Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Review

Back With A…

HIGH New story content and quality-of-life improvements.

LOW Still requires some grinding.

WTF Butt slap attack! 

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Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is much the same game it was back in 2021. (For deeper information on setup and systems, please read the original review.)

It’s still a turn-based JRPG with tactical mechanics based around recruiting, fusing, and building teams of demons — much like an edgy Pokémon — and the core remains the same.

Like the recent Persona remakes (a sister series to SMT) Vengeance feels like the ‘definitive’ version of the game. At the beginning, Vengeance asks if the player wants to experience the new story or to play through the original, and I appreciated this feature as it allows the player to tailor their experience. For those that choose the new option, it initially seems very similar to the previous iteration, but quickly adds the new character of Yoko — a girl from a different school who can also fight demons. She and the new demon antagonists called the Qadištu (all of who have fantastic character design) serve as the faces for Vengeance. 

Other significant changes include the third area being changed to match the new story events. A classmate named Tao, who was also in the original, now joins the party early on. More story beats cropped up the further I progressed, adding more dynamic and engaging character moments than the original had. Some of these manifest in the new character of Yoko, who questions Tao’s belief’s in good and evil. It isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it did create a stronger emotional core to the story that matched the themes of both the original SMTV and other SMT games.

There are a plethora of other changes and quality of life improvements as well. These range from the level cap now extending from 99 to 150, and an entirely new dungeon called “Shakan” that appears in the late game.

The demon haunt, a new area to access offers shops and access to demon fusions, allowing the player to interact with the demons and humans currently in the party, as well as the “Nahobino” — a demon that fuses with the main character at the beginning of the story (he this does in both versions) but now gives the player additional skills when he talks to them at the demon haunt. While not as in depth when compared to Persona or other JRPG party interactions, I still appreciated these exchanges.

Speaking of demons, over 40 new ones have been added to Vengeance, some being new to the SMT series as a whole, including a few from African mythology like Enigma Onyankopon, and Dragon Nyami Nyami. It’s great to see more cultures included in the franchise, and with their inclusion, Vengeance feels more loaded than any other SMT game to date.

Other Vengeance upgrades include significant graphics improvements on the PS5, PC, and Xbox — up to 4k and 60 FPS, which is a massive step-up compared to the original Switch version. New rock and atmospheric synth music has been added to accompany (mostly) the new content, which helps match the dark mood of SMTV:V. Players can now also save anywhere, and new “Magatsu Rails” allowed me to explore new areas of the maps, while also offering a convenient form of shortcut back and forth from leylines. 

If I had complaints about Vengeance, it would be that it did little to change how tedious it can feel to explore the world. Thankfully, the aforementioned Magatsu Rails combined with a new aerial view helped immensely with navigating. Some areas still overstayed their welcome, but this is definitely an improvement.

In terms of difficulty, Vengeance doesn’t pull any punches. Having recently played through Persona 3 Reload, it was easy to see how much more challenging this installment was. I played around with a variety of settings and found Casual still be somewhat challenging, though it required less grinding.

Quests will suggest what level the player should be before starting them, but for new players to the series, SMT has always been known for its difficulty. As such, it may not be for everyone, but for those who enjoy thinking tactically and planning for specific encounters, Vengeance might just be one of the best in the JRPG genre.

With its gameplay and graphical improvements, and a new story mode alongside the original, this is not only the definitive version of Shin Megami Tensei V, it might be one of the best in the SMT series overall. While it may not appeal to everyone, those who love a challenge will not be disappointed. 

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

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Disclosures: This game is developed by Atlus and published by Atlus, Nintendo and Sega. It is currently available on XBO/X/S, PS4/5, Switch and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PS5. Approximately 33 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was not completed. There are no multiplayer modes.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M and contains Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, and Violence. The official description reads as follows: This is a role-playing game in which players assume the role of a high-school student battling evil forces in a fictional Tokyo. Players explore various environments while interacting with characters and battling demonic creatures in turn-based combat. Players select weapon and magic attacks/skills from a menu as characters take turns performing each attack; battles are highlighted by impact sounds, dwindling hit points/health bars, light effects, and cries of pain. Some cutscenes depict further instances of violence: characters impaled through the chest, with accompanying blood-splatter effects; a demon vaporizing students. Several female monsters/demons are depicted with partially exposed breasts and/or buttocks; one creature appears with a phallic-shaped head and torso. A handful of demons (e.g., Succubus, Incubus) are described with sexual characteristics (e.g., “They are known to visit men/woman in their sleep and have sex with them”; “…said to engage in intercourse with human women…”). The word “f**k” appears in the game.

Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. The subtitles cannot be altered and/or resized. Sometimes demons will make sounds when they are aggro’d on the world map, but they also give off bright visual indicators to signal this. I found that there are no audio cues needed for successful play, and I would call this a fully accessible experience. In fact, there are no sound reliant aspects in this game, it’s very easy to play without any sound.

Remappable Controls: No, this game’s controls are not remappable. There is no control diagram. The left stick is used for movement and the right stick for the camera. The X button is to select, and O is to cancel. Option menus are on face buttons, and players can run by holding the trigger.