Shin Megami Tensei V is finally here, representing the first home console release for the Shin Megami Tensei franchise in years. Known for its dark tone and grueling difficulty, the series seems to be better than ever in its newest entry, according to critics. Shin Megami Tensei V amps up all of the franchise's strengths and even incorporates some of Persona's, though it's held back by hardware limitations.
CBR found the game to be great for newcomers and hardcore fans alike, and the feeling seems to be mutual among other sites. Critics are raving about how SMT V is taking what's worked in the past and refining it for possibly the best Shin Megami Tensei yet. However, they still can't ignore a thin plot and hardware issues related to the Nintendo Switch.
Shin Megami Tensei V Takes Some Cues From Persona
Shin Megami Tensei has avoided leaning into social simulation elements similar to its sister series, Persona. These include the general difficulty being much more palatable than past games, with pillars allowing you to quickly return to previous locations and items recharging magic constantly.
The constantly charging Magatsuhi gauge also allows for devastating attacks to be unleashed in battle, making them a bit easier to get through. This does somewhat take away from the trademark difficulty of the series and the accompanying tone, however. Diego Arguello of Polygon said, "Some of these additions do end up streamlining the experience. Players who come from Persona will most likely embrace them, but the enigmatic nature of past SMT entries has been lost a bit in the process.
Other similarities to Persona include the focus on the game's storyline. While previous games had somewhat bland or overlooked cast members, Shin Megami Tensei V makes sure to develop its characters amid the grandiose horror. According to Mitch Vogel of Nintendolife.com, "This is a story that is still very much marked by the weighty philosophical and moral ruminations that defined past entries, but Atlus has smartly decided to make this a more character-driven narrative than many previous games."
Shin Megami Tensei V Has a Dark, Creepy Story That's a Bit Too Thin
Despite streamlining gameplay, the story is as dark as any other Shin Megami Tensei title. Players are thrust into an apocalyptic vision straight out of the pits of hell, turning modern Tokyo into a demonic wasteland. Players immediately begin to feel threatened by how gruesome and gritty everything is as they're thrown into a war between God, Satan and everyone in between.
Though the increased emphasis on characters makes the plot a step up from previous games, the storyline of Shin Megami Tensei V isn't flawless. It's somewhat thin for the game's length, which is only emphasized further by how slow the story is told. According to Heidi Kemps from Gamespot, "There are quite a few instances where critical plot points and character development happen rapidly, followed by a long stretch of exploration and combat before the next big story event. It can be irksome, especially because these sections are so large and similar-looking. The combat and overall atmosphere of SMTV do a lot of heavy lifting in these portions, but they only go so far, and after a few hours in a particularly large, story-light Netherworld region, you'll really wish for a change of scenery."
Shin Megami Tensei V Shows How Great Turn-Based Combat Can Be
The combat in the game is a refined version of the franchise's Press Turn System, in which a player and their horde of demons fight in turn-based combat. The new Magatsuhi gauge adds an extra layer to the combat, and getting the rhythm of enemy weaknesses means that multiple hits can be made in one turn. The refined battle system isn't without issues, however, with the game's challenge, of course, being one of them.
According to Hirun Cryer of VG247.com, "What this results in is one hell of a grind. If you thought modern RPGs like Dragon Quest 11 and even Tales of Arise required a steady slog through an army of enemies to boost your level, Shin Megami Tensei 5 is a league above that. Every periodic boss encounter for a story beat is a mountain to be summited, where you'll have to spend hours repeatedly sprinting through all the foes you've gone through beforehand, slowly accumulating precious experience points so the boss can't wipe away your entire team with a flick of its finger."
Shin Megami Tensei V Doesn't Feel Like It Was Made With the Switch In Mind
Another significant issue is that Shin Megami Tensei V seems to suffer from hardware problems. This likely stems from being on the Nintendo Switch, which has never been able to perform on the level of systems from even previous console generations, especially in handheld mode. These issues show up as players traverse the game's world and fight myriads of demons, as pointed out by Rob Dolen of Gamerant, who said, "While the impact on gameplay is negligible, SMT 5 rarely holds a steady 30 FPS during open world exploration and some instances of combat. The game's art style and effects take this into account and do well to mask the framerate issues, but during busy cutscenes and combat sequences with heavy particle effects, the game noticeably slows down."
Nevertheless, Shin Megami Tensei V is a great entry in the franchise that may push the main series into the mainstream, and it's one of several JRPGs released in recent years that push the genre to new heights. JRPG fans are set to get something genuinely incredible when Shin Megami Tensei V releases for Nintendo Switch on November 12.