Is the Shin Megami Tensei V DLC Worth It?

Launch DLC is a reality in today’s game market. Inflation is up, but game prices aren’t, so companies subsidize the cost of development with additional paid content. However, you should know what you’re buying before opening your wallet. Is the Shin Megami Tensei V DLC worth it?

Table of Contents

Breakdown

There are seven paid DLC packs. You can buy them individually for about $30 or you can get the DLC Bundle for 26.99. The Safety Difficulty and Japanese voice DLCs are free.

The Rage of a Queen

$2.99

The clear frontrunner of the DLC demons. This fight will rock you if you cluelessly roll up to the bus where she’s hiding, but she’s worth it.

Let me know what you think of the Frolic animation

A Goddess in Training

$4.99

This DLC is a battle with Artemis. This fight is beatable quite early in the game. Artemis is similar to Yoshitsune, and can be built as a physical DPS if you’re willing to invest in her. She has some decent elemental affinities as well. For some reason, this DLC is more than the others.

Astral Saintstrike is the main reason you’d use Artemis, but be careful against enemies who are strong against Phys

Mitama Dance of EXP

$2.99

This is grinding DLC. Overleveling won’t break the game, and you’ll be quite a ways into the game before you can reliably oneshot these demons through brute force. Otherwise, you’ll want to use a spyglass to reveal their weakness.

Return of the True Demon

$9.99

Fanservice at its best. Of all the DLC, this gives you the most bang for your buck. It’s a series of fights with all the fiends: Matador, Daisoujou, Hell Biker, Red, White, Black and Pale Riders, Trumpeter, and Mother Harlot. You unlock the fiends for fusion after you defeat them, but the main draw is the eventual showdown with the Demi-fiend. Beating him gives you his essence, which is beyond overpowered, not that you’ll need it after beating him.

Mitama Dance of Wealth

$2.99

Money is mostly used for buying demons from the compendium. This falls in the category of “convenience DLC”.

Mitama Dance of Miracles

$2.99

Glory allows you to buy permanent perks. Some of them are absolutely clutch, like additional skill slots. Most of the glory in the game is acquired from finding Miman or sidequests. Again, this is convenience DLC but I fully took advantage of this one. Finding all 200 Miman won’t give you nearly enough glory to buy everything.

The Doctor’s Last Wish

$2.99

This DLC is a battle with Mephisto. He falls into the niche of magic (dark and fire) nuker and debuffer, but it can be hard to find room in your stock for him. He nulls Phys and drains Dark, but is weak to Light. Of the three DLC demons, he’s the least useful.