Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

A Tokyo student is drawn into Da'at, a ruined realm ruled by demons, and fuses with Aogami to become the Nahobino. Choose the original Canon of Creation or the divergent Canon of Vengeance, then explore the broken city, recruit and fuse demons, and survive turn-based battles where weaknesses and party composition decide how long a turn lasts.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance begins with an ordinary journey home from school and a sudden collapse in the familiar world. A student becomes stranded in Da'at, a desert version of Tokyo where demons roam among the remains of the city. He joins with a mysterious being named Aogami and becomes the Nahobino, a supernatural figure capable of surviving a conflict that has overtaken both humans and demons. The fusion gives him power but also places him at the centre of competing forces. Real-world Tokyo and devastated Da'at stand side by side as the story's two faces: one still inhabited by classmates and institutions, the other exposing the scale of the war around them. From that opening, the player must learn the rules of an unfamiliar land while deciding whom to trust within it.

Vengeance offers two paths at the start. Canon of Creation follows the story of the original Shin Megami Tensei V, while Canon of Vengeance begins from familiar ground and then diverges midway into a different tale. In the new path, Bethel, an organisation led by angels, responds to demon attacks on humanity, and the protagonist meets Yoko Hiromine. The Qadištu, a group of four demons led by Lilith, become a major opposing presence. The title's promise of revenge belongs to that alternate story, whose later events and ending differ from the Creation route. This structure makes the choice more than a menu label: it determines which version of the central conflict unfolds. Readers can understand the premise without knowing either outcome, and the split leaves room for contrasting alliances and interpretations of the world's crisis.

Da'at is a place to navigate as well as a battleground. Ruined buildings, dunes and strange structures turn the remains of Tokyo into a broad overworld filled with demons, objects and side paths. Vengeance adds a Shinjuku region, and within it Shakan, a guarded sacred space whose magical mechanisms reverse ceilings and floors. Magatsu Rails connect distant areas and can open a shortcut or a way into an otherwise hidden place. Demon Navigators point toward items and rails, while Aogami Husks can yield essences that expand battle options. Other discoveries have immediate uses: green and yellow Magatsuhi crystals restore health or magic, and red crystals fill the gauge used for special skills. Exploration therefore feeds the next encounter, connecting an apparently optional detour to the strength and flexibility of the party.

Turn-based combat rests on the Press Turn system. Striking an enemy's weakness earns extra actions, so learning what an opponent resists or fears can change the length of a turn. The same principle makes defence important: a party built carelessly around a shared weakness can lose control of a fight quickly. Magatsuhi Skills add another decision once their gauge is full, offering heavy damage, healing or buffs; some depend on particular demon types or aligned allies. Demons also have Innate Skills, passive effects that may strengthen attacks under certain party conditions or help during negotiations. These mechanics turn a roster into a set of relationships rather than a list of isolated statistics. A useful ally is valuable for what it does, what it enables beside another demon and how its affinities answer the threats in the current area.

Recruitment is a conversation as much as a reward for victory. The Nahobino can speak to opposing demons and persuade them to join, encountering different personalities and demands along the way. At a leyline fount, Sophia's World of Shadows allows recruited demons to be fused into new allies. Fusion changes the party's capabilities, making an encounter in the field part of a longer cycle of collection, experimentation and preparation. Demon Haunts provide a quieter space to talk with allies and give them gifts, sometimes receiving items or strengthening the team in return. Human characters can also join as battle guests during the story and use items alongside demon allies. The contrast between combat, negotiation and companionship gives the inhabitants of Da'at roles beyond enemies waiting to be defeated.

The overworld offers several reasons to leave the direct story route. Demons and human characters offer subquests, while Abscesses are dangerous territories that award a new Miracle when cleared. Yellow treasure chests hold items or Macca, and silver Amalgams grant Glory. Relics found at vending machines can be sold to Gustave in Cadaver's Hollow, reached through a leyline fount. These rewards are varied enough that exploration can solve different problems: money for supplies, new character abilities, or a demon encounter that improves the party. Consecutive Encounters sometimes extend a battle immediately after an apparent victory, offering better rewards in exchange for another risk. The world asks players to judge how prepared they are before committing to a fight or venturing deeper into an unfamiliar district.

There are also ways to test a developed party outside the normal route. The Virtual Trainer can revisit past foes individually or in a gauntlet, with options to face them at their earlier strength or in a tougher challenge. New Game+ carries selected progress into another playthrough and offers different starting options, giving the two story canons a practical context for returning. Vengeance includes a large demon roster and incorporates some quests and demons that were sold separately for the original Shin Megami Tensei V. Its identity, though, comes from how its parts meet: a divided story about a ruined Tokyo, a landscape filled with purposeful detours, and a battle system that rewards reading weaknesses and reshaping the team. The Nahobino's path is built through both decisions about the world's future and the smaller choices made before every encounter.