Going into Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, I had only one query: why does this exist? I’ve performed SMT5, I performed by way of all of its DLC, and whereas Atlus isn’t a stranger to enhanced ports of its video games, this complete factor appeared just a little bit odd. Vengeance is the Persona 5 Royal of SMT5, and like Persona, it had numerous heavy lifting to do to show its existence worthwhile.
Earlier than we dig in, I need to level you to our authentic Shin Megami Tensei V overview, written by my buddy and colleague Paul Roberts. I agree with nearly all the things Paul needed to say in his overview, and I believe it’s an incredible evaluation of the sport. It’s essential studying, too, as a result of at its core, Vengeance is similar recreation. Certain, it’s obtained a couple of extras right here and there, a brand new story route, some QoL additions, and some new monsters, however you’re nonetheless getting SMT5 on the finish of the day.
So let’s shortly recap, then. SMT5 is a tough-as-nails turn-based RPG that takes place on the finish of the world. After a collection of killings strikes Tokyo, our protagonist wanders right into a tunnel whereas following his faculty pals, and after a little bit of rumbling, wakes up within the apocalypse. Demons and angels – that are actually only a completely different type of demon – are combating to enact their very own new world based mostly on their very own values and beliefs. The protagonist finds an ally on this new world within the type of Aogami, a proto-demon who can merge with the protagonist to turn into the Nahobino and struggle again in opposition to the world.
That story doesn’t essentially change in Vengeance, all of it occurs in a lot the identical means, however there’s a new path that may be chosen on the very begin of the sport. Regardless of a few of the advertising and marketing, which advised it’s solely actually the final act of the sport that adjustments, there’s numerous new stuff occurring all through the story, proper from the get-go. It doesn’t drastically change issues till later within the recreation, however it’s fascinating to see some issues play out just a little bit in another way.
It’s not sufficient, although, if I’m being sincere. Whereas there are some variations right here and there, many of the new path performs out very equally to the unique recreation, and it takes a superb 30 hours or so earlier than you get to the massive adjustments. If in case you have a excessive tolerance for sitting by way of stuff you’ve already skilled, then this will likely be simply wonderful, however as any person who hardly ever, if ever, replays video games, there’s lots to slog by way of and the payoff isn’t notably value it.
The gameplay is the place issues get just a little extra fascinating. Sure, it’s roughly the identical recreation as earlier than, with the identical gameplay even, however there are little tweaks right here and there that make it much more fulfilling. Playable human allies sometimes be a part of your occasion, which is a really good addition and relieves just a little little bit of the stress that comes with managing your posse of demons.
Demons all get a novel passive ability, too, which makes every demon far more fascinating — you received’t simply be choosing whichever demon has the best stats and loading all of your skills onto that, every demon has its area of interest. There’s some neat synergy with these expertise too, like Angel’s ability Blessed Melody, which will increase the sunshine injury of all the staff when within the energetic occasion.
You can even hang around together with your demons in a brand new space referred to as Demon Hang-out. Right here, you’ll be able to enhance your friendship together with your demons by speaking to them, which may end up in them leveling up, gaining stat boosts, and supplying you with objects. It’s a foolish little social factor, however it’s a pleasant break from the doom and gloom, and it reveals off the very well-written personalities of the demons.
Talking of these personalities, I’ve personally discovered it a lot simpler to recruit demons. Within the authentic recreation I at all times discovered that conversations with demons had been opaque and irritating to observe, however in Vengeance it’s a lot clearer what the persona of a demon is, and it’s a lot simpler to intuit what the demon may need to hear. That doesn’t imply you’ll at all times achieve success, however it takes just a little little bit of the frustration out of the expertise.
There are some adjustments to the overworld, some further aspect quests, and fairly a couple of new demons sprinkled all through the world, too. None of those change the sport by any measurable diploma, however hey, new content material is new content material, and when the sport is working so laborious to justify its existence, any little bit helps.
The issue appears to be far more even, with none main spikes like within the authentic. It’s not that the sport is simple, it completely isn’t and you continue to need to spend each second considering and strategising, however in the event you’re not working from each battle then it’s best to be capable of keep away from any main grinding.
I did really discover one unusual factor to do with issue, although. I used to be underneath the impression that Vengeance included the entire base recreation’s DLC, together with the Security issue. That doesn’t appear to be the case. I don’t know if I’m lacking one thing, if there’s some type of secret to unlocking it, or if it’s the results of enjoying on a pre-launch copy, however there isn’t any Security issue in my menu when beginning a recreation or when altering issue in-game. Once more, this may very well be a pre-launch situation, so I’m not prepared to slam the sport too laborious for it, however it’s a bizarre alternative if it’s lacking.
One space by which Vengeance is an apparent improve is within the efficiency. The unique recreation on Change had some points with efficiency, notably in docked mode. It was blurry, dropped frames left and proper, and actually appeared to battle. You’ll be able to mitigate this in Vengeance with a couple of tweaks to the settings — turning off ambient occlusion, movement blur, and anti-aliasing helps make the expertise carry out in a way more steady means. It comes at the price of visible constancy, however it’s definitely worth the tradeoff for a extra steady expertise.
I’ve a little bit of a problem with the best way Vengeance has been dealt with, to be sincere. I don’t like to speak about worth and pricing in most of my critiques – worth is completely different for each individual and each state of affairs, in any case – however I can’t actually speak about Vengeance with out referring to it.
I’ll be blunt: Vengeance shouldn’t be a full-priced recreation, not less than not on Change. I may give it a go if there was an improve path, a $30 charge to improve the unique recreation to Vengeance, however there’s not, and as any person who paid for the unique recreation, I believe I’d be aggravated on the prospect of paying once more for one thing that’s largely the identical. New path or not, further demons or not, high quality of life adjustments or not, it is a DLC growth, and that’s what it ought to have been.
So the query stays: does Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance justify its existence? I’d argue it doesn’t. I imply it’s a superb recreation, SMT 5 at all times was, and it’s higher than the unique model of the sport. I can’t fault it for what it’s, however I can fault it for what it isn’t. It isn’t a DLC, and it isn’t a large enough change to justify charging $20 greater than the final recreation, and each of these issues are irritating. For those who’ve performed it earlier than, you’ll be able to most likely skip it, in any other case, get pleasure from enjoying the perfect model of an already good recreation.
Score: 4/5
Word: Pictures on this overview had been offered by Atlus through the Nintendo eShop, however precisely characterize the sport’s visuals.
