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A few years after the initial release of Shin Megami Tensei V, which was exclusive to Nintendo Switch, fans can finally play the re-release this week with Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, which is packaged as a true definitive version and is also available for more platforms. As part of Atlus’ pillar franchise, there are certainly still many who are curious to try out the games, and for us, Vengeance is probably the best choice to keep any on.
More than just the accessibility since it will finally be available on many platforms like Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster, the overall game has brought so many improvements that we really appreciate. It really makes the experience much more enjoyable and exciting, not to mention the tons of new content that’s ready to give you a longer playtime.
If you’re curious about what makes Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance a true definitive version and the best entry point to pick up, here’s a summary of all the new things we especially love about the game and can even be considered as tips for those of you that want to know more before playing.
Brand New Campaign – Canon of Vengeance
Of course, when it comes to the main selling point, Canon of Vengeance is definitely a highlight. This is because the developer has packaged it as a new campaign option that players can choose at the beginning of the game, more specifically if they are faced with the choice to save a mysterious girl from her destiny by reaching out to her. This new story revolves around the tale of revenge by the fallen which also features new characters and an antagonist group called the Qadištu.
But what if you don’t choose the option to save the girl? Then you’ll be taken to the Canon of Creation, which is the campaign route of the original game. So rather than combining the new story portions into one campaign, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance breaks it up to give players the chance to still play the original game in its pure form, but at the same time get a brand new route that adds even more reason and motivation to finish the game twice. In addition to maximizing the game’s replayability, the decision to make Canon of Vengeance a separate route is honestly the best choice to go for, especially since the portion of the content offered is indeed quite massive with a different story focus.
New Adventure in Da’at: Shinjuku and Shakan
Your adventures in Da’at are going to get more interesting with the addition of a new region, Shinjuku. The scenery itself still feels quite familiar with other regions in the netherworld, except that you will encounter more tall urban buildings and parks here and there. Of course, with the addition of a new region like this, you can anticipate a variety of new demons to encounter, new subquests, and the progress of the main story of Canon of Vengeance which will eventually lead you to Shinjuku.
Still from the same region, later you can also get access to a new dungeon in Shinjuku called Shakan. This dungeon has arguably our favorite design and atmosphere in the game, but more than that, you’ll be presented with a variety of challenges from the many powerful demons you’ll have to face, as well as exploration that can be a bit tricky at first.
Improved Exploration
It has to be said that exploration in the original Shin Megami Tensei V can sometimes be quite a headache because progressing further into the game will take you to maps with layout designs that take time to get used to. The developers seem to understand this, and as such they have brought in changes that now make exploration in the game more enjoyable. Some of these include the addition of Magatsu Rail, which functions like a shortcut to access hard-to-reach areas, and Sky View, which gives you a clearer view of the map around you from a higher vantage point in the sky.
Nahobino New Form
From the first moment this form was shown off, we were in love. Nahobino herself already looked cool, but this new form is much closer to our tastes. The design is quite reminiscent of the Digital Devil Saga series, but at the same time, you can see the distinctive design touches that make Nahobino look like a shinobi. The crescent-shaped weapon is also a fitting touch for her new form.
But beyond the cool design, this new form will give you access to a variety of exclusive skills that have been designed to fit Nahobino’s capabilities. We don’t want to share many details about this form to avoid spoilers, but it’s definitely something that we think many players will love once they finally reach the point in the story to unlock it. But before that, it’s important to know that this new form can only be obtained in the Canon of Vengeance route due to its strong connection to the new story in the game.
Fight Alongside Story Characters
If you felt that the supporting characters in the original Shin Megami Tensei V ended up not being memorable or contributing much, then this time they will get more spotlight and even allow you to add them as playable characters in your party (Guest Characters). They won’t always be with you until the end of the campaign like the demons you recruit, but the game itself has allocated enough time to experiment with these characters in combat. They are not to be underestimated either, especially Tao who we found to be very helpful in many encounters during his time in the party.
You Can Finally Save Anywhere
It may sound trivial, but trust us when we say that we’re very grateful for this specific feature to be added. It’s common knowledge that Shin Megami Tensei games have a pretty brutal difficulty level and if you let your guard down, you could lose a lot of progress. In the original game, you could only save your progress through Leyline Founts, which functioned like shortcuts and accessed other important facilities. It’s just that Leyline Founts are quite spread out in each region, so there’s bound to be a moment where you’ve managed to make a decent amount of progress, only to fall in battle and be thrown into the main menu with the only option to access your last save data.
There were a few moments where we lost hours of progress in the original game, but this time Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance has removed that limitation and how you can finally save your progress anywhere. Rather than making the game easier, the addition of this feature is more about the developer’s efforts to eliminate frustrating scenarios. That also doesn’t mean you can just let your guard down, because if you forget to manually save your progress then it can still be fatal.
Relaxing in Demon Haunts
Demon Haunts is one of the more interesting new features that you can access in the earlier hours of the game. It’s basically like a base where you can relax with the demons you’ve recruited. You can interact with them to engage in unique conversations or just give them gifts that increase your stats and friendship level.
The rest of the things you can do while in Demon Haunts range from interacting with Guest Characters, increasing Nahobino’s stats with the help of Aogami while relaxing on a bench, to appreciating close-ups of each demon and character through the free camera mode which can also be used as Photo Mode if you want.
Expanded Magatsuhi Skill
Magatsuhi skills are one of our favorite combat elements from the original Shin Megami Tensei V, and this time they’ve expanded it even further to allow players to access over 50 different skills. Some of these skills also function like fusion spells where you need to combine them with specific demon formations that you already have in your party. Magatsuhi’s skills can be the ultimate trump card to turn the tide of any battle, so you’ll need to be more selective in determining which skills are most useful in various situations.
Innate Skills for Extra Tactical Approach
In addition to active skills in battle, there are also additional passive skills given to each demon. Named Innate Skills, some of them can provide very strong effects, and even without you realizing it – it can also bring significant benefits depending on each battle scenario. The addition of these passive skills is something we really appreciate because each demon has more contributions that you can consider keeping in your party and being able to get access to more passive skills like this certainly enriches the strategic options that you can further explore throughout the game.
Consecutive Encounters is Now Possible
While exploring Da’at you’ll come across so many demons and sometimes they’ll move in large groups. Because the approach of one encounter in the original game can be quite tiring, this time Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance allows you to trigger multiple encounters at once. This certainly makes each encounter with the enemy more flexible as you can extend the battle to get extra rewards such as more EXP, but at the same time, it’s important to consider the condition of your party as these back-to-back encounters can be quite brutal without careful preparation and end up making you fall and lose a lot of progress.
Flexible New Game+
If you’ve completed the campaign and you’re still itching to play the game all over again, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance has provided a New Game+ that comes with a variety of unique options. So instead of bringing all the carry over bonuses that feel relevant, the game will spread them out in several options to choose from ranging from Newborn, Reborn, and Godborn. Here’s a look at what content is carried over from each option:
Newborn
- Enemy Status Information
- Demon Compendium
- Removal of fusion restrictions
- Various Miracles
Reborn
In addition to the elements from Newborn, the following elements will be carried over:
- The Nahobino’s Abilities and Miracles
- Recruited ally demons
- Various useful items, valuables, and Macca
- Glory
Godborn
- Relatively the same as Reborn for what bonuses it brings, but with a much more brutal difficulty level
- Recommended for those seeking a fresh experience with intense battles
The New Game+ mode in this game is very flexible indeed as you are given the freedom to make the experience more enjoyable or more difficult. The bottom line when it comes to difficulty: Reborn is the most relaxing option, Newborn is relatively stable, and Godborn is for players who want more of a challenge.
Other Useful and Exciting Additions
As for the rest, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance has so many other changes that we really like, especially in the upgrade system that is more enriched with the feature to change Nahobino’s affinity and resistance through Essence Fusion, the option to combine demons owned in the party with those stored in the Demon Compendium through Dyad Compendium Fusion, to increasing the Level Cap to 150 after getting Miracle [Moral Transcendence] which will certainly something to enjoy for players who loves grinding.
Meanwhile, for those who are still hungry for high difficulty content, the good news is that you can face Demi-Fiend again through the “Return of the True Demon” subquest which is no longer separated as paid DLC, and the cool thing is that you can recruit Demi-Fiend as a playable party member (and a very strong one at that). There’s also the addition of a Virtual Trainer facility that allows you to engage in freely customizable battle scenarios, whether it’s just going through one battle or multiple encounters at once, or determining the difficulty level between “Original Mode” and “Challenge Mode”.
At least that’s a summary of the new stuff in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance that we love and is definitely worthy as a selling point. Of course, there are still other improvements that it brings to even the smaller parts such as the Tutorial Recap option, the addition of indications to facilitate subquest progress, changes to the demon with the role of Quest Navigator, damage adjustment with levels, and much more.
Overall, what they offer in this game is much more impressive compared to our initial expectations. Without a doubt, we can see Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance as a great entry point for newcomers to choose from, while veteran players can get a true Shin Megami Tensei experience that is already tailored to community feedback on top of a slew of exciting new content to enjoy.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
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