The Shin Megami Tensei series has always been a staple of the JRPG genre, but it doesn't get quite as many frequent releases as other, more popular series such as Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest. With the release of Shin Megami Tensei 5 last November, fans were able to once again dive into its world of demons and were met with something that seems to have been lost in many mainstream JRPG series: A hearty challenge.
Difficulty is something that JRPGs have been working on balancing over the last several years as they've continued breaking into the mainstream. Longtime fans have cited frustrations with balance, as a lot of major franchises have leaned more into a mainstream approach. As a result, newer games end up dropping a lot of the inaccessible high difficulty that was often featured in older titles. It's certainly a good thing to allow for more people to have access to the JRPG genre and the many excellent stories that are told in it. However, some people miss the challenge that the genre used to employ. Luckily for them, Shin Megami Tensei 5 is the perfect title for anyone looking for a throwback JRPG challenge that's tough, but overall quite fair.
Shin Megami Tensei 5's Satisfying Challenge
To reiterate: There's nothing wrong with mainstream JRPG titles easing up on the challenge to be more accessible. However, longtime fans of the genre have certainly noticed a decline in games that truly challenge players. Anyone looking for a genuine challenge in the likes of recent titles such as Persona 5 or Dragon Quest 11 will only find it when cranking up the difficulty to "master," but oftentimes that means playing games in a difficulty they weren't necessarily designed to be balanced for. Shin Megami Tensei 5, however, delivers a tough experience that trusts the player to be engaged with its mechanics during its entire playthrough.
From the moment that players are transported to the overrun Minato Ward and begin engaging in battles, they quickly understand that SMT 5 isn't planning on pulling any punches. All too often, players will find a sense of confidence after defeating the first demons that they've encountered only to then be completely wiped by a subsequent mob when playing on autopilot.
Instead of simply being able to coast by with a small handful of overpowered moves like in other mainstream titles, Shin Megami Tensei 5 requires the player to study its demons and treat them all with reverence and caution. Even demons that have been easily defeated in previous fights oftentimes only need a single poorly executed turn for players to completely lose an encounter.
From its mob encounters to its boss fights, Shin Megami Tensei 5 is a tough game, but that doesn't mean that it's unfair. Frequently, players are given a lot of information about their enemies before battles even begin, whether that's through dialogue, a demon's design, or even just by observing them wander around the open world. If a player is astute enough, they'll be able to meet the game's challenges head-on and adapt as they see fit. The game is certainly punishing when players slip up, but SMT 5 is very rarely punishing without warning, making it the type of challenge that's frustrating to lose to, but overall extremely satisfying to overcome.
Fans were potentially worried that SMT 5 would lose some of its edge before it was released given how much love Atlus' other popular JRPG series Persona has gotten in recent years. Persona, which itself is a spin-off from SMT, lets combat take somewhat of a backseat to its story and characters, so fans were afraid that SMT would follow in Persona's footsteps. Luckily, the franchise was able to continue distinguishing itself by leaning even further into its mechanics, ultimately delivering an experience perfect for fans of classic JRPG difficulty and challenge.
Shin Megami Tensei 5 is available now for Nintendo Switch.