Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance is the newest entry in a long-running postapocalyptic RPG franchise. The series started back in the very first Nintendo console and has since had multiple releases on PlayStation systems.
Vengeance is a new edition of the latest mainline game, which originally launched only on the Nintendo Switch. Now revamped and with significant new features, it comes to PlayStation 4 and 5 as well. But what’s new for this edition and why should you give it a try?
Enter the Da’at
Shin Megami Tensei V tells the story of a young man which we can name ourselves. He’s just an ordinary high school student until one incident changes his life forever.
Without spoiling much of the story, the protagonist finds himself in a dangerous place called Da’at. Demons roam the place and he’d likely die a gruesome death, were it not for his transformation into the Nahobino.
Now he has to look for a way back home and try to survive the best he can. However, he’ll learn much more about the world than he’d expect. Harsh truths are a big part of the experience.
I’ve previously played the original game on Switch, which offered what’s known now as the “Canon of Creation”. This will still be available in the new release, but the big draw is the introduction of a different perspective to the story.
The new game introduces a new story arc called “Canon of Vengeance”. This is an alternate tale that introduces new characters and alters how events play out. One such addition is the presence of Yoko Hiromine, a cool, mysterious beauty that people refer to as a “Saint”.
However, the biggest change should be the introduction of the Qadistu, four major demons looking for revenge. Lilith, Naamah, Eisheth Zenunim, and Agrat bat Mahlat seem to have their eyes on the protagonist as a key to resurrection.
Many mysteries remain, as the title promises to expand significantly from what it originally offered. When the original game came out on Switch, some players felt like the story was lacking in development, so I hope this fleshes out the lore and characters better.
New Features
Besides the new branching storyline, there are many changes to the experience. One such element is the rebalancing of the battles, as one of the most criticized aspects was the level system.
In the original release of Shin Megami Tensei V, levels had a significant impact on combat. It made it so that underleveled players would have an almost impossible time beating challenges with only smart usage of skills.
One of the first points that Atlus addressed was that the new edition would fix this issue. The new edition also increases the level cap to 150, and adds a new game+ difficulty called Godborn, which should make enemies much stronger.
The Da’at will now have Magatsu Rails, which will allow players to traverse them much faster and also to find hidden areas. It’ll also be possible to find Aogami Husks, unlocking new skills for the Nahobino, and powerful Magatsuhi Demons who drop incenses and valuable items.
Another new feature is that human allies may help the player as guests. This was not possible in base Shin Megami Tensei V, and their abilities include using items and summoning demon allies.
Finally, all demons now have Innate Skills like passive bonuses or making demonic negotiations easier. As such, it’ll be important to strategically plan which one would be best for each situation.
More Content
The new edition features 270 demons, adding 40 new entries to the ones already available in the original game and its DLC. Many of them are part of Soul Hackers 2, a recent spin-off in the series, but there are also brand new options, such as Nyami Nyami, Anansi, and Onyankopon.
Another major addition is the introduction of the Shinjuku Ward. This is a new area we get to explore beyond the ones in the original game. It also includes a new dungeon called Shakan, an area within Bethel that’s filled with magical contraptions.
All the DLCs from the original game are part of Vengeance. As such, players will be able to fight against the Demi-fiend from Shin Megami Tensei III. The new edition allows players to recruit him as a guest as well.
However, Atlus will still release more content to buy separately. This includes a quest for Dagda from Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse, and another for Konohana Sakuya.
A Definitive Edition
Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance promises to be a definitive edition of the latest entry in a long-running RPG franchise. With all the additions we know, it seems to be a huge improvement over the original Switch release. Hopefully the wait isn’t too long now to finally have it on PlayStation systems.
