Shin Megami Tensei V Reviews
While I can say that I enjoyed my time with Shin Megami Tensei V, it was the exploration of ruined Tokyo that kept my attention. Once the last big map was filled in, the last treasures claimed, and the last little red dude returned to the item shop’s master, the game quickly lost its luster.
While Shin Megami Tensei has only been able to glimpse the shining spotlight in the shadow of its sibling series Persona, developer Atlus is now making a rather timid attempt to step out of it with the fifth installment of the main series. By turning away from the traditional dungeon crawler concept to a much more open level structure, they skillfully create a synergy effect that clearly enhances the actually insubstantial gameplay loop motivationally and indisputably decorates it with a comprehensible justification. The depth of the role-playing system as well as the animating collecting mania through the whimsical demons cleverly counteract the merciless difficulty level without demoralizing the player too much. Meanwhile, the plot is largely utilitarian, even insubstantial, motivating the player to really want to participate in the storyline only in the smaller, more emotional moments. On top of that, the Nintendo Switch exclusivity clearly limits the role-playing game technically, which shouldn't be particularly beneficial for the family's race to catch up and only raises the question about the relevance of the current revision of the hybrid console once again. Even if Shin Megami Tensei still can't move in the highly praised spheres of a Persona, Atlus still manages to deliver a more than solid overall construct thanks to the given innovations, which should shorten the wait for the next full-fledged spin-off, not least for the Persona fan community. It's a good thing that the apple usually never falls far from the tree.
Review in German | Read full review
There are excellent RPG gameplay ideas powering Shin Megami Tensei V, but they’re left stranded in search of a worthwhile role to play.
Shin Megami Tensei 5’s combat is great, punishing and rewarding in equal measure without ever tipping the scales too far in one direction. Mixing and matching your deck of demons makes for great fun as well, and spurs you to look to all corners of the ruined world for allies of all shapes and sizes. It’s everything outside of the battling and grungy soundtrack where Shin Megami Tensei 5 badly misses the mark, with one-note characters that you’re never given the chance to better know, and a paper-thin plot that feels dragged out over dozens of hours. Shin Megami Tensei 5 is a good RPG battler, but it’s not good at much else.
I enjoyed and continue to enjoy my time with Shin Megami Tensei V, but it isn't the title I envisioned when it was announced a few years back. It's a top-shelf JRPG with a lot of content, charm, and game time to keep the most engrossed of players demon negotiating until the wee hours. For me sadly the game lacks the identity I've come to expect from the main Shin Megami Tensei series. That alongside some performance issues, the weighty day one DLC, and the draining pace issues means this is one title that has strayed further from God than I would have liked.
SMT V offered new direction for the long time series, however, it mostly forgot about its distinctive features. As a result, SMT V feels like a generic JRPG with simple plot rather than a new entry in the dark and hardcore Shin Megami Tensei series.
Review in Russian | Read full review
While Shin Megami Tensei 5 is rough around the edges, fans of the series will be satisfied. However, newcomers and those not impressed by the previous entries best approach with caution.
With Shin Megami Tensei V, Atlus has done a solid job of updating the series over to the Nintendo Switch. The new gameplay elements are mostly welcome, and press turn combat and demon fusing elements are better than ever. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the story, which never even begins to get interesting.
A console sequel to the Shin Megami Tensei series that I wish the game had stronger hardware to utilize. The combat is still enjoyable and is the reason to play the game, everything else is just an afterthought and it shows.
It's not winning any awards for graphics, but Shin Megami Tensei V is a well-designed JRPG that has just a little too much combat. Even with such an interesting story and themes to explore, it instead focuses on grinding and fighting the same enemies over and over.
The battle system is excellent but the Shin Megami Tensei series once again misses a golden opportunity to reincarnate itself, with its sparse plot and sky high difficulty.
Shin Megami Tensei V absolutely does its job well: it brings a great combat system and an equally good explorable world to Nintendo's hybrid console. It does so with a lot of forethought for the player, rewarding them for good use of what they're given at their disposal but without avoiding being punitive if bad mistakes are made.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While this remaster is slightly underwhelming, and certain aspects of the game have become a little dog-eared, Shin Megami Tensei 3 is still worth checking out. It's a rather unique experience that stands out even in an age where its spinoff series has diluted many of its more interesting facets.
While Shin Megami Tensei V doesn’t run especially well on the Nintendo Switch, for now it’s an exclusive experience that any RPG-loving owner of the console should check out.
The game’s all-encompassing tension, infrequent story beats, and exciting systems all add up to an experience that effectively satisfies the challenging RPG niche that Shin Megami Tensei first carved out in the late 90s.
Shin Megami Tensei V is an RPG that's nothing short of indispensable in the Nintendo Switch catalogue. The follow up to the series' fourth title may not bring its peak when it comes to plot, but Shin Megami Tensei V's exquisite combat mechanics - which build on what was good before and add improvements - as well as a fantastic soundtrack and marvelous open world areas make this an instant classic.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
It's an enticing turn-based RPG with a fascinating premise, tactical combat, tons of content, challenging gameplay, and an addictive demon fusion framework that alone will occupy hours of your time.
Shin Megami Tensei V is a solid experience of what the series can present to the player. Never taking any chances with the formula, it introduces an interesting world, but one that tends to compare too much with other releases in the same series. Some better design choices could have been considered, mainly to avoid midgame repeatability, which tended to sharply accentuate during our time with this title. For fans of the genre, it is certainly an option to consider, but do not foresee a significant evolution or a reformulation of its dynamics, as it may lead to serious disappointment.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Shin Megami Tensei V is an exciting journey for all JRPG fans.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Shin Megami Tensei 5 is a bastard to rate. What we have here is a game that, when everything is working in tandem, is possibly the greatest JRPG of all time. The depth, the mechanics, the loop – it’s perfect. The things it fumbles, however, makes getting to that greatness a chore at times, and it does serious damage to the overall experience. This is a 10/10 game, trapped in an 8/10 body – which is a real shame.