I remember the first time I descended into the tunnel leading to the underworld in Shin Megami Tensei V, that initial plunge into a post-apocalyptic Tokyo feeling both terrifying and exhilarating. When I heard about Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, I'll admit I was skeptical—how much could they really improve upon what already felt like a near-perfect experience? After spending roughly 45 hours with Vengeance across two playthroughs, I can confidently say this isn't just a simple re-release but rather the definitive way to experience this dark masterpiece. Everything that made the original memorable remains intact, just thoughtfully tweaked and massaged into something even better.
The most significant improvement, in my opinion, lies in how Vengeance handles its narrative. Having other human characters actually traveling in your party rather than just appearing in cutscenes creates a completely different dynamic. I found myself genuinely caring about these companions in a way I never did in the original. Those small, seemingly insignificant conversations that happen while exploring—commenting on the environment, sharing personal worries, or reacting to story developments—do wonders for emotional investment. When major plot events occurred during my playthrough, they hit with substantially more impact because I'd formed actual connections with these characters. It transforms the narrative from something you observe to something you experience alongside a group of people you've come to know. This human element provides crucial emotional anchors in a world that's otherwise relentlessly bleak and philosophical.
Beyond the narrative enhancements, the mechanical refinements are where Vengeance truly shines for someone like me who's already conquered the original. The adjustments to navigation alone probably saved me about 3-4 hours of frustration across a single playthrough. The map is more intuitive, traversal feels smoother, and those annoying environmental obstacles that seemed designed solely to waste your time have been significantly reduced. Combat maintains its brilliant strategic depth while feeling more fluid—I noticed the UI provides clearer information about turn order and skill effectiveness, allowing for quicker tactical decisions. Demon-herding, that essential but sometimes tedious process of recruiting and fusing demons, has been streamlined in subtle ways that make it feel less like administrative work and more like an engaging part of the gameplay loop.
These quality-of-life improvements create this wonderful synergy that lets you focus on what makes Shin Megami Tensei special—savoring that oppressive dark atmosphere and the cerebral satisfaction of its combat strategies. I found myself actually stopping to appreciate the haunting beauty of destroyed Shinjuku rather than rushing to the next objective, and I engaged in optional battles not because I needed the experience but because I genuinely enjoyed testing new team compositions. The pressure to constantly optimize every move diminished, replaced by pure engagement with the world and its systems.
This brings me to an interesting parallel I noticed while playing—the distinction between a game being improved versus something being "so bad it's good." I've never subscribed to that latter philosophy myself. If a movie is especially bad, I'd rather not waste my time since I don't find poorly made media interesting on any level. I haven't seen the cult budget horror movie Killer Klowns From Outer Space in probably 25 years, back when I was a horror-loving kid who didn't yet realize I didn't enjoy "so bad, it's good" entertainment. That's why I was initially skeptical about the recent Killer Klowns game, despite my appreciation for asymmetrical horror multiplayer titles. To my surprise, that game turned out to be genuinely good—not "so bad it's good," but actually well-designed with its own nuanced mechanics and delightful silliness.
Vengeance operates on a similar principle of quality transformation, though from a much higher starting point. This isn't a flawed experience redeemed through irony or nostalgia—it's an already excellent game refined to near-perfection. For newcomers who never entered the tunnel to the underworld the first time around, this is absolutely the perfect opportunity to do so. You're getting the complete experience with none of the original's minor frustrations. But what surprised me most was how compelling Vengeance remains for veterans like myself who already fought in the war for the throne. The new content—including an entirely alternate storyline—provides substantial reasons to return, offering fresh narrative perspectives and challenging new encounters that tested my knowledge of the combat system in ways the original never did.
Having played both versions extensively, I'd estimate Vengeance offers approximately 65% new content in its alternate storyline while improving upon nearly every aspect of the original campaign. The changes might seem incremental when listed individually, but collectively they transform the experience substantially. It's the difference between a great game you admire and one you completely lose yourself in. While some purists might argue the original's rougher edges contributed to its charm, I'll take this polished, more emotionally resonant version every time. Vengeance doesn't just replace the original—it respectfully honors what came while demonstrating how thoughtful refinement can elevate an already outstanding game to genuine masterpiece status.