Cognition Dissemination: Atlus Needs Better DLC Ideas
From the point at which Atlus confirmed that Shin Megami Tensei V would have downloadable content, unsurprising as that is, my mind wandered between what it could be and what it would be. The sky might literally be the limit with what the team can do with DLC considering the core SMTV game largely takes place on the vast open field of post-apocalyptic Tokyo, regardless of whether the game is open world or is segmented into large zones. The other part of me knew what we’d likely get. The DLC for Persona 5 and the upgraded Royal version was limited to special outfits, while Shin Megami Tensei IV games’ DLC consisted of outfits for the protagonists and battles with special demons. They were missed opportunities, especially with the latter duo.
With how open for exploration SMTV’s world is, the same approach is even more disappointing this time. Atlus confirmed their first DLC plans during the newest SMTV news program, one part of this game’s significant (for an SMT game, anyway) advertising campaign. The biggest one here will feature nods to Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, where players can fight Demi-fiend with a likely-frighteningly overpowered Pixie and Fiends like Matador and Daisoujou. The others involve doing side quests to fight and then recruit demons. The most notable of them is Artemis, whose new design is a walking tribute to Saint Seiya, and returning Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse DLC demons Cleopatra and Mephisto. Others feature an array of Mitama demons that drop Macca, EXP, and Glory essential for obtaining Miracles, the last of which are this game’s equivalent to App skills and enhancements from Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey and the IV titles.
The nods to prior SMT titles are nice, but they’re missed opportunities outside the pro-grinding DLC. This could not apply any harder to the “Return of the True Demon” one with Demi-fiend. Beyond how crappy it is that the Fiends are being locked to DLC instead of, say, being spread around the main game’s world like SMTIV, it’s too easy to think about how this could all be so much more. This could have involved a special dungeon, perhaps a miniature version of the Labyrinth of Amala, where the encounters were more spread out. There’s a good chance the development team knows they can offer content well beyond what they did with the SMTIV games, but those above them simply won’t give them the necessary resources.
The same applies for the DLC featuring the other demons. The one featuring Artemis doesn’t have to include a full dungeon, but it should be more involved than a typical Japanese RPG side quest given the price they’re charging. The same should go for the Cleopatra and Mephisto quest lines, both of which are ripe for potential. This especially goes for the former, where the character has been expelled from the Egypt district of Bethel, the in-game organization fighting demons. Atlus might be hiding just how much content will be on offer here, though that wouldn’t be the wisest decision considering the price they charge for these. It’s nice that all these demons from designer Masayuki Doi are being given character models, but they, along with Atlus’ resources, could be put to better use.
In the unlikely chance that they do need ideas for future DLC, I know of one. It would be a good opportunity to realize the concept for the Shin Megami Tensei III ver.α tech demo, the kind that had a small but fittingly Megaten story.
It begins when Anat awakes the Demi-fiend and asks him to kill Amaterasu, who she claims is trying to find a treasure to make Dark Tokyo her territory. After a short journey, Demi-fiend encounters Take-Mikazuchi, who explains that Amaterasu has actually been cursed by Anat and has sheltered herself in Ueno Zoo. He instead recommends that Demi-fiend find a treasure to cure Amaterasu. From here, the game splits into two paths, where the player can either continue with the mission from Anat or find the treasure. Doing the former leads to a battle with Take-Mikazuchi, during which Amaterasu will escape to her castle. Doing the latter will involve venturing over Shinobazu Pond with help from a Nue demon, to find the treasure hidden in a cave.
This quest notably didn’t make it into the final game, nor did Anat herself or the updated Amaterasu design that takes cues from the other Hime redesigns in SMTIII. (The Amaterasu model in SMTIII proper is a palette-swapped Okuninushi.) It would be nice if Atlus inserted this into SMTV as some sort of expansion, with some fleshing out. Helping Amaterasu, for instance, should result in a climactic battle with Anat or someone above her instead of just ending after the former is cured.
This is the kind of content I’d like to see, or others like it. The aforementioned Cleopatra DLC, for another example, could take place in a part of a post-apocalyptic Egypt with a number of Egyptian-themed demons wandering around. If Atlus doesn’t take this opportunity with SMTV, they could with a future game, like maybe a SMTIVA-style (or Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon-style) sequel this might receive. Chances are the team didn’t create all these resources just for one game.
Even if ideas like those are saved for a sequel, it will be a missed opportunity not to see them here. Previews for Shin Megami Tensei V that have been posted since this morning are largely glowing, and a likely-quality game should be complemented with similarly-quality downloadable content. It’s a shame Atlus is starting that off on the wrong foot by instead pursuing overwhelmingly-expensive DLC focused on battles available right on launch day. Better luck next time.
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Geoff
News Editor | Geoff is some nerd who writes for a blog and thinks he's knowledgeable. He write a lot about video games, but is capable of writing about other subjects, too. Twitter
