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

[HoboForEternity]

I managed to make my beeno block half the element table and resist everything else, i just almost never die anymore, and honestly with the magatsuhi skill that heal and resurrect everyone, including benched party, you almost cannot lose anymore.

 

[lametta]

33% off.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1875830/Shin_Megami_Tensei_V_Vengeance/

Was 37% off for me on greenmangaming.
Bought it and plan to only play canon of vengeance and maybe watch/fast forward/skip through a canon of creation let's play after i finish it.

 

[Haplo]

I managed to make my beeno block half the element table and resist everything else, i just almost never die anymore, and honestly with the magatsuhi skill that heal and resurrect everyone, including benched party, you almost cannot lose anymore.

Yeah, Nahobeeno can get get pretty broken.

But later on you can fortify other demons via defensive skills a lot too. Like various Null elements, Enduring Soul, Endure, Great Life Spring, Abyssal Mask will make for a beefy demon, that's very hard to kill - and defeated, will rise again... twice. Admittedly that leaves little room for actual productive offensive/support/debuff/affliction skills, so some compromises are needed.

 

[n0wh3r3]

Just added SMT V: Vengeance to my Steam Library. Given the fact that I will probably do only one playthrough, should I go for Canon of Creation or Vengeance? Which one is better?

 

[Jermu]

vengeance

 

[n0wh3r3]

vengeance

why?

 

[Jermu]

its better

 

[d1r]

vengeance

why?

It's a more balanced version of the game with more interactions between your party members, and more story telling. Doesn't feel that "lackluster" than the original route. Though the original route is not bad per sé, it's just a little bit barren story exposition wise. People didn't like the fact that half of the cast did only get like 20 minutes of screen time.

 

[n0wh3r3]

I love this game. I just LOVE it. Being many years apart from Lucifer's Call, playing SMTV: Vengeance feels like making love with your loved one during your honeymoon but after 75 years of marriage. Except that while you are a demented corpse (almost) your significant other is the best version of herself/himself. And you can still satisfy her/him.

 

[HoboForEternity]

I reached the final dungeon and empyrian and the game drags on badly here. I am level 95 and have fused all high level demons and it just wont end. I thought after beating

spoiler

abdiel

we proceed to the final boss, turns out there are still more. Overall great game (CoV) but has some bad pacing (i really dislike the second area both aesthetic and plot wise).
Probably i wont bother with shiva and return of the true demon quests because i dont want to spend more time to optimize my party.

 

[Yuber]

Just added SMT V: Vengeance to my Steam Library. Given the fact that I will probably do only one playthrough, should I go for Canon of Creation or Vengeance? Which one is better?

I think Canon of Creation was better.

 

[Haplo]

Tehom is a bit of a pain. What a bullet sponge.
Seems like I will need to adjust my tactics for once, otherwise I'd burn trough all my mana replenishment in this fight.

Tried Paraselene Blur, btw. Its nice and flashy, but my very first opponent in the Empyrean, Zeus, Nulls Light. Go figure. So it became a bit awkward and unwieldy to use - with both its requierement to have an enemy miss you first and the need to add Pierce (and Zeus quickly disposing of Vile demons I've summoned for Impaler's Glory).

Figment Slash seems simpler and more reliable. Always gets extra Press Turns too.

 

[MakenBro]

https://steamdb.info/app/1875830/history/

I wonder if the next patch will just add new navigators.

 

[d1r]

Very likely.

 

[Elttharion]

I just want Cleopatra as a navigator. Idun is cute too.

 

[d1r]

Game is 30% off.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1875830/Shin_Megami_Tensei_V_Vengeance/

 

[Terra]

New patch dropped on Steam.
https://steamcommunity.com/games/1875830/announcements/detail/4445708897933590754

Free DLC Update - Ver. 1.0.3 Patch Notes

Dear Shin Megami Tensei fans, thank you for playing Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance!

Patch version 1.0.3 has been released and brings a new content update and minor bug fixes. Please see below for details:

Content additions

Six new Demon Navigators have been added based on your community vote!

• Mara, Idun, Mothman, Fionn mac Cumhaill, Hell Biker, and Cleopatra have been added.
• These demons will appear at specific points in Da’at and can accompany you as Demon Navigators when spoken to.
• ※ Some Demon Navigators can only be unlocked by completing specific subquests.

The subquest “The Guardian of Light” has been added.

• Da'at: You can accept the sub-quest by speaking to Goko in Taito Ward.

The brand-new demon, Marici of the Kishin race, has been added.

• Marici can be recruited and unlocked for fusion by completing the subquest “The Guardian of Light”.

The “Elite Virtual Trainers” have been added.

• After completing certain subquests, you can take on a series of brutal battles against the powerful demons that appeared in those subquests by speaking to the female researcher in the terminal room at the Tokyo Diet Building.

Bug Fixes

• Various text fixes.
• Various graphical fixes.
• Some fixes to English voiceover.
• Other performance-related fixes.

Thank you again for your continued support, patience, and feedback!

 

[d1r]

Damn! Didn't expect a new demon addition!

 

[d1r]

Even comes with a new soundtrack!

 

[Terra]

Might actually be time to start a Vengeance route playthrough though I'm concerned carrying over most of the stuff from my Creation playthrough will make the game a cakewalk. On the other hand, I don't really want to spend loads of time collecting all the bits & bobs scattered around the maps again for the unlocks and such, but I do want a natural progression / difficulty curve and the NG+ carry over options available don't look like they'll cut it. Newborn seems like my best bet but seems like I would still need to mess about collecting all the Miman & glory crystals again.

 

[d1r]

Yeah they made a separate playlist for the “extended” ost on the Atlus Sound Team youtube channel so we’re probably going to get more VV content down the road.

Guys ... ANOTHER 20 COPIES MAYHAPS?

 

[Damned Registrations]

Bought it since it was on sale and decided to at least fire it up and get a feel for it, though I don't plan to do a playthrough right now.

Died to the second tutorial fight because the enemy went first, got a crit, then I missed, the enemy got ANOTHER crit, then killed me with the follow up attack. After reloading and having to redo part of the stupid tutorial, I won a single fight but got my minion killed, and effectively was weaker and poorer than before the fight. Died immediately after because I didn't realize I needed to put my minion back into the party after reviving her.

Riveting. 10/10 GOTY.

 

[Damned Registrations]

Got around to playing some more, finished the first couple bosses. Playing on hard, obviously. Thoughts so far:

Essence fusion is a neat concept, though it seems terribly gimped. I'm basically not using it at all because what would be the point of adding the shittiest 1-2 skills a demon has to another one? I can't even transfer the ones they learn later, or the 'unique' skills, which are way better.
Regretting investing in magic stat. Unlocked a really strong physical skill already, and magic skills suck balls so far. Also, apparently elemental strength based skills exist now. I'm sure eventually it'll pay off though, and it's nice to be versatile early on.
The affinity thing is a neat concept but... it makes fusion a LOT less useful. Slapping a variety of spells onto a spellcaster to round them out still kinda works... but it's way less effective. Also, it makes the essence thing shittier, again. Hopefully this is less of a problem lategame when demons will probably have a ton of high affinities.
The glory system is kinda meh so far, as there's enough of it to get all the important stuff and the gap between +1 to a single affinity and +1 available skills for all demons is fucking immense. Feels like an illusion of choice situation, though it should be better in the long run when you can invest heavily in an element. Or the costs will keep scaling up so it'll be dumb to not get +1 tp everything.
Open world aspect is the same; it's really not. There hasn't even been multiple routes to reach each new save point that I can recall, it's just a bunch of chokepoints with deadend branches.
Despite that, the exploration is actually pretty cool; you get stat boosting items, glory, and talismans that give you extra special skills. Though none of them have been worth using yet, since the default one is fucking insane (everyone always crits for the turn, and 'turn' includes multiple turns if you do a multi-battle and end each phase in a single turn) so why the fuck would I want a single big attack or heal.
Buffs and debuffs are fucking gimped, having limited duration and being single target. Single target is fine for debuffing bosses, but 3 turns isn't because they can easily get 3 turns in a row if they get a single crit/weakness. And single target buffing for 3 turns is obviously retarded. Presumably these get much better versions later on.
There's a spyglass item to reveal weaknesses and spells, which is so powerful for boss fights it feels like cheating. OTOH, I like higher information levels in games, and the difficulty is tuned such that you basically need this thing to have a chance without insane grinding. You also need it for the mitama, which are basically metal slime equivalents. Except they're way stronger because they drop fucking rare candies, so I could grind to level 100 already if so inclined.
Some of the subquests have mutually exclusive solutions, which is cool. First one I did without realizing it, second I figured out what was going on and was rewarded with a demon that was way above my level. Definitely a good feature.

 

[Haplo]

Essence fusion is a neat concept, though it seems terribly gimped. I'm basically not using it at all because what would be the point of adding the shittiest 1-2 skills a demon has to another one? I can't even transfer the ones they learn later,

In fact you can - once you unlock them, of course.

or the 'unique' skills, which are way better.

Correct. Well, at least there's now an incentive to keep certain demons for a while.

Regretting investing in magic stat. Unlocked a really strong physical skill already, and magic skills suck balls so far.

Try Venom Chaser if you haven't already (with a demon that poisons with Poison Cloud or something.. Loa is always great for all kinds of statuses and instant kills).
Really carries physical damage till mid-game or so.

Also, apparently elemental strength based skills exist now.

Didn't find them worth the bother. You'd usually have some demons with much stronger unique magical abilities for that element, particularly multi-hit ones

Though none of them have been worth using yet, since the default one is fucking insane (everyone always crits for the turn, and 'turn' includes multiple turns if you do a multi-battle and end each phase in a single turn) so why the fuck would I want a single big attack or heal.

Yeah, Omagotoki Critical is pretty OP and I don't think you should start the game with it.
That said, strong midgame I had a lot of fun with Omagotoki Dance and strong Multihit attacks (plus Pandemonic Feast).
And lategame I've mostly used Omagotoki Charge + Omnipotent Succession or Impaler's Glory for multiple successive super-charged attacks from MC that could finish all regular bosses.

Buffs and debuffs are fucking gimped, having limited duration and being single target. Single target is fine for debuffing bosses, but 3 turns isn't because they can easily get 3 turns in a row if they get a single crit/weakness. And single target buffing for 3 turns is obviously retarded. Presumably these get much better versions later on.

Yeah, that's not quite how it works. It's 3 whole rounds, not 3 boss actions. Also you can "refresh" buff/debuff duration by 3 rounds (with its full power) if you recast it before it runs out. You do get multi-target and even multi-stage buffs and debuffs eventually.
Early on the attacks that carry debuffs are good against bosses.

There's a spyglass item to reveal weaknesses and spells, which is so powerful for boss fights it feels like cheating. OTOH, I like higher information levels in games, and the difficulty is tuned such that you basically need this thing to have a chance without insane grinding.

IMO it is too OP, particularly with the easy availability of Dampers. I think this could be explored manually. And then have something like Rewind from Metaphor: Refantazio (except it would let you change your loadout). Eh, one can dream.

You also need it for the mitama, which are basically metal slime equivalents. Except they're way stronger because they drop fucking rare candies, so I could grind to level 100 already if so inclined.

Yes, Spyglasses are needed for them.

Some of the subquests have mutually exclusive solutions, which is cool. First one I did without realizing it, second I figured out what was going on and was rewarded with a demon that was way above my level. Definitely a good feature.

Well, on Vengeance such quests have an impact on your ending "alignment".

 

[Damned Registrations]

IMO it is too OP, particularly with the easy availability of Dampers.

I was thinking the same thing, but I tried the hydra fight without dampers and got fucking destroyed. Mostly because I had no access to units that resisted fire, and all the best demons were weak to dark. I think it's fine considering only humans can use items, the dampers only stack to 3, and they only last a single turn.

It's 3 whole rounds, not 3 boss actions.

Really? Because I swear it wore off faster than that. I tried skipping a turn to reapply it and extend the duration only to find I was applying it fresh.