Análisis de Shin Megami Tensei V

Shin Megami Tensei V recovers the spirit of nocturne with a deep combat and an oppressive atmosphere.

My Drafting partner Paula comments a lot about how numerous title ratings that had a cult monitoring have been published but were not acclaimed unanimously at his release: Nier Replicant, the Shaddai or, especially relevant for this text, Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne. They are games whose virtues were already present at the launch, as demonstrated by the passionate follow-up that they attracted, who can find a new life when fitting better with the expectations of the current public. For this reason, it is especially important to see that the main influence of the fifth numbered delivery of the RPG franchise of Atus has been channeling the elements that made a very unique game at night, updating a multitude of aspects and keeping their core in the center of the experience.

Basic information

Developer: Atlus Editor: Nintendo Platforms: switch Proven version: switch Availability: 12/12/2021

Shin Megami Tensei V begins with a short stretch at a Tokyo Institute in which we know classmates. The routine does not occupy a half hour of the plot; The protagonist is buried by the collapse of a tunnel and awakens in the underworld. This place, inhabited by angels and demons, is a post-apocalyptic territory in which humans seem to have been extinguished. Our protagonist survives thanks to the sudden appearance of the protostery, an entity with which he merges to give rise to a new being: the Nahobin.

If you have played at noturne this synopsis will be familiar; The fifth installment of the Atlus franchise is positioned from the first minute as heir of the 2003 title remastered a few months ago. The director of SMTV is Shigeo Komori, known for being the main manager of the Etrian Odyssey series, was one of those involved in the night script. Both in tone and atmosphere is recovered by oppressive atmosphere, placing us in the midst of a conflict between various factions that try to print their perspectives on a wild world but full of potential.

It is quite difficult to talk about the general argument without entering spoilers due to a couple of early turns. Again we are given before a story that is brown in conversations but it has a lot of what to talk about. Throughout 50-60 hours of adventure we cross each other with all kinds of characters that will be positioned ideologically at incompatible ends as the future of the underworld is defining. Some of our former Institute partners will be part of this process; SMTV takes advantage of his status as adolescents to draw an evolution in his lines of thought, although his position is not softened for it.

Although the game has come translated into Spanish, many of the menus are in English. It seems a decision taken in Atlus so that the general interface is equal in all territories - it also looks like this in Japan - but it is quite out of place even if the explanations of each menu are translated. On the other hand, with the audio in English and the texts in Spanish, many different nuances are appreciated in certain phrases that seem to indicate that the translations have been carried out separately; Hopefully, it means that both have been carried out directly from Japanese (instead of second hand from another language like English). Maybe it s just an impression of mine.

Masayuki Doi has several deliveries assuming the difficult role of Kazuma Kaneko heir in the main deliveries as a character designer and new demons. Although he has been in the company for two decades, his work has fallen more in 3DS, with a main role at SMT IV, IV Apocalypse and Strange Journey Redux. SMTV students could have something more personality and some would be relegated to high schools in a person, but where it does a great job is in the design of demons, both old and new: their versions of Abdiel, Angel, Kohnsu or Odin ( Although this one already appeared in 3DS) are as attractive as imposing.

As it happened in Nocturne, the characters are here more than ever a means to transmit some ideas; It is difficult to get rid of most, especially those who are in our political antipodes. As we move forward, making decisions that are altering the history and destinations of the characters, as is usually usual. It is not possible to stay neutral in the world of SMT and later or earlier we have to wet our opinion about the destiny of the world. In general it is well developed, although I have the feeling that some decisions block certain frames in a bit abrupt. There is a character that has been very shown in the promotion of the game but in my departure he disappeared from history without having developed too much; I think it is because of a decision that I took at a certain point that it prioritized another different story. I have not had time to complete a New Game + in time to check it. I guess if I try to get the four finals reappear; Playing a single game Some secondary heads are loose.

The general dynamics of advance reminds more than that of SMT3 than to that of 4, closer to journeys by a semi-open world than to the mazmorreo with ends of Mikado Castle (and other equivalent locations) of SMT4. The Map of SMTV start being somewhat linear but they are gaining in complexity as the adventure progresses. They are, in fact, full of secrets that take different ways: a kind of chests with great rewards, creatures called Miman who expect salvation, balls that recover life or magic... at the level of performance goes a little just just, not so much For the punctual Frame-Rate falls as for the low resolution, it leaves blurred images that contrast with the detail of scenes and fights.

In certain sections you will accompany us a browser that will indicate locations where you can get objects, although we can take a surprise in the form of an unexpected encounter. Some of these browsers are achieved in secondary missions, which usually propose challenging fighters in a hidden place or gather a certain number of objects. The first are with more interesting (and abundant) difference than the second, and sometimes sometimes allow us to alter the objective of the mission if we see that the argument or reward of the demon that we should overcome us convinces us more than that of the original promoter.

Random meetings have been eliminated, opting for a system more similar to that of the mazmoras of person we saw the enemies and we could engage in combat attacking. To compensate for the possibility of dodging them, there is a large amount on the map and sometimes they will try to corral ourselves in bottlenecks. A detail that is appreciated is the effort to give something more context to demons; For example, in the first desert the demons associated with ice magic appear around the only oasis. This does not happen with everyone, but the cases are appreciated in which they seek to give the feeling that they are linked to a biome.

Again, the dungeons suffer compared to their counterparts of previous deliveries, especially with the complex mechanisms of Nocturne. There are only two in the main story and both are quite loose, very particularly the second. Although the first raises some interesting puzzle, the other does not even develop too much for its only idea and supposes a large low-quality downhill just before the final, more linear and centered stretch. Both temples are left as monotonous experiences that truncate the rhythm and suppose the looseous points of adventure by difference.

The combat system recovers the Press Turn that SMT3 introduced with slight modifications; If you do not need explanations on the basis, jump to the next paragraph. If you do not know it, this shift system focuses on earning extra actions. In a normal turn we have as many actions as characters, but we can add more performing critical attacks or exploiting elementary weaknesses. The other pillar is the modification of statistics: in the bosses we will be interested in raising the attack, defense and precision / evasion of our team and reducing the same parameters in the rivals. The Party is formed by the protagonist and up to three demons, to which we can recruit in negotiations with two phases: First we respond to questions with which to demonstrate our affinity with them and then we paid a certain price for their incorporation. These demons can be merged to create other creatures with better statistics that inherit some of the skills of the originals.

While largely remains intact, SMTV introduces a substantial change: the Magatsuhi bar. This system works as a species of Ulti that is filled by performing various actions and allows you to trigger several different effects. Initially, it is only possible to activate a turn with critics insured in each attack, but as we realize secondary we will gain skills associated with the different races of demon: Almighty attacks, absorption of life, minimum cost of magic... in normal combats Management of this resource is usually not very important, but in the bosses it gives us the possibility to turn around a limit situation, especially combined with unlocking of miracles. For example, one of them allows recovering PV and PM each turn that the bar is to the maximum, so it does not always be useful to use the magatsuhi at first change.

At the level of difficulty, SMTV is not short in terms of expectations of fans. It is a hard title even in normal combats. In fact, with all the fame that SMT3 has difficult, the Game Over screen has pointed enough more times in my SMTV departure than in the visit that I made at nocturne for the analysis of the HD remasterization (although in that case the memory It helped me prepare the most famous meetings). If we put automatic combat most enemies will end up sweeping the ground with our face, and the numerous minijefes will always be on guard and prepared to alter our team based on what every moment demands.

The final bosses are, of course, the icing on the cake. Long, difficult, technical meetings, raised as puzzles that investigate and disassemble for pieces until you find a way to counteract your tactics. Even taking advantage of the spy mirror to know each weakness and attack that can be used from the first turn, rare will be the occasion when we manage to overcome without a test combat in which to learn dynamics and recognize their prior movements to a massive attack. Each meeting is exciting and exhausting, an authentic proof of our skills and our ability to react to negative circumstances.

This is where the soundtrack of Ryota Kozuka and Toshiki Konishi plus shines. The work of both in Shin Megami Tensei IV has echoes that are easy to trace; Some topics seem even sequelae of their counterparts from the previous delivery, recovering ideas and sounds. The themes of the open world are not as inspired by comparison - except the last area of ​​the underworld - but it is overlap with melodies for final combats that always have an electrifying effect. This good job contrasts with an effective but uninteresting interface at a visual level, which fulfills its purpose but it is not attractive.

Returning to the issue of difficulty, what this new delivery offers are a multitude of possibilities and certain facilities that were missing. The saving points now also exercise place to be cured (paying Macca, eye), shop, teleportation and the world of shadows where to make mergers. Although they are not habitual, we can find certain objects with which to level up both the Nahobin (Gospel) and their lower-level demons (crusts) that reduce the need to crindear. By finding a wall of difficulty in SMTV the best option is never to be combated against random enemies, but to perform secondary missions and investigate maps more to achieve help objects like these. Apart from being more fun than going around looking for rivals, the rewards are usually much more useful in the long term.

The game offers pretty joy essences of demons, which allow us to add the skills of a creature to the nahobin or one of the companions of it, but also modify the resistance of the protagonist independently of the attacks of it. In fact, Nahobino no longer learns anything by leveling; All skills are achieved using essences. Perhaps to compensate for this less directed advance, now we receive free statistics points when going on level, although we have an extra one that freely assign us to allow us a certain specialization; I understand that the goal is not to leave anyone behind if it takes a few hours to decide on the attributes of Him and I consider it successfully.

There is also a greater number of skills, with a huge variety of options that, for example, allow to lower the rival defense with physical attacks or add the possibility of drilling (that is, avoiding enemy resistances) since much earlier than in previous deliveries, adding viability To more distinct builds and reducing the possibility of getting stuck in an unhestable configuration. It opens at an adequate rhythm so as not to overwhelm, but towards the end of the game it offers a great number of possibilities that allows you to solve any encounter.

This is combined well with the potentials, another of the contributions of SMTV to the formula. The idea is simple: each creature has affinities to certain elements, which are measured between -9 and +9, affecting their performance (for example, greater potential lower cost of PM and vice versa). We can merge a demon of water and give him a spell of fire, but his effectiveness will be much less than if we have a dragon. Nahobino starts with all potentials at zero but can upload them to the maximum with miracles.

The miracles are from the first things we learn but I have left it almost for the end because its goal is precisely to modify much of the rules established so far. We unlock miracles in the world of shadows with glory points that we achieved with collectibles from the open world or finding Miman. In addition to uploading potential, we can give new skills to demons, add trading roads, reduce the cost of stores... Some of the options you may want to be based on a game of saga require prior unlocking in this section.

I wanted to leave out of the analysis two questions that do not enter the evaluation of the game but many people will search here:

Is Shin Megami Tensei V a good place to start the series? Yes, it is the numbered title of the most accessible franchise, even if you keep in mind that it is still very difficult even if you have experience in the RPG; Do not have a problem starting at casual if it is your first game. If you go happy, do not hesitate to try SMT3. Are you interested SMTV if I like person? The short answer is depends. If the most convinced you was the combat you can take the jump without problems, here you will find a more complex version. Keep in mind that there is no social component or time management and that history has at all times a similar tone at the end of the person.

If you need more information, we have an introduction guide to Shin Megami Tensei.

All these systems result in a less defined but more customizable progression, which requires something more effort on the part of the player at the same time that it gives it more freedom when it comes to building the character. The actions that have been carried out facilitate the entrance to the combat system but not only have not reduced their complexity, but have opened the door to more possibilities around it. The mechanics are still the central pillar of the saga and SMTV, but only demonstrating that the formula has a rope for a while.

That rotundity is the one that leads the game in flying, although it is short in other sections that take you away from excellence; The story could be better topped by some points and especially the dungeons are like a stain at the rhythm of the adventure. I think they are the kind of things that bother more at the time but they will forget me when remembering the whole in a few years; The combat system, the plot and atmosphere are once again the main arguments in favor of the franchise. At one point where it is easier to find public interested in experiences as hard as satisfactory, with less explicit stories but loaded with meaning, Atlus seems to have a more fertile land to attract with this proposal.

Shin Megami Tensei V is the heir of Nocturne, who arrives twenty years later in a context where he has even more sense and can find easier the place of him than the original. The numerous changes in the main development team have given a novelty patina without losing the essence at any time. The result is coffee for very cafeteros: intense and with bitter touches, a delight for those who know how to appreciate it. Some worst sections prevent them from fulfilling all their potential, but the fans of the JRPG will find here a great exponent of the genre that demonstrates once again the good form of Atlus.