Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Is a Richly Deserved Second Chance
Shin Megami Tensei V released in 2021 to a largely favorable reception, and boasting a strong 84 aggregate score on Metacritic. Despite this, a lack of post-launch staying power and a single primary flaw in its comparatively lacking narrative led to the game feeling a bit forgotten in the pantheon of Atlus RPGs. Personally, the game is one of my favorites in Atlus's RPG library, and I could not be more excited to dive back in with the release of Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance this June.
Shin Megami Tensei V has three incredibly strong elements. The first is its atmosphere. The desolate landscapes of Da'at mesh incredibly with the game's alien-sounding soundtrack, lending it an incredible "fear of the unknown" atmosphere that permeates the entire experience. The opening section is a great example of this, as the idea of survival in an unknown environment is brought home by not just the monsters and the desolate wastelands, but also the soundtrack and the harsh lighting.
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