Let me start out the review by saying I do NOT like this game. But ranking it lower than Sonic 06 feels dishonest, so I gave it what I think the objective rating is at 3 stars. It's a completely functional game, but it's vapid and soulless. But trust me I like a good number of actual bad games way more than a mediocre soulless game like Shin Megami Tensei V.
It's crazy how quick the fanbase switched from "SMT stories are good, actually" to "you shouldn't factor in SMT V's story in your review because SMT games are not about the story". What changed? Well, apparently SMT V's story was so bad that the fanbase decided to throw away the entire idea that SMT stories could ever be worthwhile. Now you got a bunch of fans saying that you shouldn't play SMT for the story. Nevermind that entire appeal of the alignment system in SMT games IS. THE. STORY. The excuses that people will make for this mediocre game are insane.
The game lacks much of an identity of its own. It's trying to be Nocturne but it doesn't have the same conditions that made Nocturne work. The music is too catchy and the atmosphere is not oppressive enough to carry a minimalist story. Also, even though the story is minimalist, it's still bad. None of the separate chapters of the game feel consequential to each other. What does helping Sahori with her bullying problems have to do with fighting the demon king? The story events don't go anywhere. The characters are horrible. They're both unlikable and uninteresting. And some characters have an extremely low amount of screentime or just disappear from the story. Also a good portion of the story you can't even take seriously due to Dazai's edgelord transformation. The worldbuilding is bad. You're in the apocalypse but you can freely go back to not-destroyed Tokyo? Lame. The alignment is system is a complete joke. You just choose an ending. And there's a 'True Ending' so I guess that's the only valid choice anyway.
This game SUCKS as an RPG experience for all the things that RPGs usually excel at. And it can take the player anywhere from 50 to 100 hours to beat. Now yes, the combat is still good, but should the game really be considered exceptional for the sole reason that it keeps the same combat system they've been using for 20 years? Press turn is in better games. Just play one of those instead.
There are a bunch of other flaws such as the low quality dungeons, the level scaling, the 4 large areas all looking the same, the performance issues, the exploration feeling underbaked at times...
In the game's favor I can say that it works as a proof of concept for SMT gameplay within an open world.
Shin Megami Tensei V is a shell of an RPG. While the gameplay is the typical SMT fare, nothing about the story or world or characters or dungeons is exemplary of the things that people love about this series. The open world is fun to play around in but exploration stops being exciting when all the areas look the same and the worldbuilding is so dull. The characters, story, and alignment systems are REALLY bad.
Playing a real SMT game isn't enough.
Now the message should be 'play a better SMT game'.
It's crazy how quick the fanbase switched from "SMT stories are good, actually" to "you shouldn't factor in SMT V's story in your review because SMT games are not about the story". What changed? Well, apparently SMT V's story was so bad that the fanbase decided to throw away the entire idea that SMT stories could ever be worthwhile. Now you got a bunch of fans saying that you shouldn't play SMT for the story. Nevermind that entire appeal of the alignment system in SMT games IS. THE. STORY. The excuses that people will make for this mediocre game are insane.
The game lacks much of an identity of its own. It's trying to be Nocturne but it doesn't have the same conditions that made Nocturne work. The music is too catchy and the atmosphere is not oppressive enough to carry a minimalist story. Also, even though the story is minimalist, it's still bad. None of the separate chapters of the game feel consequential to each other. What does helping Sahori with her bullying problems have to do with fighting the demon king? The story events don't go anywhere. The characters are horrible. They're both unlikable and uninteresting. And some characters have an extremely low amount of screentime or just disappear from the story. Also a good portion of the story you can't even take seriously due to Dazai's edgelord transformation. The worldbuilding is bad. You're in the apocalypse but you can freely go back to not-destroyed Tokyo? Lame. The alignment is system is a complete joke. You just choose an ending. And there's a 'True Ending' so I guess that's the only valid choice anyway.
This game SUCKS as an RPG experience for all the things that RPGs usually excel at. And it can take the player anywhere from 50 to 100 hours to beat. Now yes, the combat is still good, but should the game really be considered exceptional for the sole reason that it keeps the same combat system they've been using for 20 years? Press turn is in better games. Just play one of those instead.
There are a bunch of other flaws such as the low quality dungeons, the level scaling, the 4 large areas all looking the same, the performance issues, the exploration feeling underbaked at times...
In the game's favor I can say that it works as a proof of concept for SMT gameplay within an open world.
Shin Megami Tensei V is a shell of an RPG. While the gameplay is the typical SMT fare, nothing about the story or world or characters or dungeons is exemplary of the things that people love about this series. The open world is fun to play around in but exploration stops being exciting when all the areas look the same and the worldbuilding is so dull. The characters, story, and alignment systems are REALLY bad.
Playing a real SMT game isn't enough.
Now the message should be 'play a better SMT game'.