A dark and demanding demon JRPG carried by an endlessly rich fusion system. The post-apocalyptic world of Da'at opens up with real freedom, and the turn-based battles reward careful management of elemental weaknesses.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player16+
Description
A high-schooler merges with a divine being and survives in a ravaged, demon-overrun Tokyo. Published by Atlus, released worldwide in 2021. Turn-based combat that exploits weaknesses, recruiting and fusing demons, a vast wasteland to explore and a twilight world.
Shin Megami Tensei V review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Ryota Kozuka delivers a score in which Gregorian choirs, distorted guitars and tense electronics converse, faithful to the series' sacred-and-demonic duality. The combat themes, nervy and hypnotic, turn every demon negotiation into a duel under pressure. It's bold writing that extends the franchise's sonic heritage while giving it a thoroughly modern breath.
A high schooler hurled into a desolate Tokyo must choose among gods, demons and irreconcilable ideals. Refusing easy morality, the tale asks what world you wish to rebuild and lets every alliance carry a metaphysical weight seldom owned this fully.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Difficult"
Lifespan
"Massive"
A devastated Tokyo that turns into a vast vertical playground, populated by demons to recruit, fuse and collect by the hundreds. Side quests, hidden dungeons and multiple endings tied to your chosen alignment stretch the adventure considerably. The blend of a demanding challenge and genuine replayability makes it an RPG to be savored slowly.
Atlus's JRPG turns its Nahobino-era bosses into peaks of strategic tension: exploiting weaknesses, juggling the Press Turn system and crafting your demon roster decide everything. One miscalculation against a boss can wipe the whole party. Da'at's cold beauty and pulsing electro score sharpen the constant pressure.
A questionable morality
To save a ravaged world, you recruit demons through conversation, flatter them, win them over… then fuse them without a qualm to make stronger ones. Yesterday's companion becomes today's raw material, and you optimize your sacrifices like a cooking recipe. That surface tenderness toward creatures you promptly recycle invites a slightly sheepish smile.
Is Shin Megami Tensei V still worth playing in 2026?
Shin Megami Tensei V is one of the most demanding JRPGs of its generation, and that is exactly what gives it value. Its turn-based combat built on exploiting weaknesses forces genuine tactical thinking, and demon recruitment and fusion offer a dizzying depth of customization. The vast post-apocalyptic Tokyo desert is crossed with the pleasure of vertical exploration. The story stays thin and the pace sometimes arid, but for fans of cerebral, punishing RPGs it is a rewarding mountain to climb.
