Vengeance’s Demon Haunts Build on Original’s Greatest Strength

Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance has been receiving wide praise for the way it has improved on the original, taking to heart many of the critiques the title received back in 2021. Among quality-of-life additions like quicksaving and greater plot consideration in showing its characters’ ideals, Vengeance continues to hone the SMT series’ greatest strength: its demons. Shin Megami Tensei 5 gave its demons plenty of personality through gorgeous animations and dialogue in side quests and negotiations, and Vengeance wields this strength to take things even further; through the Demon Haunt feature, the protagonist can converse not only with his human allies and Nahobino counterpart, Aogami, but his demon party as well.

The Demon Haunt feature in Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance acts as a brief respite from the unforgiving Netherworld, letting the Nahobino set aside time to converse with his party. Depending on which region of Da’at the player is currently traversing, the terrain of the Demon Haunt will match accordingly; the desert-like Minato, for example, houses dilapidated buildings among swaths of sand, and Vengeance goes so far as tying this environment to its demons’ personalities and habitats. Water-dwelling demons like Mermaid can be seen in the Haunt cooling off in small puddles of water, while others like Cait Sith can be seen relaxing atop broken-down cars, making themselves comfortable.

Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance’s Demon Haunts Are Full of Personality

Bringing Folklore to Life

Both Shin Megami Tensei 5 and Vengeance work to incorporate their demons’ lore quite well in dialogue, drawing on the strengths of the tales from which they are founded. From cryptids and fairy tale creatures to divine beings, the personalities of Vengeance‘s compendium encompass such a wide range that it’s surprising how well they are each conveyed through conversation. Some demons will comment on the state of Da’at, while others will joke with the Nahobino, going so far as to make fourth wall breaks like questioning how little he speaks. Many demons will make reference to their own lore, which in the case of creatures like Hua Po, can be a dark insight into their mythological conceptions.

In both Demon Haunt dialogue and Vengeance‘s negotiations, certain demons are written to speak in all caps, while others alternate between lower and uppercase lettering, a design choice that adds a lot to conveying their personalities. Some demons will be much more amiable than others, though even the more brutish and standoffish creatures can have a playful dynamic with the Nahobino. Vengeance often veers into the comedy side of its demon encounters, a feat that ties well into another of its gameplay additions, demon quizzes; showing a shadowed glimpse of a demon and asking the Nahobino to guess its correct identity is made all the more funny when having to guess between a Slime and a Black Ooze.

Tying the Demon Haunt into Combat and Story Considerations

There are, of course, practical upsides to the Demon Haunt as well, as the feature rewards the Nahobino for deepening relationships with demon allies. This can be done by having the demon in the party for an extended amount of time or gifting them Demon Boxes. This results in advantages like:

• Stat increases for the demon
• The demon learning a new spell
• The demon gifting an item to the Nahobino

The same applies to the protagonist’s relationship with Aogami, who serves as both a guide and the other half of their Nahobino makeup. Speaking with Aogami at certain intervals in Vengeance‘s story will not only allow the player to allocate additional stat points to themselves, but to better ascertain Aogami’s broadening perspective on things. Aogami will often comment on his newfound learning about human motivations and emotions while addressing his concern for the protagonist’s well-being. The same is true of the protagonist’s human allies, helping to add depth to their characters.

Overall, Vengeance‘s Demon Haunt feature seems to be a fan favorite so far, and could cement itself as a recurring mechanic in future titles of the series. With the sheer number of demons on offer in Vengeance‘s compendium, the attention to detail taken in demon dialogue is reflective of the effort put into this definitive version. Now, players can decide their favorite demons not only by their artistic renderings and combat considerations but through a greater understanding of their lore and personalities as well.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

Released

June 14, 2024

Publisher(s)

Atlus , SEGA

Genre(s)

JRPG

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence

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