Shin Megami Tensei V

 Switch
  • Publisher: Atlus
  • Release Date: Nov 12, 2021
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 760 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 554 out of 760
  2. Mixed: 47 out of 760
  3. Negative: 159 out of 760
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  1. NicholasW
    Nov 21, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SMT V is one of the most beautiful and fun JRPGs available on the switch, but it's held back by a lackluster story, parts of it's design, and presentation. On the surface, SMT V is one of the best looking games on the switch and it performs fairly well albeit with a couple instances of frame drops as you explore the world of Da'at and during cutscenes. The OST throughout the game is fantastic and might be my favorite across all of the mainline SMT games. Combat is also fast-paced and takes on many of the great aspects from the past two mainline entries (SMT IV and IVA) but with enough new additions to still feel fresh. Demon negotiation and fusion are as addictive as ever with new QoL improvements that eases the frustration that people may have had in past entries. Gameplay is still decently challenging without being overtly frustrating due to how much customization you are given between the protagonist and demons.

    Exploring the world of Da'at is really fun and the maneuverability of the protagonist is a big reason why. Being able to jump and run across Da'at allows players to have a new level of verticality that makes exploring areas feel a whole lot more engaging. However I can't help but feel like the level design is where the game has some issues in. The world of Da'at contains 4 main regions that are very unique in both tone and presentation but some of them suffer from having a confusing or tedious layout that makes exploring them a chore. The game also does feature 2 dungeons although they are rather hit-or-miss due to either being boring to navigate or having an interesting mechanic that isn't used much. Certain dungeons in SMT III also have some of these issues but in that game they are lessened by the unique and creative puzzles that these dungeons offer which isn't necessarily present here.

    The story of SMT V is where I felt the game was really lacking. While there are ideas here that I found to be really fascinating (especially the concept of a Nahobino) they unfortunately aren't explored or presented well enough here to create a solid and compelling narrative. Most of the really exciting plot points are introduced during the early and late game, while mid game feels like filler when it really should have been used for more world building (like introducing the different branches of Bethel) or more character development. Characters in this game serve as exposition dumps as they tell you in chunks regarding the world they reside in. There are hints of decent character development here but only for a select few while the rest of the cast barely get any screen time or a chance to really shine. Even some of the characters who are presented as important to the story are thrown away as side characters and only shown through subquests or unceremoniously killed off. All of this comes off as poor storytelling and ultimately leads to one-note characters that makes it hard to be emotionally invested in them when everything falls apart.

    Alignment and what ending you get in this game unfortunately comes down to a single dialogue choice made at the end of the game rather than based on choices you made throughout like how it was implemented in SMT IV. Some may like it because you can obtain any ending you want but I feel like this design hurts the game's replay value as any of the story choices you make throughout the game is meaningless. The story progression is basically the same for each playthrough and unfortunately doesn't offer any unique branching paths in them like in IV. Although I will admit the alignments in this game are a really nice surprise in who represents them and how they are presented but out of the available endings only one them was really good and felt complete. Overall, the story starts off strong, falls off mid game, and only picks up once you reach late game, but even then it felt really rushed.

    The voice acting here is serviceable, although oddly enough not every scene in the main quest is voiced like in SMT III HD, IV, and IVA. Some subquests are also voiced but only parts of them and some of the ones that seem really important in context of the main story aren't. It's a really odd decision considering what we got in the last three mainline entries. On the English dub side I found it to be really strange that only some of the demons are dubbed while the rest are strictly in Japanese. This might be due to budget constraints so I won't hold it against Atlus but it is very inconsistent.

    All in all, SMT V is a fun game and if you were someone who cares more about the gameplay rather than the story then this is the perfect game for you. The combat is challenging yet fun and exploring the world of Da'at has its own merits at times. But if you play games more for their story, then this game is likely going to disappoint you. I can see a lot of potential here but the game just falls short of being the best JRPG on the Switch.    … Expand
  2. Segafan
    Nov 13, 2021
    10

    Just buy the game. Its a fantastic and very challenging JRPG. One of best games on Nintendo Switch.

    Gameplay: 10/10
    Graphic: 10/10
    Music: 10/10
    Story: 9/10
    Characters: 8/10
    Optimization: GOOD
    Difficulty: HARD
  3. Kroosh
    Nov 14, 2021
    9
    Jrpg of the year and maybe beat jrpg on the Switch
    You can play this game and the time fly with out knowing that and this what i meen by a good game and nice story but the gameplay is breathtaking and the world its just to good
  4. CtrlAltDefeat
    Nov 15, 2021
    10
    After a long, LONG wait - we've received the best iteration of the SMT formula yet. The combat system is more refined and customizable than ever, without sacrificing the difficulty that these games are known for. The demons are all beautifully modeled and animated, and it's obvious that the art team gave it their all. Paired with the phenomenal soundtrack, fantastic as usual worldAfter a long, LONG wait - we've received the best iteration of the SMT formula yet. The combat system is more refined and customizable than ever, without sacrificing the difficulty that these games are known for. The demons are all beautifully modeled and animated, and it's obvious that the art team gave it their all. Paired with the phenomenal soundtrack, fantastic as usual world building, and improved depth of exploration, this is a must play JRPG if you consider yourself a fan of the genre.

    To address the elephant in the room, Shin Megami Tensei is not Persona. Persona was created in an attempt to do something new with the SMT formula. Mainline games have never been focused on their characters (with a few exceptions) or social aspects. You will not find them here, and that's definitely okay, as this game aims for a different experience. I could go on for longer, but that strays outside of review territory.

    This game delivers on everything it promises to be and more. Easy recommend.    … Expand
  5. That_Guy_333
    Nov 14, 2021
    9
    Pros
    - Fun, deep and rewarding combat system.
    - Monsters and party setup are highly customizable. - Environments look great and are fun to explore. - While some side-quests are the typical "Kill X", they tend to be be more fleshed out than the JRPG norm. - Creature designs and animations are stellar. - Soundtrack is great and goes well with the world/battles. - It has an easy mode    Pros
    - Fun, deep and rewarding combat system.
    - Monsters and party setup are highly customizable.
    - Environments look great and are fun to explore.
    - While some side-quests are the typical "Kill X", they tend to be be more fleshed out than the JRPG norm.
    - Creature designs and animations are stellar.
    - Soundtrack is great and goes well with the world/battles.
    - It has an easy mode and apparently a story mode will be patched for those that want something more accessible.

    Cons
    - Light on story/characterization. What is presented is cool but, there's just not much of it.
    - Non-ideal performance. It's not a deal-breaker but, there's some pop-in and light stuttering.
    - Monster recruiting is (seemingly?) more random that I would like.

    Bottom line IMO
    While those are looking for an elaborate plot should look elsewhere, it's really awesome if you want an immersive, great looking and sounding, monster collector game that leans towards the challenging.    … Expand
  6. Rileycuipd8
    Nov 13, 2021
    10
    Best jrpg of the year !!! Love the music and it really looks great for a switch game and it's my game of the year
  7. ClayLamm
    Sep 19, 2022
    10
    People who don't like Shin Megami Tensei mainline games, who in many cases have never played them, played this and didn't like it because it wasn't Persona 6.

    It's one of the best JRPGs of all time, and it's a damn good SMT game. Period.
  8. MechGundam13
    Jul 18, 2022
    9
    I've never played a SMT Game before, SMT V was a great introduction for me into the Series.
    SMT V has great visuals, the Monster Design is fantastic and the Story is interesting.
    But I should note that the Game is really Grind Heavy.
  9. Nnorvv
    Nov 18, 2022
    9
    Could be better in terms of story and characters, but gameplay and exploration is rock solid, fun and exciting. Played for 90h finishing game 4 times on all endings.
  10. ScottPilgrim
    Sep 15, 2022
    9
    i love when game devs challenge the player and respect them. this game does not hold your hand and play mama and papa. it’s up to you to trial and error your way through the game and gain experience and knowledge until you have it finally click, and start seeing more victory than defeat . the turn based is very challenging and strategic af. the game incentives the player to explore andi love when game devs challenge the player and respect them. this game does not hold your hand and play mama and papa. it’s up to you to trial and error your way through the game and gain experience and knowledge until you have it finally click, and start seeing more victory than defeat . the turn based is very challenging and strategic af. the game incentives the player to explore and find every and anything that will aid them on their tough journey. to my friends i call it the dark souls of turn based rpg. i hate how easy games are becoming as the new generations want everything to be easy.. but this game says no to that trend. i would give it a 10 but the story is lacking , but the gameplay , maps, and exploration kept me dying for more . very solid game .no random encounters either so it’s modernized . i would also take a point off for the performance but that isn’t the studios fault , that’s nintendos fault for keeping us on this ancient tech. but it does well with what it’s given .… Expand
  11. Z06Wingnut
    Nov 13, 2021
    8
    Great game.

    NOT a 10, quite clearly. - Minor performance issues (pop-in, frame rate drops/stutter), textures not great. - Story really stands more on great themes and atmosphere than great narrative. - Light on meaningful or particularly interesting characters to carry said story. Also not a 0 (zero), equally clearly. - Great battle system, thoughtfully executed and balanced.    Great game.

    NOT a 10, quite clearly.
    - Minor performance issues (pop-in, frame rate drops/stutter), textures not great.
    - Story really stands more on great themes and atmosphere than great narrative.
    - Light on meaningful or particularly interesting characters to carry said story.

    Also not a 0 (zero), equally clearly.
    - Great battle system, thoughtfully executed and balanced. Tons of variety.
    - World and exploration is fun, level design and vertical-ity is well done.
    - Aesthetics and art style is unique and interesting, in SMT tradition.
    - What story is present is cool, as is the lore of demons and overall atmosphere.
    - Ton of replay value due to difficulty and challenge as well as party and skill variety.

    The game is an 8 (probably 8.5) and is a ton of fun.
    More JRPGs could do with darker themes and more interesting non-basic medieval fantasy type settings/influences. This one is among the best in a while, and one of the best games I've played on Switch.    … Expand
  12. Sfooshy
    Nov 22, 2021
    9
    Honestly I enjoy the gameplay more than ps5. The atmosphere is absolutely amazing. I highly recommend this game if you're looking to play a jrpg on the switch.
  13. Sunrisen
    Nov 13, 2021
    10
    Great jprg and probably the best game in the SMT series. The visuals can be a bit blurry, but you quickly stop paying attention to this when playing handheld. Special praise for the music and ambient sounds, not bored at all after 30 hours of play.
  14. CvetomirG
    Nov 13, 2021
    10
    Maintains the challenge of past games while improving everything else. Graphics are limited by the switch, but the gameplay is superb.

    One of the best RPGs of the last few years
  15. Chores
    Nov 13, 2021
    10
    A big step forward for the SMT series. The gameplay is perfectly balanced, all annoying moments from the previous games are removed (for example if after negotiations with the demon the hero's level is too low, at the next attempt the demon will remember his decision and will gladly join the team).

    The game moves from dungeons and a simplified map to a huge post-apocalyptic world, so    A big step forward for the SMT series. The gameplay is perfectly balanced, all annoying moments from the previous games are removed (for example if after negotiations with the demon the hero's level is too low, at the next attempt the demon will remember his decision and will gladly join the team).

    The game moves from dungeons and a simplified map to a huge post-apocalyptic world, so the graphics is ok.

    The story is focused on demons, in the first hours of the game it may seem that the characters are not well spelled out, but this is the original intention of the developers. The description of the origin of each of the demons is insanely interesting 10/10    … Expand
  16. Bridgeburner88
    Nov 13, 2021
    8
    A fantastic Jrpg

    Shin Megami Tensei 5 is one of the most
    Accessible and addictive entries in the series. My only complaint is constant performance issues. This game should of been developed for the ps4 at best.
  17. Nanashi95
    Nov 15, 2021
    10
    A superb return of the legendary series that definitely was worth the wait.
    It brings back everything I loved about SMT, like the surreal world, great music, the dark and occult themes, crushingly hard difficulty and the motivating demon collecting and brings it to a new generation in a great way.
    The only downsides come mainly from the technical limitations of the Switch, but don't hurt    A superb return of the legendary series that definitely was worth the wait.
    It brings back everything I loved about SMT, like the surreal world, great music, the dark and occult themes, crushingly hard difficulty and the motivating demon collecting and brings it to a new generation in a great way.
    The only downsides come mainly from the technical limitations of the Switch, but don't hurt the experience at all.
    As a huge fan of SMT 3 Nocturne, this is definitely my game of the year.    … Expand
  18. Morix880z
    Nov 13, 2021
    10
    im just happy they did the right stuff after 10 years, literally gaming :DDDD
  19. Sejman22
    Nov 13, 2021
    10
    GOTY 2021

    Buy this game. Maybe if this game sell well we get ,,non'' Persona spin-offs like new Devil Summoner, Devil Survivor or Majin Tensei.
  20. xExelx
    Nov 14, 2021
    10
    Absolute Fun Game
    Deep Combat System
    Hard Mode is kinda fun Less School from Persona Never wanted to be Persona On its own Series SMT V is just fun, Sidequests giving Progress and Finishing Moves Boss Fights are horrible strong if you dont overlvl or have a perfect group, Playing and fuse demons to have a good team even just for one Boss is just cool :) Graphic looks okay, its a    Absolute Fun Game
    Deep Combat System
    Hard Mode is kinda fun
    Less School from Persona
    Never wanted to be Persona
    On its own Series
    SMT V is just fun, Sidequests giving Progress and Finishing Moves
    Boss Fights are horrible strong if you dont overlvl or have a perfect group,
    Playing and fuse demons to have a good team even just for one Boss is just cool :)

    Graphic looks okay, its a switch game, just a little bit monoton lvl design but the atmosphere is right    … Expand
  21. M4N0R4F43L
    Nov 13, 2021
    10
    Gráficos fantásticos, exploração fluída nada pouco cansativa, combate refinado e uma trilha sonora impecável. Um jogo divertido e desafiador uma bela entrada para quem quer conhecer a franquia ou para amantes de um bom JRPG. Vale muito a pena
  22. Yourguyrei
    Nov 17, 2021
    10
    Wow. What an amazing game. New to the series but over 10 hours in and I'm already in love with it. Everything about the game is perfect. The only thing would be difficulty level for bosses but it's an added challenge that only adds a big reward feel when you overcome them. While there is some grinding needed to proceed through most bosses, the combat system keeps it fun and engaging andWow. What an amazing game. New to the series but over 10 hours in and I'm already in love with it. Everything about the game is perfect. The only thing would be difficulty level for bosses but it's an added challenge that only adds a big reward feel when you overcome them. While there is some grinding needed to proceed through most bosses, the combat system keeps it fun and engaging and the visuals are crisp and vivid. Definitely check this one out. Will be checking out the rest of the series after sinking a few dozen more hours into this one. :)… Expand
  23. youshouldknow
    Nov 15, 2021
    10
    Once again, Atlus sets another standard for turn based JRPG's to follow. If this gets ported to PC and Playstation, then it's over for every other gaming company.
  24. wyeth1999
    Nov 15, 2021
    10
    Game of the year
    Gameplay 10/10
    Graphic 10/10
    Music 10/10
    Story 9/10
    Characters 7/10
  25. d4mkii
    Nov 15, 2021
    10
    The game is everything to want in a JRPG. It’s absolutely phenomenal with breathtaking graphics on a Switch with an improved battle system that combines SMT3’s and 4’s and balances it out well.
  26. Goodnightmoon
    Nov 22, 2021
    10
    This game had a User Score of 9.0 when there was 200 reviews and suddenly more than 80 zero out 10 reviews came in and the game wen down to 7.1. Some people are really angry this game is on the switch and getting praise, this is yet another metabombing which is just sad. Dont trust the user score, this game is outstanding and one of the best rpgs of the generation. 9.5/10.
  27. Nuro0o
    Nov 22, 2021
    10
    Love it, very good addition to the shin megami tensei series.

    - Open world is done nicely
    - Love the demon choices
    - Story is pretty interesting
  28. deadfox
    Nov 15, 2021
    10
    I bought a Switch for this game, and I don't regret it one bit, the game is such a blast, and it's fun to traverse and recruit demons. This series is my favorite for a reason.
  29. Mimikyu
    Nov 15, 2021
    9
    I waited since the announcement and not dissapointed. This entry is story focused similar to smt4. The game runs fairly decent and demon model quality has for the majority fastly been improved compared to other megaten games like p5. DLC is bit high in price, but its nice to see the effort they made including other smt games and not a ripoff compared to the dlc in smt4 to P5R.
  30. Duk3on3
    Nov 15, 2021
    10
    First time playing any of this games. Great fun. Challenging, smart battle mechanics, game design, best game I purchased for the last 2 years. Absolutely hooked.
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Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best Switch Game of 2021
6
#6 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 98 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 98
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 98
  3. Negative: 0 out of 98
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Mar 7, 2022
    80
    What a journey! After eight years of waiting, the fifth installment of MegaTen is finally here, and it manages to deliver a satisfying experience. It may not have the deepest plot or most interesting cast of human characters, but it's fun, and I appreciate that it challenged me to think more about myself, my beliefs and how I view the world around me. And how many games can do that? [Issue #57 – January/February 2022, p. 76]
  2. Universo Nintendo
    Mar 5, 2022
    90
    SMTV brought everything I expected from a new chapter in the series of one of the first RPG games made, always renewing and innovating. We have an adventure that will make you stay for more than 40 hours hoping it doesn't end. It's really a great must-have for SMT fans and highly recommended for any RPG fan.
    Read full review
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 18, 2022
    80
    Comparing with an adored Persona cannot be avoided, but it is still a quite different experience for a different audience. Great fights, growing demons, excelent graphics and atmosphere. This JRPG succeeded.
See all critic reviews »