Hey all. So I've been wanting to get into the Persona series for a while now and now that Atlus has announced some new Persona games I think it's time I jump into the series. But which Persona game do you recomend I start of with first so I can get a clear understanding of the story? I could get Persona 4: Arena but I hear that it takes place a little bit after the events of P4 so I could get confused on what's going on with the story not having played P4. So can anybody that's played the Persona games tell which game is good to start with?

Edited November 24, 201311 yr by Tails

if youve got a psp, id start with persona 3. this game got me into the persona games with just a few minutes but if you have a vita id hop onto persona 4 golden which is another great persona game and has a great story

(...It seems that my previous entry had not been submitted and I looked like an idiot. Lemme try again)

 

I recommend, like most people, Persona 4, Golden edition if you have a Vita. Of course, if you have trouble finding it, just download Persona 3 Portable/FES from the PSN.

Edited November 25, 201311 yr by dimensionslayer

I've heard that Persona 4: Golden on the Vita is an amazing game, and it might be  a good starting point. I don't know much about Persona however.

They aren't connected, (excepst some people comes back in P2 from P1 and the arena)

I think you can start the 3-somehow dark, but awesome game

After P4-Lighter, but there more dead body and murderry.

The persona 4 characters are more well builded, than the P3

 

 

I think you need the check the P4 anime's first episode, and decide -when the story is interesting, start with it!

It's a wonderful part of the series.

The other parts like-Persona,Persona 2 Innocent Sin,P2 Eternal Punishment just for the hardcore fans(I loved they, but not that much like the 3 or the 4)

When you have a PS2, Vita or PSP-

PS2- Persona 3:FES --persona 3 full story+a sequel story

PSP-P3P-persona 3 story+you can chose from 2 storylines-a girl MC is added-but no anime cutscenes.

PSVITA-Persona 4 Golden-Persona 4 with a wawe of addons-scenes, storylines,characters,music,...

Edited November 26, 201311 yr by Shana09

I say persona 4 golden or the original just because they're my favorite games of all time but u might want to start with 3 since most people started with 3 or like 3 the best plus if u go from 4 to 3 you will feel so spoiled because persona 4 is easier and just spoils you in certain aspects though no persona game really connects with others besides arena but you don't need to know anything from the previous games even in arena they talk about what happened in 4 and 3 without spoiling anything really

They're all pretty disconnected except for the 50 million P4 spinoffs, so it doesn't matter which one you play first. There's only one part in P4 that revisits the location P3 takes place in, but again it doesn't really matter.

Definitely play Persona 4 Golden, that is how I started out with the Persona series and it's amazing! Such a twisty and interesting plot~

If you have a PS Vita play Persona 4: Golden if you have a Ps2 play Persona 3: FES , both which adds lots of gameplay value

If you have a PS2, I'd say start with Persona 3 FES*. If you play Persona 4 first, you likely won't be able to adapt to the way Persona 3 works (as P4 improved upon the system P3 made in nearly every regard). Persona 4 is fantastic on the PS2 (my second most played game, ever), but if you have a Vita get P4 Golden. Golden version adds a bunch of content and improves the game-play in numerous ways. I think the only reason you would want to play vanilla P4 over Golden is if you want a more challenging game (I've heard that Golden lost some of P4's challenge because of all the improvements).

 

Speaking of the Vita, I believe that Persona 1 and 2 are available on the PSN. I've heard pretty good things about P2, especially in regards to its story, but apparently its game play is a little bit dated. As for P1, as far as I know, the story is pretty good, but the game-play isn't very good (grindy and obviously dated). Not that P1 is bad, just that it shows it age and you have to be able to tolerate the fact.

 

*P3P, the PSP version of Persona 3 seems decent too. It added some of the game-play improvements that P4 introduced, and has the option to use a Female Main Character (though the story is non-cannon). But it lacks the extra story segment of FES.

 

In short: I'd recommend starting with Persona 3 in some form, then get Persona 4 (preferably Golden, if you can). Persona 1 and 2 are pretty different from 3 and 4, and they are a bit aged. If the somewhat dated mechanics don't bother you, then P2 is good, and P1 is probably decent.

 

Oh, as for storyline, 1 and 2 are connected (I think that characters from 1 show up as playable characters in 2?). 3 and 4 are loosely connected, but you won't be missing out on anything. Arena connects 3 and 4 much more closely, and the story mode should probably be played after beating 3 and 4.

If you have a PS2, I'd say start with Persona 3 FES*. If you play Persona 4 first, you likely won't be able to adapt to the way Persona 3 works (as P4 improved upon the system P3 made in nearly every regard). Persona 4 is fantastic on the PS2 (my second most played game, ever), but if you have a Vita get P4 Golden. Golden version adds a bunch of content and improves the game-play in numerous ways. I think the only reason you would want to play vanilla P4 over Golden is if you want a more challenging game (I've heard that Golden lost some of P4's challenge because of all the improvements).

 

Speaking of the Vita, I believe that Persona 1 and 2 are available on the PSN. I've heard pretty good things about P2, especially in regards to its story, but apparently its game play is a little bit dated. As for P1, as far as I know, the story is pretty good, but the game-play isn't very good (grindy and obviously dated). Not that P1 is bad, just that it shows it age and you have to be able to tolerate the fact.

 

*P3P, the PSP version of Persona 3 seems decent too. It added some of the game-play improvements that P4 introduced, and has the option to use a Female Main Character (though the story is non-cannon). But it lacks the extra story segment of FES.

 

In short: I'd recommend starting with Persona 3 in some form, then get Persona 4 (preferably Golden, if you can). Persona 1 and 2 are pretty different from 3 and 4, and they are a bit aged. If the somewhat dated mechanics don't bother you, then P2 is good, and P1 is probably decent.

 

Oh, as for storyline, 1 and 2 are connected (I think that characters from 1 show up as playable characters in 2?). 3 and 4 are loosely connected, but you won't be missing out on anything. Arena connects 3 and 4 much more closely, and the story mode should probably be played after beating 3 and 4.

Agreed...3 is a good start then move onto 4...

Persona 3 is a good place to start.