Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance review – Back with a vengeance

Shin Megami Tensei is likely one of the longest-running RPG sequence on the market, however regardless of its storied historical past, it’s by no means been as acknowledged as different style staples. Even its spinoffs — primarily Persona — have dwarfed the principle sequence in such an enormous approach that they’ve even dropped the SMT branding from their titles. Followers prop up each new Shin Megami Tensei launch because the attainable breakout second for the mainline franchise within the West, and 2021’s Shin Megami Tensei V was seemingly the very best likelihood the sequence had at reaching a wider viewers.

Being caught on the Nintendo Swap and releasing throughout a remarkably busy vacation season didn’t do Shin Megami Tensei V any favors, although, however now the sport is again with a Vengeance. Conserving with typical Atlus custom, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an expanded and enhanced model of the unique RPG, addressing suggestions from the preliminary launch, including a ton of recent options, and — most significantly — releasing on a number of platforms. That is far more than an expanded port, nevertheless, and in some ways, it appears like the sport SMTV was at all times meant to be.

Again with a Vengeance

The principle new addition of SMTV: Vengeance is an all-new storyline, aptly titled the Canon of Vengeance. The unique Shin Megami Tensei V story remains to be there too, now known as the Canon of Creation, and you may select between the 2 on the very begin of the sport. Not like the expanded editions of Persona video games, this isn’t one essential story with a brand new chapter bolted onto the tip. The Canon of Vengeance differs considerably from the Canon of Creation, even when the opening hours are related.

The unique story of Shin Megami Tensei V was criticized for being gentle, even by SMT requirements, and rightfully so. Characters felt severely underutilized and there wasn’t a lot of a plot to maintain issues going exterior of the essential framework to information you towards the credit. Fortunately, the Canon of Vengeance gives a extra compelling narrative.

Along with the brand new story adjustments, human characters can now be part of your social gathering as short-term friends and you may chat with them and your collected demons within the new Demon Hang-out hangouts. It’s not as fleshed out as one thing like Persona, however that’s probably not what the mainline Shin Megami Tensei sequence is about.

Welcome to Hell

Mainline SMT is all about hellish vibes and stellar fight, and Vengeance excels in each regards. No matter your chosen story route, the environment of Shin Megami Tensei V is unmatched. It’s a lonely and oppressive recreation in a approach that’s unapologetically Shin Megami Tensei, and it’s pretty to see that Vengeance not solely shunned backing away from its abrasive aspect but in addition doubled down on that identification.

Within the opening hours of the sport, you’ll discover the sand-swept ruins of what was as soon as Tokyo, familiarizing your self with a brand new world that isn’t essentially evil, however uncaring. Dissonant whispers fill the air, often damaged up by the shred of an electrical guitar. Directionless, you set out seeking solutions. After which a demon asks you for twenty bucks. On the subject of vibes, Vengeance is peak Shin Megami Tensei. It’s so assured in itself that it’s not afraid to allow you to chat with a wayward demon about haircuts.

Press the Benefit

The majority of the SMTV expertise remains to be fight and social gathering constructing, although, and the core options that the sequence is understood for are even higher in Vengeance. The principle press flip fight system stays, granting bonus turns for putting weaknesses or touchdown essential hits and eradicating turns for lacking assaults.

In Vengeance, extra waves of enemies can seem after you win a combat in a crowded space. You can also now pace up animations to make grinding much less of a headache, and there are additionally new auto-attack and auto-skill choices to let the sport take the wheel. The sport’s turn-based battles really feel far more dynamic in Vengeance with simply these small tweaks.

Plus, varied tweaks have been made to expertise and stage scaling to make battles in opposition to high-level foes much less punishing so long as you employ the suitable ways. You’re not going to have the ability to auto-attack your approach by way of boss fights, however you’ll be able to take out sturdy demons at decrease ranges if you happen to come ready with the suitable buffs, debuffs, and social gathering composition.

Gotta Catch ‘Em All

Probably the most important adjustments to Vengeance’s fight are literally associated to social gathering constructing and technique. Assembling a demonic dream workforce is the principle aim in SMT video games, and Vengeance provides a number of new layers to workforce constructing. Demons now have innate passive abilities that can not be transferred, incentivizing you to make use of particular demons over others. Demons of the identical sort also can be part of collectively and carry out highly effective group assaults throughout battles, supplying you with yet one more factor to concentrate to when placing your workforce collectively.

Fusion is even simpler with the addition of Dyad Compendium fusion, too, which helps you to mix a demon in your possession with one registered in your compendium so that you don’t must undergo the difficulty of summoning a demon simply to instantly discard it in a fusion. Slowly increase your demon roster and fusing them collectively to create hybrid movesets like some type of scientific concoction is the actual meat of Shin Megami Tensei V, and Vengeance simply provides you much more instruments to play with.

Moreover, one of many issues that set the bottom model of Shin Megami Tensei V aside from its predecessors was its give attention to exploration and aspect content material. Vengeance makes that even higher. It’s nonetheless a blast to run round and accumulate restoration orbs, looking for hidden Minami and different collectibles, and Vengeance has added new modes of transportation like Magatsu Rails which let you shortly zip round to totally different components of the map and even uncover new areas. Highly effective new foes known as Magatsuhi demons can randomly seem as effectively, and there are new Aogami Husks that may be collected to unlock new abilities solely for the protagonist.

It’s Enjoyable to Be Unfair

With all these quality-of-life enhancements and new options, SMT’s fight is the very best it’s ever been. Don’t get the unsuitable impression that the sport has been made simpler, although. Shin Megami Tensei V remains to be a imply recreation, however the magnificence is that it enables you to be imply again. It could actually really feel overwhelming at first, particularly for newcomers to the sequence, however slowly mastering the sport’s techniques and exerting your dominance over demons is what makes Shin Megami Tensei so compelling.

Sure, you’ll be able to miss your assaults, lose your turns, after which get rolled by a random demon in just a few seconds (made much less irritating by the brand new save wherever characteristic!), however you can even do the identical to them. It appears like bullying to assault eight occasions in a row due to the press flip system and to activate a strong Magatushi talent that forces all eight of these assaults to be essential hits, however that’s what makes SMTV so thrilling.

The Verdict

Whenever you add every little thing collectively, Vengeance makes the unique model of Shin Megami Tensei V really feel shockingly incomplete compared. It’s simply the largest revamp of a recreation that Atlus has ever developed, and so many new options match so effectively that it’s laborious to think about that they weren’t there within the first place. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is precisely what the sequence wanted, including a ton of much-appreciated quality-of-life options and a wealth of recent content material to the already stellar skeleton that SMT is understood for.