While the gameplay is very enjoyable, being a more balanced take on 4 alongside the introduction of demons having stats that make moves better/worse depending on whether they're compatible (AKA don't give the ice demon fire skills ya dingus) which I have mixed feelings on. On one hand, it makes demons more unique but skills as a whole got more expensive to compensate. The minimap also isn't terrible anymore, so yay!
But the main reason you'll see people criticize this game is the story, and I have to agree. Without acknowledging the very concept of making a direct sequel to a game built on multiple endings, the new take just isn't great. It feels like it tries to combine the gritty darkness of SMT with the Shounen-esque power of friendship of Persona. All of the characters not from the original feel like stock shounen character templates with not much to add to them. (also this game has a love triangle. WHY!?) The game also misses out on the multiple choices the series is built around even if options like teaming up with the divine powers would have been a great decision, because the ending choices feel token and boil down to 'Be a dick' or 'Don't be a dick'
So while I enjoyed it, it's the worst of the mainline SMT games I played.