PS5 Xbox Series X

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

Role-playing (RPG)Adventure

Time to beat: about 42.6 hours
Plays offline: Yes

Overview

Shin Megami Tensei V is a 2021 role-playing video game developed by Atlus, originally for Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth mainline entry in the Shin Megami Tensei series, the central series in the Megami Tensei franchise. It was published by Atlus in Japan, Sega in North America, and Nintendo in Europe. The game follows a high school student drawn into Da'at, a post-apocalyptic realm inhabited by warring factions of angels and demons after Lucifer kills the Creator and triggers a conflict over who will remake the world. The story has multiple endings dictated by moral choices and alliances. The gameplay features free-roaming exploration of Da'at, a turn-based battle system based on exploiting weaknesses, and a system allowing the Nahobino to recruit and fuse demons to fight alongside them.

Production of Shin Megami Tensei V began in 2016, with the aim being to blend elements from Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV. Returning staff included planner Kazuyuki Yamai, artist Masayuki Doi, and composers Ryota Kozuka and Toshiki Konishi. Production was prolonged due to using the Unreal Engine and developing for the Switch. Journalists praised the gameplay design and graphics, but faulted aspects of its story and technical performance. The original release sold over 1.1 million units worldwide by 2022.

An expanded version for eighth and ninth generation consoles and Windows, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, was released in 2024 by Atlus in Japan and Sega worldwide. In addition to expanding and refining the gameplay, new storyline elements were introduced, and some planned or cut content was used. Vengeance met with critical acclaim from journalists, with praise going to the new story campaign, gameplay adjustments, and improved technical performance. Vengeance sold over 500,000 copies within three days of release.