Summary
Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeancehas taken great strides in improving on the original’s experience, a feat that blends into its plot and side quests alike. With a clearer focus on its characters' differing ideologies bearing more weight to the game’s story,Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance’s side quests do a great job of highlighting the choices that the player can make in the moral ambiguity between law and chaos. Both sides clearly have pros and cons, and the ways that the Nahobino interacts with the demons around Da’at plays a vital hand in this, made more compelling through the conversations that Yoko and Tao have upon side quest completion.
The first half ofVengeance’s new story mode, Canon of Vengeance, bears resemblance to the original’s own beginning narrative, though there are a surprising number of enhancements to both its plot and side quests. For starters, having newcomer Yoko Hiromine alongside Tao Isonokami as guest party members for a time lets them be better woven into the choices highlighted to the player. Much of Yoko’s character centers around the idea of revenge, as she becomes the primary chaos representative that skews away from Tao’s more neutral stance on the state of the world. Though the two are able to see each other’s views, their debriefs after the Nahobino’s decisions in side quests present this dichotomy in a way that shows there’s no right or wrong answer.
Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance’s Side Quests Let Both its Characters and Demons Shine
Giving Demons Personality
Some of these discussions are woven into repeated side quests from the originalShin Megami Tensei 5, showing efforts made to better highlight the spectrum of law, neutrality, and chaos in regard to its demons. These side quests do a fantastic job of demonstrating the capacity for good and evil in the angels and demons alike; some of the new quests inVengeancecan be quite endearing, presenting a playful side to the demons that take into account their lore and personality.
One example is the demon Amabie, whose desire for fame and entertainment hasthe Nahobinohelp a group of demons in the netherworld put on a show of music and dance. Amabie’s presence inVengeance’s Tokyo while the Qadistu leave its inhabitants sick, however, goes deeper when considering its folklore of prophesying an epidemic.
Extending Past Side Quests
In the case of returning side quests, one fromthe Minato region of Da’athas the Nahobino face off against an Oni whose misguided desire to be a bodyguard to weaker demons has him feared due to his demanding nature. Though the Oni’s side quest ends with him retreating back into his cave alone,Vengeanceadds a new quest that ties into the demon’s storyline, making for a happier ending.
“Home Sweet Home” sees the Nahobino come across a flock of Halphas, bird-like demons struggling under the desert heat of Da’at, who ask for help in finding a place of refuge and a bodyguard to keep them safe. Though the Oni is at first resigned to being alone, the demon eventually comes around, as the family of Halphas move into the cave with him to keep each other company.
Rewarding the Player in Many Ways
The side quests inVengeanceoften yield rewards beyond just their narratives, however, granting the Nahobino items, Macca, and the occasional Periapt, allowing for incredible Magatsuhi skills that can turn the tides of combat. There are even side quests that give a great deal of lore to the player, as is the case with a Bethel researcher in Tokyo studying the art of essences. Asking forthe Nahobino to inherit the Mahama skill, the researcher will go on to explain the many Aogami-type essences that can be found across Da’at, discussing the differences between logistic, command, and combat types that help players better understand the turning point ofVengeance’s story.
Lastly, the inclusion of demons and battles that were previously DLC add much toVengeance’s side quests, particularly in the Menorah fights. Facing off against iconicdemons fromShin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne, like the infamous Matador and the Four Horsemen, helps provide a wonderful challenge and a break from the standard encounters around Da’at. It’s a fantastic way to tie in references to the series' past while having the content available from the get-go, cementingVengeance’s status as a truly definitive version.
