Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an expanded version of the popular game from 2021, offering more quests, monsters, and a new story path with a new character. The game was initially exclusive to Nintendo Switch but has now been released on multiple platforms, including PC through Steam. The good news is that Vengeance has been officially verified for the Steam Deck, Valve’s handheld gaming device.
Having played the game for over 15 hours on the Steam Deck, I can attest to its smooth performance. At the default resolution of 1280 X 800, the game consistently ran at close to 60 FPS, providing an enjoyable gaming experience. If you’re looking to play this RPG on the go or in the comfort of your bed, the Steam version is definitely worth considering.
However, there may be instances where you encounter performance issues on the Steam Deck. One particular problem I faced was when starting the game in docked mode, where frame rates dropped significantly during the introduction, causing audio-visual desynchronization. Lowering the resolution temporarily helped resolve this issue for me. If you experience similar problems, adjusting the resolution and restarting the console or checking for updates may help.
When it comes to playing Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance in docked mode on the Steam Deck, there aren’t many graphical settings to tweak. You can turn off Motion Blur if you prefer sharper graphics, but leaving Anti-Aliasing and Ambient Occlusion on is recommended as disabling them doesn’t provide noticeable performance improvements.
If you’re connecting your Steam Deck to a monitor or TV, you can enhance the visuals by increasing the game’s resolution. By accessing the game’s properties and adjusting the resolution settings before launching the game, you can enjoy better graphics quality. Based on testing, playing at resolutions like 1368 X 768, 1600 X 900, or even 1920 X 1080 is possible, with varying frame rates but overall playable experiences.
While I personally found 1600 X 900 to offer a good balance between visuals and performance, your preferences may differ. Some parts of the game may be more demanding, requiring resolution adjustments accordingly. Despite potential variations, the Steam Deck’s performance surpasses that of the Nintendo Switch version, making it a compelling choice for players deciding between the two platforms.
