Similar in vein to studios and publishers like Rockstar Games or Square Enix, Atlus is known for taking its time on its most impactful franchises. Each entry in thePersonaorShin Megami Tenseifranchises, among other spin-offs and standalone titles in between, spends several years in development. End results for these franchises have typically ended up being some of the best JRPGs in their respective series to date, each making meaningful innovations where necessary, while iterating on tradition.Personahas done that numerous times, likePersona 3, and more recentlyPersona 5. Now, Atlus is once again doing the same withShin Megami Tensei 5.
Moving on fromShin Megami Tensei 4, Atlus appears to be looking far ahead with it’s sequel, eight years later. In a similar vein to whatShin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturnedid with reviving and reimagining the mainline series, the next game intends to do the same. It’s clear that a lot of changes are already being made for the future of the franchise inShin Megami Tensei 5, even following its most immediate Atlus/JRPG predecessor inPersona 5. Even the fifthPersonagame made a giant generational leap for Atlus, among other achievements in the game’s design. The formative Atlus JRPG franchise evidently intends to do the same withShin Megami Tensei 5.
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A Moment of Potential Evolution for Atlus JRPGs
Much likeShin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturneand its remaster, theSMTseries is taking several subtle but significant steps forward with its latest entry. WhereasPersona 5was a massive step forward graphically and mechanically for Atlus as a whole,Shin Megami Tensei 5is specifically innovating theSMTseries proper towards a more modern future. WhereShin Megami Tensei 4andApocalypsewere highly reminiscent of old-schoolSMTdesign,Shin Megami Tensei 5is taking the same approach asNocturne. Modernizing, while differentiating the game’s aesthetic and gameplay design to make it distinct from its spin-offs, makes the fifth entry very important.
Of course, the gameplay is primarily whereShin Megami Tenseidiffers from other Atlus JRPGs, if only in subtle ways. Being turn-based games, of course games likePersonaandShin Megami Tenseiare going to be pretty comparable in that regard; it’s the minute differences that are most impactful. The Turn Press and Once More battle systems will always be the foundational differences, but having literal demons in party and interacting with them directly, managing Kagutsuchi, among other things, makes the experience very different. That much is still true inShin Megami Tensei 5, just based on the gameplay trailer alone, but clearly enhanced in some way.
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Shin Megami Tensei 5 May Be a Step Forward For Atlus
What’s most apparent inShin Megami Tensei 5are the stylistic choices and aesthetic changes made in the Switch-exclusive title.Similar toNocturne, the demon designs have been overhauled in the new art style, though still retaining their signatureSMTstyle. Some have a bit more expressive designs, alongside new shading and some model overhauls. Plus, new entries provide the opportunity to both remix and shuffle the actual demons in the game itself, similar to howPersonaandSMTdiffer in demon count and variety. Abilities and elemental affinities could adjust and change over time as well, but generally those aspects usually stay the same.
Weapon and magic abilities appear to have changed as well, from both an aesthetic and functional perspective.BothPersonaandShin Megami Tenseihave different exclusive elementsthat aren’t present in the opposite series, like Force (Zan) magic inSMTand Psy magic inPersona. However, some of the effects shown off in known gameplay showcase different effects from familiarSMTmagic, adding some new flair to the usual skills. Additionally, some of the signature abilities of the protagonist appear to beveryunique, such as Wrath Tempest. This move seemed to do massive critical damage, and appears to be exclusive to the player’s character as well.
The biggest thing about these changes ishow they may impact otherShin Megami Tenseispin-offs, because cross-pollination between Atlus JRPGs is common.PersonaandShin Megami Tenseiare the most obvious examples of cross-influence, but other smallerSMTspin-offs likeDevil Summonerhave also been influenced by majorSMTentries.Shin Megami Tensei 5will presumably set the bar once again, because unlikePersona,SMTis where the franchise experiments from a gameplay perspective. Based on the first gameplay trailer alone, this next entry in Atlus' seminal JRPG series could be making innovations on par with previous entries as well.
Shin Megami Tensei 5releases on July 16, 2025, on Nintendo Switch.
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