Beware!
What the title says.
For reference, the list of games (some Japan-only):
Original series
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei (Famicom)
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II (Famicom)
SMT mainline
Shin Megami Tensei (originally Super Famicom, a ton of ports, most recently iOS/Android)
Shin Megami Tensei II (same)
Shin Megami Tensei if... (same, but less platforms)
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (DS)
Shin Megami Tensei IV (3DS)
Devil Summoner series
Devil Summoner (Saturn/PSP)
Soul Hackers (Saturn/PS1/3DS)
Raidou Kuzunoha vs The Soulless Army (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Persona
Revelations: Persona (PS1/Windows/PSP)
Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PS1/PSP)
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PS1)
Persona 3 (PS2)
Persona 3 FES (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Persona 3 Portable (PSP)
Persona 4 (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Persona 4 Golden (PSVita)
Persona 4 cash cow extravaganza
Persona 4 Arena (PS3/X360)
more coming soon (ultimax, dancing all night, Q)
Other
Digital Devil Saga (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Digital Devil Saga 2 (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Devil Survivor (DS/Overclocked on 3DS)
Devil Survivor 2(DS/Break Record on 3DS)
Random WTF spinoffs
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible (GB)
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II (GBC)
Last Bible III (SFC)
Another Bible (GB)
Last Bible Special (Game Gear)
Majin Tensei (SFC/Win)
Jack Bros (Virtual Boy (lol))
SMT: Devil Children (GBC/PS1)
SMT: NINE (Xbox)
SMT: Online Imagine (Win)
Coming Soon
Persona 5
Coming Never
Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem
--------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, that was something. Now that I typed that out, here's my list from the ones I've played:
1- SMT: Nocturne
2- SMTIV
3- P3FES
4- Soul Hackers
5- P4G
6- P2 IS/EP
7- Devil Survivor OC
8- Persona 1
Next to play on my list: Digital Devil Saga series
Nocturne just has the perfect combo of everything for me. Atmosphere, combat, intrigue. The Press Turn system is amazing. The visuals are very clean yet ominous, for lack of a better word.
Same with IV except the atmosphere isn't as great. I really enjoyed SMTIV despite the limitations of the 3DS. It felt like a huge game. The OST was amazing and the art style was neat. The "twist" on the setting, even though it happened very early on, was still very intriguing and it was the reason that I kept going with the story until the end.
P3 over P4 because it's less cheerful, I guess. Shooting yourself in the head is pretty grim. The themes of P3 overall were more interesting to me. P4G is obviously a classic
in all aspects, be it music, characters, dialogue, or atmosphere. It's just that P3 clicked more with me.
Soul Hackers is great for the oldschool GITS style scifi vibe it has. It's kind of dated, but still great. No Press Turn makes me sad though. Still definitely worth playing, just not so much as others.
The rest is just games I kinda enjoyed but not so much. P2 is cool visually and thematically, but its age kinda holds it back. P1 is very slow. DSO is a neat little SRPG, but I felt it was weak compared to others in its genre.
List threads are only ok if the replies aren't lists.
People can edit their posts above to include reasons for each game as to why you've placed it where it is ("it's the best one" doesn't count, go in to what aspects you enjoyed, and how it compared against others - in what ways was it better or worse), or it will be deleted in around an hour.
What the title says.
For reference, the list of games (some Japan-only):
Original series
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei (Famicom)
Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II (Famicom)
SMT mainline
Shin Megami Tensei (originally Super Famicom, a ton of ports, most recently iOS/Android)
Shin Megami Tensei II (same)
Shin Megami Tensei if... (same, but less platforms)
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (DS)
Shin Megami Tensei IV (3DS)
Devil Summoner series
Devil Summoner (Saturn/PSP)
Soul Hackers (Saturn/PS1/3DS)
Raidou Kuzunoha vs The Soulless Army (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Persona
Revelations: Persona (PS1/Windows/PSP)
Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PS1/PSP)
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PS1)
Persona 3 (PS2)
Persona 3 FES (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Persona 3 Portable (PSP)
Persona 4 (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Persona 4 Golden (PSVita)
Persona 4 cash cow extravaganza
Persona 4 Arena (PS3/X360)
more coming soon (ultimax, dancing all night, Q)
Other
Digital Devil Saga (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Digital Devil Saga 2 (PS2/PSN on PS3)
Devil Survivor (DS/Overclocked on 3DS)
Devil Survivor 2(DS/Break Record on 3DS)
Random WTF spinoffs
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible (GB)
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible II (GBC)
Last Bible III (SFC)
Another Bible (GB)
Last Bible Special (Game Gear)
Majin Tensei (SFC/Win)
Jack Bros (Virtual Boy (lol))
SMT: Devil Children (GBC/PS1)
SMT: NINE (Xbox)
SMT: Online Imagine (Win)
Coming Soon
Persona 5
Coming Never
Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem
--------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, that was something. Now that I typed that out, here's my list from the ones I've played:
1- SMT: Nocturne
2- SMTIV
3- P3FES
4- Soul Hackers
5- P4G
6- P2 IS/EP
7- Devil Survivor OC
8- Persona 1
Next to play on my list: Digital Devil Saga series
Nocturne just has the perfect combo of everything for me. Atmosphere, combat, intrigue. The Press Turn system is amazing. The visuals are very clean yet ominous, for lack of a better word.
Same with IV except the atmosphere isn't as great. I really enjoyed SMTIV despite the limitations of the 3DS. It felt like a huge game. The OST was amazing and the art style was neat. The "twist" on the setting, even though it happened very early on, was still very intriguing and it was the reason that I kept going with the story until the end.
P3 over P4 because it's less cheerful, I guess. Shooting yourself in the head is pretty grim. The themes of P3 overall were more interesting to me. P4G is obviously a classic
Marie is best waifu
Soul Hackers is great for the oldschool GITS style scifi vibe it has. It's kind of dated, but still great. No Press Turn makes me sad though. Still definitely worth playing, just not so much as others.
The rest is just games I kinda enjoyed but not so much. P2 is cool visually and thematically, but its age kinda holds it back. P1 is very slow. DSO is a neat little SRPG, but I felt it was weak compared to others in its genre.