Which Persona Game is THE BEST?

Which Persona game do you think is the best? Let me know in the comments below!
Now that we've reached the end of the Persona retrospective, I feel as though it's only appropriate that we rank all the games from worst to best. This is the first ranking video I have ever made so feedback would be appreciated!
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My Other Videos: • Nam's Compendium's Vid...
0:00 Intro
1:59 #13
5:27 #12
8:16 #11
13:37 #10
16:32 #9
23:57 #8
26:50 #7
31:54 #6
34:48 #5
38:57 #4
44:33 #3
49:06 #2
53:41 #1
59:12 Conclusion
1:01:02 Outro & Supporter Credits!
Over the past few years, I’ve been playing and reviewing every game in the persona series. While a nice chunk of them were revisits, a good majority of these videos were dedicated to my first time experiencing some titles. In total, I've made just over 11 hours worth of content covering this series and what it means to me on a personal level. I’ve said almost all that I think needs to be said about each individual game in this franchise, and now that all my thoughts are out there, I think we gotta answer the obvious question. Which Persona Game is the best?
I don’t just mean mainline titles, I’m talking the entire franchise, spinoffs included. Since I’ve never made a video in this style before, I think I should lay out the basic groundwork so we’re all on the same page. This list is going to be ordered from worst to best and each placement is determined by a few different factors. 1. My personal enjoyment. 2. The likelihood of me doing another playthrough. 3. How well I think the game fulfilled its vision. This last metric is very important. Since the persona series is comprised of multiple genres, I think measuring these games by this standard will be a good way to put them on an even playing field.
Which Persona game is the best? The best Persona game could be anything so in today's video we're going to be ranking the Persona games so we can determine which Persona game is the best. The Persona series ranked has been a video I've wanted to do for a while including the top 5 Persona games and top 10 Persona videos. Since my Persona series retrospective otherwise known as Persona series critique, I have been thinking about which Persona game is the best in terms of gameplay and story. After finishing my ultimate Persona retrospective where I cover every Persona game Persona analysis videos, I think it's time to find out which Persona game is the best.This Persona series analysis and Persona series critique video by Nam's Compendium is the best video I've ever made and is the best Persona retrospective you can find

[@NamsCompendium]

Did you know that I have a podcast with fellow KZbinr That Boy Aqua? Check it out if you're interested! kzbin.info/door/xTeuiquVfMM5BZyQqLcnug

[@MineplexVLOfficial]

I honestly thought you guys were the same person

[@OneManCast]

I did not. I like That Boy Aqua over the Assassins Creed series.

[@Ty-cx5zj]

The one thing that put persona 4 above everything else to me is the cast. They genuinely feel like friends who would still be friends outside of the problems they face in the game and that just goes a long way for the immersion of the game.

[@DavidHosey1]

That’s what 5 Royal seems like to me, tho it’s clear that they’re more likely to be friends due to circumstances allowing it while 4 had three of them friends from the beginning Basically, 5 is finding friends in any place you can, 4 is friends who’ve been there from the beginning, and 3 is just friendly coworkers lmao

[@ItsShaz1]

Agreed

[@lumppump1182]

for me, the cast is a big reason why i like persona 4 least. i think both persona 3 and 5 each have better individual development of their characters, and that both casts vibe better as a group. that being said nostalgia definitely plays a factor in your opinion, so it's about as subjective as subjective gets.

[@nathanbraun2067]

everyone in the cast is great cept for yu

[@justaslime7525]

Hard agree For me: Persona 3 has the best story Persona 4 has the best cast Persona 5 has the best gameplay

[@driftingsoul1999]

I felt stronger emotions when playing P4G and I'm more attached to the main cast here than any other game. It was like a summer vacation I wished would never end and I felt sad saying goodbye to them at the end. I agree that it's the best game of the franchise

[@FuzzyDlop]

Except it's not, it's objectively the weakest of the last 3. Persona 3 completely obliterates it with much better characters, combat system, actual hardcore difficulty, plot, dialogue, general writing and literally everything else. P4 was developed in response to the love to P3, with a discount version of the characters from Persona 3(Hashino himself admitted this and promised better for P5 back then), it made the difficulty more approachable to people like you who complained that a truly hardcore JRPG like Persona 3 was...too hardcore(imagine From Software doing that with new Souls games) and Hashino ALSO acknowledged that as well and promised better for P5(which is why P5 was at least a hardcore game in Hard Mode). Sorry but Persona is a hardcore JRPG series and to be at its best, it has to provide a hardcore experience, which Persona 3 MORE than any other game. In fact P4, didn't provide a truly hardcore experience, failing the very core of the Persona series. The characters also being slightly different skins than the P3's characters also prevent it from being a 10 out of 10 game like P3. This nonsense about Persona 4 started by new and casual fans of Persona and Atlus has to end, seriously.

[@driftingsoul1999]

@@FuzzyDlop I tried P3 as well since I've played P5R and P4G and it's my least favourite out of the three. Not that it's bad, I just prefer the other two. I stand by my opinion and this KZbinr agrees with me as well ✌️

[@angelc4919]

@@FuzzyDlop 🤓

[@amitr24242]

@@driftingsoul1999 agree with you. Persona 5 royal is my favorite, then persona 4 golden. Love those game so much. I liked persona 3 but it's the weakest in my opinion, even tho I really enjoyed the female route way more than the male route.

[@uhWilliam]

@@FuzzyDlop persona 3 too hardcore? bro you've never played Shin Megami Tensei or what?? i have played Persona 3, Persona 3 FES, Persona 3 portable, Persona 4, Persona 4 golden, Persona 5, Persona 5 Royal and i can say without a doubt Persona 4 is my number 1 favorite all time

[@jeezycreezy4220]

In P4, you mentioned that Inaba felt like a character itself, and I really felt that. I grew up in a similar town to Inaba. It is a small, isolated town whos main attractions attractions are the beautiful natural areas around it and a famous hotel that may or may not be haunted. For me, P4's setting felt like home.

[@philoni5368]

The game must hit even harder because of that, wow

[@dimo6994]

I totally agree i like personas 4 environment and town way better than 3 and 5

[@jeezycreezy4220]

@@philoni5368 I wouldn't necessarily say it hits harder for me than 3 or 5 did simply because of the setting, but it definitly helped me connect to the game more.

[@XDahmare]

bro what town do you live in i would like to look it up if you don’t mind

[@jeezycreezy4220]

@@XDahmare I don't live there any more, but it's Estes Park, CO

[@bubbletea_]

i'm liking the top 4 picks. very nice. :) my favorite is still, five years after first playing it, Persona 3. it's not just about living life to the fullest, but also about finding your *own* meaning in it instead of living aimlessly. the premise of a guy who's kind of distant to everyone thrown into a situation where he has to make friends reminds me of myself. when i started college, i came around and learned to appreciate people more, even the ones that can be a little annoying sometimes. if Persona 4 is a game targeted towards the "lonely", then Persona 3 is made more for the lon-ers.

[@VincentEternal]

cringe

[@bubbletea_]

@@VincentEternal :(

[@terraclock]

@@bubbletea_ i didn’t think it was cringe :)

[@sung54769]

​@@VincentEternal its his opinion

[@VincentEternal]

@@sung54769 don’t care🥱

[@LM-ul8ij]

Persona 4 is the top for me. I felt like i am part of that group of friends. P5 also made me feel that way to some degree while P3 feels the same as coworkers.

[@naylisyazwina6836]

for me, my emotions were at the weakest when I played 4. My favourite is 5. Then 3. I didn't like Persona Q. My favourite characters are in 5 but 3 and 4 does seem like more natural genuine group of friends. Maybe because I could relate more to the P3 protagonist. P4 and P5 protagonist are really extravagant when fighting

[@Pieruh]

P4 turn into a silent hill type of game when December comes. I love it

[@MrNH718]

This might be the differences in ages of the case from 3 and 4. In 3 most of the main group is the same age whereas in 3 you have a mix of first years, third years, a middle schooler, a robot, etc.

[@imthatjayson]

agree with the coworker part.

[@ManuPlays05]

Tbh i like that p4 is top 1 tbh that game helped me on an issue i had with some "friends" and alongside trails in the sky the 3rd. it helped me recover from not accepting myself and be who i am today

[@bigdick4090ti]

hope it can help me too. here's to change 🍷

[@Triforce9426]

Glad I'm not the only one that found P4 Dancing's story bizarrely sensible and non-cringe for being a canon rhythm game spinoff. Dare I say I actually _like_ that games story.

[@axellycan5070]

It was nice that they actually put some kind of thought into it and actually commented on the entertainment industry far more than Tokyo Mirage Sessions ever did.

[@monca1222]

@@axellycan5070 having all the outfits and song remixes were great too 😆

[@borgorbun9026]

Genuinely I feel the 4 spin offs just do much better than you would think so. So much so the dancing all night spinoff is one of my favorite games in general

[@matthew2277]

I feel similar to P3 as you do towards 4, it had such an immense impact on me that I can overlook the flaws, it just means a lot to me

[@Tieigo0]

How about reload now?

[@lordzero4734]

Can already tell this is going to be amazing. Kinda sad to see the end of your Persona content. (Well, until p6 comes out)

[@DavidHosey1]

Bold to assume that it won’t just be Persona 5 Royal Part 2

[@lordzero4734]

My comment aged well.

[@jeezyyplays6234]

@@DavidHosey1 just beat royal… the very last scene felt like a hint at a future sequel right? Or am I just coping😭

[@DavidHosey1]

@@jeezyyplays6234 honestly I could see it. Strikers is already a sequel (and despite what some may say online, it definitely fits when put after Royal too). Given how well that performed, I’d say there’s at least a chance for either another Strikers game or maybe some kind of follow-up in the traditional way

[@emanuelepolloni4002]

@@DavidHosey1 Persona 5 Arena when?

[@edwardsuou]

Putting Eternal Punishment this high is a bold move. But you’re so right damnit there’s no game in the franchise I am so passionate about for a simple reason: it’s the most underrated. I don’t think it should be lower than top 5 in anyone’s ranking. That game is just brilliant, no game in the series had what EP managed to achieve, easily better than P3 that’s for sure. EP while being very linked to IS and you can definitely have the most out of it by playing IS first is actually a stand-alone game who explains everything you need to know as you go. So to anyone: just play the damn game. You won’t get a protagonist as good as Tatsuya in any Jrpg from Atlus that’s for sure.

[@Gael-xp4fk]

100% agree people like to fanboy over the newer protagonists but they have no where near enough character development as Tastuya

[@anxhelovucinaj1576]

@@MaledictusXCII the only tip I could give you is to play the psp fan translation of the game. Not only does it have a lot of quality of life improvements,better UI and framerate to make the random encounters faster to go through but also an added story content for tatsuya where you get to play certain key story points from his perspective which enhances the story's themes a lot more. So if you want to play the game at it's best on both gameplay and story do yourself a favor and play the psp fan translated version of it,you won't regret it. Also you need to play p1 and p2 innocent sin first in order to get the best out of p2 eternal punishment's story

[@peste4592]

@@MaledictusXCII psp innocent sin is baby easy mode and slow even on hard, but EP psp is faster and also the difficulty is the same

[@edwardsuou]

@@peste4592 that’s wrong EP is way more harder, I played the hell out of both versions and they have basically the same difficulty, the psp one also has an option to make the game a bit harder unlike Innocent Sin. You can’t compare those two gameplay simply because EP has a far superior balancing and especially on Nate’s route has a ton of pretty challenging bosses you can’t just beat by spamming random attacks like in IS.

[@peste4592]

@@edwardsuou oh l wrote it wrong, my intention was saying that EP was the same as the original, I'm sorry

[@Comrade_Hee-Ho]

I love Eternal Punishment, that game really means a lot to me and it's unfair in my opinion that not many people played just because the PSX version is "old and bad", when the PSP version is almost identical, but at least now with the fan translation of said version more people will be able to experience it

[@misteris2385]

I don't think it's because people think it's bad but it's kind of make sense that people won't play it to appreciate it. I mean there was no official english translation for a long time so it was left behind by potential fans. not many would pick up old games for the sake of playing it.

[@nebula8893]

I have only played p5r and p4g so i cant make an opinion on the whole series, but i personally found 5 to be a LOT more enjoyable for my personal tastes. Stylization and gameplay are really important for me to be able to enjoyably make it through these games and enjoy their awesome stories, music, etc P4g dungeon crawling and daily life was REALLY hard for me to get through. It made me feel like i had to just run through the motions because it was all so monotonosu The writing was as good if not even better than 5, but the actual route to getting through it was much more painful for me. So i'd say its fantastic, but royal is my favorite 100% (also p3r will likely be amazing for me. Very, very excited to play it, and the only reason i didnt play 3 yet is to wait for that)

[@Necokeniii]

I started with persona 5, but royal is the best one so far. Persona 1 seems to have the best story and persona 4 has my favorite cast. The characters in persona 4 seem like genuine friends who would hang out even if they lost their personas or didn’t meet in a tragic way. However persona 3 seem to have the best theme from start to finish. What I liked about royal is how the ending tied together the theme and cast with a perfect bow. When I beat persona 5, I got the bad ending but I didn’t think about it afterwards. I just beat p5 royal and that boss fight and ending felt very satisfying. Strikers was a lot of fun, all in all persona is a great franchise that I’m always surprised how people can have varying opinions on the same franchise.

[@alexjackyperson101]

defending the God of control is so God damn satisfying, it made me not regret what I'm doing at that point because I just want to save world from itself

[@dencheq]

It seems you haven't payed additional chapter of Persona Royal

[@jonathansoko1085]

I pity you. 5 is not the best persona game and it has ruined your ability to think for yourself

[@nebula8893]

​@@jonathansoko1085 what a stupid ass take. "Your opinion is different than mine therefore you can't think for yourself" Your opinion immediately loses any value whenever you act like this. Get your head out of your own ass dude 😭 like seriously

[@ih2738]

@@jonathansoko1085 bros mad

[@yoshiglx]

P4g really is a special game. Even after playing the entire franchise its the first game that comes to my mind when i think of persona. Its themes, characters and music never left my mind since i played it. And i think it’s going to bstay like that for a long time.

[@Soullesstearss]

i played Persona 3 Persona 4 and currently playing Persona 5 royal... honestly the best one for me is Persona 3, the story really moved me... But I really like Persona 4, I think the protagonist's friendship with the other characters is beautiful... The ending also made me cry like Persona 3 😭🥺

[@cooltwittertag]

the first one you olay is always the best one

[@cooltwittertag]

Lets be honest though the game design of P3 and somewhat P4 is aging really badly, which honestly is hurting their great story telling

[@Soullesstearss]

@@cooltwittertag naaah to me is good

[@reksraven6909]

​@@cooltwittertag with any other series I would agree but with persona it is really different. The protagonists, party members and social links are so much different in the persona games. It is really more down to what personality type you are. The typical loner will probably resonate more with persona 3. Where a person that is full of insecurities tries to overshadow them might resonate with p4. And people who are more rebellious and strife for freedom might be more connected to p5. In the end the persona games are really good at capturing a mood and the experience of being a teenager. World ending plots aside. This will dictate more what your favorite ends up being. Anecdotally I know a lot of people that found their favorite persona game later. I am such an example. I love persona 4 as it was my first persona game. But my favorite is and probably will always be persona 3. It's themes, story and style resonates so much with me that I cannot help but return to it way more than persona 4 or any other game in the franchise.

[@hello-gx6oi]

Story wise the persona 2 duology is the most strongly written persona game That's what I heard about them so I will be playing them I'll be finishing IS and I can't wait to get into EP Edit: So i finally finished innocent sin "I cried" 8/10 would not play again (i had mental breakdowns because of gameplay but the story is amazing and the people did not lie about it) Now i am currently playing eternal punishment and man it is night and day Thanks to its rebalancing I am much more engaged with the mechanics of the game and i didn't even mind grinding persona ranks to get new spells (strategy reigns supreme than character levels) With this i began to notice gameplay elements like in modern persona games and that would be managing stuff during downtimes after a dungeon i feel like these are the seeds that would then lead to P3

[@Gael-xp4fk]

This is correct don't let the P3 fanboys change ur mind

[@DioBrandoWRYYYYYY]

Oh it's absolutely the best written Persona game, and you'll never get one like that ever again because of the writing limitations imposed on modern Persona titles by the dating sim aspect of the games and how the Persona 4 lovers would probably try to bomb Atlus HQ if Persona 6 decided to remove social links and not have a total blank slate projection character as the MC.

[@drazydark1736]

@@DioBrandoWRYYYYYY now you're just hating on Persona 4 my dude. I'm sure a fans of Persona 3, 4, and 5 want the social link to stay. After all social link is a big part of modern Persona games.

[@DioBrandoWRYYYYYY]

@@drazydark1736 I just think the modern Persona format is a little too limited with the way it can tell stories. What can Persona 6 do to distinguish itself from the previous 3? It'll just be another game where you're the blank slate transfer student and the only thing that changes is the backdrop and people around you, and I just think modern Persona fans will be the ones hit the hardest by the eventual disappointment when it doesn't hit the same anymore.

[@drazydark1736]

@@DioBrandoWRYYYYYY there is no need for Persona 6 to distinguish itself from the rest of the games. Just look at 5, literally the same thing as previous 2 but more upgraded and they still succesful.

[@Tydrix]

I really enjoyed Persona 5 Strikers story because it's a Japan road trip adventure. I was suppose to have a Japan trip in 2020, but we know that didn't happen, so Strikers fulfilled some of that. My makeup trip will be in the summer of 2023, summit to Fuji and exploring Hokkaido.

[@Tydrix]

@@Dominicn123 dude, you don’t even know me, stop generalizing. Anyway it’s too late. Japan is already open lots of people are already there. I’ve been to Japan so many times I don’t even care about Tokyo. Will be mostly in other small towns up north. And I won't "steal" any merchandise cause I only have one backpack when I travel.

[@Chaosflower]

Have fun

[@wizamaulana6362]

I played strikers before persona 5 vanilla, which is odd be because its the only p5 game in pc. I love sapporo from all jail, especially those jack frost marching together 😂

[@jessm.sandler7187]

How did the trip go?

[@Tydrix]

@@jessm.sandler7187 Amazing. Posted my Fuji summit video. Visited all the prefectures in Tohoku. Went to Nebuta matsuri, Akita Kanto and Morioka matsuri. Caught the last few days of lavender fields in Furano, Hokkaido. And reached Oma and Osorezan Temple in Aomori.

[@RexCrimson_]

For me Persona 3FES, will always be my personal favorite due to how dark/realist the game was. It didn’t sugar coat things and helped as a person understand that life isn’t perfect, but to value the experiences and people we have around. I was a teen when I played this. My number 2 is Persona 4. It helped take life more lightly and not to be very serious. It felt like the light after darkness after playing P3FES. I was in my early 20s when I played this game. My number 3 is Persona 5. Since it helped me understand to question authority, but to understand that with change there is a big responsibility. Basically, be proactive but understand that everything has a cause and effect and you will be responsible moving forward. I was in my mid 20s when I played this. Basically I enjoyed every game for what it was. But each one carried a different message for me. I played a bit of persona 1 and persona 2. But since I started playing them in my late 20s they don’t seem to make such a large impact on me as if I played them when the first came came out. This is why I don’t rank them, since it would be unfair.

[@MISTABUSTABASE]

I feel like i enjoy the story more for Persona 3, mainly the ending... its almost like i enjoy the destination more than the journey. While i absolutely love the ending of Persona 3, Persona 4 is pretty much the opposite, the ending and the story is pretty good, but the cast to me feels so clean and I feel like I'm genuinely making life long friends and having a blast throughout the entire journey. And for that reason, Persona 4 is my favorite game but persona 3 isnt far behind when i think about the story.

[@TheGamerGuy1981]

Amazing how different we all are, I loved p3's story but loathed it's ending.

[@Beatjoy5511]

I only played 3 4 and 5 but honestly the third one made me cry fr. The story was so damn moving, and the movie they made was just as good too. The 4th one made me feel connected to something bigger while also giving me a mystery to bite my fingernails to. The community meet right from the jump makes you feel at home. The 5th one was probably the funnest one to play though, with all the towns you can explore and all the confidants being especially important to turn into vows. It made it extra fun

[@dencheq]

How old were you while playing P3 and P4 for the first time? In what year did you play P3? Mystery in P4? Really? I've guessed who the killer was in first 3 hours. The only good thing about this game is the cast, story and plot was blant to me.

[@benjoman8252]

​@@dencheqI'd like to question how old you are, since you can't seem to spell bland. Putting down someone because they had an opinion different to yours is just cringe

[@dencheq]

​@@benjoman8252 don't quite understand part about spelling from a guy who makes mistakes in english himself. I didn't put anyone down. I've asked when did he played the game for the first time. In childhood or on game original release or already in adult state.

[@PriestDaSensei]

P4G is the best we dont even got to explain it

[@catplantASMR]

persona 4 goldens soundtrack is such a bop! and the cast meshs so well together :)

[@seafarer_]

P5 has impeccable vibes and visuals, but P4 is warm and cozy like a hug, and I’d want to live in it the most.

[@luisdaniel6611]

Your comment is exactly how i feel about P4 and P5 ✌

[@o-o857]

5 is my favourite, in fact I would go so far as to say it's the best JRPG of all time. Can't wait to play it some day

[@eonnephilim852]

this is such good satire lmaooo anyway yeah, this indeed is the average p5 fan. I also fucking love persona 5 so much, I would kill an infant to have the ability to play it because that johnawesome guy's playthrough looks so good!!!

[@Ibrahim-wr5fs]

It’s your favourite and the best jrpg but you’ve never played it wtf😭

[@TheNirvana65]

Dude, I truly love your channel, you played the same games I did when I was a teen and you really hit the nail on the aspects of those games that help me get through a lot of self-doubt and anxieties I had at that age (and still do!). I'm a teacher in Chile, and talking to some of those more introvert and nerdy kids having the same issues as me, I recommended P5 to some of them and they absolutely loved it. I hope Persona helped them as much as it helped me when I first played P3 and P4.

[@sbfh014]

As someone who's only played the "newsona" games, gameplay wise I'd say persona 5 Royale with cheese, because almost always in games the later ones have updated gameplay mechanics that work better, but I'll say persona 3 works thematically, because the theme of death is prevalent in basically every aspect, social link and character, and looking back on it now, I'm happy it was my first persona game, and I can't wait to play portable on recent consoles next year. (I also hope they rerelease/remaster p1 and P2 because I do want to support the official releases when I can and not sail the seas with captain Jack Sparrow, lol)

[@rachelelicavoli]

The theme of persona 4 fits into Carl Jung’s persona/shadow and the ego so well. Such a beautiful story. This cast is by far the best in the series and the game itself has so much charm. Not too much, not too little. This will always be a game close to my heart.

[@CaiqueDeodato]

I have to agree on Jung argument.

[@Randompancakes12345]

Agree wholeheartedly, Persona 4 (Golden) is the best game in the series, and one of my favourite games ever.

[@AnnoyedLotus]

Always worth the money to get Nam videos early. Looking forward to the video, and I'm sure you put a lot of work into it! Keep up the amazing work, Nam!

[@rynetabor3744]

Great takes. Persona 5 Royal was my favorite game I’ve ever play from the first hour. I already loved persona 5 but playing it again with the added story lines helped me get through the lock down. It came out the day my job shut down. And I preordered it months before.

[@victoriasharpe1661]

P5 for the combat and music but p4 because of the characters. They genuinely felt closer than the other games and for me that's the whole point of the persona games, their bonds with the main character. The characters of 4 felt like once it was all over and they were out of danger, they would remain in contact as friends. Also I really liked the relationship system on 4 better

[@noakinn]

persona 3 had my favourite story, personally

[@egbertmilton4003]

@@noakinn With what? The absolute patches of nothing happening between full moon shadows. The contrived deaths that lead to development. The lack of antagonists and villains with character or development. The clownery of Ikutsuki, Jin, and Takaya threats, alongside to understand how upset SEES are about losing Ryoji. The nonsense that is making you the leader, the accepting of Ken and Koromaru as fighters when one is a not fully developed child who is also the what was left behind by one of SEES mistakes and the other is an innocent dog. The fact that Koromaru barely gets any character in the story. That Fuuka is bland as bread in the narrative. The fact that we barely get to know what Ken’s family was like before his mother died and we never see what happened during the period of his life without his mother. The fact that Mitsuru doesn’t really get called out for some of her more questionable actions despite leading to conflict that could have easily been prevented. What about this story is good? The end? Takaya and Jin starting a cult makes little sense, they’re barely looked up to in the community, if anyone was going to make a cult, it would be some rich douche, not a rotting corpse and a grenade nerd. Apathy syndrome before this was barely felt like a threat compared to what occurred in Persona 2, considering it not only worsened to the point of people actually disappearing but due to people who matter to your party being affected. Sure, it’s emotions are nice and all, the theme is somewhat nice to understand, but it falls apart as the logical aspects just open up chasms.

[@debrumdebros596]

@@egbertmilton4003 Who hurt you? Jokes aside, just from your comment alone, i can kinda tell you weren't that invested in the game to begin with. It is commented that Jin is someone famous on the internet, and he used his influence to give Takaya voice, and the cult started spreading. Added to that, Nyx comming down to earth was because of Erberus: The human desire for death. So, yeah, if people already wanted death, it would make sense for them to follow Takaya's cult. You didnt bother to give this two thoughs, did you? And now, sincerely, down to what i, at least, appreciated in the story. For one, even though i agree the game's story was mostly slow between full moons, you can't just discredit it as "nothing happening." That time is important for introducing characters, developing them, and to give atleast some progress to the mystery of Tartarus. And, if you're not into something that slow, thats okay. But you do realize it is possible to enjoy it, right? Proceeding, i actually enjoyed the SEES members development over time. They started out more like coworkers, but through the game, they change not only in reaction to what's going on, but also take action themselves. My favorite exemple of this is the friendship between Yukari and Mitsuru. They started out not really getting along, especially when Yukari discovered the information Mitsuru didnt reveal, but they were able to form a bond with eachother nonetheless. I actually enjoyed that. Im not even going to get into Junpei, the dude's the GOAT. But i will simply mention the small detail that, during January, his grades are actually above average if i remember well, which is a small and cool detail, in my opinion. As a last point, i want to talk about the character who was (to me atleast) the most relatable: Aigis. Im not going to claim that she's top writing or anything, but i actually really enjoyed her story arc of trying to find purpose in life after failing what she was meant to do. Idunno, i guess i just like toast Well, that was, atleast, my reasons to like Persona 3. (I played Portable, but now a bit about The answer, btw). If you dont like it, thats cool champ. PS: I didnt really include everything, so if you're actually interested in hearing my point, just warn me up.

[@egbertmilton4003]

@@debrumdebros596 We don't the full details on how he's famous on the internet though. The only thing that is mentioned is Jin's website, Revenge Request. It could be he's a good social media star or he could be known as a cyber terrorist. Just because he's well known on the internet, because we don't really see how in game aside from that one website, it doesn't make him a good voice for cult creation compared to an actual influencer. An assassination webpage isn't enough to establish a following in the port. Even with Erebus, which is still not the greatest addition, even with the symbol of human grief and negativity, not just a symbol of the death drive, there is no reason to flock to a nobody like Takaya even if he is recommended by Jin. Takaya was never publicly popular before this cult sprang up, he could have never offered the safety and security to the scared public that a cult leader needs to pretend to show at the very least. It's clear that not everyone is affected the same by the Fall, considering how people are still scared by others melting around them despite others begging for the Fall. Mitsuru's grandfather still oversaw and manipulated people into trying to make the Fall occur and he wasn't a Persona User. He was still affected by that death drive, yet he still orchestrated plans for destruction via using people. And you're telling me it's Takaya, using the ambiguous internet fame of Jin, that is the leader. Not some actual charismatic manipulator. Not some established cult before that finally rises to prominence. Just Takaya and Jin, two children. Character development is good, but the issue is that the plot itself doesn't progress. Like, its nice focusing on characters, but for most of the game, the story is static. It doesn't help that the most active and threatening antagonist outside shadow Death is Arcana Magician. You need to maintain the tension throughout the narrative like this, you can't just rely on good character writing to carry you though not feeling as if progress is being made much. Each dead shadow should be a monumental moment with dread seeping in as they notice more cases popping up with each shadow tarot number going up. The shadows don't feel particularly threatening in the narrative especially with Apathy Syndrome staying the same outside of increased cases in the game, when Shadowmen in the P2:IS not only worsened throughout the playthrough to a much more horrifying point, but it also having a direct impact on the relationships with one of the main characters, Eikichi, basically having to watch his friends slowly become silent and fade from existence. I agree that a good degree of the development is good, especially for Junpei, he is someone who I expected to be a whiney dick, but he truly showed how much of an utter chad he was, both with his romantic interactions with Chidori and how he acted in FEMC's confidant. I never knew about the grades detail, that's pretty nice to know he's doing well despite his abusive dad and his feelings of inadequacy. He truly is a GOAT. He's the best character, but I just can't ignore the fact that the most major turning point in his arc is caused by a regular bullet, that doesn't even immediately kill him, he still looked down and everything. His teammates didn't even try to heal him, they just let Chidori (nearly) kill herself to do it, when a good portion of them could have restored him, while the rest kick Takaya and Jin's ass. Like, her sacrifice was worthless and only happened because SEES didn't try to save one of their members. The same can be said for Akihiko, Ken and Shinji's scene. I can't just ignore the game ignoring gameplay mechanics when they can easily solve the issues in the narrative, they're usable, that cause such major shifts in the arcs of characters. Yukari is the second most consistent, well written character in their arc, and again I must agree that her interactions with Mitsuru are good. You're not wrong about Aigis, she's very well written indeed. She has one of the best arcs in Persona history. Don't know why they made her Aeon, swear she was Chariot, but it was lovely to see her find purpose outside of just protecting the MC. It was lovely. It just doesn't make sense that people are ignoring these faults in the narrative, considering how encompassing they are. There's so much wasted potential, its astonishing. It's fair if you like it, but why would it be a favourite. The endings great, even if Shinji's sacrifice that inspired this was lacking, its incredibly bittersweet with everyone rushing to the roof, and Aigis watching the one she guarded/loves disappear. But you can't just sustain a story on the ending. I don't really know what "warn you up" means, but would you kindly do so, because, I cannot comprehend why people say this is the strongest story compared to 4 and 5. What points are you going to bring up?

[@debrumdebros596]

@@egbertmilton4003 First of all, thanks for engaging in the conversation. Well, this is going to be mostly my personal opinion, but from the way i see it, 5, 4 and 3 follow completely different narrative structures. In 5 i dont really get too much of a sense of where things are going, there isn't much of a goal. The Phantom Thieves villains feel more like a "Villain of the week" thing than anything else. In Persona 4, i would say the pace for most of the story is pretty good. There is one clear goal: Solve the murder case. Progress is made, little by little, but my biggest problem is how it all paid off, especially in Golden. I will get more to that later. In Persona 3, the early-midgame story is pretty much doing the setup for the endgame. This means that the story will be dead slow, sure: But it will give a damn good setup. Now, regarding the ending, Persona 4 Golden (Which was the version i played) felt like it took the whole Izanami thing out of nowhere. It just didnt really feel like anything because it was just too sudden: In one day they uncover there is a enemy, find out who that is, and beat them. It just completely breaks the whole narrative compared to the rest of the story up until now: Slowly getting hints and reaching closer and closer to the truth, until the payoff arrives. Although i agree that for a long part of the game (Until December, to be precise) i would say Persona 4 story is, indeed, better than Persona 3. The problem is in December and forward. Meanwhile, in Persona 3, the setup time meant we got to know the characters and their struggles. Here, i will talk about the main theme of the game: Death. I think Persona 3 does its job of presenting and developing its theme better than 4 and 5, for one reason: In 3, we get to see the characters struggles and perspectives on that. Not only this, they get a warning and a choice to either live in fear of death, but face it head on, or pretend its not going to happen and be happy for a while. After getting to not only know the characters, but see their resolve once they arrive at their answer, feels, atleast to me, as a pretty damn good payoff. In Persona 4, everyone started out as friends; In 3, they became friends. And i think it clicked me the most because the concept of death is one i had to grapple much against. Also, the main character. He's actually my favorite MC of the 3 modersonas, because he feels the one who grew the most. Narukami and Akira feels rather constant; Meanwhile, Makoto started out as someone who desired death (thats kinda implied, atleast.) And yet, when he discovers his reason for living, he have to die to protect that. To add upon that, i actually liked the way you talk to your Social Links in march is pretty much a way to show how this man, singlehandedly, changed the life of so many people. And yet, his fate comes: He dies. This level of setup/payoff may not be seen as ideal, i understand, but when the payoff hits its like "Holy damn." And it makes the slow pace of the start damn worth it, to some of us atleast. Summarising the last few paragraphs: The ending themes and payoff were just *that* good. Atleast, for me. About the Chidori thing, i dont think mechanics and narrative should mix eachother too much, in this case. Like, applying the same logic, why didnt they just Remacarm Shinji? Although, you bring up a valid point. Junpei takes 7 bullets in fight: Kicking ass Junpei takes 1 bullet in cutscene: Fucking dies Sadly, its kinda videogame logic. Trying to apply the same logic, why doesnt Naoto's revolver just one-shot Adachi? Or why didnt Adachi just fucking shot the investigation team? It would have made sense, sure, but it would be inconvenient. About the Takaya thing, i still take it more like Takaya and Jin being aware some people actually want death, and making use of it. Not everyone knows about the Dark Hour, Nyx and the Fall, so people's desires for death would have kept mostly unconscious. Takaya and Jin knew, however, and abused it to make it popular. Although i agree it would have been better to explaing Jin's thingy a bit better. Also, just a remark about Koromaru you made in your last comment, he's no different than a Police Dog. Heck, its probably more human than that, since Koromaru actually joined by his own will. And the dog kicks ass. Also, about Ken thing, i think it actually was not necessarly irresponsible. Ken offered to fight by himself: Imagine if he somehow got an Evoker (They didnt know who gave Estrega Evokers, so it would be possible) and started acting on his own. Not that a child fighting is much better, and i wish the point i brought up was actually in the game, but its more my vision on it. Thanks for reading.

[@jesserivera2043]

I like persona 5 and Royal the best, but mainly for what it brings to the table for the mainline series' themes: you only have one life, so what do you do with it? Persona 3 and 4 do a great job portray the meaning of death and life superbly, but those are the building blocks that give persona 5 its theme of "what do you do if the world around you is preventing your freedoms that allow you to live your life?" Rebel and have conviction, of course

[@ih2738]

I kind of disagree with the idea that that was P5's new addition to the series. Persona 3 is basically entirely about making the most of your fleeting life, and I think it handles it better. I still like each of the games a lot too

[@santinogoring8860]

I don't always agree with you, but I respect your love and passion for the serries, keep up the good work man.

[@dachking6657]

My personal favorite is Persona 5 Royal due to characters and gameplay. I like them all to an extent, but if I had to pick one as my least favorite, it would probably be the original Q. I have never played either of the Arena games, as I’m generally not a huge fighting-game guy unless the title is Super Smash Brothers or Guilty Gear. 10. Persona Q 9. Persona 3&5 Dancing 8. Persona 1 7. Persona Q2 6. Persona 4 Dancing 5. Persona 3 4. Persona 5 Strikers 3. Persona 4 2. Persona 2 EP + IS (I’m only grouping them because the story is continuous) 1. Persona 5 (Royal)

[@matheusmoreira9951]

I mean, the Arena games are made by Arc System, the same guys behind Guilty Gear... So maybe you'll enjoy it

[@august...4847]

Amazing Video my friend, P2 EP is my favorite in my opinion

[@Gael-xp4fk]

Very respectable take

[@mortomultiverse8778]

On a narrative speaking I honestly agree. P2 EP and P3 where the ones that impacted me the most in terms of themes and characters, and left me thinking for a long time after reaching the credits. While I really liked the rest of the series, I didn't felt that personal connection like those games.

[@jackflynn412]

P4 being at the top where it belongs. Because that's what Personas and Shadows are all about at the end of the day. Accepting your hidden side you may not want to see. That's powerful and wholesome.

[@ArshadZahid_nohandleideas]

And for that it gets 4 wholesome awards and 16 tie-in media

[@FuzzyDlop]

Persona 4 is the one for more casual players who complained that Persona 3, the ultimate Persona experience, was too hardcore and the story and writers were too dark and complex. Stop spouting nonsense about Persona 4, which is the weakest of the 3, made in response to the love of Persona 3 and developed with MUCH LESS time compared to P3. P3 is not only the greatest Persona ever made but also the greatest JRPG ever made. You should probably develop a better attention span and better critical skills.

[@jackflynn412]

@@FuzzyDlop Persona fan when another opinion: Which one is the best is subjective and I like all 3. Also it had a shorter development time because it reused assets and the engine from Persona 3. Everything in P3 was made from scratch whereas P4 had a lot to work off of.

[@customizablewario]

@@FuzzyDlop i can't tell if you're joking or not

[@reksraven6909]

@@FuzzyDlop Dude I love Persona 3. It is by far my favorite. But why are you toxic because people have different opinions. Persona games (especial 3-5) are resonating with different people.

[@Hilversumborn]

For me it's 5. It legit changed my life for the better during a rough period.

[@2amichaelj]

Anyone playing any version of P3, P4 or P5 for the first time is a win. It's really hard to be an RPG fan, play a Persona game, and not want to play the entire SMT/Persona series.

[@LuXianNL]

I’d really love hearing a list about the smt games ranked as well in a similar way as this one

[@Miseriabella]

For years I thought I was alone in loving the Persona franchise until recently. It was truly my introduction in to the gaming world and I fell in love with all the characters and storylines. I actually agree with your choices on this list for the most part, 3 and 4 are my top two favorites. I was super late to the franchise and I started with 3 as my very first so it definitely has a special place in my heart.

[@christianmayle7792]

My introduction was Final Fantasy X. That game is the best JRPG to date. Best visuals, best story, best characters, most memorable quotes, & has some great twists & turns.

[@izzyalistair]

Persona 4 has some of the best music in the franchise and in all of media in general.

[@JP2427]

Bold of you to put the chie flash game at number 1. I respect it tbh

[@pickerjo2000]

3 FES is my favourite for sure, best actual game would be P5 probably

[@archcrawley6357]

They all have their perks. 3 has the best story, themes and music (still listen to mass destruction when working out). 4 has the best party, main cast and the best protagonist (our boy yu). 5 has the best dungeons, gameplay and all the social links are the most consistent across the board.

[@johnnybananas3833]

ah yes all of them, all 3 of them

[@Gael-xp4fk]

Disagree about ur P3 takes best themes sure , but best story? That game has to much bad pacing and boring antagonists like strega and ikutski, also as for best music P4 just has more better songs with lyrics P3 barley has like 4 songs with lyrics

[@FSVR54]

4 has the best music imo

[@Gael-xp4fk]

@@Person76439 ok but the vast majority of the persona fandom favorite tracks are the ones with vocals rivers of desert burn my dread reach out to the truth etc etc so my point still stands

[@D0Y0u3v3r]

I really don't mind Persona 5 being easy. I have now gone through Persona 4 and am almost done through Persona 3. Something that stayed consistent as I played through the previous games, was the fact that it didn't feel like your actions were equivalent to the reward. Persona 5 has every action you do feel like it's meaningful to something. Like the amount of time you put in to the game discovering different things, the better you actually get. Which in turn, for me, makes me really want to find every aspect of the game. The most broken ability just isn't the Insta-kill, it's the massage. All of the Persona games partly rely on you managing your time wisely because you only have so much. That ability just straight up gives you time to do anything. It really says something about how good Persona 5 is that a lot of people (even before knowing about that ability) complained about not having enough time to play more. If someone wanted the game to be harder, then all you do is just not put in effort. Persona 3 for example has every other enemy have instant kill attacks and they absolutely spam it. No matter what you do, it feels as though you need luck to make any progress. In Persona 4 there were so many enemies resistant to a lot of attacks and a lot of time it felt like you needed twenty personas, multiple items, and luck to take them down before you get taken out with no other way to get past other than to spend more years doing what you've been doing. A game actually rewarding you fairly for your actions, shouldn't be a flaw. If those abilities were weaker, than what is the point of gaining them in the first place. People say Ohya's abilities are worthless but her abilities are most similar to previous games. Barely useful and only in extremely specific situations. If one thinks the game is to easy with this ability and that, don't take it. If you say that that's stupid because you want to bond with people, then you enjoy the story enough that the ability shouldn't bother you. In fact, you can just not use it as most abilities, you choose to use. The instant kill ability is used essentially just for grinding which in itself makes a game easier. The point of the ability is that fact that you are leveled up enough that actually fighting every single solitary shadow isn't going to be monotonous. Making the end of the game harder wouldn't resolve that issue. The one who makes the game easier is the player and the only way to make the game harder so that the abilities aren't as good is to make it unfair.

[@nebula8893]

Really well put. I think p5 does the best job at making a fun game out of an inherently somewhat flawed writing formula (social links and blank slate mc) P5 leans into the other things, like gameplay, scale, style, presentation, much better than the other 2 games. It tells a concise story that doesn't have too many problems and is fun and enjoyable On its own, I believe 5 to be the best of the last 3 games (so far) because of that presentation alone, but I haven't actually played 3 yet. The story may not be 100% the best, and same goes for the characters, but they suffice alongside the presentation in a way that makes it a more enjoyable experience If the game wants to lean into writing more then it should get rid of the blank slate protagonist concept. Until then, p5r to me is the best of these games However, I think persona 3 reload COULD change my mind on that. The presentation is even better and I LOVE what I've heard from the soundtrack. It has the really repetitious Tartarus, so we will see how I like that (I hated p4 dungeons and p5 mementos), but it's checking all the other boxes so far

[@SpultoBNMTheMutuallyUnrequited]

@@nebula8893 how is Reload for you ?

[@nebula8893]

@@SpultoBNMTheMutuallyUnrequited I liked it more than p5, thought the story was fantastic and the party was the most well written by a long shot. The social links definitely weren't great (save for a few, such a akinari) and Tartarus wasn't as good as palaces, but I think the shorter nature and more concise storytelling prolly edges it out over 5

[@Scout-Fanfiction]

One journey ends and another begins! ^_^. It's been a fun ride-along with you and everyone else in the comments sections of these vids. Here's to the next one :).

[@PokemonaMoni]

It's nice to see a list that I pretty much agree with. Of course we all have our opinions and there are some aspects that I don't agree with, but overall it was very similar to my feelings about each game, especially the ones at the top

[@VermillionLotus96]

I respect this, I can understand your perspective. Since you asked, here's my list! (No P1 or 2 because I tried to play 2, but the gameplay turned me off. I know the story is great, but the intro didn't hook me either) 1. Persona 3 2. Persona 5 3. Persona 4 4. P5 Strikers 5. Persona Q 6. Persona Q2 7. Persona Arena Ultimax 8. Persona Arena 9. P4 Dancing 10. P5 Dancing 11. P3 Dancing

[@vestal3430]

I agree with everything except putting P5 above P3, mainly bc of the story. A lot of times i felt like the writers gave up in P5, like doing fake deaths bc of fear of killing important characters and strange plot dumps of infos the characters already know, tho i must say i still like P5, despite its flaws. Now, P4 is my fav persona game too, the characters feel so real, Adachi, Dojima, Yosuke, they all have really good plotlines, and the theme of pursuing the truth is amazing. The only things i don't like are the dungeon design and (spoilers) the very underwhelming true final boss, like, if only they gave an actual character arc to Izanami...

[@egbertmilton4003]

True with P4 feeling the most real, but I must disagree with P3 above P5. In terms of gameplay it’s no contest, but even story wise I can’t put it above it. The deaths in P3 are even worse as most of them are easily preventable when the characters don’t immediately die, nor is the attack unhealable. Apathy Syndrome is not enough of a threat compared to the Rumours and people becoming vegetables to the point of disappearing in P2. The antagonists usually have flat or no characters, especially the Full Moon Shadows and Strega. Nothing happens between Full Moons narrativewise. It just feels like nothing is important.’what about this story is good.

[@lorenzothomas2022]

You should've put the spoiler warning a lot higher up bro, what's wrong with you? 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@dencheq]

P4 has good written characters but plot and story are blant, gameplay is repetetive. It feels more like live sim/date sim. I've guessed the true killer in first 3 hours. The whole setting is too child friendly imo. As adult I couldn't enjoy the game that was mostly visual novel of different relationships.

[@flysoup3607]

@@egbertmilton4003 Spoiler for persona 3: How are the death's preventable? They would have to wait for the dark hour to end to get Shinjiro and the other characters to a hospital. Also, Junpei and Mitsuro's father died a few seconds after they were shot. How you going to heal that other than with Chidori's life powers, which is what they did do with Junpei's death. And Ikutsuki literally fell off Tartarus after getting shot. That couldn't have been prevented or healed.

[@egbertmilton4003]

​@@flysoup3607 Very easily actually. Because Personas can just be used to heal people. A hospital isn't necessary. Mitsuru and Yukari both have healing spells, and because they failed to establish if people can or can't heal others using Personas outside of gameplay, and evidence points more to being able to do so considering you can heal in the field, we have to assume that healing spells can be used. Shinjiro didn't't immediately die from his gunshot, it was so simple to save him, and the fact Akihito cries over how he failed Shijiro is hilarious. In addition, Junpei looked down for ten seconds before collapsing, he is definitely able to be healed. He didn't immediately die, and thus the fact that the only option was Chidori killing herself is a joke, and damages the integrity of Mitsuru and Yukari, who knew full well that Chidori's teammates would be ready to kill. If Chidori's healing can bring people back from the dead, which isn't the case considering that she only showed healing wilted but not dead flowers, and healing her cuts before this, then the game fails to portray this, as Junpei literally shows he didn't die when she started healing him, he was unconcious and dreaming about her. While I have problems with the Ikutsuki scene, him dying isn't a logical issue compared to being a story issue as being a poor threat or a competent antagonist, just being an exposition dump. I know they should have used him better. Mitsuru's father is kind of all right as a death, even if there is little attachment to be had to this character, but is a bit of an issue if you think about the writing of the scene around it. Especially in the original. He was smart enough to restrain the crew for a sacrifice and maybe take away their Evokers, its not exactly well explained, yet was stupid enough to let one of them continue to roam around, even when they still can use a Persona and can ruin everything. Since it's not properly established if he properly disposed of their Evokers or not, and considering he let Koromaru just carry on roaming around, it's a good possibility he didn't, it comes of as a lot more hollow, even if it is probably decent as a death.

[@mawcster]

Great vid. Thanks! This reminds me of the looooooooong time I was just randomly humming "Everyday is great at your Junes!"

[@LuizXayk]

Finally i waited so long for this. Awesome vid. Thx for the content

[@Gael-xp4fk]

Honestly very very great list borderline perfect ranking of the persona series 👌, the only thing I'd switch around is P5R and P2EP , Nam you have great taste 😌

[@chickennugget6684]

It's kind of impossible to have a perfect ranking of the series, as there's different genres and opinions can't always be 'correct', there's always someone who might like something you didn't. In terms of most people's opinions though, it does fall in line with what most people think, although there's always outliers. (Persona Q and Q2 for me, although it seems very clear i'm a minority for that one..) Of course, Tier lists are fine as long as you're clear on it either being your opinion or based on the majority's opinion, and aren't attacking people who like something you didn't.

[@Gael-xp4fk]

@@chickennugget6684 I suppose your right, I just didn't expect to agree with his ranking so much

[@ItsShaz1]

This is going to be an interesting video! Imo P4 is my favourite alongside P3.

[@KrakenWasSlayed]

One of my favorite things in life is listening to people go in-depth about how their favorite video games because you can see deep inside their soul from how much they care and it gives me hope in humanity again

[@Sunaru6914]

I agree with you so much! I can relate to your feelings about Persona 3 and 4 greatly.

[@bhamey1785]

I felt closer to the party/team in Persona 4 than any other game. Also the special events(picnic/camp) felt too close and a lot more enjoyable than just a cut-scene. Persona 3 had my favourite story and my favourite social links.

[@ahmedbenkhalfallah6502]

From my experience, Eternal Punishment is a game everyone in their lifetime need to experience, wether by playing or seeing an indepth analysis of its story. Much like Maya and the whole cast, nothing ends happily bit eventually we all have to grow up and move on with our lives.

[@angrymikko]

Why do I care so much about some random person’s list? It’s because the characters of 4 feel like real friends of the player and I just wanted them to get the recognition they deserve. All of these games are fun but 4 genuinely changed me as a person. I don’t think there’s any other game that has done that.

[@steel5897]

Why yes the PS1 version of Persona 1 is my favorite, how could you tell?

[@OldEnemy1]

You have good taste in music.

[@hello-gx6oi]

Rip to the composer of the music

[@menhirmike]

P4 for me as well. And looking forward to Strange Journey, probably my second most favorite SMT game - though I've only played Redux, which I think you don't like as much as the original? Looking forward to your take on it.

[@nkoonkukoo]

The original has better atmosphere. The character artwork on redux looks too anime for me.

[@Blondie_117]

I agree! Having just recently played through Persona 4 Golden on the steam release literally like 2 weeks ago & im just now currently in my playthrough of P4D (meaning I’ve beaten both P4A & P4AU 100%) and while I share ur distaste in the arena game’s presentation & inner monologue (especially in the case of p4a) but yea I’ve played through P5R & P5S. I was waiting for the console releases of P3P & P4G in January however as I mentioned previously I got impatient & bought the steam port of P4G & yea it’s w/o a doubt my favorite in the franchise. I love the characters I love the detective small town murder mystery vibe I love the social links.. I dislike the dungeons but we don’t talk about that honestly I don’t understand why some ppl criticize the game for being “too lighthearted” like only in the persona series can a game that features a literal murderer on the loose in a small town, kidnappings, & literal child death be considered “too lighthearted” for the series I mean god damn 😂 P5R has the better dungeon design & gameplay incentive to do ALL the Social Links & not just ur party members but honestly I think I still prefer P4G & I’m surprised. Heck I’m surprised that I even love the persona series as much as I do bc I hated turn based gameplay & actively avoided it like the plague (besides FFVII) for many many years. Persona 5 I played on a whim bc it was free on psn for a bit & everything clicked. The turn based gameplay was actually fast & the other stuff was so good even if I disliked the dungeon fighting I would’ve looked past it. It’s what led me to ur channel which v much encouraged me to play P4G (bc quite possibly w/o u I might’ve just waited til P6 & not touched any of the previous games out of fear that they weren’t as fast or nicely paced.. little did I know P5R is the longest campaign w my first playthrough being 120 hours)

[@claire2134]

Yay a new video from Nam!

[@itskanashimixo]

I’ve only played P5 and P5R, and it’s my favorite game, but hearing you praise it but also say that there are better games in the series makes me SO excited to play the others

[@zackrodriguez2406]

5R is great but 4G is my favorite, it’s just so good. 4 is my favorite then 5R. They are both absolutely great but I would highly recommend playing it

[@tigerex777]

Persona 4 cast is the absolute peek of persona games. They are the most memorable, even for me and I'm not even a big anime fan.

[@The-E-king]

One thing I love about persona 5 is how one of the strongest persona in both the original and strikers is lucifer one of the most infamous and first being to ever rebel against a higher being, and at the ends of both the original and strikers you are fighting a god of control.

[@MrMidasGames]

Great video, I love the Persona series, although I'm pretty new to it. I started with P4G, love P5 and platnium P5R, really enjoyed Scramble and I wanna play Fes as I can't deal with P3P

[@icylanYT]

my man you did it again. Persona 4 is my favorite game of all time hands-down.

[@icedcapplord710]

Persona 3 (specifically Portable) is my favorite of the Hashino entries as a result of its tone, atmosphere and extremely grounded cast given the circumstances surrounding them, and P3P in particular has so many gameplay improvements that outweigh the presentation drawbacks for me. However I will be the first to say that there isn't a game in the main series I dislike. Spinoffs are a different story because I think they're good games in the context of their genres but they're weaker as Persona games with the exception of P5S imo

[@baksa5086]

It's so weird that the Persona games are so divisive that someone saying they like all of the mainline games is considered an uncommon opinion. But yeah, P3 is awesome.

[@matt7872]

Persona really is a series where it's easy to understand why people like any of the mainline entries the most. I own 1-4 on PSP, P3F on PS2 and P5R on PS5 (I've played through the original P5 as well). I think it's Persona 5 for me, 4 is very close. Royal in particular was the deciding factor for me, I might actually prefer P4G to vanilla P5. I agree with you saying that P5 is kind of exhausting to get all the way through though, particularly Royal. P4 is pretty breezy in comparison I think. I Find it hard to get into 3 (not being able to control party members, Tartarus is repetitive, etc.) , but I'm going to muscle through all of it, because I definitely know that's it's a game that is worth getting through at least once. Tried both P3P and FES, and I've settled on FES just because I prefer the trade offs in FES in comparison to Portable, although I should definitely play female MC's route at the very least. Not sure I'm going to be able to bring myself to play Persona 1 and 2. 1 because of the reasons mentioned here, 2 because I want Atlus to give it some love and give both games a proper and concise release.

[@solidsnakemgs7]

I played P4G 10 years ago I just had a surgery and I had to stay home for about a month and I although I never played any JRPGs but I saw a couple of videos and felt like I’m gonna enjoy this game even though I didn’t have any reason why I wanted to buy this game but I did and my god I was surprised everything just clicked to me the story the characters the setting I felt like I lived with these characters all through the game and when it ended prematurely I was so sad but this I discovered that there was more to the game that I missed so I went back and kept playing, this game was not just a game it cane at the right time in my life where I felt like I wanted to get into something to take my mind off of many things and It taught me that everyone must accept that we have our own shadow and we have to be honest with ourselves and accept it so we could learn and grow

[@CBman11037]

Epic Nam Banger!

[@Yeaster]

Eternal Punishment is a game for adults and as a 34 y/o, I appreciate that so much

[@johnboona4048]

Persona 4 man. The setting, the story, the characters were all fantastic

[@DogginsFroggins]

Awesome video, but you know what must be done, SAME THING BUT WITH SMT. (After a well deserved break of course.)

[@athorem]

That would be very interesting... But does Strange Journey could as a mainline game?

[@mmegidolaonn8295]

I know it's the obvious and basic choice but 5 will always hit the top spot for me. 3 has a better story, but the actual gameplay, cast and themes hit especially hard because of the time period and person I was when I played - that game will always have a special place in my heart.

[@JayEm1325]

P3 with updates mechanics would be my fav. Only reason I prefer 5 is because its a better overall game, but the atmosphere and story of 3 is just my favorite of all of em.

[@brendansage6876]

Boy do I have news for you...

[@joeymontanez3249]

I had a friend in high school that played Revelations: Persona on his PS1 like every day. I have no idea why I never tried it. He was the reason I played Xenogears and Star Ocean TSS which are two of my all time favorites. We lost contact probably near 15 years ago or more. I was at the video store one day and they were selling their rental copy of Persona 3. I thought of how much my friend liked it and figured what the hell. I was hooked. SMT as well. I actually just got SMT V this week. I bought the Switch at launch to play it when it came out and just never got around to it. But I found this channel a few days ago and it got my love back up so I had to finally get it. I actually didn't even realize this way a new video,ha. I'm glad one was recommended to me. I think it was the one about EP. It's great to hear about something besides P5 and sometimes P4 all the time. Quality videos, keep it up.

[@miragemain105]

The main thing I love about persona 5 is the music, the velvet room theme is fantastic, the intro music is fantastic, the general music is just really vibing with the moment it sets

[@JoseRamos-sv6cl]

So i played p5 first and that holds a special place for me. So far i am enjoying p3r, i tried to play golden on game pass but was so spoiled by the aesthetics of persona 5R

[@thepaintingbanjo8894]

Persona 4 is the one game I can say is that I love all the characters. Not one less-than-good one out of such a roster. I realized that because the ending made me cry so bad in how I know I can't relive the same fresh experience all over again with any of these imagined people.

[@24hr-Gaming]

Persona 4 I would say had the best overall social links where it did feel lime you were building a relationship with someone. My favorite game is probably P5R followed by P3 FES and P4 vanilla. P4G I was really excited for the new social links but I don't feel like they were pulled off well. The p5r new social links were executed much better, but the social links could have done maybe a bit more to feel like your involvement actually mattered. Futaba and the new social links in p5r are probably the best example of that. Haru, Makoto, Ryuji, and Ann all felt a bit underbaked and social links like Oya were a bit of a waste. This list is also really hilarious to me because for years p4 got shit on by smoothbrain smt fans, but I am happy that now enough time has passed for it to be retro, it's appreciated properly as a good game.

[@ArshadZahid_nohandleideas]

oi… sauce your pfp?

[@AVerySillySausage]

I find it very interesting coming as a new fan and see the general community consensus of p4 being the best. Usually I'm on the other end of this, always being hung up on the older game being better. It all depends on perspective. When I played P5R as my first persona game, it set expectations for how the game should play, when I went back to p4 I was just missing all the improvements. It makes sense that those that got hooked on the series before those improvements game wouldn't be so attached to them. But I really don't get the attachment to the characters being so much stronger, it has to just be a thing where the p4 characters were the ones they got attached to first.

[@ElLoGGe]

Would love a similar video about the SMT series :)

[@makotoyuki345]

Quality wise: P5R Story wise: P2 EP Novelty wise: P1 Impact wise: P3 All round wise: P4 Casual wise: P4D Investment wise: P4AU Acquired-taste wise: PQ and Q2 Idk how to fit the others into new categories. This is how I regard them since there isn’t really best for me...ok it’s P3 but it just edges out a bit

[@Gael-xp4fk]

Obviously P3 is ur favorite just by taking a glance at ur pfp it shows

[@Pekash]

@@Gael-xp4fk and the name tho

[@makotoyuki345]

It was still a pretty tight competition though

[@chickennugget6684]

"Acquired-taste wise" definitely made me laugh a bit. probably correct tbh..

[@kyotheman69]

Think P4 just did it the best, i felt you had better deep connection with your friends, especially you had help them face their inner demons (facing their shadow) felt like you get see more into these characters and learn more about them compared to other games. Card system did make it simple but it was easy to heal up and get persona's, i do prefer talking to demons more, but if you are new to this series p4 is the best entry point.

[@frewtlewps1152]

Persona 5 was my introduction to the series, and it remains my favorite bc Atlus perfected the blend between dungeon crawling and social links. P5 has the most variety of social activities, and by far the best combat, bosses, and level design in the series. My main issue with the game is that the story gets worse as the scale of the conflict increases, and the message isn’t as profound as previous games. The additional content in Royal creates a much more thought provoking story, but it didn’t fully fix the issues I had.

[@skymaverick7315]

The fan translation of 2 Eternal Punishment is out!? I need it!

[@twitchywitchx]

Personal top: Persona 3 (Minato is my boy, yes I call him that name. I don't like makoto). Non bias pick: I'd say Persona 5.

[@livingdoubt54]

my list Persona 3 Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Persona 5 Persona 2: Innocent Sin Persona 4 Persona 5 Strikers Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Persona 4: Dancing All Night Persona Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth Persona 3: Dancing In Moonlight Persona 5: Dancing In Starlight Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth

[@XBC3-4GOTY]

Persona 5 Royal: Have the Best GamePlay, Music, 2nd Best Story, 2nd Best Cast/Characters: Persona 4 Golden: Have the Best Cast/Characters, 2nd Best GamePlay 3rd Best Story, 3rd Best Music: Persona 3: Have the Best Story, 2nd Best Music, 3rd Best Cast/Characters and GamePlay

[@camerondempsey8990]

Insightful video

[@waz8542]

My list is a little different, mostly because I prefer "action games" over turn based ones most of the time, but I still highly value story, probably about as much as gameplay. 1. P5R 2. Persona 3 3. P5S 4. Persona 4 5. P4AU 6. Persona 4 Dancing 7. Persona Q2 8. Persona 4 Arena 9. Persona 1 10. Persona Q 11. P3 and P5 Dancing games I haven't played p2 games yet

[@bugs1yb1ins]

Thank you for the chapters, I skipped Persona 5 as I haven't played it yet, you are a beautiful man of beautiful habits

[@SimplySwayze]

I've only played P3, 4, and 5, Arena/ Ultimax, and I'm actually playing through Strikers right now. I'd say my top three are (naturally) the three mainline games, and all three hold a special place in my heart for different reasons. I think P3 has the best story and P4 has the best characters, whereas P5 has a stronger story than 4, a stronger cast than 3, and is overall the most polished experience (as well as being my personal favorite). I'd say P4 is probably the best 'entry point' into the series, but playing P5 first makes going back to P3 a rough, downright _jarring_ experience that might turn people off the game entirely if they're too used to P5's absolutely masterclass UI and gameplay feel. Honestly, speaking only about the three most recent mainline games, I'd probably recommend playing them in order if you want to get the most out of them without any attachments to future quality-of-life improvements tainting the experience.

[@k3salieri]

Best Gameplay: Persona 5 & Strikers hard to decide which I like more. Best Story: Persona 3 (However I do love the Last palace story in Royal a lot, but it's not like that through the whole game.) Best Characters/Social Links: Persona 4 Granted, I have not completed P1 or P2, but I have played them. Considering Atlus has been able to see what worked in the previous game and improve upon it with the next let's hope P6 will have a culmination of what P3 - P5 did best in each one.

[@nero8915]

I'll always say this. Best story is P3, Best characters is P4, and Best gameplay is P5

[@heethanthen]

Best story is the P2 duology and it’s not even close

[@SoraSimpleAndClean]

Nam really needs more subs!!!

[@ClockFink]

Storywise, I’d be torn between Eternal Punishment and 4. In terms of like objective quality as a game, it’s hard to even Devil’s Advocate for something other than 5… there’s been fairly stark incremental improvements in gameplay with each installment… I’d say the same of aesthetics too, but admittedly that’s a bit contentious with how aggressively P3 changed on not just a quality level, but taste/style as well. Like the story of 5 doesn’t hold a candle to 4 or EP, but we aren’t talking films, we’re talking games… I, for one, washed out in like the hospital or something in my last attempt to replay 2, they just aren’t as FUN with all the QoL they’re lacking. And while 4 would be less agonizing, honestly I DO just opt to watch the anime when I want to relive it

[@cthulhu888]

I think 4 had the best cast and story and the murder mystery vibes were a lot of fun to explore and finding the secret ending plus nanako is bestest girl ^_^

[@jacksonbrickmedia939]

This series is so damn hard to rank, especially mainline 2-5