Persona/Shin Megami Tensei

I avoided this series for the longest time because it didn't seem like my cup of tea. Recently though I've become extremely burned-out/depressed with the games I have, and want to get into something fresh and new. Everyone makes a big fuss about these fucking games but I know absolutely nothing about them.

What's the best jumping-in point for the series? I'm considering emulating Persona 3 as a starter. but as I understand it, Persona is something separate from SMT but still connected somehow?

Persona 3 FES is a good start for Persona
SMT Nocturne is the only good mainline game

Play SMT Nocturne first
A lot of people hate Persona but the only genuinely shit entry in the series is Persona 3

SMT IV is the best one but Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is great for a spinoff

If you want Persona play Persona 4 Golden

I thought P3P was the more definitive edition to P3. Why they'd release three versions of the game with zero consistency baffles me.

If you wanna start with Megaten go with Nocturne, if you wanna go with Persona play 1 and 2 because they're actually SMT games and not loosely affiliated with it like the rest of the sub-series.

Forget my shitty advice, this guy has probably played more SMT than anyone on this entire website.

...

Consult this chart, OP.

SMT Nocturne.
Yes.
First two Persona games were rather strongly connected to SMT.
But newer ones are closer to waifufag school VN with JRPG gameplay.

Money.
P3 FES has extra story mode.
P3 portable has additional feMC.

Oh shit i'm sorry

Start with Nocturne, Strange Journey is also a nice game to go through though sadly I've dropped that one mid-way, I would probably avoid the upcoming remake.

No, P3P cuts out a lot of stuff to fit on the PSP.

That actually helps a good bit, definitely more than faggots trying to tell me which ones are "shit". I'll figure that out when I fucking play them.


𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵? 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴.

P3 is a very flawed game in all its iterations. If OP wants to get into the series he should play any mainline SMT after 2 or start with P4 or 5 if he's looking to get into Nusona.

Everything prior should only be played if you genuinely like the series and want to experience its roots. The spin-offs are great but aren't something I'd recommend as a starting point.


Enough of this meme. P1 and 2 aren't good for anything other than their music and story.

Forgot to mention, avoid Purse-Owner 3&4, you should try Persona 1, 2:Innocent Sin, and 2:Eternal Punishment.

Let me guess.
Eridanus?

1 is piping hot camel shit with a ridiculously good soundtrack in it's original release. 2 is even worse in the gameplay department but has the best story out of all the Persona games. Neither should be played as an entry into the Person series and they're sure as hell not better than 4 or 5. I know 4 gets a lot of flack for being a shitty upbeat Japanese Scooby Doo simulator but it's a better game than either of the original Personas.

Kill yourself VN tard.

You recommend 2, a glorified visual novel. You're the one the noose is calling for.

If you want to dive right into mainline I would recommend Nocturne first. Not incredibly difficult unless you want it to be. 3D environment for it's levels is entry level friendly. If you're used to more traditional JRPGs Digital Devil Saga would be better, but it's missing the crucial demon recruitment mechanic that almost all other games have.

You can pigeonhole me all you want but that won't make 1 or 2 any less shit.

Even your post looks like it comes from a weak person.

As long as I'm not as weak as the responses I've been getting I'll be just fine.

Good luck, OP. I still think Persona 3 is hot garbage but maybe you'll think differently.

Its like wasting a bullet on a trapped zombie rather than just stomping on its head with a boot

Nocturne's the best start for the mainline unless you just have a major hard-on for Wizardry, in which case either SMT or SMT2 would be fine.

I'm in the minority here on Holla Forums, but Persona 1's gameplay is straight ass. That battle grid is awful. P3/4 play more like traditional JRPGs with SMT elements, which makes them more widely palatable, but both games have ungodly slow, uneven story pacing.

As I have to do in all these "new to SMT" threads, look into Digital Devil Saga for straight JRPG gameplay in an SMT-themed universe, Devil Survivor for tactics gameplay in an SMT-themed universe, and the Devil Summoner Raidou games for action combat in an SMT-themed universe. If you like any of the mainline games you should also look into Soul Hackers and Strange Journey, both of which are stellar SMT games but a bit too hardcore for newcomers.

SMT: Nocture is your best bet for the mainstream series.
Try Strange Journey for something closer to the originals.
For Persona people are going to tell you to only play one and two, play them all and draw your own conclusions. Unless you have so little free will you do whatever anonymous internet users tell you to do.

...

oh shit, I'm sorry

No, the world after. Ouroboros can still go suck a dick. If SJR changes his first phase, I don't mind.
polite sage for double post

You will never be penetrated by Mara

STOP LIKING STUFF THAT'S NEW OR POPULAR REEEEEE

Play Strange Journey first do not listen to anyone else Strange Journey is amazing if you play it first because of just how STRANGE it will be
do not research anything do not play persona (that comes later) just play Strange Journey

Strange journey is extremely content heavy for a newcomer, I'd say it's even worse than starting with smt1


P3 onwards is objetively shit, p1 and 2 are only debatable bad