Highlights

  • Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance aims to address fan criticisms with additions like new demons and a revamped story.
  • Enhanced demon summoning and combat mechanics along with a deeper narrative make Vengeance look like a standout in the series.
  • Yoko Hiromine's introduction follows Atlus' trend of adding mysterious women to re-releases, hinting at a significant change in the game's story.

Announced as an updated version of one of the Nintendo Switch's most popular JRPGs, Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance seems set to match the efforts of previous Atlus re-releases. While the original SMT5 has achieved impressive sales and an overall positive reception among fans, it has also been the subject of several criticisms which tend to favor the previous mainline entries of the franchise. The elements that Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance has been revealed to feature seem aimed at addressing many of these issues that players have expressed, potentially allowing this to be a highlight of the series when it arrives.

Atlus is no stranger to improved editions of successful titles, as the likes of everything from Persona 5 Royal to the HD remaster of SMT3: Nocturne have shown, but Vengeance seems to occupy a special place among these revisited titles. The game's primary strength, its combat, didn't particularly suffer from what may have been a troubled development, but the game's story is one of the most minimal of the entire franchise. Vengeance not only seems to be finally fleshing this area out, but bringing welcome adjustments to the battle system for this multiplatform release.

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Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance Brings Changes to Demons and Gameplay

Vengeance Levels Up SMT5's Compendium

In terms of SMT's demon summoning-based systems, Vengeance's addition of 40 new demons, including the Nahoheeho Jack Frost variant, is likely to be one of its biggest selling points. This growth in numbers comes along with the introduction of a Unique Skill for every individual demon, adding to the depth of fusing to synergize with these. There will be day one DLC featuring demons such as SMT4: Apocalypse's Dagda, but the original SMT5's DLC, including all additional demons, will also now be available by default in Vengeance, bringing the total number above 270.

Improvements to Various Aspects of the Combat Experience

Outside the new potential recruits the player can meet, there's the highly requested feature of having the game's cast members actually available as playable companions in battle. This feature has been present in some of the classic Shin Megami Tensei titles of the past. It comes along with what appears to be a sort of combo or fusion spell system, as demons were shown to unleash unique, synergized attacks in Vengeance's trailer. Even more prevalent is the inclusion of several new quality-of-life features, including auto-battle, skipping combat animations, reallocation of stats, and the ability to save anywhere instead of relying upon a Leyline Fount save point.

A New Narrative is Set to Redefine Shin Megami Tensei 5's "Definitive" Edition

SMT5: Vengeance Appears Especially Focused on Story

It's confirmed that an entirely new narrative will be present in Vengeance apart from the gameplay changes, finally opening up the door to complete what many outspoken fans felt like was a somewhat incomplete story. SMT5's new "Canon of Vengeance" story route is centered around Lilith and the Qadistu, as opposed to the base game's "Canon of Creation", and is set to take the game's plot in a totally new direction after a clear point of divergence that may lead to the new zone of Da'at shown off in the trailer.

Yoko is Atlus' Latest "Re-Release Girl"

Through several re-releases of popular SMT titles and spin-offs alike, Atlus has developed a reputation for introducing a particular character archetype into these improved versions. Seen with Strange Journey Redux's Alex and Persona 4 Golden's Marie, they tend to be mysterious women who end up having significance within the changed story, and fans have taken to dubbing these the "remake girls". With the enigmatic Yoko Hiromine now entering the main cast of Vengeance and stealing the spotlight, this version of SMT5 follows a pattern of multiple other updated Atlus released that have come before.