Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is a massively expanded version of 2021 Shin Megami Tensei Vwith more quests, monsters and a new course of action with a brand new character. But perhaps most importantly, Revenge drops the Nintendo Switch exclusivity of the original game in favor of a multiplatform release. PC gamers can now enjoy this game via Steam, and Revenge is officially verified for Steam Deck. But does it actually run well on Valve’s handheld device?
After at least 15 hours of playtime Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance portable, I can confirm that the game runs very well on the Steam Deck. At the default 1280 x 800 resolution, I was able to enjoy reliable performance that usually stayed at a solid 60 FPS. If you plan on enjoying this RPG on the go (or in bed), definitely grab the Steam version.
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What should you do if you experience performance issues with Steam Deck?
However, I did notice one particular caveat: when I first launched the game in docked mode, I initially had trouble getting through the tutorial. Frame rates dropped to abysmal levels, causing the audio to become out of sync with the graphics. I have not been able to reproduce this problem since thentherefore this could be a bizarre anomaly.
If you’re having performance issues, temporarily lowering the game’s resolution helped me.. In my case, once I got past the intro and into Da’at properly, I increased the resolution again and the game ran fine from then on. If you are having persistent problems, you should restart the console or check if the game or system needs an update.
What are the best settings for playing Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance about docked gaming on the Steam Deck?
In total, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance doesn’t have too many graphical switches to play with. You can disable Motion Blur, which I personally disable (If you leave Motion Blur on, the graphics will blur when you rotate the camera.) You can also disable Anti-aliasing or Ambient occlusionBut Personally, I would leave this turned on. Disabling it does not provide any significant performance improvements.
That said, If you have the Steam Deck connected to a monitor or TV, you can increase the resolution of the game to enjoy better graphicsTo do this, before selecting the “Play” option on the main page of the game, press the gear symbol on the right side of the screen (see image above) and then select Properties > General > Game ResolutionHere you can manually select the resolution in which the game will start, even if it is higher than the standard resolution of the Steam Deck. The in-game resolution must match your selection here, so be sure to check the graphics settings in the options menu to make sure everything is OK.
Based on my testing experience, the game runs at the following resolutions:
1368×768: This is mostly just a neat visual improvement. The game usually ran between 55 and 60 FPS and never dropped significantly below 50. It’s not a huge graphical improvement, but it’s “free” if you’re using a TV.
1600×900: I found this to be a good, balanced option. The game usually maintained a resolution above 50 FPS, with only the occasional dip below that. Unless you’re particularly sensitive to framerate issues, this should look good and feel smooth.
1920×1080: Believe it or not, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance generally runs fine at 1920×1080! Spending more time in the 40 FPS range, with occasional dips below that. However, the game was still perfectly playable and never dropped below 30.
Personally, I prefer to play at 1600 x 900but your performance may vary. Some areas of the game may be more demanding than others, so you may need to adjust the resolution depending on the situation. In any case, the Steam Deck’s performance is head and shoulders above the Nintendo Switch version, so keep that in mind when choosing which version of the game you want to play.
