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. 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.
  2. Loicz
    May 3, 2023
    9
    Hands down the best JRPG on the system as for May2023. Very few are the games where I spent +60 hours and still wanting more. I'm almost done with it, and having not played any SMT game before I cannot give you the "it's better or worse" than previous titles lesson, and to be honest I don't care. This title ticks all the boxes, it's great in every aspect. It's a 9.5. Can't wait for theHands down the best JRPG on the system as for May2023. Very few are the games where I spent +60 hours and still wanting more. I'm almost done with it, and having not played any SMT game before I cannot give you the "it's better or worse" than previous titles lesson, and to be honest I don't care. This title ticks all the boxes, it's great in every aspect. It's a 9.5. Can't wait for the next one. I've now purchased Nocturne on switch and Devil Survivor 2 on 3DS, but I doubt they'll be reaching that high on my top played game list. SMT5 has reach top 1, yes, closely followed by RE4 (not the remaster). Funny cause these are the last 2 games I played, so I feel kind of lucky, and I'm playing games since the early 90s. Yes i'm that old. Just grab it and shut up ;)… Expand
  3. Risax
    Nov 19, 2021
    8
    Although the game isn't as brutally unfair as IV was, especially at the start where you could get ambushed and wiped out in the tutorial fight, SMT V is still hard as and a slip-up during a random encounter can get your party wiped out. But I like it!

    Exploration feels amazing. Running and jumping around to find Minman's, treasure or just cross the area is a lot of fun even if most of    Although the game isn't as brutally unfair as IV was, especially at the start where you could get ambushed and wiped out in the tutorial fight, SMT V is still hard as and a slip-up during a random encounter can get your party wiped out. But I like it!

    Exploration feels amazing. Running and jumping around to find Minman's, treasure or just cross the area is a lot of fun even if most of the areas are a bit "meh" to look at. If you've seen one ruined cityscape in the desert or ash than you've seen them all, I'd say. But that really doesn't get me out of the game.

    The best part about the game has to be combat, however. Finding enemy weaknesses to take them out before they can even take a turn feels *fantastic*! But you're always kept on your toes, because if you're unlucky the same thing can happen to you. Which takes us to the World of Shadows where Demons gather and you can fuse more powerful Demons that might lack the weaknesses of the old ones.

    Or you can try to convince a Demon to join your group by talking to one during combat. They might call you a b***h and leave, though. But those conversations are probably another thing that makes the game great.

    Now what I dislike about this new game in the series is stuff like the buffs now being on a timer and feeling pretty much useless until you get their "Ma" versions that can target the entire party. In past games they simply lasted until they got dispelled. I guess that adds another layer of challenge which I can *kind of* understand, but I still kind of feel "meh" about it.

    Physical attacks no longer taking HP and *everything* simply costing MP now does friggin' suck. Takes away the fun of "Hmmm... Do I want to use this big move that does a lot of damage but costs x amount of HP, or will I hold off for now?" I also don't understand why they've done away with it because SMT IV still used HP for it, and the Persona 5 spin-off games that have come out in the interim still use it as well.

    Overall, I would score the game between an 8 and an 8.5. Some changes and additions I dislike, but overall it's a solid game that I will likely play again to get a different ending once I finish it. It's a definite recommendation on my end!    … Expand
  4. GaryLinekar
    Jan 13, 2022
    8
    The proto-fiend stuff is cringe. The high school, Persona-esque stuff is cringe.
    However, it is otherwise a solid SMT game. Just a bit easy. It's quite masterful how they made the openworld into a sort of dungeon. So even while there are few real dungeons in the game, the openworld fulfills this, a bit. Still wish there had been more real SMT dungeons and the story had been less    The proto-fiend stuff is cringe. The high school, Persona-esque stuff is cringe.
    However, it is otherwise a solid SMT game. Just a bit easy. It's quite masterful how they made the openworld into a sort of dungeon. So even while there are few real dungeons in the game, the openworld fulfills this, a bit. Still wish there had been more real SMT dungeons and the story had been less embarrassing but I enjoyed it very much.    … Expand
  5. Captaincrap94
    Nov 23, 2021
    8
    I beat the game on casual. This was my first SMT game. Most of the game is great but I didn't like the end of the game. The open world sections of the game are the best parts. I really enjoyed running around in the environments. Adding new demons to your party and acquiring skills is fun too. The battles are great as well, you can even talk to enemies. The soundtrack has some hit or missI beat the game on casual. This was my first SMT game. Most of the game is great but I didn't like the end of the game. The open world sections of the game are the best parts. I really enjoyed running around in the environments. Adding new demons to your party and acquiring skills is fun too. The battles are great as well, you can even talk to enemies. The soundtrack has some hit or miss songs, but I did enjoy it overall.

    I have gripes with the gameplay and the story of the end of the game but I won't put spoilers in this review.    … Expand
  6. 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
  7. Bodom
    Feb 2, 2022
    8
    Probably the best in tbe Series to date. The story is interesting, music is fantastic as is to be expected from the series. Graphics are pretty nice for a system such as the switch and the performance is not bad, although it slows down every now and then. Gameplay is vastly improved over previous entries too. Would recommend to anyone that likes Jrpg's and monster collecting.
  8. TheHambro
    Jan 8, 2022
    8
    As a newcomer to the Shin Megami Tensei series, I was pleasantly surprised at what it had to offer. If you’re familiar with Persona, it feels familiar but don’t come into this expecting the same thing. The premise is pretty straightforward: fight demons along the way, recruit them, and fuse them to create more powerful demons. As for gameplay, you’ll want to have demons who can exploitAs a newcomer to the Shin Megami Tensei series, I was pleasantly surprised at what it had to offer. If you’re familiar with Persona, it feels familiar but don’t come into this expecting the same thing. The premise is pretty straightforward: fight demons along the way, recruit them, and fuse them to create more powerful demons. As for gameplay, you’ll want to have demons who can exploit weaknesses to give you an advantage. Pretty simple. There is a pretty good variety of skills each demon can specialize in, so you’ll focus primarily on building a team that suits your style. The number of demons you can find and summon is simply staggering, giving you the freedom to customize how you see fit. You could spend hours tweaking your party getting that perfect team composition. The music has this eerie, foreboding, and tense feel to it, but man, it absolutely bangs. Visually, the game excels in character and demon design. I always looked forward to seeing a new demon just because of how awesome or bizarre their design is.

    Here is where I have problems. The overworld that you explore remains this drab, boring landscape throughout almost the entirety of the game. Each area doesn’t feel distinct from the previous, only swapping color palettes. The performance is, well, terrible. The game will chug and stutter a lot. And finally, the story did not keep me engaged at all. For a story about godhood, it just didn’t feel exciting, and I didn’t know what I was working towards. You get some dialogue, a few short cut scenes, and you’re back to slogging through the world (sometimes for hours) before you get to the next part of the story, but there was nothing really to look forward to.

    In the end, I really enjoyed Shin Megami Tensei V. It’s nowhere near perfect by any means, but it’s still a pretty good JRPG for its gameplay, customization, and the astonishing amount of demons you can recruit. It’s got me hooked, and I look forward to future entries and going back to play the previous ones. Thumbs up from me.    … Expand
  9. arh3399
    Apr 20, 2022
    8
    First and foremost this is a great game. I love the core gameplay of this game. Its classic SMT but better in every way. Spent 80 hrs beating it and getting all the demons and I really enjoyed it. The first half of the story was great but the latter half of the game narratively just wasn't as good. In particular I think all the endings are pretty mediocre. Really looked forward toFirst and foremost this is a great game. I love the core gameplay of this game. Its classic SMT but better in every way. Spent 80 hrs beating it and getting all the demons and I really enjoyed it. The first half of the story was great but the latter half of the game narratively just wasn't as good. In particular I think all the endings are pretty mediocre. Really looked forward to this game and it delivered on everything I wanted from SMT, I just wish it had a more satisfying conclusion to be the cherry on top.… Expand
  10. Alvz9
    Feb 15, 2022
    8
    SMT V es una excepción dentro del JRPG. Siendo este un género plagado de clichés, repetitividad y poca innovación en sus franquicias más reconocidas, sabe destacar con un sistema de combate único, enviciante, y muy retante. Uno que en las primeras horas de juego se vuelve un autentico desafío hasta que logras entender las mecánicas, y que hacia finales del juego te obligar a llevar alSMT V es una excepción dentro del JRPG. Siendo este un género plagado de clichés, repetitividad y poca innovación en sus franquicias más reconocidas, sabe destacar con un sistema de combate único, enviciante, y muy retante. Uno que en las primeras horas de juego se vuelve un autentico desafío hasta que logras entender las mecánicas, y que hacia finales del juego te obligar a llevar al límite tus habilidades adquiridas en el transcurso. Esto es sin duda una bondad que otorga casi la totalidad de la nota en esta reseña; pues al igual que ocurre en Persona 5 (pero con ciertas distancias), el combate de por sí define gran parte del juego. Pero a su vez falla en algo que el resto del género no: su historia, construcción de mundo y narrativa están escuetamente desarrollados, forzados para una conclusión, que cuando llega a su climax ni siquiera te diste cuenta que habías terminado el juego. Las primeras 3 mazmorras se sienten como un relleno hasta la aparición de los verdaderos villanos del juego, lo que incluye el arco de la chica del colegio (que no tiene mucha relación con el desarrollo de la trama del "nahobino"). Tiene una gran cantidad de personajes interesantes para la trama, pero que no alcanzan a desarrollarse de forma debida; e incluso tiene esa "máscara" de relación cotidiana por el mundo real que vimos en Persona 5 pero que en este juego no cumple ninguna otra función que servir de pantalla de carga dinámica al movernos por el mapa de Tokio y cambiar de ubicación. De hecho, en general, los tramos en el Tokio real se vuelven pesados y descontextualizados con el desarrollo del juego. Esto a mi juicio hace que el juego no llegue a cuotas de excelencias, y que no se acerque a entregas anteriores muy laureadas, como el caso de la tercera parte de esta saga principal. Entre otros datos importantes el juego me duró unas 60 horas, lo que es bastante contenido de juego; mucho jefe secundario divertido y en algunos casos más interesante que varios de la línea principal. El DLC me parece un aditivo importante, sobre todo el de SMT III; los combates son muy desafiantes y te permite manejar demonios muy fuertes si es que logras derrotarlos (y el combate final con el semi-oscuro es un verdadero infierno). El apartado gráfico la verdad no está muy logrado, Switch a mi juicio podría dar más con el mismo motor gráfico (con ejemplos claros como Fortnite con rendimientos muy distintos pero texturas similares); pero esto se compensa con un apartado visual post-apocalíptico que atrapa y que en algunos tramos como la tercera mazmorra cautivan (sobre todo por su verticalidad).… Expand
  11. yangfanhong
    Jan 2, 2022
    8
    The goddesses and demons are surely much more attractive than little animals like Pikachu.
  12. SushiMess
    Jul 13, 2022
    8
    After playing Persona 4 and 5 i fell in love with the combat and the fusion system so i went to get this game. I think this game’s combat overall is very enjoyable and the exploration is great. Building the MC and Demons are very fun too as you can select the abilities or moves that you want to inherit from other demons. My only complain with this game is that towards the end of the game,After playing Persona 4 and 5 i fell in love with the combat and the fusion system so i went to get this game. I think this game’s combat overall is very enjoyable and the exploration is great. Building the MC and Demons are very fun too as you can select the abilities or moves that you want to inherit from other demons. My only complain with this game is that towards the end of the game, it becomes really really grindy and the story is mediocre at best. We almost never see the casts and feel nothing towards them.… Expand
  13. Traumvita
    Sep 6, 2023
    8
    It’s an SMT game. Good turn based combat. Solid story about Gods and creations and destruction etc etc. visuals are good I like the direction but a little fuzzy and held back by switch limitations. Felt like a DQ11 world with big open areas to explore. Challenging at times but why else would you be playing an SMT game. A must play RPG for any switch owner.
  14. Ripper36
    Jan 15, 2022
    8
    Good game i have to say. First few hours are a total bore, but if u can get past it u can really have fun. Your hero is a bit odd loooking like some 80s rock band and is silent of course which to me drops off a few points. But over all its a good looking game and plays nice with alot to do.
  15. PMG-Writer
    Jan 1, 2022
    8
    With Shin Megami Tensei V, Atlus and Nintendo have created another masterpiece for fans and newcomers to the new Nintendo console. The storyline always seems interesting and the dialogues are just great. Thus, we learn more about the game. The possibilities in the battles are also successful and especially with the allies there should always be a chance to beat the adversaries in theWith Shin Megami Tensei V, Atlus and Nintendo have created another masterpiece for fans and newcomers to the new Nintendo console. The storyline always seems interesting and the dialogues are just great. Thus, we learn more about the game. The possibilities in the battles are also successful and especially with the allies there should always be a chance to beat the adversaries in the turn-based battles. Thus, "Shin Megami Tensei V" can be recommended to all players of the Switch console and a clear buy recommendation from us.… 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. 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
  18. Cakwe
    Nov 21, 2021
    8
    Graphics 8/10
    Gameplay 10/10
    Music 9/10
    Story 8/10
    Characters 7/10
    Replayablity 10/10

    Exceeded my expectation. But man being able switch exclusive, make this game suffer a lot from performance issues. Overall i give this game 8 out of 10.
  19. Comicmaster138
    Nov 23, 2021
    8
    The game has a really good story and has captivating semi open environments. My only complaint tis that a lot of the bosses can be HP sponges which drag out the time to complete boss fights.
  20. Amberstorm
    Nov 24, 2021
    8
    Probably the single most important thing to say in regards to SMT V is that it is not a game for everyone. If you are looking for a game with a colorful cast or do not enjoy slower or methodical games, do not pick this game up, you will not enjoy it. However, if you are alright with that being the case, then SMT V is by far one of the most satisfying games that I have played in a longProbably the single most important thing to say in regards to SMT V is that it is not a game for everyone. If you are looking for a game with a colorful cast or do not enjoy slower or methodical games, do not pick this game up, you will not enjoy it. However, if you are alright with that being the case, then SMT V is by far one of the most satisfying games that I have played in a long time.

    The game's open world works to make it truly feel like you are fighting tooth and nail for every inch of ground you make, slowly fighting your way through the horde of demons that lays in front of you. Backtracking for things like farming vending machines for money is quick and mostly painless and gives you a real sense of power as you can effortless stomp any enemy who before you were wary of. Exploration is also quite enjoyable as there is so many collectables or items to find that even while backtracking you will occasionally run into a Miman you missed.

    Gameplay is rock solid and sticks to a formula that has remained solid for years. Aliments and Buffs/Debuffs remain as viable as always unlike many other JRPG franchises, even with the shift to "Persona buffs" with single target buffs in the early game and a set time limit to buffs that needs to be refreshed every few turns. Combat can certainly get a bit repetitive, but you level up and get access to new demons at a consistent rate to where your party is often a revolving door of new demons coming and old reliable leaving as their viability runs thin, so there is always some new spice being added to gameplay. Boss fights are difficult and require proper planning to defeat on higher difficult, which in turn makes the extremely memorable.

    Probably my biggest gripes are accuracy and how even when striking an enemy on the overworld to initiate combat, they can still gain the first turn. Flying enemies in particular can be a real pain in the ass in the regard. Accuracy feels a bit too low without the use of buffs/debuffs. Bosses are mostly fine in this regard since you will be using buffs and debuffs in those fights and most early game bosses lack additional mob enemies, but it really hurts in random encounter with multiple enemies where Sukukaja and Sukunda are far less impactful and the lost of 2 press turns can be devastating. This is only a major issue in the first few areas of the game until you get access to AOE accuracy buffs like Cautious Cheer and Masukukaja, but reducing the cost of a miss to 1.5 Press Turns or giving the player access to Masukukaja or Masukunda a bit earlier would be a very welcome change in my books

    Overall, this is an incredible game and a worthy entry into the franchise.    … Expand
  21. Lweo4
    Nov 28, 2021
    8
    The gameplay and exploration are really solid, the side-quests are really good, but the story and the characters are worthless, truly worthless.
    The story gets a 4/10 at best because it's just boring (tbh I would rank it at 2/10), I can't even say that I dislike or like the characters, because they're boring and don't do anything.
  22. shw079
    Mar 1, 2023
    8
    I picked up this game because of my perfect experience in Persona 5. The game doesn't have a plot (I mean it) compare to other RPGs, but magically I am happy to play it to the end without a complain. The music may sound monotonous or dull at first but it actually fits surprisingly well to the world the game tries to describe and thus I feel the composers/developers are really clever aboutI picked up this game because of my perfect experience in Persona 5. The game doesn't have a plot (I mean it) compare to other RPGs, but magically I am happy to play it to the end without a complain. The music may sound monotonous or dull at first but it actually fits surprisingly well to the world the game tries to describe and thus I feel the composers/developers are really clever about this. I played the game in normal difficulty, and it was one of the most difficult normal difficulty I have ever played. I blacked out a few times at the first few hours into the game but the game is becoming much easier later on once you get the mechanics. Something is magical about this game but I couldn't really tell. What a weird yet enjoyable experience!… Expand
  23. Megidolaon91IT
    Apr 13, 2022
    8
    Tecnicamente è il miglior Shin Megami Tensei: bellissimo open world, tante quest secondarie, sistema di crescita del personaggio e Press Turn ottimi. SMT V è il gioco ideale per chi non ha mai giocato a questa serie. Tuttavia due cose non mi sono piaciute. La trama è il punto debole perché non è coinvolgente e si conclude in maniera sbrigativa. La mappa inoltre poteva essere visualizzataTecnicamente è il miglior Shin Megami Tensei: bellissimo open world, tante quest secondarie, sistema di crescita del personaggio e Press Turn ottimi. SMT V è il gioco ideale per chi non ha mai giocato a questa serie. Tuttavia due cose non mi sono piaciute. La trama è il punto debole perché non è coinvolgente e si conclude in maniera sbrigativa. La mappa inoltre poteva essere visualizzata meglio perché in certe zone (come a Chiyoda) non è chiara.… Expand
  24. Jofe
    Apr 30, 2022
    8
    SMT5 is clearly not a game to put in all hands. Unfortunately, the game only scratches the surface of its storyline and universe. But the quality of the combat system, the gameplay in general and its unique atmosphere make it a solid representative of the genre. Maybe not the best, but clearly one of the most original and unique, which offers a different experience from what can be done inSMT5 is clearly not a game to put in all hands. Unfortunately, the game only scratches the surface of its storyline and universe. But the quality of the combat system, the gameplay in general and its unique atmosphere make it a solid representative of the genre. Maybe not the best, but clearly one of the most original and unique, which offers a different experience from what can be done in the genre.… Expand
  25. BlackFang
    Nov 15, 2021
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is great overall, with the enhance graphic (which is to be expected with unreal engine), combat system is more smooth with various customization and puzzles. But in some parts it felt shallow, like your choices doesn't really matter that much until near the end. Or a personal pet peeve of mine, killing off character early. I know Tao is "reborn" in the near end but it always leave a bitter taste in my mouth. You introduce them as this nice character that cares for everyone and everyone loves, then bam, kills her early into the game, and she just re-appears near the end, and that's it. The ending felt a bit lazy, for lawful and chaos, it just your character walking across status floating in space, for true and neutral endings, it just the beginning cutscene again, I get the meaning but it just felt lazy when comparing to the other SMT games I have play before. The two biggest ones I still occasionally go back to is SMT 4 apocalypses and SMT devil survivor 2 record breaker.

    I have play SMT 4 apocalypses, that was crazy, the law and chaos are similar but you have to choose in front of everyone. Then you choose to become god, that requires you to kill all your friends and allies, which is pretty impactful. Lastly there's freeing humanity, the classics. The ending cinematic has much of a greater of an effect as you have dialogue and visual with everyone. In SMT 4 also you have more interactions with people, you form bonds and allies, and every single choices felt like it had impact. A bonus is in the DLC you get to see what you have become by choosing one path or another.

    I've also play SMT devil survivor 2 record breaker, which is my personal favorite, there's good and evil and all that but the ending is based on what path humanity should follow, all sides holds water. Whatever you think peoples' worth is from handwork or everyone is equal, or screw it, just get rids of god and let the world decided its own fate. My personal favorite is sacrificing oneself to ensure everything goes right.

    Overall, SMT 5 is very solid, which is to be expected as its the first one SMT game on switch (I don't care about Personal 5 strikers) with graphics, gameplay and variety of customization. What felt short is an important factor, your choices, I have replay certain parts of the game just to see what my choices would do, it did nothing, the game has a scripts and its sticking with it. Only the ending ones matter. It also felt so..... lonely, you don't have much interaction to start with, then they just kill one off right in front of you. I was hoping to see more allies and dialogue to understand peoples' lives and what are they fighting for, there's not much. Then there's the ending, chaos and lawful looks almost identical as well as neutral and true, I mean I got the symbolize and meaning, but I didn't felt the excitement and feeling of what impact my choices have, even at the end, what it actually effect something.

    Personal note, I love story more than anything, I also love the characters, through my playthrough I had to reset a few times, like with Tao to see if I can save her, but to surprise me, nothing have change, its a straight forward script. you choices don't matter.    … Expand
  26. Reed618
    Dec 22, 2021
    7
    I enjoyed smt 5 but it's definitely a missed opportunity. Visually the areas you explore are pretty bland. There are a few cool dungeons with interesting mechanics though.

    The story is pretty weak. The transition into post apocalyptic tokyo was much more interesting in smt 3 and 4. In 5 it's kinda dull. The characters and voice acting are mostly just ok as well. I also thought it sucked    I enjoyed smt 5 but it's definitely a missed opportunity. Visually the areas you explore are pretty bland. There are a few cool dungeons with interesting mechanics though.

    The story is pretty weak. The transition into post apocalyptic tokyo was much more interesting in smt 3 and 4. In 5 it's kinda dull. The characters and voice acting are mostly just ok as well. I also thought it sucked that one of the bosses mispronounced its name. You just need to google cú chulainn to find how its said correctly.

    The weakest aspect is probably the structure. At one point I fought a boss that was level 58 and I was level 57... then I was put into a new area with three bosses all level 73... so at that point I needed to grind 16 levels... it really felt like they needed to pad them main quest out and that was the laziest way they could do it.

    I know this game was in development for a long time and it's such a cool series so I had very high hopes for it. I thought this was guaranteed to be my rpg of the year but both tales of arise and monster hunter rise have a lot more to offer.    … Expand
  27. pmasterfunk
    Jun 19, 2022
    7
    I do love me some good MegaTen, and SMT 5 is good MegaTen. It's close to being great, but that's also what make it so disappointing.

    I gotta say, SMT 5 is very accessible. What makes it so accessible? Quality of Life improvements, baby. First off, we got rid of random battles, which is nice. Scanning an enemy for stats and weaknesses is better. Battle animations can be skipped, for    I do love me some good MegaTen, and SMT 5 is good MegaTen. It's close to being great, but that's also what make it so disappointing.

    I gotta say, SMT 5 is very accessible. What makes it so accessible? Quality of Life improvements, baby. First off, we got rid of random battles, which is nice. Scanning an enemy for stats and weaknesses is better. Battle animations can be skipped, for snappier battles. Demon Fusion now has Reverse Search and Reverse Compendium search, making it much easier to figure out which demons are accessible, and skill inheritance remains selectable. Fast travel is quick.

    Visually, I think the game looks good, but it is pretty grainy and draw distance isn't great. The game stutters in some areas though. It's not too problematic, but still... Environments aren't super varied in looks; desolate sandy urban wasteland counts for at least 80% of the game. I wish there were more variety, like Nocturne has. The areas themselves are pretty elaborate, and some areas can be hard to navigate - which isn't a bad thing. The music is quite good, with some outright great tracks here and there. Voice acting is fine, some stuff is kinda clunky, but it's not Octopath-level cringe.

    Gameplay-wise, I have some gripes. I'm not a huge fan of Heavy-level attacks that pierce, seems like a cop-out to me and doesn't really promote skill and demon variety. And when a boss casts Impaler's Animus (basically Charge/Concentrate with the Pierce effect added), guard with your MC and just hope for the best, because it's practically a one-hit KO. Regular attacks are painfully weak, to the point of being useless. Here, skills are so essential to deal basic damage that MP is often the limiting factor in both boss battles and exploration. It doesn't help that skill MP consumption is way higher than it was in previous games. Luster Candy and Debilitate usually took about 50 MP per cast in previous games, here it starts at 150 MP with baseline support affinity.

    ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY

    Like in SMT 4,physical skills use MP, so a demon with high HP and low MP is useless. Damage output is heavily correlated with character level, and the level scaling effect seems a bit too drastic. Any fight with a level gap over 5 is often too great to overcome. Exp gain is also heavily nerfed when above enemy levels, and without a decent late-game or post-game dungeon (at least without DLC to my knowledge), late-game grinding is incredibly impractical without level-up items, which I wasn't super careful about hoarding in my first playthrough.

    So there I was, trying to beat the superboss, under-leveled and getting rekt with little recourse but hours upon hours of super slow grinding... or buying DLC.

    I mentioned earlier that the Demon Compendium is easier to fill, but at the same time it makes the whole process less exciting and more mechanical. By the end of my second playthrough, I was just fusing all the demons I didn't have, with little regard to what skills they should be getting or what role they'll have in my team, because my team was already set with all those piercing skills, anyway.

    Ultimately, when playing on Normal for a "casual" run, these issues aren't that problematic, but during my second playthrough on hard where I wanted to change up my build, these issues became a bit more obvious.

    The second playthrough also exposed some issues with the story. A lot of "important" parts end up being forgettable and irrelevant to the overall arc, and secondary characters seem like they'll have something interesting or important to say, but they just end up being background noise. Only one character gets any sort of development, and he's the most annoying character in the game. And that's really too bad, because at the start of the game, when all these secondary characters are introduced, it seems like they're going to be really important, and that they'll have all sorts of interesting things to say and do, and that we'll get to see them grow and influence the world, but nah, they don't do anything. Endings-wise the Neutral choice is kinda chaosy, Chaos doesn't feel all that chaotic, and Law is so hardcore authoritarian it's hard to consider it a serious option.

    All in all, I don't think SMT 5 will convert non-fans into stans, but it's still a decent. Will I ever revisit this game? Not for the story, it's not particularly interesting or deep. A hard run? The level scaling would probably make it a crazy slog. Purely for the gameplay? I prefer Nocturne's, honestly. I think that's what makes it disappointing; mechanically it's solid, the gameplay is fun, but ultimately the weak story and poor characterization make the experience bland and forgettable.    … Expand
  28. M3G4L
    Sep 15, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great and fun gameplay, animations are excellent and character designs in 3D maintain their essence as in past games. But sadly the messy story beats really hurt its score, for a game that's premise is the core appeal it didn't deliver as great as it should.… Expand
  29. lesiuML
    Jan 3, 2022
    7
    It is really good game but it is hard ass hell... To be honest I haven't found that game to be satisfying... I was more stressed out after a long battle than happy. A lot have changed when I lowered the difficulty, game was a lot more engaging than for me. The story wasn't the best I've ever witnessed. But still story is so much better than smt3...
  30. KingGilda
    Jan 31, 2022
    7
    After putting 90 hours into this game (and going!), I can say, it is an amazing game, a true pleasure for any turn-based RPG fan. If you like action games, don't play this.
    As a fan of SMT/FF/DQ for more than 20 years, I guarantee any fan of these titles that this game is a masterpiece. As an SMT/Persona fan, specifically, this game is one of the greatest in the aeies. This one is for    After putting 90 hours into this game (and going!), I can say, it is an amazing game, a true pleasure for any turn-based RPG fan. If you like action games, don't play this.
    As a fan of SMT/FF/DQ for more than 20 years, I guarantee any fan of these titles that this game is a masterpiece. As an SMT/Persona fan, specifically, this game is one of the greatest in the aeies. This one is for those with a brain, though.

    UPDATE: After putting 130 hours into this game, and choosing the neutral path, I'm downgrading my rating, with dissapointment. The regular-neutral ending sucks, and the secret-neutral ending is impossible to get without extreme grinding. After 130 hours, I will not grind 20 more just to get AN ENDING. Great game but a horrible, horrible endgame.    … Expand
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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.
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  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.
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