In this article, I’ll be writing about my impressions from playing the early stages of Shin Megami Tensei V (Megaten 5), which was released on November 11, 2021.
I’ve touched on the early part of the story, but I’ve written the article to avoid spoilers as much as possible.
If you are wondering whether you should play Megaten 5 or not, you can refer to this page.
What is “Shin Megami Tensei Ⅴ”?
The latest JRPG in the Megaten series, playable on Nintendo Switch.
Shin Megami Tensei V, also known as Megaten 5, was released on November 11, 2021 for the Nintendo Switch.
The series has been immensely popular among core RPG fans, and features a dark storyline not found in other RPGs.
Successive series have adopted a multi-ending story format where the ending diverges depending on the protagonist’s choice.
I expect that this title will probably have a similar system.
The recent series has specifications that allow for easy adjustment of the difficulty level, so it is recommended for those who are new to RPGs.
Synopsis of Shin Megami Tensei V.
The protagonist, a third-year high school student, is involved in a tunnel collapse accident on his way home from school.
The next thing he knows, he finds himself in the “Tokyo of the Otherworld,” a devastated desert.
In the land called “Da’at,” the protagonist is attacked by a demon, and after meeting a mysterious man who calls himself “Aogami,” he is transformed into the forbidden “Nahobino.
The protagonist, who has become ” Nahobino,” is caught up in a battle for the future of the world as he explores the demon-ridden Da’at…
My impressions of Shin Megami Tensei V.
I can gut explore Da’at from the very beginning!
Games with interesting stories, such as Megaten and Persona, tend to have long openings.
Some games last for more than 30 minutes after the start of the game, and this may cause some players to stay away from that game.
- A unique world view from the beginning of the game.
- (Probably) foreshadowing to the middle of the game.
While Megaten 5 does all these things well, I can get to the stage of exploring the first dungeon (Da’at) in less than 30 minutes from the opening.
GamerIf all goes well, it might take less than 20 minutes?
And it’s not just a “let’s just do the tutorial and go home” kind of thing, as is often the case with RPGs, but a full-on exploration.
- Explore the vastness of Da’at as much as I want!
- Battle and combine demons as much as I want!
- I can even take on sub-quests!
Various systems will be unlocked from the beginning of the game.
Even the quirky battle system comes with a guide!
In Megaten 5, you will need to master various systems in order to gain an advantage in battle and exploration.
- Scouting and merging of demons.
- Kamui, which can strengthen the protagonist.
- Search for relics and Mimans.
There are a variety of other systems as well.
It’s pretty hard to tell from the text here, isn’t it?
However, in the Megaten 5 game, the tutorials and explanations are easy to understand and come in stages.
Even though the game system is somewhat complicated, it is designed in such a way that players will not be left behind.
A difficulty system that satisfies both RPG beginners and advanced users.
Gamer boyIs it true that Megaten is a quick game over?
I don’t really want to get a game over…
Gamer grilThere are four levels of difficulty!
You can choose the one that suits you best!
At the start of the game, you can choose from three difficulty levels: Casual, Normal, and Hard.
You can’t change the “Hard” setting for advanced players, but the others can be adjusted during the game.
If you are unsure, choose “Casual” or “Normal”.
You can also get a free DLC (downloadable content) called “Safety,” which is the easiest difficulty level, so you may want to try this one.
Summary: Megaten 5 exceeded my expectations!
I’ve only cleared the beginning of the game, but Shin Megami Tensei V has exceeded my expectations.
I’ll update my impressions once I reach the ending.
(I’ll be careful not to spoil anything, of course.)
If you haven’t played Shin Megami Tensei V yet, you should definitely give it a try, as I think it is one of the best Nintendo Switch games ever made.
[Extra] Shin Megami Tensei V Guide
Here is a play guide for the early stages of the game.
I will not spoil the main game, but I will personally tweet the play guide.
Ha-neIf you’re OK with spoilers early in the game, take a look!
Ad
Da’at is so big, I don’t know how to explore it!
- Find the Dragon Cave (Save Point).
- Use the Dragon Cave as a base to find Mimans.
- Use the Dragon Cave as a base to find a place where you can receive sub-quests.
(You may or may not accept quests.) - Tackle the Magatsuka Demon.
- Go find the next Dragon Cave.
If you repeat this process, you will naturally collect experience and relics.
Gamer boyLet’s be proactive in learning the skills exclusive to your protagonist!
Gamer grilThere are many demons that want Makka.
Collecting relics may be rather important.
The battle system is complicated and hard to get used to…
Better to get used to it than to learn it!
In the beginning, make it a priority to use the Dragon Cave as your base, and be aggressive in battles and merging!
In particular, the following two should be utilized aggressively.
- Utsusemi (compatibility change)
- Magatsuhi Skills
Utsusemi are easy to find in treasure chests and in battles, so use them on your heroes and friends.
Gamer boyYou can only have one of each type of Utsusemi!
There are many opportunities to get them, so don’t worry about using them!
What can I do to avoid Game Over?
- Use items sparingly.
- Always keep the hero’s HP above half.
- Max out your Magatsuhi Gauge before taking on powerful demons and Magatsukas.
- Lower the difficulty level.
If the protagonist collapses, it’s Game Over immediately, so keep an eye on the protagonist’s HP.
In addition, the difficulty of the game varies considerably depending on whether or not you can make use of Kamui and Utsusemi as well as Demon Combinations.
Do all the preparation you can and then take on the powerful demons!
If that doesn’t work, you can lower the difficulty level.
Megaten 5 is a game that many people Game Over even on “Normal”.
I dropped the difficulty from “Normal” to “Casual” when I got Game Over twice.
Finally…
Thank you for reading this far.
In this blog, I’ve also posted an article I wrote before the release date about my predictions for the story of Megaten 5.
If you are interested, let’s take a peek at it.
