The original Shin Megami Tensei V was great. After I reviewed it again in 2021, I beloved the difficult fight, the superb artwork design, the menagerie of mythological beings, and the general darkish and oppressive ambiance whereby humanity hangs by a thread. However there was actually room for enchancment, so I used to be desperate to see how Atlus would deal with Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, its revised and expanded multiplatform launch. So moderately than repeat what was stated before–much of my unique assessment nonetheless stands–it’s extra worthwhile to take a look at Vengeance’s most necessary adjustments and new additions. There’s lots that is been added and adjusted, so let’s concentrate on what made the most important influence on the sport total.
Maybe probably the most noteworthy is its efficiency. As a substitute of being constrained on the Swap {hardware}, Vengeance is now multiplatform, permitting the sport to run at a a lot smoother 60fps. Although the Swap model was recognized to chug when lots was occurring in its huge, open environments or in fight, that is now not an issue. (Since we have reviewed Vengeance on PS5, we won’t say if the Swap model nonetheless has these efficiency hiccups, although we do understand it goals to run at 30fps.)
Visually, nonetheless, Vengeance seems to be much like the unique; the environments and character fashions lack the form of intricate element you may be used to seeing on current-gen consoles. Nonetheless, what Vengeance lacks in ultra-detail it greater than makes up for in beautiful artwork design, filling the world with stunning angels and goddesses, vile demonic hellspawn, and a mix of tarnished wastelands and mysterious, otherworldly constructs.
One of many greatest additions to Vengeance is the titular Canon of Vengeance story path, which you’ll select to observe on the sport’s earliest moments. (The unique SMT V story, Canon of Creation, remains to be obtainable if that is your first go-around in Da’at.) This tackle the SMT V story introduces Yoko Hiromine, a scholar from a neighboring faculty who’s skilled in exorcism and harbors a grudge in opposition to her establishment. You will not have to attend lengthy to fulfill her, both, as she seems to assist not lengthy after your first mini-boss encounter with new demon Glasya-Labolas within the Tokyo ruins whereas additionally cleverly introducing the brand new guest-character fight aspect within the course of.
Yoko’s not alone, both. The Vengeance story brings in a quartet of highly effective feminine demons known as the Qadištu who’ve their very own goals within the ongoing story wrestle. Each the presence of Yoko and the Qadištu remodel the narrative in surprising methods. Not solely are there extra story scenes and enemy encounters (which assist alleviate the gradual narrative tempo of the unique considerably), however plot beats from the unique storyline wind up getting twisted in new and attention-grabbing instructions.
It is thrilling to see how issues play out otherwise and the way these adjustments reverberate within the story down the road, besides, it takes some time for the Vengeance story to essentially diverge from the unique. You are still going to the identical locations and pursuing comparable goals as the unique canon for an excellent chunk of the game–not a giant deal for newcomers, however a bit disappointing for returning gamers.
The brand new visitor mechanic additionally helps the presence of the opposite characters in SMT V’s tales really feel extra necessary. Plot-essential characters will be a part of your roster as visitors for a sure stretch of the story, the place they arrive with a big set of expertise and could be summoned and faraway from fight like demons. They do not take up any slots in your demon inventory, can do issues demons cannot from the get-go (reminiscent of utilizing objects), and have an even bigger talent choice. Nevertheless, since they’re story-dependent, they’ll come and go because the plot dictates, they usually lack the customization choices, reminiscent of stat-boosting incense and skill-bestowing essences, your demon items have. Nonetheless, in lots of fight conditions, you will be glad to have their additional utility round.
Should you’re actually into powering up your demon companions, the Demon Hang-out that is newly accessible by way of leylines shall be proper up your alley. It is a particular space the place you’ll be able to have a pleasant little chitchat along with your demon buddies, often about completely regular subjects like how a lot enjoyable it’s to really feel poison creep into the blood of your enemies or why it sucks that there aren’t as many people round to intestine anymore. By bonding along with your darling little military of sociopaths–through fight, dialog, and even gift-giving–individual demons would possibly name you to the hang-out to both provide you with presents (like objects and essences) or achieve stat boosts and extra expertise.
It’s also possible to hang around along with your human buddies and your fusion-friend Aogami right here and focus on plot-relevant happenings. The Demon Hang-out actually appears like an anomaly, with its cheery music and upbeat ambiance amongst an even bigger setting that’s neither of these issues, but it surely’s additionally good to have a spot to take a break from the terrifying occult battle occurring throughout you–and perhaps get slightly deal with as a bonus.
One of many defining options of SMT V was its huge, open-exploration environments, and a bunch of quality-of-life enhancements in Vengeance has made navigating a way more partaking and pleasing expertise. The in-game maps are rather more detailed than within the unique, and a easy button press offers you a chook’s-eye view of the close by space, permitting you to higher choose the topography. Should you performed the unique, you little question skilled the ache of seeing one thing of curiosity indicated on the map however not understanding how excessive up (and sometimes inaccessible out of your present place) it was, so these tweaks are an enormous assist. Additionally aiding in ease of navigation are the Magetsu Rails: shortcuts that may zip you from one space to a different rapidly (and again once more) as soon as activated. These are most frequently present in out-of-the-way areas like cliffs, enclaves, and rooftops, decreasing the quantity of finicky platforming wanted when backtracking to beforehand explored areas (and letting you do sick-looking Jet Set Radio grinds as well).
Demon NPC companions that discover objects and areas of curiosity on the map can now be recruited and used exterior of set story occasions, letting you discover numerous random loot drops scattered everywhere in the huge areas. Lastly–and most notably–you can now save nearly wherever moderately than at set save factors.
There’s much more value mentioning: Extra Miracles can be found to enhance the Nahobino (and you’ll toggle a lot of them on and off as you please after acquisition), a complete bunch of latest demons have been added to the roster, there is a mess of latest aspect quests–including attention-grabbing little mini-adventures the place you’re taking management of a demon and time-limited trials–and demons now have distinctive „innate expertise“ that have an effect on every thing from talent efficacy to creating fight negotiations movement easy.
Magatsuhi expertise have been upgraded dramatically, with each new expertise added alongside particular expertise that require both particular demons or demons assembly sure circumstances. A few of these expertise are eyebrow-raising in simply how good they’re, as they’ll take away enemy Press Turns even in boss encounters, depriving foes of actions. In turn-based fight the place technique revolves round getting extra turns and robbing the enemy of their actions, that is enormous.
And that is one thing odd about Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance: This sport felt notably simpler than the unique. For each the unique and Vengeance, I performed via the sport on the usual problem, and Vengeance felt much less making an attempt total. I am undecided how a lot of that perceived discount in problem comes from my very own expertise with the original–knowing enemy weaknesses and the place you will encounter them offers you a major leg up–but with the brand new innate expertise, new Miracle buffs, new and very useful Magatsuhi expertise, getting additional objects and boosts within the Demon Hang-out, and the save-anywhere characteristic, Vengeance is usually nicer to the participant. Whether or not that is an excellent or a nasty factor is as much as your tastes–and, take into account it is all the time very attainable to get your self completely wrecked in a random encounter that goes south rapidly, so you continue to must play properly. For these of you who desire a massacre, the absurd „Godborn“ problem in New Recreation Plus will fulfill your want for wrestle.
All the pieces that made Shin Megami Tensei V such a memorable and fascinating expertise stays in Vengeance, simply tweaked and massaged into an excellent higher sport. It is simpler to hook up with the narrative–having the opposite human characters in your celebration and fascinating in small discuss with them go a protracted method to making the occasions occurring round them really feel extra impactful–and the varied changes to navigation, fight, and demon-herding allow you to focus extra on savoring the darkish ambiance and the methods of battle. Should you did not enter the tunnel to the underworld the primary time round, that is the right alternative to do so–and when you’re a veteran of the warfare for the throne, there’s loads right here to deliver you again.