Summary
Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeanceoffers a completely new experience for fans of the original Switch release, due in large part to adding new story beats and upgrading much of its existing content. The updatedSMT 5boasts a new and unique campaign, exclusive DLCs, bonus maps to explore, more characters to meet, and plenty of additional challenges to overcome. It is not an exaggeration to sayitis full to the brim with extra content.
Yet,SMT 5: Vengeance’s many tweaksare what give even the original content a fresh new feel. While there has always been much to love about its breathtaking aesthetic, exciting music, and dynamic combat, the title was far from perfect. Atlus took player feedback very seriously, however, giving the JRPG’s more tedious elements a much-needed face lift.The result is a far more polished experiencewith plenty of surprises to impress and delight even returning players.
Why Shin Megami Tensei V Should Add Online Battles
Shin Megami Tensei v will feature online connectivity, which could lead to online battles that allow players to form teams and fight each other.
10A Brand-New Story Path: Canon Of Vengeance
Meet New Allies And Villains In Canon Of Vengeance
Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeanceoffers the option to choose between two campaigns: the original Canon of Creation and the brand-new Canon of Vengeance.Catering to both returning and new players, it allows for a revisiting of its original story or a fresh narrative experience.
The new story introduces a formidable quartet of diabolical villains known as The Qadistu, led by the powerful Lilith and including Naamah, Eisheth Zenunim, and Agrat bat Mahlat. The party is also joined by a mysterious girl, Yoko Hiromine, as they journey through the Netherworld.
One delightful touch is thatstory beats from Canon of Creation overlap with events in Canon of Vengeance, creating a rich tapestry where some events repeat directly, while others occur peripherally. If the latter occurs off-screen, the Nahobino will learn about them through supporting characters.
Why Final Fantasy & Other JRPGs Make God The Last Boss
Numerous JRPGs ranging from Final Fantasy to the Xeno games to Shin Megami Tensei titles draw heavily on the obscure belief system of Gnosticism.
9Vengeance Includes 2 New DLC Questlines
Play The Original DLCs Along With 2 SMT 5: Vengeance Exclusives
Vengeanceintroduces two exciting new DLC questlines, expanding the game’s content beyond the base experience. These promise exclusive challenges and bonuses, along with more ways for the Nahobino to explore the game’s universe.
The base game includes the four DLCs from the original release by default, but not the twoVengeanceexclusives. For those, it is necessary to purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition ofSMT 5: Vengeance.
Holy Will and Profane Dissent
8New Locations: Shinjuku & Shakan
Explore Tokyo’s Commercial Center And A New Endgame Dungeon
Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeanceexpands its world withtwo new captivating locations: Shinjuku and Shakan. The dynamic urban landscape contrasts nicely with an exciting endgame arena, all while providing the Nahobino with new challenges, rewards, and deeper insights into the game’s lore and characters.
The bustling metropolis of Shinjuku serves as the commercial and business hub of Tokyo and has become a staple in Atlus’s games. Like much in Da’at, however, the Nahobino can look forward to a post-apocalyptic caricature of this real-life city along with its vibrant cityscapes.
While exploring Shinjuku, the party can delve into its corresponding dungeon, Shakan, a challenging late-game area designed to test their skills to the fullest. The Nahobino will need to bring their A-game if they hope to conquer this gauntlet, but rewards abound for their effort.
7Demon Haunts
Gain Rewards By Bonding With Allies
Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeanceintroduces Demon Haunts, wherethe Nahobino can interact with their demons outside of combat. Accessed by using leylines, Demon Haunts offer a deeper layer of strategy and personalization, providing meaningful ways to develop and bond with the protagonist’s demon allies.
Bonding with allies leads to valuable rewards and improvementsfor the main character and their companions. The Nahobino can motivate their demons to improve their skills by engaging with and listening to them. They can improve their own skills and stats by talking to Aogami.
It is unnecessary to constantly travel to Demon Haunts for new rewards. Instead, players are notified of new upgrades through the Chronicle Deeds sub-menu. As a result, they can safely push on with their questing so long as they keep an eye on their notifications.
Shin Megami Tensei: Best Demons In SMT V Explained
Shin Megami Tensei V has over 200 demons for players to recruit into their party. Some options stand out from the crowd, especially the newcomers.
6Guest Characters
Guest Characters Participate In Combat
Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeanceintroduces guest characters who can join the Nahobino’s party in battle,adding another layer to its dynamic combat. Among these characters are Yoko Hiromine, Ichiro Dazai, and the iconic Demi-Fiend, each bringing their unique skills and abilities to the battlefield.
Overall, these guest characters add a layer of depth and excitement. Upon joining, they make battles more varied and allow for unique team compositions that keep gameplay fresh and engaging, andthey are a nice touch since the main character’s party typically includes only demons.
It’s important to remember that these guests are temporary. While they add flavorful interactions and exciting combat options, investing too heavily in their participation is not the best strategy. Guest characters come and go, so focusing on the core team remains crucial inSMT 5.
5Quality Of Life Improvements
New Features Enhance Gameplay
Atlus took player feedback seriously, and the result is a cornucopia of newSMT 5features that do much to polish the title’s rougher edges. These QoL improvements refine its gameplay, making it more enjoyable overall without compromising the franchise’s signature difficulty in the process.
There are many new features inSMT 5: Vengeance, but the most notable improvements enable returners to do the following:
4SMT Is No Longer Exclusive To Switch
Vengeance Performance Even Better On PlayStation, Xbox, And PC
Stepping away from the original’s Nintendo Switch exclusivity,Vengeancewas released for multiple platforms:
Making the title accessible to a larger audience was a welcome step in the right direction, but another benefit to the additional platforms was a similarly welcome hike in overall performance.
The originalSMT 5remains a visual feast on the Switch, but the improved resolutions and framerates forVengeance’s additional ports manage to elevate those graphics even more.This wider availability means improved resolution, frame rates, and load times, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
60 FPS
1080p
Up to 4k
3Increased Level Cap & Revisited Difficulty Scaling
Enemies Now Scale According To The Party’s Level
Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeanceincreased the level cap from 99 to 150, but it also revisited difficulty scaling to enhance gameplay depth and challenge. Now,every enemy inSMT 5scales based on the Nahobino’s level, which should make exploring and experimenting more forgiving.
This one change makesSMT 5feel massively different compared to the original.
Previously, exploring could lead to polarizing experiences because of how easy it was to stumble upon enemies that were much higher in level.The revisited difficulty eliminates that possibility entirely, resulting in a gameplay experience that feels more fair without diminishingSMT 5’s signature difficulty.
This one change makesSMT 5:Vengeancefeel massively different compared to the original.Now that every encounter scales to be both challenging and rewarding,SMT 5encourages the Nahobino to focus on character stats and refine their strategic approach, rather than relying completely on levels.
New Demons, Improved Demons, & Better Demon Fusing
Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance’s Dyad Compendium Fusion system makes demon fusing far more intuitive and user-friendly.It maps out the recipes for each demon combinationand makes it easier to keep track of which ones can be used and which ones can be reserved.
This is especially important sinceVengeanceboasts 40 new demons, bringing the total to 274.Since each demon now possesses unique traits, weaker demons can still be useful in a variety of situations.
Experimenting and monitoring demons is even more worthwhile than it was before.
These enhancements not only streamline the fusion process but also add depth and variety to demon management.Most importantly, players have more agency to create by taking full advantage of the expanded demon roster and new traits to tackle the game’s challenges creatively and efficiently.
1Magatsu Rails
This QoL Improvement Is Far More Than Just A Means To Fast Travel
Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeanceintroduces a convenient feature known as Magatsu Rails, which provides the Nahobino with another fast travel option besides leyline founts. While fast travel is a nice perk on its own, however, theMagatsu Rails offer much more than simple convenience.
Rails encourage and reward the Nahobino for exploring every inch of Da’at inShin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance. They often lead to off-road locations containing useful items, and more than a few such locations are inaccessible by other means. Also, while many rails are easy to see, still more are hidden.
