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ThePersonaseries currently has five mainline entries, six if you count both of the entries forPersona 2separately. Along with the mainline entries, there are multiple spin-offs for some of the later games that do connect to multiple of the mainline games.
For those looking to jump into the series for the first time, you may wonder if you need to play all the games first to verify you don’t miss anything. Here is the best order to play allPersonagames. This article will mostly focus on the more recent Persona games, as they are easily accessible andPersona 1and 2 have become more difficult to find and play, though they will still be included.
Best Order To Play The Mainline Persona Games
Aside from thePersona 2dualology,none of the mainline games directly connect. There are a few connections, cameos, oreaster eggs from previous games, but not catching these connections never pulls from the experience in a noticeable way. For those looking to jump into the mainline series, you may either play the games canonically and in the order they were released or what offers the best-rounded gameplay to get you into the series.
Persona 3, 4, and 5all have enhanced editionswhich are more easily accessible, and available on all modern consoles. Most of these enhanced editions have all the content from the original games, along with various upgrades and even more content to see. The rest of this article will just use the names of the enhanced versions of the game, but the base games are still great experiences.
EachPersona 3version has value, and no one version is considered superior, as each has unique content.
What’s The Best Place To Start For New Players
ThePersona 2duology has the biggest connection in the series to the first game, with extended cameos from characters from the first game, though knowing who they are doesn’t change the story ofPersona 2.
At the moment,Persona 3 ReloadandPersona 3 Portableare available on most modern platforms, and overall,both games are a viable choice for a first experience.Persona 3 Reloadoffers a refined experienceas it is a Remaster of the original version ofPersona 3with many elements fromPersona 3 FES.Persona 3 Portableoffers a different style of gameplay and changes the game to a visual novel point-and-click game when outside of the Dark Hour.
Persona 3 Portabledoesoffer both a male and female protagonist to choose from, with the female protagonist getting a lot of unique content mostly in social links. Overall, either game is a good choice and has its own value, with it mostly coming down to if you don’t mind older remastered games or prefer a remaster that makes the game feel brand new. Thebase story of either edition is exactly the same.
Best Order To Play The Spinoff Persona Games
While all of the Persona spinoff games are considered official canon, many of them end in a way that doesn’t connect the events to the original games, making many of them completely optional and bonus stories to experience. Some spinoff games require completion of their respective mainline game, while others can be played after all the characters in the game have been introduced.
Play Whenever You Want
While these tables may be a lot to digest,start with the mainline entries forPersona 3, Persona 4,andPersona 5, then work toward the spinoff to make sure nothing gets spoiled or missed.
