Shin Megami Tensei V is a 2021 role-playing video game created by Atlus for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth main game in the Shin Megami Tensei series, which is the most important part of the Megami Tensei franchise. Atlus published the game in Japan, Sega in North America, and Nintendo in Europe. The story follows a high school student who enters Da'at, a world after a disaster where angels and demons fight for control after Lucifer kills the Creator and causes a conflict over who will rebuild the world. The game has multiple endings based on choices about right and wrong and who the player teams up with. Players explore Da'at freely, battle enemies using a system that depends on attacking weaknesses, and recruit and combine demons to fight alongside them.
Development of Shin Megami Tensei V started in 2016, with the goal of combining ideas from Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne and Shin Megami Tensei IV. Staff members who returned included planner Kazuyuki Yamai, artist Masayuki Doi, and composers Ryota Kozuka and Toshiki Konishi. Creating the game took longer because of the use of the Unreal Engine and the challenges of making it work on the Switch. Reviewers liked the game's design and graphics but pointed out problems with parts of the story and technical performance. The original version sold more than 1.1 million copies worldwide by 2022.
An expanded version for newer consoles and Windows, called Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, was released in 2024 by Atlus in Japan and Sega globally. This version added more features and improved gameplay, introduced new story parts, and included some ideas that were not used in the original game. Vengeance received praise from reviewers for its new story, gameplay changes, and better technical performance. It sold over 500,000 copies within three days of its release.
Gameplay
Shin Megami Tensei V is a role-playing video game where the player controls the Nahobino, a character that is part human and part demon. The Nahobino explores Da'at, a world after a major disaster. Da'at is fully explorable and divided into open areas with different environments and enemies. In Da'at, the Nahobino can move freely, run quickly, jump, and use a sword to attack objects or enemies. The Nahobino can meet friendly non-playable characters (NPCs) who offer quests, talk to the player, and give items. These NPCs also include Miman, which provide a currency called Glory, and small orbs that restore health, magic, and a special gauge called Magatsuhi. Some areas have a companion character who helps the Nahobino find items and treasure. Completing quests gives experience points to increase the character's level and in-game currency called Macca. Some areas are blocked by Demon Abscesses, which are groups of demons that must be defeated to move forward.
In Da'at, enemy demons move through open areas and can be fought. Combat begins with the Nahobino attacking first. The game uses a turn-based combat system called the Press Turn System. The player's party includes the Nahobino and up to three allied demons. Each side takes turns to attack, use skills, guard, use items, or escape. A key part of combat is the "Press Turn": hitting an enemy's weakness or landing a critical attack gives an extra turn, while missing or failing an attack removes a turn. A new feature is Magatsuhi Skills, which can be used when the Magatsuhi Gauge is full and do not cost a Press Turn. These skills give the party a powerful ability for one round, such as guaranteed critical hits or full healing. Players can swap or summon demons during battle, but if the Nahobino dies, the game ends. Winning battles rewards Macca, experience points, and items.
The Nahobino can recruit demons during battles by talking to them through a process called Demon Negotiation. The player must answer questions based on the demon's personality. After answering, the demon may ask for items, money, or health/magic from the Nahobino. Successfully bargaining can make the demon join the party. Demon behavior is influenced by the Moon Phase: the full moon stops Negotiation, while the new moon makes it easier. Only demons weaker than the Nahobino can be recruited, but stronger demons may join later if the Nahobino's level increases.
Leyline Founts are found throughout Da'at. They allow the player to save progress, shop for items, and access the World of Shadows, where demons are fused to create stronger ones. Fusion involves combining two to four demons to make a new one. Demons listed in the Demon Compendium can be summoned for a fee to use in fusion or the party. Reverse Fusion lets players choose a specific fusion based on available demons, while random Fusion accidents create unexpected results. Items called Demon Essences can give new skills and traits to the Nahobino and demons. Glory can be spent to buy permanent upgrades called Miracles, which help with fusion or add skill slots.
The expanded version, Vengeance, adds more demons, a new story, and new gameplay features. Rest spots called Demon Haunts let the Nahobino talk to party demons, who may offer side quests or boost stats. Movement across Da'at is improved with Magatsu Rails, which are grind rails connecting areas or leading to secret locations with enemies and collectibles. Demon Navigators help find items outside of main story events. If other demon groups are near an attacked enemy, consecutive battles can be triggered. Human characters can now join the party, each with a specific demon that determines their abilities. If certain demons are in the Nahobino's collection, a special attack combining their powers can be used. Players can now save progress anywhere and view an overhead map to help navigate.
Synopsis
The story of Shin Megami Tensei V takes place in two settings: modern-day Tokyo and a ruined world called Da'at. Da'at was once an alternate version of Tokyo that was destroyed in a war between the Angels, who follow the Creator, and demons, who support Lucifer, a fallen angel. Before the game begins, Lucifer kills the Creator, creating a situation where other gods, who lost their Knowledge, try to regain it and take control of the Throne of Creation. The Bethel Organization, a group of divine beings and humans, works to protect the real world from Da'at's influence. The game’s story splits into two paths: the original "Canon of Creation" and the altered "Canon of Vengeance," which depends on the player's choices during the game.
The silent main character is a high school student who enters Da'at and merges with an artificial being named Aogami, becoming a Nahobino, a powerful demon-like creature who regains divine Knowledge. Supporting characters represent different beliefs: Ichiro Dazai, a friendly but clumsy boy, represents "Law"; Yuzuru Atsuta, a Bethel agent, represents "Chaos"; and Shohei Yakumo and his demon companion Nüwa represent "Neutrality."
Other characters include Tao Isonokami, a mystical figure from Bethel; Miyazu Atsuta, Yuzuru’s younger sister; and Sahori Itsukishima, a student who is bullied. Supernatural figures include Abdiel, an angel loyal to the Creator; Hayao Koshimizu, a leader of Bethel in Japan; and Lahmu, a fallen god. In the Vengeance story, new characters like Yoko Hiromine, a Saint; the Qadištu, a group of female demons; and the angel Mastema appear.
One day, the protagonist and Dazai are pulled into Da'at, where Aogami saves the protagonist by merging with him, making him a Nahobino. After returning to Tokyo, Yuzuru and Koshimizu recruit them into Bethel to stop demons from escaping Da'at. The protagonist learns that the real Tokyo was swallowed by a supernatural event, and the current Tokyo is a copy made by the Creator.
During a school attack, Miyazu is kidnapped, and Sahori is influenced by Lahmu to kill her bullies and become a Nahobino. The protagonist is seriously injured by Lahmu, but Tao sacrifices herself to save him. He then kills Lahmu and Sahori, travels to Chiyoda, and defeats Arioch, the demon leader. The protagonist often meets Yakumo and Nüwa, who want to destroy the Throne of Creation and let humans control their future. Later, the protagonist is told he is a forbidden being by the Creator. Abdiel is defeated when she attacks the protagonist and denies the Creator’s death. Other gods, including Koshimizu, dissolve Bethel to regain their Knowledge and take the Throne. Tao is reborn as a goddess who will guide the protagonist when the false Tokyo collapses and Da'at takes over the world. Meanwhile, Yuzuru unites with Koshimizu to restore all gods, and Dazai convinces Abdiel to merge with him to create a peaceful world.
The protagonist receives keys from former Bethel members to reach the Temple of Eternity, where the Throne of Creation is located. At this point, the protagonist can choose to side with Dazai, Yuzuru, or Yakumo. Choosing Yakumo causes Tao to leave him. Regardless of the choice, other candidates are killed, and the protagonist takes the Throne. If the protagonist completes certain missions and supports Yakumo, Nüwa reveals a possibility of using the Throne to create a world without gods or demons, which Tao agrees to. In most endings, Lucifer gives the protagonist his Knowledge in a final battle, ensuring the new world lasts forever.
In the Vengeance storyline, Yoko joins the protagonist for much of their journey. The Qadištu, a group of female demons, gather power to awaken Tiamat, a goddess whose defeat by Marduk led to the Throne of Creation’s role. Sahori is attacked by Lilith, Miyazu is briefly kidnapped by Eisheth, and Mastema blesses Dazai to fight in Da'at after Agrat causes a plague. The Qadištu use the protagonist’s energy to summon Tiamat, who destroys Da'at and kills Nüwa. Tao and Aogami sacrifice themselves to save the protagonist, and Yoko becomes a goddess carrying Lilith’s will to destroy and rebuild the world.
Afterward, Dazai and Abdiel kill Yuzuru, and Koshimizu merges with the protagonist to restore his Nahobino form. Tao, now a goddess, guides the protagonist to the Temple of Eternity to restore the world and give everyone happiness. Along the way, the protagonist must kill Dazai and Abdiel. Depending on the player’s choices, the protagonist supports Tao or Yoko. In both paths, Tiamat attacks either at Yoko’s or Mastema’s command. Aogami is freed from Tiamat and reunites with the protagonist to defeat her, while Koshimizu dies saving the chosen heroine. In the final battle, the protagonist creates a new world with Lucifer’s Knowledge, as before.
Development
Shin Megami Tensei V started being made in 2016 by Atlus, the company that creates Megami Tensei games. The team included many people who had worked on earlier Atlus games. The game plan was created by Kazuyuki Yamai, a longtime member of the series. The director, Shigeo Komori, had worked on both the Megami Tensei and Etrian Odyssey series. The producer was Shinjiro Takata, the lead designer was Masaru Watanabe, and the story was written by Yoh Haduki. Komori wanted to include all the traditional elements of the series in a game with more detailed graphics. Yamai wanted the game’s tone and themes to reflect recent world events, as earlier Shin Megami Tensei games had done. The setting and story were decided early in the project, but more new team members were added during development to complete the work. Yamai aimed to combine the detailed content and atmosphere of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne with the portable demon-raising gameplay of Shin Megami Tensei IV. In February 2018, Yamai said the project had entered "full-scale development."
The team chose to make the game for the Nintendo Switch because it offers high-definition visuals and portability. This was the first time Atlus made a game for the Switch, which made development take longer. The game was built using Unreal Engine 4, chosen after six months of testing and after the Switch was released. This was the first time Atlus used an engine made by another company, as they had previously used their own engines for Megami Tensei games. At the time, Epic Games Japan was looking for partners, and Atlus agreed to use Unreal Engine instead of their own tools. Yoshiki Oyamada, the lead programmer, found the new tools easier to use. Yamai was surprised by how quickly the new engine allowed for development and graphics compared to their old system, giving the team more time to test and refine designs. Early in production, the team was unfamiliar with the tools and used SpriteStudio, a special software, to create the game’s user interface because it worked well with the engine.
The art direction was led by Hiroshi Sasazu. The characters and demons were designed by Masayuki Doi, who had previously worked on characters for Shin Megami Tensei IV. Doi focused on making the characters look realistic and grounded, while the demons were designed to look more "alien" to emphasize the game’s theme of normal life being threatened. Doi created the protagonist’s design in 2016. Inspired by the excitement around Japan’s planned Summer Olympics, he wanted the design to be clearly Japanese. The Nahobino form was meant to balance the protagonist’s human appearance with the otherworldly Aogami. For the demons, Doi used details from their original myths, including new designs for some familiar demons. Among his designs, Doi said he liked Nüwa the most because he found a way to balance her human and demonic traits.
The music was composed by Ryota Kozuka and Toshiki Konishi. Kozuka had worked on Shin Megami Tensei IV and its sequel, Apocalypse, while Konishi had worked on other Megami Tensei games. Kozuka said the game had changed compared to earlier titles, and he wanted his music to match those changes. Songs from earlier Shin Megami Tensei games by Kenichi Tsuchiya and Shoji Meguro were included in rearranged versions. Konishi rearranged Meguro’s music related to the guest character Demi-fiend from Nocturne, and Tsuchiya rearranged the theme "Battle -Fiend-." A five-disc original soundtrack album was released on March 30, 2022, by Atlus and Mastard Records. The album was nominated for Best Soundtrack at the Golden Joystick Awards 2024.
Release
In January 2017, Nintendo introduced Shin Megami Tensei V as part of the Nintendo Switch's launch with a teaser trailer. Later that year, the game's title and a Western release were confirmed. According to Doi, the game was originally planned for release in 2020. It was released worldwide in November 2021, first in Japan on November 11 and overseas on November 12. Atlus published the game in Japan, Sega in North America, and Nintendo in Europe. In Japan, the game was sold in standard and limited editions with extra items and themed Switch accessories. In the West, it was sold as a standard edition, a Steelbook version, and a limited "Fall of Man" version with themed merchandise.
Localization of the game happened at the same time as its writing and development. Editor John Moralis said this process was both positive and challenging. Translating demon conversations required splitting the work among different writers to ensure consistent jokes between demons. Translating the main story involved teamwork to keep character dialogue consistent. Casey Mongillo, who voiced the protagonist in English, kept their tone neutral but allowed for changes in tone. Because the protagonist does not speak in the game, Mongillo did not know the story before release. Daman Mills, who voiced Aogami, described his early performance as "robotic" but later grew attached to the character over time.
The game included downloadable content (DLC). A free patch added an easier "Safety" difficulty and the Japanese voice track. Other DLC was sold separately or in bundles. Three new demons were added as recruitable allies, and a special quest included the Demi-fiend from Nocturne and nine related demons. Additional DLC improved gameplay with features like increased experience and adjusted enemy behavior. A patch later reduced the number of jumps needed in a late-game dungeon and added camera and lighting options. On June 13, the original game and its DLC were removed from digital stores ahead of Vengeance’s release.
After Shin Megami Tensei V’s success, the team wanted to expand the game to other platforms, using feedback from players. Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance was developed for the Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Takata and Komori returned as producer and director, and Doi as character and demon designer. The team improved navigation, added new difficulty levels, adjusted items and demon behavior, and made gameplay fairer for lower-level parties.
The new story used a part of an ancient battle between the "Horned God" and the "Serpent," which was not explored in the original game. Unlike the original, which focused on the Horned God, the new story centered on the Serpent. This change influenced the theme of vengeance by an oppressed group and added new demons. The team also added dialogue and quests to the original game to develop characters, which players had previously criticized for being shallow. Yoko, originally planned for the first game, was removed to focus on other characters. Yoko was meant to be a "heroine of chaos" to contrast with Tao. Doi designed the Qadištu demons, inspired by interpretations of the word as representing an oppressed minority, and chose demons associated with ruin and temptation.
Kozuka returned to create new music for Vengeance, adding 80% more tracks, including 20 new battle themes. The music was described as "dark and a bit bewitching," with the Atlus Sound Team ensuring it matched the game’s established tone. A soundtrack album was released on June 14.
After leaks in 2023 and 2024, Vengeance was officially announced in February 2024. Originally planned for June 21, 2024, its release was moved to June 14. Atlus published the game in Japan, and Sega published it globally. Vengeance includes all DLC from the original game and two new DLCs featuring the demon Dagda from Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse and a new demon, Konohana Sakuya. Save data from the original game cannot be transferred to Vengeance, but players with original save data can transfer three demons to the Vengeance compendium. Promotional materials included a themed sake bottle in Japan and a video featuring the heavy metal band Slipknot.
Reception
Shin Megami Tensei V received "generally favorable reviews" according to Metacritic, earning a score of 84 out of 100 based on 103 journalist reviews. The game was nominated for Best Role-Playing Game at The Game Awards 2021 and for Role-Playing Game of the Year at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.
Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu praised the gameplay design, with reviewers noting the difficulty balance even on the easiest setting, though two reviewers found open areas challenging to navigate. Mitch Vogel of Nintendo Life highlighted new accessibility options and improvements to the Press Turn system. Heidi Kemps of GameSpot praised the combat and the feeling of accomplishment after defeating tough enemies. Donald Theriault of Nintendo World Report enjoyed exploring Da'at and appreciated the depth and usability of gameplay systems. IGN's Leana Hafer praised combat depth and character customization but noted excessive combat grinding in some areas. Kimberley Wallace of Game Informer also disliked the grinding but enjoyed combat and new exploration elements. Polygon's Diego Nicolás Argüello appreciated combat improvements, while Mollie L. Patterson of Electronic Gaming Monthly liked open exploration and customization but felt combat lacked new features. Multiple reviewers noted high combat difficulty even on lower settings.
Argüello described demon and environmental design as a standout feature. Kemps praised the "eerie art direction," and Vogel noted high-definition graphics gave demons a realistic look not seen in earlier games. Hafer praised the main character's design and overall art, while Wallace appreciated reworked designs and environmental details despite navigation challenges. Patterson praised art and graphics but mentioned performance issues on the Switch, such as frame rate drops and glitches. Some reviewers noted technical problems, but music and voice acting received praise. Wallace felt the soundtrack became repetitive.
Famitsu highlighted the narrative's "mood of a mixture of evil and godliness." Argüello praised the darker tone compared to the Persona series, and Vogel appreciated a character-focused approach to established story elements. Theriault praised the lack of sexualization in the main cast but noted unspecified "script issues" and the absence of a female playable character. Kemps enjoyed the atmosphere and narrative but noted slow story progression. Hafer felt weak writing and shallow characters weakened the story, while Wallace compared the narrative's poor execution to earlier Shin Megami Tensei games. Patterson was disappointed by the lack of a compelling story, comparing it negatively to Nocturne and the 2021 remaster of Nier.
Vengeance received generally positive reviews, with Metacritic scores of 86, 87, 90, and 92 out of 100 for the Switch, PS5, PC, and Xbox versions, respectively. Famitsu praised improved interface and gameplay refinements, with reviewers enjoying new story elements. TouchArcade's Mikhail Madnani praised story additions, improved graphics, and technical performance, calling it one of Atlus's best RPGs in recent years. Kemps praised the new narrative despite following the original story closely and noted improved combat and gameplay. Theriault praised gameplay and music additions but criticized the prominence of human party members. Vogel called the new storyline superior to the original and praised gameplay improvements. Lucas White of Game Informer appreciated gameplay enhancements and enjoyed the new narrative despite disagreeing with earlier criticisms of the original story. IGN's Michael Higham praised combat and gameplay improvements but noted continued story weaknesses, stating the game's increased focus on story introduced some issues.
While praising the Switch version of Vengeance, Vogel mentioned ongoing technical issues. Theriault found no issues in the Switch version he previously noted. Higham praised improved graphical and technical performance on new platforms. Madnani said the PC and PS5 versions were best technically and graphically, while the Switch version had few performance changes from the original. Higham noted better performance on other consoles, calling them the best way to play Vengeance. White specifically praised the more stable frame rate.
The game debuted as the highest-selling physical video game of the week in Japan, selling over 143,000 copies and remaining in the top ten for two more weeks. According to the NPD Group, Shin Megami Tensei V reached sixteenth place in combined game charts, marking the highest-grossing debut in the main series and becoming the sixth best-selling Switch release. In the UK, it debuted as the ninth highest-selling game across platforms and outperformed other recent role-playing games in the region. By the end of 2022, the game had sold 1.1 million copies.
During its debut week in Japan, Vengeance sold over 56,800 copies, with the Switch and PS5 versions ranking first and second in Famitsu's sales charts. Within three days, Vengeance sold 500,000 copies worldwide. Both versions of Shin Megami Tensei V have sold over two million copies as of March 2025.