I put upwards of 80 hours into Shin Megami Tensei V to 100% it when it got here out again in 2021, and you understand what? I’m going to do it once more. That’s as a result of its re-release, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, is including a complete lot extra than simply quality-of-life enhancements and some gameplay additions. It’s one factor to listen to Atlus boast about how a lot it has modified SMT V for the brand new Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC re-release, which key builders detailed in an interview I did some time again. But having now performed about two hours of a preview demo that centered on the brand new content material, I’ve seen for myself how Vengeance is constructing in the direction of one thing a lot bigger than the unique recreation.Atlus has established a reasonably constant sample of placing out definitive variations of beforehand launched video games with notable tweaks and further content material, typically altering the course of their most important tales as effectively. While this 12 months’s Persona 3 Reload was extra of a remake, video games like Persona 5 Royal, Catherine: Full Body, and SMT: Strange Journey Redux are a number of examples of that individual technique. I get that this will rub of us the unsuitable method, however I discover it thrilling to see a recreation I loved go in new instructions to broaden on a artistic imaginative and prescient. It appears Vengeance is affording SMT V that chance, and in some respects, this may be extra vital than Atlus’ different “director’s cuts” of its video games.
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Now Playing: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance – Announce Trailer
As the sport’s subtitle would point out, the primary narrative theme behind the brand new storyline is about revenge. It flips an present plot thread from SMT V, weaving it into the story to be rather more outstanding, and introduces new characters–allies and villains alike–to be the anchors for that theme. Vengeance sows the seeds early on within the game–though a lot of the sport’s first half will likely be fairly just like the unique, it incorporates a number of twists to suit the additional characters and new story occasions to arrange its branching path.The huge addition to the forged is Yoko Hiromine, a somewhat-undercover switch scholar who’s absolutely conscious of the apocalyptic timeline all through the sport and wields her personal supernatural powers–and she was a part of practically each story beat I noticed. Having performed by way of the unique model, I can see how there are cases of her presence and dialogue being inserted in ways in which do not require a whole rewrite of present conversations. However, she does get devoted moments and cutscenes that elevate her effectively above being one other character who simply tags alongside, and even turns into a controllable get together member at sure important factors within the story.Yoko turns into a core a part of the story and represents a complete new facet to SMT V for Vengeance.Yoko is among the catalysts for the brand new route that’s teased and provoked all through the storyline, together with the villainous Qadištu trio–a group of demons who symbolize a extra deranged facet of the idea of revenge. In this primary a part of the preview demo, I acquired to combat one of many Qadištu named Naamah, who was one of many a number of new boss battles–and with Naamah having a splendidly depraved design, I’m undoubtedly wanting ahead to seeing the remainder of the group make their presence felt and embody the extra twisted facet of SMT. It’s one instance of how the primary path integrates new content material and tries spotlighting the trail towards the Vengeance route.If you performed SMT V, you may bear in mind an early chapter of the sport revolving round a facet character being bullied on the faculty you and your mates attend, main her to be tempted by demonic powers to get her revenge. This was a fairly normal story beat within the grand scheme of issues, however it seems to be a much bigger point of interest to emphasise the themes that lead into the Vengeance path. In this sequence of occasions, you may see Yoko present her hand in an necessary cutscene to tease her true intentions and additional arrange a extra fascinating dynamic between SMT V’s human characters, which felt lacking from the unique story.The second a part of the playable demo put me proper at the beginning of when every little thing goes in a wholly completely different route, showcasing what occurs when absolutely committing to the Vengeance path. To give earlier gamers an concept of when the story’s path diverges, the protagonist and most demons in my get together have been at stage 40. You’ll enter a brand-new area inside Da’at (the post-apocalyptic areas that make up the fight and exploration in SMT V) that appears to be as huge as any of the opposite areas of the bottom recreation. It’s coated in an ethereal pastel of orange and purple with a heavenly vibe, which is becoming for the brooding battle towards brokers of god who declare ethical authority.Naamah is among the Qadištu and I can repair her.While SMT V (and the sequence generally) reveled within the conflict of grandiose ideologies between gods, angels, and demons, it is at this level when that ethical ambiguity is seemingly tossed apart. The choices between order and chaos, or the utterly egocentric path, has been half and parcel to SMT tales, however to this point this new route teases a extra defiant facet that seems to be dictated by the feelings of its human characters. I haven’t got the complete narrative context round this level in Vengeance’s story by advantage of this being a brief demo, however letting its human characters play a much bigger position on this route is a compelling route because it’s the realm SMT V confirmed potential however did not fulfill by the point it wrapped up.This a part of the sport was additionally an effective way to focus on Yoko as a playable character, and from what I performed, she’s as sturdy of a celebration as any demon in my roster. While Yoko wields highly effective fireplace and darkish assault spells, the returning character Tao offers therapeutic, buffs, and light-weight magic as a celebration member as effectively. They each perform as “guest” characters, which means they drop out and in of the get together relying on the story, so they do not utterly change demons in your lineup. However, letting them shine in battle additional highlights their significance this time round in Vengeance-specific content material.The new area in Da’at has completely different look and vibe in comparison with different areas of the sport, and embodies a lot of the brand new content material in Vengeance.Having been so ingrained within the authentic model, which was a Switch unique, I had gotten used to its technical limitations. The preview demo was on PS5, and seeing SMT V at a better decision operating at a constant 60 frames per second with larger draw distances and higher element was an actual deal with. Beyond the technical upgrades are a bunch of quality-of-life enhancements that additionally complement the brand new content material. The most noteworthy function I noticed was the social hub-style space the place all of your demons hang around, which you’ll be able to go to at each save level. As your demons stage up, you possibly can test in on them and get stat boosts by having transient conversations with them. And your companion Aogami may also have social-link-style occasions all through the sport to offer the protagonist extra stat factors and present a deeper bond between the 2.Spending two hours of what is stated to be “75 more hours of gameplay” is barely going to point out me a lot. However, getting a style of the brand new content material in SMT V: Vengeance made me hopeful that Atlus can as soon as once more make good on placing out a definitive model and make it price a replay. The adjustments and additions particular to Vengeance are emblematic of SMT’s angle, starring amazingly designed new characters and nonetheless being unapologetically devilish in its themes and presentation. Vengeance can also be a method for these on PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S who by no means performed the Switch-exclusive authentic to expertise what I already thought of a worthy entry within the underserved mainline SMT franchise.