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Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Brought Forward, More Details Released

by Alex Fuller · March 21, 2024

Atlus revealed that it has brought forward the release of Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance by a week. The enhanced version of 2021 Nintendo Switch title Shin Megami Tensei V will now release worldwide for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on June 14, 2024. In addition, Atlus released a new set of images and details for the game.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance will feature two story scenarios that can be selected at the beginning of the game. The “Canon of Creation” is the full story of the original Shin Megami Tensei V, while the “Canon of Vengeance” is a new story created for this release. Both stories start with the same premise, however, the Canon of Vengeance’s story changes drastically during the second half of the game with a completely different outcome.

The game begins when the protagonist, a high school student in Tokyo, has their walk home blocked as the result of a grisly murder. While taking the detour, he ends up buried and knocked unconscious, waking up in a new Tokyo that has been ravaged by an apocalypse and given then name Da’at. Before he is killed by hostile demons, he is saved by a mysterious being who merges with him to form a Nahobino, a powerful being that is neither human nor demon, before being caught in the conflict between the order-keeping organisation Bethel and the chaos-seeking demons. The new Canon of Vengeance story sees him meeting and travelling with a woman named Yoko Hiromine, while a group of four female demons called the Qadištu, led by Lilith, also play a major role.

Atlus provided information about a variety of important returning characters and new demons appearing in the story:

Tao Isonogami (voiced by Jeanine Tirado) — The protagonist’s classmate and a member of the lacrosse club. She is friendly and caring and has been assisting Bethel as their “saint” using healing and support skills.
Yuzuru Atsuta (voiced by Mark Whitten) — One of the protagonist’s firends. With a strong sense of justice, he joins Bethel to protect his sister Miyazu and has Hayataro as his demon partner.
Ichiro Dazai (voiced by Stuart Allen) — Another of the protagonist’s classmates, who is often cheerful but seen as useless at school. He is also recruited by Bethel to fight demons, using Aitvaras and Mokoi as his partners.
Miyazu Atsuta (voiced by Ashlyn Madden) — Yuzuru’s younger sister. She is shy and often has to visit the school nurse’s office, and is worried about her brother’s involvement with Bethel.
Sahori Itsukishima (voiced by Erica Lindbeck) — Tao’s best friend and former lacrosse club member. She was bullied by her teammates, making her a vulnerable target for the demon Lahmu.

Naahmah (voiced by Kari Wahlgren) — Known as the “Mother of Demons”, she is one of the four Qadištu. Her beauty is known to charm not only humans, but also angels and demons.
Eisheth Zenunim (voiced by Allegra Clark) — Another of the four Qadištu, who seduces humans and leads them to their demise. She promises salvation but steals the souls of her victims.
Agrat bat Mahlat (voiced by Cherami Leigh) — Known as the “Queen of Demons”, she is also one of the four Qadištu. She is said to wander the skies in her chariot with its train of messengers of destruction.
Glasya-Labolas — He is one of the 72 demons of Kin Solomon’s “Ars Goetia” and comes in the form of a dog with griffin wings. He can predict the future and make people invisible.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance utilises the Press Turn Battle system that encourages players to exploit enemy weaknesses. If players hit an enemy with a skill type they are weak to, the party is granted an extra turn, with Vengeance adding some new elements and unique skills. The game will allow players to generate up to eight extra actions, indicated by icons in the top-right corner of the screen.

Player actions will also fill up the Magatsuhi gauge, which when filled lets players use a variety of special skills with effects including healing the party and damaging enemies. Vengeance will include over 50 Magatsuhi skills, with more than 20 new additions, some of which make use of mythological relationships between demons in the party or when multiple demons have the same alignment.

In addition, every demon has its own special passive skill, known as Unique Skills. For example, the Blessed Melody skill will enhance the party’s power when exploiting enemy weaknesses to Light skills, while the Four Heavenly Kings skill will enhance an active demon if another demon with that skill is summoned, and the Demonic Mediator skill will allow the demon to mediate if a demon negotiation goes wrong.

Demon conversations allow players to potentially recruit new demons as allies, with Vengeance adding some additional variations for how these negotiations play out. Certain negotiations can be interrupted by demons in the party, giving access to special conversations based on the relationship between the demons. Others may give players a pop quiz.

During combat, players may be joined by guest human party members. They fight in the same manner as demon allies. In addition, players may have the opportunity to engage in consecutive encounters. While providing an additional challenge, these providing notable bonuses to the money, experience, and items awarded at the end.