Do your choices matter in Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance?

If you’re playing through Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance and wondering if your choices really matter, this guide is for you.

Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance isn’t just a basic re-release—it’s like getting two games for the price of one. You get the original in Canon of Creation and a revamped version in Canon of Vengeance. The new version comes with new Demons, new mechanics, and even a new character. But fans are puzzled, wondering if core mechanics, like choices, have changed. This guide covers all you need to know about choices and endings in Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance.

Do choices affect the ending in Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance?

In Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance, whether your choices matter depends on the specific version of the game you’re playing.

• In Canon of Creation, your choices throughout the game don’t restrict your final decision—you can freely choose any ending.
• In Canon of Vengeance, your choices shape your alignment and ultimately determine which ending you receive, making your decisions crucial from start to finish.

Let’s break down both options in detail.

Canon of Creation

In the Canon of Creation route, your choices throughout the game do not lock you into a specific ending in Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance. Regardless of the decisions you make, you will always have the opportunity to choose from three standard endings at the end of the game. When you reach the Empyrean in the Canon of Creation, you explicitly choose the ending you want to get.

This design allows for flexibility and lets you experience different outcomes without the pressure of making the “right” choices along the way.

Canon of Vengeance

In contrast, the Canon of Vengeance route places significant importance on your choices in Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance. Throughout the game, your decisions will align you with either Tao Isonokami or Yoko Shiromane, your two guides in this canon.

• Tao Isonokami represents Law-aligned philosophies, advocating for optimism and the improvement of the world as it is.
• Yoko Shiromane represents Chaos-aligned philosophies, often adopting a more cynical or pragmatic approach, and sometimes advocating for starting the world over from scratch.

As you progress through the game, you get several dialogue options and quest outcomes that influence your alignment towards either Tao or Yoko. When you reach the Empyrean in the Canon of Vengeance, your ending is determined by these accumulated choices.

Unlike the Canon of Creation, you won’t make a last-minute decision about your ending. Instead, your path will be decided based on the alignments you’ve followed throughout your journey.