspired by the infamous Hell's Angels biker gang, but take one look at him, and you can probably guess where the lion's share of his design sensibilities came from.

It's not that strange for a Marvel hero expy to be included amongst the ranks of folklore characters. After all, many have posited that comic book heroes are the modern version of mythological heroes. Of course, there is the whole matter of copyright to consider there, so this is the next best thing.

6 Thunderbird - The Epitome Of Electricity

Thunderbird Soul Hackers 2

Any good endgame Shin Megami Tensei party has to have one or more demons that 100% embody a particular element. They're your go-to guys, the ones you bust out with a smile on your face when a boss or strong enemy has a particular weakness, just waiting for you to exploit. For Elec elementals, it doesn't get more striking than the Thunderbird.

This Native American legend comes flying out the gate with both Ziodyne and Maziodyne. When cast with Thunderbird's ridiculously high INT stat, it's all but guaranteed that whatever's on the receiving end of that lightning bolt is going to be fried like southern chicken. Kind of apropos since, y'know, bird.

5 The Shaved Ice Frosts - A Summertime Experiment Gone Horribly Right

Strawberry, Lemon, Melon, and B. Hawaii Frost in Soul Hackers 2

If you thought this list wasn't big enough for two Jacks, think again. Of course, you were probably expecting the likes of the usual Frost trio, that being Jack, Black, and King. Soul Hackers 2, however, threw us a curveball in the form of the Shaved Ice Frosts, a gaggle of Jack Frosts coated in the flavored syrup used to make shaved ice.

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According to their profiles, the Shaved Ice Frosts were apparently created by Dr. Thrill, a character from the original Soul Hackers game, after he got way into Japanese summer culture. The Shaved Ice Frosts come in Strawberry, Lemon, Melon, Blue Hawaii, and Milk-Kin. Nobody's had the guts to actually try licking one of them, though.

4 Turbo Granny - As Seen In Shonen Jump

Turbo Granny Soul Hackers 2

Turbo Granny is a Japanese urban legend that came to light in modern Japan. The rumor goes that if you drive along a highway at night at high speeds, she'll appear next to your window, running on all fours. It's such a wild legend that she absolutely deserves a spot on this list, especially considering this is the first SMT game she's been in in a long while.

If you're a fan of Shonen Jump, you may also know Turbo Granny as the antagonist-turned-ally of the manga series Dandadan. In that series, her high-speed powers are passed on to an unsuspecting Japanese youth, though not until after she steals away some of his... personal bits. It's quite a fun story.

3 Fafnir - A Literal Robotic Dragon

Fafnir Soul Hackers 2

Generally speaking, if you're trying to think of cool demons, you want something that would look really awesome on a heavy metal album cover. Out of every demon on this list, and possibly in all of Soul Hackers 2, few demons would look cooler on a heavy metal album cover than Fafnir.

Even if you put aside his awesome robo-dragon design (though why you would do that is uncertain), Fafnir is one of the heartiest demons in the game, packing monstrous STR and VIT. Coupled with his initial Megaton Press skill, Fafnir can absolutely flatten most low-to-mid-tier demons without much effort and look awesome doing it.

2 Decarabia - Don't Underestimate The Starfish

Decarabia in Soul Hackers 2

When you look at Decarabia, what do you think? "A one-eyed starfish? He's probably just some early-game trash mob," right? Well, you'd be wrong. Everyone's always looking down on Decarabia and his simple ways, but in almost every SMT game he's been in, he's a consistently powerful combatant.

Decarabia is one of the few Almighty-element specialists in Soul Hackers 2, combining a high INT stat with a devastating Megidola. Not only that, but he possesses Tetrakarn natively, allowing him to throw up physical-reflecting shields for the party. Decarabia may not look like he's got much going on, but trust us, he's got a lot going on.

1 Vasuki - Still Holding A Grudge Over SMT5

Vasuki Soul Hackers 2

Vasuki's another regular suspect throughout Shin Megami Tensei games, though most recently, he actually had a major speaking role in Shin Megami Tensei 5 as the subordinate of Shiva and the representative of Bethel India. He was also a major boss in that game, where he was a massive pain in the butt thanks to his insistence on status-inducing attacks.

While we still hold a grudge over that annoying fight, we can't deny his usefulness in Soul Hackers 2. In this game, he's mostly swapped out his status attacks for powerful Gunfire attacks. In fact, he's one of the best mid-tier Gunfire specialists in the game, and a powerful spellcaster besides.

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