The Shin Megami Tensei series is known for its punishing turn-based battles, demon recruitment, and dungeon crawling. Working through a Shin Megami Tensei game can be an exercise in determination and stamina. These games are difficult, but when you triumph over a particularly nasty section of the game there is a huge sense of relief and accomplishment. Besides the fantastic gameplay, there is almost always a philosophical story being woven with multiple endings that deserve careful attention.
One of the biggest draws is being able to recruit demons to your party and there is always a number of awesome demon designs. With Shin Megami Tensei V's release and positive reception on the Switch, it's a great time to find something similar to scratch that hardcore JRPG itch if you're looking for a new game to play.
8 Pokemon
Pokemon is a classic monster-catching JRPG, but it's not nearly as difficult as Shin Megami Tensei. Like in the SMT series, you utilize monsters in battle against foes. However, instead of recruiting them, you catch them, and instead of fusing them, Pokemon evolve.
There is also the ability to breed Pokemon with much to learn about that isn't too far off from demon fusion. Pokemon games are more kid-friendly than the heavier themes found in the Shin Megami Tensei series, but the series isn't afraid to tackle some themes like loss.
7 Etrian Odyssey
Etrian Odyssey is a dungeon crawling game that isn't quite as hard as SMT but offers more difficulty than Pokemon or Persona. If you're looking for a challenge, the series is for you.
In order to advance through the game expect to grind levels, try out varying strategies to beat bosses, and die a lot. The series does tend to focus more on gameplay versus story and characters. You're even able to forgo a cast of characters and instead create your own to dungeon crawl through.
6 Bravely Default 2
Bravely Default is a JRPG through and through. Thanks to its Unique battle design where you can bank turns or use your current plus up to four future turns at once, things rarely get stale. While it’s not exactly like SMT’s Press Turn system where extra turns are rewarded for exploring weaknesses, it still offers something new that would appeal to those who like a little more strategy to their turn-based games.
Bravely Default is also significantly lighter in tone, and it can be easier to get sucked into since the story isn’t nearly as heavy as SMT.
5 Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth
Digimon has been around for a long time, and despite a constant barrage of Pokemon vs Digimon comparisons, it is popular in its own right. Cyber Sleuth attempts to bring the series into even more relevant territory with an updated battle system.
The game pulls inspiration from both the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series and offers up a fun turn-based battle system with a party of Digimon. If creature collecting is something that you enjoy, the complete edition of the game boasts over 300 Digimon to obtain and train.
4 Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
Devil Survivor is a spin-off of the mainline SMT games, and while it does host the SMT moniker, it differentiates itself enough to warrant a spot here.
While the story isn’t nearly as complex, philosophical, and dark, the game’s battles can be taxing and difficult. Thanks to a wide variety of demons to recruit and fuse, there’s a lot of fun to be had, despite the challenge. SMT's stories usually take place in an apocalyptic world, but Devil Survivor stays in a world like our own that's being invaded.
3 Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore
Tokyo Mirage is somewhat of a fever dream. The game is a combination of SMT and the Fire Emblem series with elements of Persona thrown in as well. It features a battle system that is very similar to SMT with cameos from Fire Emblem characters who can be summoned in battle.
On paper, it sounds a bit ridiculous, but it was successful enough to earn a port on the Nintendo Switch with all DLC plus extra content. The biggest draw to SMT fans here is the battle system which involves a rotating cast of party members, with weaknesses to exploit
2 Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Fire Emblem: Three Houses features a large cast of characters who can be recruited. While not exactly like the demon recruitment in SMT, it offers a variety of roles and unique characters and personalities to use in the game’s tactical battles.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses also offers a range of difficulty if you want to challenge yourself and, like SMT, a complex story with a variety of endings and consequences based on choices you make throughout your adventure. There is even a difficulty option with perma-death if you're feeling particularly masochistic.
1 Persona 5 Royal
Though it is much more popular and mainstream than SMT, Persona is a spin-off of the demon recruiting series. In SMT battles are usually fought with a team of monsters and the main character side by side, and in the Persona series, each character can summon and fight with their Personas.
Both games feature darker themes and storylines with some truly despicable villains and have turn-based battle systems all about exploiting an enemy's weakness in a bid to get extra turns to obliterate your enemy. It's easy to fall in love with Persona if you're a fan of SMT, and they also feature some of the same designs between Personas and Demons.