2/5 ★ – Soulciopath's review of Shin Megami Tensei V.

As with most SMT games, SMTV is a niche that likely won't appeal to people who aren't particularly interested in the religious themes and the interesting ways in which stories from various mythos and religions are incorporated into the world. Fans of traditional turn-based combat will very much enjoy the challenge the game brings and how it incentivizes using every tool at your disposal to overcome battles as you make you find your way in the world and indulge in the game's fantastic exploration, in what is ultimately a flawed yet enjoyable experience. SMTV suffers from a number of major issues particularly in its final act. The game's story is not good, the failure to flesh out the characters in any meaningful way and flat-out removing others shortly after their introduction resulted in me not strongly caring about a single one, and the uncharacteristic personality shifts that happen with some of them fall flat in terms of impact as a result. Side note, I think Amanozako is actually just irritating to listen to and now cute, sorry. While the areas in this game are certainly beautiful, especially Taito, the map design is incredibly annoying at times in the late game and a particular dungeon is plagued with encounters stuffed into tight corridors to in an attempt to force you into what feels like an endless number of repetitive and boring battles. I do have some other complaints such as the absurd expense of certain miracles (passive abilities you unlock with a currency earned through side quests, NPCs, some random encounters, and collectibles throughout the world), and the ridiculous amount of grinding required in the final act of the game, but SMTV is not all bad. Despite a personal distaste for traditional turn-based combat, SMTV's is very appealing. The variety of items and status effects that can turn the tide of battle allow for tons of different strategies where each player can have their own preferred approach to any given encounter. When all is said and done, I think longtime fans of the series will enjoy SMTV, and for those who are interested in its mythos-filled world and classic themes of religion and extremism will find the game a blast, but if you're looking for quality writing and story or engaging characters it's definitely not the game for you.