Let me tell you about the night I finally cracked the code on maximizing returns in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. I'd been grinding through the new content for weeks, but something clicked when I discovered what I now call my "Crazy Time Strategies" approach. The game throws so much at you—new demons, time-limited trials, innate skills—that without a proper system, you're just wandering through the apocalypse hoping for the best.
I remember staring at my Switch screen at 2 AM, realizing that the new Miracle toggling system was an absolute game-changer. The ability to switch Nahobino enhancements on and off after acquisition isn't just convenient—it's revolutionary. Last week, I was stuck on one of those brutal time-limited trials, the kind where every turn counts. By strategically disabling certain Miracles I'd collected and activating others specifically for that encounter, I managed to clear it with twelve seconds remaining. That flexibility means your build isn't permanent until you want it to be, allowing for what I'd consider ten proven ways to maximize your winnings throughout the game.
What really makes these strategies work is how they interact with the expanded demon roster. I've counted at least thirty-four new demons in my playthrough, each bringing unique tactical possibilities. Just yesterday, I recruited one of the newcomers who had this incredible innate skill that boosted ice magic effectiveness by nearly 15% while making negotiation chances significantly smoother. These innate skills aren't just minor stat bumps—they fundamentally change how you approach battles and team composition. When you combine demon-specific advantages with the Miracle toggling system, you create synergies that the original game simply couldn't support.
The side quests deserve special mention here. Those mini-adventures where you control a demon directly? Initially I thought they were just fun diversions, but they've become essential testing grounds for my Crazy Time Strategies. Taking direct control lets you experiment with different innate skills in controlled environments, learning exactly how they'll perform before integrating them into your main party. I've probably spent six hours just on these demon-controlled segments, and each minute has made my primary team significantly more effective.
Let's talk numbers for a moment. Before implementing my systematic approach, I was completing about 65% of side quests successfully. After refining what I now call my Crazy Time Strategies methodology, that number jumped to around 88%. The time-limited trials went from nearly impossible to consistently manageable—I'm clearing approximately four out of every five attempts now. The key is treating your resources as modular components rather than permanent choices, constantly reconfiguring based on each specific challenge.
Some players might argue this makes the game too easy, but I'd counter that it actually increases the strategic depth. Instead of finding one overpowered build and sticking with it, you're constantly evaluating new combinations. Last night, I discovered that certain Miracles I'd previously written off became incredibly powerful when paired with specific demons' innate skills. One combination I found—which I won't spoil here—effectively doubled my damage output against a particular boss I'd been struggling with for days.
What's fascinating is how these systems feed into each other. The new demons make the side quests more varied, which rewards you with more Miracles to toggle, which makes your demons more effective, creating this beautiful gameplay loop. I've probably reset my Miracle configurations seventy or eighty times throughout my playthrough, each adjustment refining my approach slightly. It reminds me of tuning a high-performance engine—small tweaks can produce dramatically different results.
The negotiation improvements through innate skills deserve their own praise. I've noticed my success rate in demon talks has increased from what felt like 40% to closer to 70% with the right skills active. When demons have innate abilities that make them more receptive to certain negotiation approaches, it transforms what was previously somewhat random into a strategic consideration. I now specifically bring demons with negotiation-boosting innate skills when I'm planning recruitment sessions.
As I approach the endgame, these Crazy Time Strategies have become second nature. I'm constantly evaluating new demons not just for their stats or skills, but for how their innate abilities might synergize with my current Miracle configuration. The game has transformed from a straightforward RPG into this wonderfully complex system of interchangeable parts. I'm genuinely impressed with how much depth these additions have created—what could have been simple quality-of-life improvements instead redefine how you approach progression.
Looking back at my 90-hour playthrough, I can confidently say that understanding and implementing these approaches has been the difference between struggling through content and truly mastering it. The beauty of Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance isn't just in its new content, but in how all these systems interconnect, creating opportunities for strategic play that simply didn't exist in the original. If you're diving into the game, take the time to experiment—the payoff is absolutely worth the effort.