Atlus Shin Megami Tensei V - It's been hurting my OCD.

[Jermu]

Does anyone know yet if there is NG+ content?

Spoiler

1 ending + quest is locked behind ng+

 

[d1r]

Does anyone know yet if there is NG+ content?

Spoiler

1 ending + quest is locked behind ng+

Spoiler

Quest or quests?

 

[Puukko]

Yuzu bringing that extra immersion.

 

[GhostCow]

Anyone else really liking the new demons? I'm really big on Idun. Cutest girl they've added to the series by far. I'm going to pump her full of incense and try to use her for the entire game.

 

[dacencora]

Anyone else really liking the new demons? I'm really big on Idun. Cutest girl they've added to the series by far. I'm going to pump her full of incense and try to use her for the entire game.

One thing I like a lot about the Essence Fusion is that you can keep using the demons you really like. I liked Black Maria a lot in IV, but had to drop her quickly because you get her in a time when you level up extremely quickly. Needing Almighty attacks made me fuse a lot of demons that I otherwise would have kept around.

 

[Puukko]

Anyone else really liking the new demons? I'm really big on Idun. Cutest girl they've added to the series by far. I'm going to pump her full of incense and try to use her for the entire game.

I'd pump her full of something else.

 

[Jermu]

Does anyone know yet if there is NG+ content?

Spoiler

1 ending + quest is locked behind ng+

Spoiler

Quest or quests?

Spoiler

quite sure just 1 new quest which is required for ng+ ending. There is like 10 quests which u need to do and when u have the option to save/kill eqyptian guy u need to spare him

 

[dacencora]

Man I am loving the mechanic where low-level demons run away from you. Not only does it feel dope, but also removes some of the tedium that exists in other SMTs when you go back to lower level areas

 

[Puukko]

Recent Yuzu builds seem to suffer from more crashes including during boss fights which prompted me to try Ryujinx again. The performance difference is less than it was for me previously. However, the resolution scaler appears inferior, on top of which forcing AA via the driver is not possible (black screen), resulting in less fidelity overall. Then again, if the visual bugs aren't present (and man, did I encounter a whole variety of them on Yuzu) and stability is better, then that's a reasonable tradeoff.

 

[Hobo Elf]

Does anyone know yet if there is NG+ content?

Spoiler

1 ending + quest is locked behind ng+

Spoiler

Quest or quests?

Spoiler

quite sure just 1 new quest which is required for ng+ ending. There is like 10 quests which u need to do and when u have the option to save/kill eqyptian guy u need to spare him

It has been confirmed that what you're talking about can be done on the first cycle.

 

[Puukko]

I chose poorly then.

 

[Dishonoredbr]

End game spoiler

Spoiler

I still waiting for Aogami or anyone to mention how Aogami/himself is literaly a Man-Made Susano-o but it seems like it's completly irrelevant lmao He doesn't even react to the reveal

I just defeated Konshu. That fucker made me waste SOME essenece on him because of this BULLSHIT use of Diarama.. Anyway , the fucker is defeated and i let him escape and i discovered

Spoiler

Miyazu is his knoweldge but it's seeems completely irrelevant just like her character, cool

Now it's time grind to level 65 then 70 because the devs thought that would be cool idea to the drop a level 55 player inside a area with level 60+ demons.

 

[Puukko]

Bosses are definitely at their best when you're considerably underleveled. This game would probably lend itself well to a low level challenge.

 

[Dishonoredbr]

Bosses are definitely at their best when you're considerably underleveled. This game would probably lend itself well to a low level challenge.

But not too underlevel , otherwise your damage goes to shit. A level gap around 7-5 levels.

 

[Silva]

Balancing adjustments aside, this game improves over Nocturne so much it's ridiculous. These devs put on a class on iterative design. I didn't play enough of SMT4 to say, but 5 makes Nocturne feel like a game from 20 years ago. And I say this as someone who loves Nocturne.

 

[dacencora]

Balancing adjustments aside, this game improves over Nocturne so much it's ridiculous. These devs put on a class on iterative design. I didn't play enough of SMT4 to say, but 5 makes Nocturne feel like a game from 20 years ago. And I say this as someone who loves Nocturne.

SMT IV is very different from Nocturne, and V feels closer to a sequel to Nocturne than to IV/A (which I think was the goal). I think overall I like the concept of the Magatama more than Essence Fusion for the MC, but Essence Fusion is the greatest thing ever for your demons. One thing I really like that some SMT games have (I think SJR and maybe Persona 4?) is that some demons have an affinity to elements which makes their ability in that element much stronger. V took that concept and improved on it a lot. I missed that in IV. It seemed silly that if you fused Azuma with Agi, it was basically the same potential as it would be with Pyro Jack. It all depended on the Magic stat. But logically, a water demon should have a hard time with fire abilities, and I’m really glad they brought that back for V.

My other favorite thing in V is unique abilities. Mermaid’s unique ability is so freaking dope. I also like Daemon’s. It makes the demons feel a bit more memorable and depending on the unique ability, you may want to keep them around, and essence fuse/incense them.

Overall, they made demons more unique and builds more interesting, which I am a big fan of.

Edit: forgot about Angel’s unique ability. So cool.

 

[d1r]

Balancing adjustments aside, this game improves over Nocturne so much it's ridiculous. These devs put on a class on iterative design. I didn't play enough of SMT4 to say, but 5 makes Nocturne feel like a game from 20 years ago. And I say this as someone who loves Nocturne.

SMT IV is very different from Nocturne, and V feels closer to a sequel to Nocturne than to IV/A (which I think was the goal). I think overall I like the concept of the Magatama more than Essence Fusion for the MC, but Essence Fusion is the greatest thing ever for your demons. One thing I really like that some SMT games have (I think SJR and maybe Persona 4?) is that some demons have an affinity to elements which makes their ability in that element much stronger. V took that concept and improved on it a lot. I missed that in IV. It seemed silly that if you fused Azuma with Agi, it was basically the same potential as it would be with Pyro Jack. It all depended on the Magic stat. But logically, a water demon should have a hard time with fire abilities, and I’m really glad they brought that back for V.

My other favorite thing in V is unique abilities. Mermaid’s unique ability is so freaking dope. I also like Daemon’s. It makes the demons feel a bit more memorable and depending on the unique ability, you may want to keep them around, and essence fuse/incense them.

Overall, they made demons more unique and builds more interesting, which I am a big fan of.

Edit: forgot about Angel’s unique ability. So cool.

Angel's unique ability sounds incredible with the JAP voice acting.

 

[GhostCow]

I'm really not a fan of the dub here. I watched a few clips and the stuff the demons say in combat isnt even close to what they're saying in Japanese. At least in the case of Idun. Plus how could anyone skip out on hearing Tsuda Kenjiro?

 

[Puukko]

Odin is decidedly weaker in JP, but I dig Zeus. I knew he sounded familiar, and it's Balthus from 3H, the most boastful man alive.

 

[dacencora]

I'm really not a fan of the dub here. I watched a few clips and the stuff the demons say in combat isnt even close to what they're saying in Japanese. At least in the case of Idun. Plus how could anyone skip out on hearing Tsuda Kenjiro?

I know it probably makes me a filthy scrub, but people frequently recommend JP VA + sub for games and anime, but I have found that many times the subs are inferior to the lines in English. Spirited Away, as an example, has way more charm with the English lines than the subtitled lines. Same goes for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Not sure why they wouldn't just match up 1:1, it seems like a lot more work to write an English script twice. For that reason the only SMT I have played with JP VA is Strange Journey Redux.

EDIT: Just watched the Angel's special ability in JP with subtitles and it says "Our God, who art in Heaven, Please give us your Holy Light" and the English VA says "O Heavenly Father, deliver them Light"

 

[GhostCow]

I normally tell people to play games in English because the subs are usually just subs of the dub rather than a more accurate translation that isn't constrained by the lip syncing. Interesting if that's not the case here. The stuff I'm complaining about isn't subbed at all and I've been playing in Japanese the whole time so I never would have noticed. I only play games in Japanese to help increase my vocabulary for the most part.

 

[dacencora]

I normally tell people to play games in English because the subs are usually just subs of the dub rather than a more accurate translation that isn't constrained by the lip syncing. Interesting if that's not the case here. The stuff I'm complaining about isn't subbed at all and I've been playing in Japanese the whole time so I never would have noticed. I only play games in Japanese to help increase my vocabulary for the most part.

Yeah I'm sure there are some cool JP actors and stuff, but I don't speak Japanese, and I have no intention of learning how to speak or read it, so I always play in English.

 

[Berengar]

Bosses are definitely at their best when you're considerably underleveled. This game would probably lend itself well to a low level challenge.

Had this exact experience with the

Spoiler

Fionn mac Cumhaill

fight last night. When you're in that under-leveled sweet spot the fights are DYNAMITE

 

[Vorark]

Around the 25 hour mark and I'm having a blast. Combat has been satisfying and difficulty somewhat fair on Hard mode, always keeping me on my toes.

Some scattered thoughts:

- I'm undecided on the "open world" maps and light platforming elements. It's all fresh for now but I wonder if they'll get annoying in repeat playthroughs. No labyrinthine dungeons either is a bummer although the second map appears to be more complex to navigate than the first so maybe it makes up for it in different ways.

- As someone who briefly played IV and skipped Apocalypse, it took me a while to figure out the affinity system. It is hardly noticeable in a low level party, when an extra press turn trumps casting a slightly more powerful spell, but starts to be relevant once MP costs ramp up and resource management becomes important. I like to cheese things by building uber mons but specialization seems to be key in this game, at least early on.

- Anything agility-related has been underwhelming: it doesn't affect initiative order nor help to evade attacks that much. I invest the bare minimum to avoid ambushes and that's it. Sukunda/Sukukaja skills are weird too, barely make a difference to accuracy and avoidance rates.

- Miracles are an interesting way to allow gameplay customizations. More focus on demon negotiation, party slots, magatsuhi manipulation, affinities and so on. On the other hand Essences are hit or miss, have a bunch of them full of useless/weak skills.

- Don't know what to make of the story. MC being all alone fending for himself in the long forgotten ruins of humanity's demise was a cool backdrop (a la Nocturne), only for LOREDUMP to happen.

- Killer soundtrack.

- Decent performance on Ryujinx with forced 1080p + improved lod + disabled AO mod, highly recommended. There are spots that tank framerate though.

All in all, positive first impressions. Let's see if they last.

Man I am loving the mechanic where low-level demons run away from you. Not only does it feel dope, but also removes some of the tedium that exists in other SMTs when you go back to lower level areas

This gentleman would like to have a word with you:

Might as well be a cliff racer.

 

[dacencora]

I have to say, the more I play, the better it gets. Didn’t know that I wanted a parkour collectathon SMT, but apparently I did! This is shaping up to be one of my favorite SMTs. And one of my favorite JRPGs. This is a gud game.