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Rate best to worst, all 3 Persona games (UNMARKED SPOILER!)

W

warheat

Member
Persona series is one of the best JRPG series if not the best in my book and I just finished P5 couple hours ago and I've played this series starting from the 3rd one so here's how I rate it.

STORY
P5 formula is kinda repetitive. You meet new member, new target is related to new member, raid their palace, repeat. After the 2nd palace, I'm kinda bored but it definitely pick up again after Okumura palace, I didn't expect the twist (even though I think it's inconsistent because up until this part, the game doesn't really tell you about the mechanism on how metaverse works and suddenly it explained in details about their plan) and I think that was peak of the game, everything fell down after Shido palace, I'm also dissapointed with the final boss, it seems rushed. P4 is kinda predictable but the atmosphere and the mystery around the culprit is definitely more interesting than P5.

P3 on the other hand, is a different beast. The story is much much darker than P4 and P5 and I like the fact that the MC isn't the first to encounter the Tartarus dungeon, Mitsuru, Akihiko, and other members already know it for a while unlike P4 and P5 where you are the first to encounter the TV world and palace. I remember the buildup after each moon is very very interesting, I can't remember the last time a JRPG could pull a stunt like P3 where they kill major character like Shinjiro. The ending of P3 is also miles miles better than P4 and P5.

P3 >>> P4 > P5.

CHARACTERS
Again, P3 won by miles. I'm confused with people who said P4 or P5 have better characters than P3. The MC itself is boring as fuck but Junpei, Yukari, and the senior lineup (Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Shinji) character development are miles better than P4 and P5. I hate the kid with spear and the navigator (Fuuka or something) though. As for P4 and P5, I prefer P5 just because I find P4 characters are boring and whiny.

P3 >>> P5 > P4.

GAMEPLAY
P5 won, no explanation needed because even though I never had any real problem with P3, the fact that you cannot control your teammate is retarded, I don't understand what the devs are thinking. Also palaces and TV world dungeon is better than Tartarus which is basically Mementos.

P5 > P4 >>>>> P3.

MUSIC
This is hard because Shoji Meguro is a godsend.

Normal fight : P4 > P3 = P5
Daily: P4 = P3 = P5
Dungeon: P4 > P5 > P3
Boss fight: P3 = P4 = P5

Notable track:
Heartful Cry (P3)
Memories of the School (P3)
Darkness (P3)
Poem for everyone's Souls (P3)
Living with Determination (P3)
Your Affection (P4)
Secret Base (P4)
Reach out to the truth (P4)
The Almighty (P4)
Rivers in the Desert (P5)
Life will change (P5)
Beneath the Mask (P5)

I'll say P4 and P3 is better than P5 simply because P5 lacks of variety for example Rivers in the desert is used multiple times and the daily music never changed from start to finish (usually just instrumental and vocal version). In P3 and P4, you got bunch of variety for example in P3, the music changed to Memories of the School after Nyx appeared.

P4 = P3 > P5

Overall P3 > P4 > P5 because the story, characters development, and the atmosphere in P3 is much much better, I like darker story because I'm a hardcode Nocturne fan and SMT series in general. Don't get me wrong, these are a very very good game and is always day 1 for me. I'm just a little dissapointed with P5 because it can't touch P4 let alone P3.

So I'm wondering for people who've played all 3.

1. How would you rate it from best to worst?
2. Did you play 4 before 3?

EDIT:

My original title is "Rate best to worst, P3 vs P4 vs P5". Mod decided to change it because inside the post I mistype "I've played all 3 persona" instead of "I've played starting from the 3rd". Sorry about that.

Steve-Carell-Facepalm.gif
 
Z

Zalman

Member
Persona 4 (Golden) is still my favorite. The ending left a lasting impression on me, and it's my favorite of the soundtracks.
 
N

Nbz

Member
P4 >> P5 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> P3

P3 feels like a prototype to me in every sense. I'm glad it exists, because otherwise we wouldn't have the masterpieces that are P4 and P5, but man it really sucks playing it today. Beat it in March and I didn't enjoy it much at all.
 
K

kiaaa

Member
P5>P4>P3

P5's Rebellion clicked with me a lot more than P4's Truth and I played P3 too soon after P4 so I got sick of Tartarus and quit probably 3/4 through the game.
 
Eolz

Eolz

Member
aka Persona started at 3 :^)

5>3>4. Not only through writing, but pacing and gameplay.

But seriously OP, if you love this series, try 2 some day as well. It's at the top, easily above 3 and 4.
 
K

Kuriboi2k6

Member
For me it's P4G > P5>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>P3

I tried p3 back in high school when it was released and I couldn't get into it. Went back to persona with Golden when I got a vita and fell in love with everything about it.

Though I do like the characters and story in p5 the best, it still lacks the charm that P4G had overall.


P3 was just... nah. The only thing I found interesting were the characters. Hated everything else
 
W

warheat

Member
Nbz said:
P4 >> P5 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> P3

P3 feels like a prototype to me in every sense. I'm glad it exists, because otherwise we wouldn't have the masterpieces that are P4 and P5, but man it really sucks playing it today. Beat it in March and I didn't enjoy it much at all.
Click to expand...

May I know if you played P4 before P3. Because most of people I talked to who prefer P4 is because they play P4 first and going to P3 is frustating because P4 and P5 gameplay is much much better than P3.
 
K

kewlmyc

Member
In terms of what I would recommend to others:

P5>P4>P3

In terms of personal favorites:

P3>P5>P4

I love all 3 however.
 
M

Mattakuevan

Member
They're all very good and very different.

My personal preference is P5 > P4 > P3, but they're all pretty close.

However I think that P2:IS and EP fit in there somewhere... not sure where since they're so different.
 
B

BroodShadow

Member
P3 is by far my favorite the story is great and I love how it effects the city later in the game.
The final boss is so much better in P3 than P4 and P5 so the game ends off on a high note,not to even mention the ending of that game.

But I do have to give a huge shout out to how consistent the tone is in P5,the team had a message to tell and it shows in every part of the game from Story all the way to the UI.

So all in all P3>P5>P4
 
W

warheat

Member
Eolz said:
aka Persona started at 3 :^)

5>3>4. Not only through writing, but pacing and gameplay.

But seriously OP, if you love this series, try 2 some day as well. It's at the top, easily above 3 and 4.
Click to expand...

I've tried the first one and I just can't. The 2nd one is interesting but the battle feels really slow. Might give the 2nd one another try.
 
M

mdubs

Banned
5 > 4 > 3

3's story is by far the worst, which is why it's in that spot, I can't really hold the progression in mechanics against it because the series has obviously progressed hugely between entries.

Mass Destruction is still the best normal battle theme though, but Last Surprise comes close.

In terms of soundtrack P5 is my favourite, (I think Life Will Change is my favourite song in the series), but each of them has their memorable ones.
 
P

Phazon_Chaos

Neo Member
For me it's P5 > P4 > P3. I still enjoyed 3, but I felt like the story and characters leaned a little too hard into teenage angst for the "dark" aspect. 5 felt like it retread a lot of the same ground as 4, but executed much better on the things it did that with (mainly thinking of Akechi vs. Adachi, and the "will of the masses", which was actually built up over the game in 5). Gameplay in 5 is easily the best of the three games and while they all have fantastic soundtracks, the jazzy feel of 5's was the key to stealing my heart.
 
E

Eylos

Banned
About p5 music i love this one:

Night rain
Https://youtu.be/IsMeavnp2rs

Characters and character development: i Like more in 4
Plot Twist and Mystery: is better on 4 too
Best MC: is p3p FemC
Overall story: i Like 5 more
Gameplay: 5
Vilain: 5
Social critic: 5
Psychologic stuff: i Like more in 4
Music: i love 5 ost is more my style
 
N

NoctisVsStar

Member
Storywise:

3>4>5

Gameplay:
5>4>3

Music:
3 and 4 tied up, 5 isn't memorable but it's not bad.

Persona 3 storywise remains untouched.
 
M

Moaradin

Member
P3 >> P4 >>>>P5

Out of the modern Persona games. I was pretty disappointed in the story and characters of P5. Music was a step down as well. Not nearly enough of it.
 
W

warheat

Member
M

mdubs

Banned
warheat said:
I'm curious what didn't you like about 3's story? Because I find it miles better than 4 and 5.

Also did you play 4 before 3?
Click to expand...
It's very poorly paced, and there's so much extraneous nonsense in it (like Strega and stuff). Like thematically it is interesting and it picks up towards the end, but it's so much less ambitious than the strong central story that 5 has. I also didn't like the cast of characters nearly as much as I enjoyed 4's (which I played first) simply because they don't gel with each other nearly as much.

5 is the best of both worlds for me in dealing with a strong story hook and actually having interesting stuff constantly happening (I also don't understand the endgame complaints about 5 dragging, I noticed none of that)
 
S

sasliquid

Member
Just finished 5 yesterday but currently

Cast: 4>5>3

Honestly love most of 4s cast. Felt the same for a couple of 5s but some felt like retreads of 4 characters. Like everyone in 3 but I don't miss any of them like I do for some of 4 & 5 characters. Also not a fan of robots, weirds me out to think the universe of 4/5 have robots somewhere.

Gameplay: 5>4>3

Easy with the addition of more ability types and better dungeons.

Music: 3>4>5

Strangely I like the Jazz/Rap of 3 the most. Some great tracks and one of the best last boss themes ever.

Overall 4>5>3

All probly somewhere in my top 25 games. But 4 battles with MGS2 for my GOAT and 5 battles with Witcher 3 for my GOTG.
 
H

Haganeren

Member
Story :

P5 > P4 > P3

I didn't liked P3 story at the time... Yeah, it's dark, sure, but this is more about "atmosphere" for me. (P3 have the best atmosphere to me... Of course) The whole idea of Shadow being from an experiment is... Kinda disappointing. I really didn't cared about any of that. The stuff about new moon was REALLY cool but it's more about the "pacing" of the game to me. In general the game just don't have a lot of story i felt... At the time i thought it was a cool D RPG and the lack of story was then "normal".

I LOVED the ending of P5, the whole idea of having the masses which DON'T want to change is a way more interesting stuff that a very villain politician. Even if you change one of them, it wouldn't change the system. The whole trick with Igor was incredible too. (especially if you know the whole voice actor thing i felt)

No, really, P5 have the best story to me and i love detective novel so P4 was up there too.

Atmosphere

P3 >> P5 > P4

The whole idea of loneliness is really well made in Persona 3. You can't even order your own teammate ! (And it was a really good thing to me) The atmosphere was really darker and much more interesting because of that. It's also way more original than the far more "buddy buddy" theme of P4 and P5 which is way i don't see it being topped any time soon. (Tartarus was incredible for its atmosphere too)

Persona 4 was all over the place with dungeon with videly different theme, i thought it lacked some cohesive thematique... Which was corrected in Persona 5 which really install a sense of being "trapped" in this society... Really cool !

Pacing

P3 > P5 > P4

The pacing i remember from Persona 3 was quite cool. The whole idea of having an event with an unique enemy you know nothing about each new moon was REALLY cool. That being said, the S Link were far more difficult to have (maybe less in FES ?) so i always feel like Persona 5 is more "packed".

Persona 5 can of become predictable more quickly but still have the unique dungeon to not feel boring... So i thought it was cool enough. Also the ebginning and end part of the game are god tiers.

Persona 4 is the most predictable of the bunch, it's really not the good part of this game.

Characters

P4 > P5 > P3

Sorry, but Persona 3 characters did nothing to me. Jumpei is by far the most interesting one of the bunch but that's all. The thing for me is that in Persona 4, i really felt like i was with everyone, with a group of friend. IT was REALLY sad to let them go because of that. I never felt that in Persona 3 (which is totally normal, it's not what the game wanted to achieve which is why i found it has the best atmosphere) so all those character really weren't that important for me.

Persona 5 don't go all the way like Persona 4 with the whole "buddy buddy" stuff but is still better than P3 about that for me. In the end Persona 4 really made me feel a lot of things because of that.

Gameplay

P5 >> P3 >> P4

Sorry, but i HATED P4 dungeon, they wanted to make them random but with more level design element so it's not like Tartarus where you could have the exit just in front of the start, you can't even split with everyone trying to find treasure and object which was very fun. P4 felt really bad to me because of that. (And i found the fact you can't control people incredible, well you can "oblige" them to attack with the auto battle anyway so no problem for me)

Persona 5 have original dungeon with actual Level Design so... Of course it would win this round. An interesting comparaison would be with Tokyo Mirage Session which have less budget but i felt like it has more interesting dungeon mechanic (like those dolls which permits to access different floor)

Music

P3 > P5 > P4

I can't really say... I loved the "rap" stuff from P3, always made me laugh, i remember a lot of music from P5 like "Live will change" but really not a lot from P4... So yeah, nothing to say.


General :

P5 > P4 > P3

What i like is that each Persona have its own thing, Persona 3 is its atmosphere and the sense of doom which is approaching each time, Persona 4 is all about your friend and mistery, also have a lot of gender drama which is cool and really resonate into me, finally Persona 5 have an incredible gameplay, a cool general thematic (Phantom Thief is not that common) and a very deep story which really resonate to me. (Especially the ending that i can't understand we find it disappointing)

So yeah, this is not an absolute vote, each game are god tiers.
 
T

Trace

Banned
Nbz said:
P4 >> P5 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> P3

P3 feels like a prototype to me in every sense. I'm glad it exists, because otherwise we wouldn't have the masterpieces that are P4 and P5, but man it really sucks playing it today. Beat it in March and I didn't enjoy it much at all.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. I really enjoy some of the themes in the game and ideas it had, but holy that game is a slog.
 
K

Kalor

Member
I'd go 5 > 4 > 3 although depending on the day I might swap 3 and 4 around. 5 is at the top as I thought the story was stronger and the dungeons weren't endless corridors. The game drags at times, especially around September but it more than makes up for it in the end. 3 probably has the best characters, closely followed by 5.
 
H

Hasney

Member
I played them in order, LTTP on both 3 and 4 and 5 on release and for me it's


P5 > P4 > P3. Love them all, but the changes they made to gameplay each time were an evolution, even if 4 had more stand out characters than 5.
 
B

BriGuy

Member
4 Golden > 5 > 3.

5 has a lot of quality of life improvements, but the story feels kind of stale (and gets really dumb at the end). I also never felt that the characters were genuinely friends like I did in 4. The music isn't as memorable either.

As for 3, I just found it kind of tedious to play after awhile.
 
H

Haganeren

Member
Fandangox said:
If Eternal Punishment's battle system was better I would easily put it above the rest.
Click to expand...

P2 (I only did Innocent Sin because i'm waiting for the new version of Eternal Punishment with additional Story to be translated) don't have a battle system that bad... No what i hated was the dungeon, i feel like i liked Persona 1 dungeon even better !
 
E

Eusis

Member
charlequin said:
ZuiLdxv.png
Click to expand...
I mean, I understand that 3 onwards is basically its own series albeit with notable DNA from 1 and 2, but it's still nutty to see the OP not even bring that angle up. Just going from 3-5 as if numbers were completely arbitrary (nevermind that the opening sequence for 5 straight up shows the emblems for the first two schools.)
 
L

LinkMaster111

Member
I think P4 and P5 are really close, both are incredible games. On the other hand I actually don't even think P3 is a good game. The fact that there is no definitive edition really hurts P3 because both versions have so many problems, but beyond that I just don't find the characters or story at all interesting.
 
N

Nbz

Member
warheat said:
May I know if you played P4 before P3. Because most of people I talked to who prefer P4 is because they play P4 first and going to P3 is frustating because P4 and P5 gameplay is much much better than P3.
Click to expand...

Yeah played P4G in 2015, and wanted to beat P3 before P5 came out. Should also note that I played P3P, so the visual novel presentation was something else that kind of put me off
 
F

Fandangox

Member
Haganeren said:
P2 (I only did eternal Sin because i'm waiting for the new version of Eternal Punishment with additional Story to be translated) don't have a battle system that bad... No what i hated was the dungeon, i feel like i liked Persona 1 dungeon even better !
Click to expand...

I don't dislike P2's battle system either, but 4 and 5 have a much better battle system. Also didn't really dislike the dungeons in P2, I really liked them, it was just kind of annoying having to rotate the map if you somehow screwed up the cardinal points perspective.
 
N

Not Spaceghost

Spaceghost
Repost from a discussion we had in pgaf a few weeks ago with some modifications after my latest replay of P3FES, I feel like only the hashino games can be compared to each other since the first and 2nd are just fundamentally different experiences.

Cast P4 = P3 > P5
Story P3 > P5 > P4
Music P4 = P3 > P5
Gameplay P5 >> P4 > P3
Overall P4 = P3 > P5

These are just formal rankings though because really difference between most of these is like marginal or preferential at best. The only time where it's a wide gap is gameplay because P5 is leagues ahead of P4 which is only a couple step above P3. Also P5s sound track is incredible but something about 3 and 4s music just really hit those emotional moments much harder so that one is purely preference.

Cast wise I think the P5 cast was the weakest of the 3 for me because, they're just weaker characters. The main cast of P3 gets all these heavy emotional moments and really really REALLY strong character growth throughout the main story that the cast in P5 just doesn't get. P4s cast has so many moments where they're just hanging out and the group dynamic gets to shine in all sorts of different situations, it really feels like a group of high school kids just being a group of high school kids. A lot of the group hang outs in P5 felt really weak and other than that the bulk of is is just group texts...and characters really only grow in their social links which is an issue that P4 also had but in P5 it can get really jarring.

I love P3 and P4 nearly equally but for very different reasons, they're two sides of a coin, P4 is clearly the teams response to P3. While P3s story isn't the best paced out thing since most of it happens right at the very end of the game it's still without a doubt the most memorable story in video games to me. There are few things that can straight up illicit an emotional response in me as quickly as the opening notes of the ending theme of P3. Nothing in P5 really gave me that emotional stranglehold that P3 had me in nor did it give me the ridiculously uplifting moments of hell yeah that P4 gave me.

I love all 3 of these games though.
 
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