Shin Megami Tensei 5 is ready for Persona fans

Shin Megami Tensei 5 is the latest entry in Atlus’ JRPG series where you fight and recruit demons. The franchise is known for a complex turn-based combat system where you’re able to negotiate with your foes — just like in Atlus’ other series, Persona. SMT5The story begins with a bookish, stoic high schooler being transported suddenly to Tokyo in a post-apocalyptic world. There, he fuses to a demon and fights monsters throughout the city.

I’ve had my eye on the Shin Megami Tensei series for a while now. Persona 5 RoyalSMT and, have a lot to do with, were staples of my early days during the pandemic. The series was also a source of inspiration for cult-indie culture. The Undertale When I first saw the remake, Shin Megami Tensei 3: NocturneAfter discovering a new title, it became clear that I was ready to dive into this series. On my Switch, I tried out a demo of the game. It only covered the first couple of hours. While I spent the game fighting and training my monsters, I found myself missing some of the more social aspects of Atlus’ other games.

SMT5The tale is biblical in scope. The first thing that I hear when entering the world is an ominous, dark voice. Its echoes emit a Godlike power and omnipotence. The narrator weaves an Adam and Eve-like tale about a tree that’s the source of knowledge. This is far from the ridiculous high school antics that the Phantom Thieves made. P5RThe player speaks to jocks and school principals in order to resolve problems. Yes. SMT5The boy is a regular high school student. The stakes and the setting for this game are very different. You are taken to a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, where there are angels, demonics, and sparkling sand.

Although there are some differences in the initial play, most of it feels very familiar from other Atlus games. Much of the battle mechanics largely remain the same — jumping in, I see a recognizable cast of monsters like Pixie (a fairy who has healing powers) and Slime (a giant pile of slime). Persona’s elemental system is the same: you can still use attacks such as Dia to heal and Zio to inflict lightning damages, etc.

This fight is difficult. You need to quickly collect and then use monsters. A fight can have up to three fighters, with the main character as the fourth. Negotiating can be stressful. I once said the right thing three times in succession, only to have the monster backstab me again and launch a surprise attack.

Image: Atlus

This is because of the emphasis on fighting, SMT5 Preview felt like a simplified version of P5RIt is. It felt easier to play but I found myself missing some things. P5R Elements The elements I used when I played P5RAs a beginner to the series I always kept a notepad with me. You date people, keep track of your own relationships, and manage the protagonist’s own characteristics. This is the list of things you should be doing. KnowTo continue playing the game, Even better, you could even get a job. All this, in addition, to the catching, training, fusing, monsters. This can get quite exhausting.

My time was spent playing, however. SMT5 gritting my teeth in battles, making decisions that may impact the story in ways I don’t know yet. The fights are hard, but when you’re done with them, you won’t need to think about all the other stuff. It’s a great way to make sure you don’t forget about the other stuff. SMT5 a potentially easier entry point to what Atlus’ games are about, rather than the Persona games which are dense with lore and relationship management. It’s a standalone game that doesn’t connect to a previous story, and it introduces a lot of elements of Atlus’ JRPGs in a more digestible way.

Many of these aspects were not important to me personally. P5R. It’s fun to date and hang out with friends in the game! Joker likes silly side missions. I try to get him to eat more burgers than his head. This complexity is fun, even though it requires me to learn and keep track of new game systems. SMT5High school students are available to help players get to know them better. But this game is more serious, and brutal — that’s reflected in its battles. That said, I am early in my playthrough, and I’m hoping to see a whole lot more of some of the classmates we see early in SMT5

Shin Megami Tensei 5The Nintendo Switch will release it on November 11.