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No. You can start Shin Megami Tensei V without playing the earlier numbered games first. The mainline entries covered by Prima Games—SMT III, SMT IV and SMT V—are not connected as one continuing story, so prior games are not required plot homework.
Will I miss important story context?
You do not need to finish an earlier Shin Megami Tensei game to understand SMT V. The series shares concepts and demon imagery, but that is different from following one continuous plot across the numbered games. Individual callbacks may exist; available sources do not establish a complete list, so it is safest to treat any references as optional flavor rather than necessary context.
Prima Games’ play-order guidance covers a limited set of mainline games, not every entry or spin-off. It supports the answer for the numbered games relevant here, but should not be read as a claim that every game in the wider franchise is unrelated.
Does the edition change the answer?
No. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is described by Atlus as an expanded version of SMT V. Atlus and Nintendo say it offers the original story as well as a new route, “Canon of Vengeance.” That makes the edition a choice between story options, not a requirement to play the original release first.
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#1 Best Overall
- The Definitive Version of Shin Megami Tensei V: Fully evolved with stunning visuals for modern consoles, the dark lore, unnerving atmosphere, and beautiful and monstrous demons are back and better than ever. Massively expanded with new areas, demons, and music, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance features more accessible gameplay, an improved battle system, new demon experiences, and greater field exploration.
- A Tale of Vengeance or Creation: Which path will you choose? Experience a brand-new tale of revenge by the fallen or the original story of Shin Megami Tensei V, both filled with conflicting and tragic choices, forcing you to confront which ideologies you are willing to fight for. As order and chaos crumble around you, forge your own path to dictate the fate of humanity.
- Explore a Post-Apocalyptic World: Battle through a decimated Tokyo, reduced to an expansive wasteland and overrun by mythical demons. Roam across wide, open areas and explore new locations for life-saving items or encounter hundreds of familiar demons and dozens of new ones to battle or befriend as allies.
- Atlus’ official Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance page describes the expanded edition and its two story paths.
- Nintendo UK’s product page also presents the original story and the new tale as options.
What should I play next?
Choose another entry only if you want more of the series, not because SMT V requires it. Prima Games discusses SMT III and SMT IV as possible mainline games without making them prerequisites. Which one to try next is a matter of preference; the sources here do not establish an optimal order or suggest that earlier games are needed to learn SMT V’s mechanics.
For a new player who has already chosen SMT V, the practical answer is simple: start there. If you are deciding between the original release and Vengeance, compare the two story options and edition details for your platform and region; prior play is not the deciding factor.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- In Shin Megami Tensei V, the latest entry in the acclaimed Shin Megami Tensei RPG series, play as a high school student who must harness newfound powers to fight through a demon-infested wasteland using a command-based system. Though demons are formidable opponents, some can be worthy allies and recruited via negotiations to fight alongside you in a dying world. How will your destiny unfold?
Rank #3
- UK e-store account may be required for any online features
Rank #2
- Unfold an allusive story filled with tragic choices, make sacrifices to uphold your ideals as you pursue light or covet darkness to discover your role in the new world
- Fight through a demon-infested wasteland with the Press Turn Battle System, pinpoint enemy weaknesses so you can perform consecutive actions but make one mistake and it may be your last
- Turn formidable foes into worthy allies by recruiting them via negotiations, then fuse them to create demons customized to fit your playstyle
- Explore the expansive world of post-apocalyptic Tokyo, fully rendered in stunning 3D utilizing Unreal Engine 4, a first for the mainline Shin Megami Tensei series
Sources
- Prima Games: “Shin Megami Tensei: Do You Need to Play the Games in Order?”
- Atlus: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
- Nintendo UK: Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance
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