P3 is my personal no. 1 and that's definitely because of the story (I've only played P3P). P3's story is not just cathartic. There is a timeless quality to it, because how philosophical the writers dissect the meaning of life and death through their characters. At the same time, it's also everchanging. I could play this game 10 years in the future and find new meanings in the story just because I have experienced more things in life. That said, P3's story might not be everyone's cup of tea and could even be triggering if you're someone going through some rough patches in life. So, I think P5R is still the best introduction to the series for new players. I think virtually everyone can benefit from a good balance of masterful storytelling and whimsical adventure. Plus, dope villains and main cast. I can't wait to play P3R, but I do not have 100 hours to sink into gaming right now 😂.
@@itachiyy4516my first was p5 original then i went back to p4 original and thought that was better and went back to p3 fes and was by far my favorite. Now having played P3R, no other game in the series touched my heart more and thats why i think it deserves the top. now i need to see what this hype behind the third semester of p5r is and see where it ranks among the whole series. (also need to experience p1 and 2 and hoping for a port or remakes for them😪)
@@vibechecks1987 the royal dungeon is the best in the game and the villain is my favorite in the entire series by far, royal made p5 go from a 9/10 to 10/10 fricking masterpiece
bro the story of Aigis or robots in general starting to feel human emotions but not being to completely grasp the concepts of being human is crazy emotional for me, Aigis is my favorite Persona character hands down
As much as I loved going through P3R, by the time I got to the promised day i certainly felt like the game was over. The journey felt concluded and the characters felt ready to move on. When i ended my playthrough at 75 hours with the game open, 56 on the save file, It felt like closing a book that was life changing. The story, the characters, the setting, and the conclusion all were handled incredibly well. The game was so well done, in fact, that I have no desire for a NG+ playthrough. It just feels finished; concluded (until Elizabeth is the protagonist for Persona 6). The game I felt ended too soon, oddly, is the longest game in the series ever. P5R. Persona 5 Royal is one of 3 games in my life I can think of that I truly didn't want to end: P5R, Final Fantasy 12, and Baldur's Gate 3. Persona 5 Royal sits at number 3 in my all-time RPG list. It is, in my opinion, the best JRPG ever made as of March 11, 2024.
@@unscripted483 that's a tough question, I would tell you that P5R is the definitive version of the game. The added palace is great, the reworked social links are great, and the extra social links are interesting. I would say scour used game sites for a copy around or below $20-25, I think it's added content is worth about that much.
Bro you summed up my thoughts exactly. P5R and even P4G stuck with me afterwards, Like they were fresh on my mind, Begging me to jump in for another playthrough I just didn't want them to end. Persona 3 was still a great experience but I def think fans over exaggerate just how "Deep" The game gets, Personally had ALOT more "Oh snap" Moments that made me think about things in 4&5 than in 3, I get 3 touches on life and death but as a hypochondriac who often over thinks things about life in general, The questions the game asks isn't anything that profound to me, I didn't have to stop and think about what it would be like to be in their shoes cause I already felt that way unfortunately lol, Compare to something like Futaba's arc or the Royal content on Persona 5, I legitimately sympathized with Futaba & Maruki, Like i really sat there and questioned what if for their parts. I'm with you, P5R is absolutely the greatest JRPG ever made and is top 3 best game of all time for me. Persona 4 Golden is also top 10 IMO, Favorite cast of characters in any game, P3R as great as it was, Personally I just find it hard how someone can play thru the entire series and say yeah, That one is the best. Like I get it, But I don't lol if that makes sense.
Persona 3 reload is my first persona game. Thought I’d give it a go because it was on Gamepass. I am officially hooked and as soon as I’ve finished it I’m going to go play 4 and 5
Just rolled credits and got the platinum on P3R last night, came here to finally hear Barrett gush about the game and he's so right about all of it. Great video, can't wait for another one of these when another Persona game drops.
Was my first as well 😂 played it 100h straight. Finished, bought all Persona Games available on pc and started with Yakuza Like a Dragon, got addicted, played Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, got addicted 😂 now finished both and started P5R (wanna save 4 golden as the last one haha) 😅 it really helps to play something a bit but not too different between the persona titles
Having beaten Reload just last night, my list has officially been updated. 1.Persona 3 Reload 2. Persona 4 Golden 3. Persona 5 Royal (Haven't played p1 or 2)
I can't wait for the INEVITABLE Persona 3 Re-Reload, calling it now... Maybe not next year (2025) but the year after they'll finally rerelease it for all current Platforms along with a "Switch 2" Port and it'll probably up the budget in certain aspects (stuff like Lighting in certain locations, also stuff I didn't notice like the Full Moon Bosses backgrounds during their fights being blank voids as opposed to the cool specific backgrounds in the 3 OG Versions across PS2/PSP) and the extra year (assuming a 2026 release to give the time required to do it) will result in it not only including all the DLC including "The Answer" which comes out later this year but also add in the FeMC option/route from Persona 3 Portable.
I knew it p3r ❤❤❤❤ I never played the original I started with p5 then again the royal edition Finished p4 golden and then reload…and omg what a game,truly heartbreaking,I’m 35 years old and I never cried the way I did with this game By far the best persona I ever played
Bought a gaming pc during covid when p4g just came out on steam not knowing anything about persona and man what a great series. This series helped me through covid alot and I have severe PTSD from Iraq/Afghan so these games just helped so much and Im huge fan now. Playing p3r now for the first time and I havent been able to play P4AU all this time bc of spoilers from p3 in it so Im really happy to be able to finally play p3's story. Hoping for a strikers 2 also. If you love anime, turn based rpgs, vivid colors and music I highly recommend Persona. Edit: Great video Barrett! Happy Valentine's Day Kinda Funny crew and everyone❤. Peace!✌
I played p4 on the vita a couple years ago and got through it but never really got into the gameplay loop and was just playing for the story, but after like 20 hours into p3 reload it really clicked and I was hooked I put 100 hours into the game in a few weeks. Reload is easily one of the best games I've ever played period and now I started p5 on switch can't wait to play thru the rest of the series
I finished P3R yesterday and i must say this: dont have high expectations after P5R. I had and became disappointed. The game is good dont get me wrong, i enjoyed the story and tolerated the Tartarus, but my high expectations didnt let me enjoy as much as i could. When something was happening storywise i was thinking that it is going good, but when will the part that everyone talks about will come and i finished the game without finding that part. Because of that i will replay this game in a few month to enjoy it. So dont make my mistake and dont have high expectations and just enjoy the ride
for me: 1. P3 Reload (best story, characters are more involved don't constantly orbit around MC, best execution on theme, ending is one of the greatest in gaming ...) 2. P5 Royal (best social links, persona negotiation, third semester on par with P3 storytelling imo) 3. P4 Golden (actually prefer the cast to P5 but P5 overtakes it with everything else imo)
bro the confidants in 3 are so random, almost all of them doing and talking the same shit for 10 ranks without having any big relevance.. the elder hierophant couple talking about a dying tree from april to december.. your horny class mate is talking about his teacher crush from april to december... your sportsman class mate ist as cheap version of ryuji talking about running and having knee issues for 10 ranks from april to december, like to nofking way 3 is better than 5 where almost every confidant story has ups and downs and topic switches + connections to mementos PLUS GIVING U PERKS xD kawakami allowing u to go out whenever u want, shinya gamerkid giving u special shots in the fight and and and also the main story imo 5>>>> but yea, personal preference i guess
@@meinkommentar2489yeah i agree tht the social links are the weakest in 3, its also Atlus’s first time doing them, but the best social link of any persona game is Akinari in 3, so you know what? it balances it out and i give a pass to it. The story is so amazing enough that i look past kenjis dumbass link lmao
@@vibechecks1987 wtf mate akinaris social link balances out every other shitty SL while in persona 5 even a fking gamer kid which has nothing to do with the story gives you some special moves for the fight if you max him out plus even the gamer Kids story is somehow connected to memetos.. nah mate cmon, you can like persona 3, but defending it that way doesnt work 😂 I liked akinari to, but damn theres no way that his SL balances out the whole games fails so that "persona 3 social links" become as good as "persona 5 social links", it doesnt balance out that much mate, its just that at least you could be glad about akinaris story after listening to 10 sessions "aaah we have to cut off the tree" without having any benefits from that Also the main story of the game wasnt amazing for me, buf thats just Personal opinion.. ONLY Futabas palace story and how her trauma was implemented in the cognitive world plus the Sae Nijima Akechi plot twists made p5r story wise way more better than the p3r nihilistic "World has to come to an end" shit, but as I said: Personal opinion When it comes to social links, its not personal opinion.. its facts there
I'm glad that you enjoy these games so much, and p5r would be my favorite mainly because i love red and the jazz more. I still what I've played so far of p3r and glad you enjoyed it so much. If you like grid based combat Barrett you should try disgaea. I would personally recommend 4 or 5 for being modern enough feeling. They're goofy and over the top, but it has really cool systems and mechanics
@@yougotrice9655i dont think u got the story of 5.. its so intertwined and complex, 3s story is a joke compared to that even though the story of 3 is so philosophical deep, the metaverse story/plot of 5 is on christopher nolan level 3 could have been written by any depressive philosophy student
@@meinkommentar2489 The persona 5 storyline is so naïve and childish. Just a bunch of kids doing vigilantism and after completing a couple palaces it's getting a bit annoying.
@@Eixib sry i cant take that comment serious... No disrespect but either its been a while for u since u played it last time and u forgot it or u didnt understand anything
Maybe, but honestly the only thing keeping P3 from Number 1 for me originally were the dated mechanics for FES. Those got updated along with so much else, only natural for me to put it at Number 1 now
@@manninggageor like I said above and in the video itself, the story characters and themes are more my jam. Reload wasn’t my first experience with 3 so I don’t think you can call it recency bias really. If anything I was looking to pick Reload apart more because of how much 3 means to me. Also noticed on another comment that you haven’t beaten the game. Maybe experience it yourself before you judge others about their feelings on it.
@@manninggagep5r story aint as strong as p3’s like come on man. these characters actually do shit unlike in 5 where theyre development is done after their arc. and the endings are no contest fs
I've never played Persona, but one of my good friends absolutely loves the series. I just received my Steam Deck and thought this would be the perfect handheld adventure! So which one is the best to start off with as a newbie?
the best as a newbie is probably persona3 reload, the no1 game he talked about, its quite simple and you get used to stuff quite quick, I think its on sale currently like 40% so you can check it out ig
Persona 5 has the best style, the best difficulty, the best systems for combat and Persona collection and the best social link interactions. Persona 3 has the best characters, has Theurgies (the coolest combat gimmick to date) and the story is about equal for me compared to P5 For me the negatives of P5 are bloat, the game becomes longer than it needed to be because of some systems that have become a bit too convoluted, and for P3 the negatives are that the game is too easy and that Shinji should have been introduced to the party earlier so you could miss him more when he departs I will be playing Persona 4 Golden very soon. I hope Atlus remakes P1 and the P2 Duology i don't care that they are super old I am sure you can modernize them and expand them in ways that will make them shine in the modern day. Of course, all this will come after P6, which I'm expecting to become the best game in the series
@@moonblastx1996 All Persona games are easy, but Persona 5 stands out to me (and most fans) as especially easy. Although it isn't braindead like Innocent Sin
I could not get into p4golden. I really enjoy the new Yakuza and Final Fantasy games. Just wondering if there is one that has a great starting point that anybody could recommend.
@@CometCloud56 awesome. I appreciate the replies. I have gamepass and can start with 3 too. But looking at buying 5 as well. I just remember in 4 when I did those dungeons got bored but that was years ago. I have come to love jrpgs a lot more.
P3R over P5/R? I couldn't. P5/R allows you to fuse Personas into weapons, Network Fusion, sacrifice Personas for EXP, and a whole list of other QoL upgrades along with (imo) a much better cast with much better plot. _But_ I guess for those who really liked P3 and its theme and plot, Reload scratches that itch. I treat this whole ranking video as a personal Barrett Courtney list anyway, so it's all good. No one can make a list of "objectively best Persona games ranked" that we'd all agree with anyway
Those QoL updates don’t do much for me personally and I would disagree that the cast and plot are “much” better. I think they both have really great qualities but the themes and writing of P3 are a bit more cohesive and stronger for me and are also things that strike a big emotional chord for me. Also, never tried to sell this as anything more than just my personal ranking, I say as much at the end of the video 🙂
@@BarrettCourtney Oh hey Barrett! I know you didn't try to sell this as anything more than your personal ranking, my comment was more for any potential commentors (commentators?) who tend to treat any ranked/list video as absolute fact. I saw the video (both versions back to back) in their entirety; I wasn't criticizing or tearing down your list btw, I'm not sure how my tone came across through text. I'll apologize if you thought I was. You finding the themes & writing of P3 more cohesive & stronger is perfectly valid; I do think they're good, but P4 & P5 struck a big emotional chord for me in a way P3 didn't, so the reason you rank P3 so high is why I'd rank P4 & P5 higher. As for whether the cast and plot are "much" better I've recently been exposed to Persona Twitter & let's just say I've seen divisive opinions across the fanbase! What I think is a better cast will just be my own personal tastes & doesn't mean my opinion invalidates yours or anyone else's. I was surprised P3R topped P5R in the moment, and while I understood why you did so, I was merely commenting that I myself preferred P5R. While I do prefer the fusion QoL in P5R, I totally get that it doesn't do much for a lot of players. Thanks for taking the time to reply! Looking forward to future Persona videos from you
bro also the confidants of p3r were so random, boring, useless, shit talking about a dying tree for 10 ranks vom april to december without any topic changes and almost all of the non-team-confidants were like this... they were not just fking boring, they didnt give u any perks for improved gameplay, like wtf xD i cant understand how people put 3 over 5, maybe its nostalgic idk also the story and the concept of the metaverse in 5 was way moooore complex idk bro
I enjoyed P3, But yeah I def feel out of place for thinking it doesn't hold a candle to P4 or P5, I seriously don't understand what makes people choose it as the best, Feel like people def over exaggerate just how "Deep" The story is, Overall it's like a solid 8/10 for me while P4G & P5R are 10/10 level experiences to me.
@@butterschunkmcdonalds5333 I agree, P3's story is great but only when something meaningful is actually happening because for some reason the story refuses to have any meaningful progression for most of the game except the last 3 months, the rest feels like the writers were stalling, unlike P5 and P4 which have the story progress in a consistent pace that keeps me engage. Also the dungeon in this game is so terrible especially when playing it right after P5, it's so boring and repetitive that I try to get it done as soon as possible every month just so I can focus on other things because that dungeon is that bad.
Am i the only one who thinks Persona 4&5 are better than 3? Like, By a pretty wide margin lol, P3 was still amazing but man it didn't make me feel things the way 4&5 did. 3 felt like it took itself very seriously, But a bit to a fault, Not alot of character interaction in comparison to other games, Its more like the characters have their own lives going on outside of hanging with the MC, And while that's certainly more realistic, It threw me off when more pivotal scenes did happen, I never really felt much of an emotional attachment to any of its characters, Reload did improve this to an extent, But still i struggled to feel for them the same, Like it wasnt until the end of the game that i started to get to know characters on a more personal level, And by then, All their major breakthrough moments had already came and went, So it left me in sort of a weird spot, I still ended up liking all the characters but it took until the last semester of the game for them to really click with me. And its story, While still great, Was very predictable to me, Maybe its just from playing 4&5 beforehand, But nothing really wowed me like 4&5. To me, 4 is like the ultimate feel good, Comfort game, Despite the story, Everything is kinda light hearted and playful overall, So the emotional moments that did occur hit twice as hard, And with 5 i feel it was like the perfect balance between the seriousness of 3 and the playfulness of 4, Ngl i still think P5R had the best story out of all of them. Overall P4G is my favorite, But i think P5R is def the best. P3R is the only one that didn't stick with me afterwards, Which is wild considering how everyone hyped it up, Def feel like people over exaggerate just how "Deep" Persona 3 is in comparison to the rest of the series. Still a phenomenal game tho.
Not sure if you're checking out the comments, Barrett, but I'm new to Persona and not sure if I should start with P5R or P3R. What would you recommend, now that you've updated your list? I understand this is your personal ranking, but would that change for someone's first time?
A few people have asked me this and I think now with Reload in the mix, it’s honestly just more about which one you think is gonna be your vibe. Check out trailers for both and see what strikes the mood for you currently
Reload if you want a really enjoyable story with great gameplay mechanics, great soundtrack, and you will be left in tears at the end. Reload also can do every content available in the game without replaying the game in newgame+. Royal if you want a chill game, its a bit easier game I would say also palaces were super fun to explore something that no other persona game comes close to.
P5 Strikers is actually my favorite Persona game. That's not to say I don't love the mainline games, but I really preferred the combat from Strikers. I found myself falling asleep during particularly late nights playing P3/4/5, but I was hooked for all of P5S.
Talking shit abt p5 while being a P4 fan is CRAZY, only one of the games has a character constantly making bear joker, a character who always talks about meat for some reason, a cringy idol saying senpai every 10 seconds and 2 hot springs scenes with the underage girls
@@chillswany facts, not to mention having the worst and most predictable murder mystery ever created and one of the worst plot twists ever written lol
Personally the characters in persona 4 are sooooo much better than the others in the big 3 When persona 4 or 2 gets a better updated version it’s gonna be the best ones in all persona until p6 comes out
For you maybe, for me p4 characters are probably only better than p1 characters lol, the friendship felt forced and most of them weren't well developed. P2 on the other hand deserves a chance to be in the spotlight, even if it's not my favorite
@@KD-fs9qq I mean in comparison to 2,3 and 5 yeah it's pretty forced in those games the characters all need to resolve conflict between them, they argue and even get angry at each other, in p4 they don't, and to me that's pretty irrealistic
@@KD-fs9qq but don't get me wrong I'm not attacking and I don't want to sound arrogant, that's just my experience with these games, glad that you enjoyed the IT much more than me
4 is more engaging than 5 as a story. Rather have scooby doo with tangible stakes than cringy "these adults naughty" with little in terms of what the hell is going on until like august
Nah 5 is better, having the worst murder mystery ever created with the most anime cliché characters doing nothing for 7 months, waiting for the plot to actually matter is cringe, do I have to mention that every single shadow confrontation starts with the same dialogue lol, if you prefer 4 that's fine but I also can find reasons to shit on p4
I am thou, thou art I
Thou has acquired a new vow
P3 is my personal no. 1 and that's definitely because of the story (I've only played P3P).
P3's story is not just cathartic. There is a timeless quality to it, because how philosophical the writers dissect the meaning of life and death through their characters.
At the same time, it's also everchanging. I could play this game 10 years in the future and find new meanings in the story just because I have experienced more things in life.
That said, P3's story might not be everyone's cup of tea and could even be triggering if you're someone going through some rough patches in life.
So, I think P5R is still the best introduction to the series for new players. I think virtually everyone can benefit from a good balance of masterful storytelling and whimsical adventure. Plus, dope villains and main cast.
I can't wait to play P3R, but I do not have 100 hours to sink into gaming right now 😂.
Persona 3: Reload has been consuming my life! Excited to hear your rankings, Barrett!
P4G was my favorite until P3R came out. Hopefully they’ll remake P4 in the future as well.
My first persona game was P5R
Maybe thats why its my favorit one
@@itachiyy4516my first was p5 original then i went back to p4 original and thought that was better and went back to p3 fes and was by far my favorite. Now having played P3R, no other game in the series touched my heart more and thats why i think it deserves the top. now i need to see what this hype behind the third semester of p5r is and see where it ranks among the whole series. (also need to experience p1 and 2 and hoping for a port or remakes for them😪)
In the works
@@vibechecks1987 the extra semester is a pretty good story arc and has a cool dungeon, but it moved at a very brisk pace.
@@vibechecks1987 the royal dungeon is the best in the game and the villain is my favorite in the entire series by far, royal made p5 go from a 9/10 to 10/10 fricking masterpiece
bro the story of Aigis or robots in general starting to feel human emotions but not being to completely grasp the concepts of being human is crazy emotional for me, Aigis is my favorite Persona character hands down
As much as I loved going through P3R, by the time I got to the promised day i certainly felt like the game was over. The journey felt concluded and the characters felt ready to move on. When i ended my playthrough at 75 hours with the game open, 56 on the save file, It felt like closing a book that was life changing. The story, the characters, the setting, and the conclusion all were handled incredibly well. The game was so well done, in fact, that I have no desire for a NG+ playthrough. It just feels finished; concluded (until Elizabeth is the protagonist for Persona 6).
The game I felt ended too soon, oddly, is the longest game in the series ever. P5R. Persona 5 Royal is one of 3 games in my life I can think of that I truly didn't want to end: P5R, Final Fantasy 12, and Baldur's Gate 3. Persona 5 Royal sits at number 3 in my all-time RPG list. It is, in my opinion, the best JRPG ever made as of March 11, 2024.
I've only played the base p5 do you think it's worth buying royal?. I even platinumed p5
@@unscripted483 that's a tough question, I would tell you that P5R is the definitive version of the game. The added palace is great, the reworked social links are great, and the extra social links are interesting. I would say scour used game sites for a copy around or below $20-25, I think it's added content is worth about that much.
Bro you summed up my thoughts exactly. P5R and even P4G stuck with me afterwards, Like they were fresh on my mind, Begging me to jump in for another playthrough I just didn't want them to end. Persona 3 was still a great experience but I def think fans over exaggerate just how "Deep" The game gets, Personally had ALOT more "Oh snap" Moments that made me think about things in 4&5 than in 3, I get 3 touches on life and death but as a hypochondriac who often over thinks things about life in general, The questions the game asks isn't anything that profound to me, I didn't have to stop and think about what it would be like to be in their shoes cause I already felt that way unfortunately lol, Compare to something like Futaba's arc or the Royal content on Persona 5, I legitimately sympathized with Futaba & Maruki, Like i really sat there and questioned what if for their parts. I'm with you, P5R is absolutely the greatest JRPG ever made and is top 3 best game of all time for me. Persona 4 Golden is also top 10 IMO, Favorite cast of characters in any game, P3R as great as it was, Personally I just find it hard how someone can play thru the entire series and say yeah, That one is the best. Like I get it, But I don't lol if that makes sense.
Barrett saying a 9 hour review might be a waste of our time. Considerate, but I see nothing wrong with that. Love these videos!!
Persona 3 reload is my first persona game. Thought I’d give it a go because it was on Gamepass. I am officially hooked and as soon as I’ve finished it I’m going to go play 4 and 5
Just rolled credits and got the platinum on P3R last night, came here to finally hear Barrett gush about the game and he's so right about all of it. Great video, can't wait for another one of these when another Persona game drops.
So weird to see how much westerners love P4 when over here is very much considered the most meh
4 is pretty overrated.
Playing Persona 3 Reload and it’s my first Persona game. I never thought I would ever like a game like this but man it’s incredible.
Was my first as well 😂 played it 100h straight. Finished, bought all Persona Games available on pc and started with Yakuza Like a Dragon, got addicted, played Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth, got addicted 😂 now finished both and started P5R (wanna save 4 golden as the last one haha) 😅 it really helps to play something a bit but not too different between the persona titles
Barrett's lost some weight and is looking quite cute in this intro!!!
Great job B!
Aigis > literally everyone else
Having beaten Reload just last night, my list has officially been updated.
1.Persona 3 Reload
2. Persona 4 Golden
3. Persona 5 Royal
(Haven't played p1 or 2)
My list
1. Ps5R (Was my first)
2. P3R (best story)
3. P4g (best cast)
Love all of them
Love this and agree completely with your top 3
I can't wait for the INEVITABLE Persona 3 Re-Reload, calling it now...
Maybe not next year (2025) but the year after they'll finally rerelease it for all current Platforms along with a "Switch 2" Port and it'll probably up the budget in certain aspects (stuff like Lighting in certain locations, also stuff I didn't notice like the Full Moon Bosses backgrounds during their fights being blank voids as opposed to the cool specific backgrounds in the 3 OG Versions across PS2/PSP) and the extra year (assuming a 2026 release to give the time required to do it) will result in it not only including all the DLC including "The Answer" which comes out later this year but also add in the FeMC option/route from Persona 3 Portable.
I knew it p3r ❤❤❤❤
I never played the original
I started with p5 then again the royal edition
Finished p4 golden and then reload…and omg what a game,truly heartbreaking,I’m 35 years old and I never cried the way I did with this game
By far the best persona I ever played
Bought a gaming pc during covid when p4g just came out on steam not knowing anything about persona and man what a great series. This series helped me through covid alot and I have severe PTSD from Iraq/Afghan so these games just helped so much and Im huge fan now. Playing p3r now for the first time and I havent been able to play P4AU all this time bc of spoilers from p3 in it so Im really happy to be able to finally play p3's story. Hoping for a strikers 2 also. If you love anime, turn based rpgs, vivid colors and music I highly recommend Persona.
Edit: Great video Barrett! Happy Valentine's Day Kinda Funny crew and everyone❤. Peace!✌
Thanks Barrett!!
I played p4 on the vita a couple years ago and got through it but never really got into the gameplay loop and was just playing for the story, but after like 20 hours into p3 reload it really clicked and I was hooked I put 100 hours into the game in a few weeks. Reload is easily one of the best games I've ever played period and now I started p5 on switch can't wait to play thru the rest of the series
PS5 Royale is the best Slice-Of-Life media of all time. Excited to try P3R when I finish what I’m already playing.
Temper expectations for 3 Reloaded. It's not as deep as 5.
I truly love PS5 Royal. ❤️
I finished P3R yesterday and i must say this: dont have high expectations after P5R. I had and became disappointed. The game is good dont get me wrong, i enjoyed the story and tolerated the Tartarus, but my high expectations didnt let me enjoy as much as i could. When something was happening storywise i was thinking that it is going good, but when will the part that everyone talks about will come and i finished the game without finding that part. Because of that i will replay this game in a few month to enjoy it. So dont make my mistake and dont have high expectations and just enjoy the ride
@@AttilaTheGreat1 thanks! I’m going to start it in a few weeks I’m finishing up the kingdom hearts series
Tactica over Strikers… you made Sophie cry
Persona 5 just has way better dungeons, but 4 had a gritty story
Love the list but for me personally switch 1 with 2 and the list is perfect :)
P4G is my fav Persona game!! P2EP is my second fav one.
I hope we will get a Full Persona 4 Golden UE Remake in the style like Persona 3 Reload, it's a masterpiece of a remake.
for me:
1. P3 Reload (best story, characters are more involved don't constantly orbit around MC, best execution on theme, ending is one of the greatest in gaming ...)
2. P5 Royal (best social links, persona negotiation, third semester on par with P3 storytelling imo)
3. P4 Golden (actually prefer the cast to P5 but P5 overtakes it with everything else imo)
bro the confidants in 3 are so random, almost all of them doing and talking the same shit for 10 ranks without having any big relevance.. the elder hierophant couple talking about a dying tree from april to december.. your horny class mate is talking about his teacher crush from april to december... your sportsman class mate ist as cheap version of ryuji talking about running and having knee issues for 10 ranks from april to december, like to nofking way 3 is better than 5 where almost every confidant story has ups and downs and topic switches + connections to mementos PLUS GIVING U PERKS xD kawakami allowing u to go out whenever u want, shinya gamerkid giving u special shots in the fight and and and
also the main story imo 5>>>>
but yea, personal preference i guess
@@meinkommentar2489yeah i agree tht the social links are the weakest in 3, its also Atlus’s first time doing them, but the best social link of any persona game is Akinari in 3, so you know what? it balances it out and i give a pass to it. The story is so amazing enough that i look past kenjis dumbass link lmao
@@vibechecks1987 wtf mate akinaris social link balances out every other shitty SL while in persona 5 even a fking gamer kid which has nothing to do with the story gives you some special moves for the fight if you max him out plus even the gamer Kids story is somehow connected to memetos.. nah mate cmon, you can like persona 3, but defending it that way doesnt work 😂 I liked akinari to, but damn theres no way that his SL balances out the whole games fails so that "persona 3 social links" become as good as "persona 5 social links", it doesnt balance out that much mate, its just that at least you could be glad about akinaris story after listening to 10 sessions "aaah we have to cut off the tree" without having any benefits from that
Also the main story of the game wasnt amazing for me, buf thats just Personal opinion.. ONLY Futabas palace story and how her trauma was implemented in the cognitive world plus the Sae Nijima Akechi plot twists made p5r story wise way more better than the p3r nihilistic "World has to come to an end" shit, but as I said: Personal opinion
When it comes to social links, its not personal opinion.. its facts there
I'm glad that you enjoy these games so much, and p5r would be my favorite mainly because i love red and the jazz more. I still what I've played so far of p3r and glad you enjoyed it so much. If you like grid based combat Barrett you should try disgaea. I would personally recommend 4 or 5 for being modern enough feeling. They're goofy and over the top, but it has really cool systems and mechanics
I still think Persona 5 Royal rules, but I respect it.
Story wise absolutely not
@@yougotrice9655the story is great, i prefer 3's but 5r's is still amazing
@@yougotrice9655i dont think u got the story of 5.. its so intertwined and complex, 3s story is a joke compared to that
even though the story of 3 is so philosophical deep, the metaverse story/plot of 5 is on christopher nolan level
3 could have been written by any depressive philosophy student
@@meinkommentar2489 The persona 5 storyline is so naïve and childish. Just a bunch of kids doing vigilantism and after completing a couple palaces it's getting a bit annoying.
@@Eixib sry i cant take that comment serious... No disrespect but either its been a while for u since u played it last time and u forgot it or u didnt understand anything
this gotta be some recency bias, aint no way P3 reload is above P5R. I love reload but cmon man haha
Maybe, but honestly the only thing keeping P3 from Number 1 for me originally were the dated mechanics for FES. Those got updated along with so much else, only natural for me to put it at Number 1 now
P3 was already arguably the best persona game, now that reload updated the graphics and gameplay there is no contest
100% recency bias, p3r is comparatively weaker on all levels except UI to p5r its just a fact, like no argument
@@manninggageor like I said above and in the video itself, the story characters and themes are more my jam. Reload wasn’t my first experience with 3 so I don’t think you can call it recency bias really. If anything I was looking to pick Reload apart more because of how much 3 means to me.
Also noticed on another comment that you haven’t beaten the game. Maybe experience it yourself before you judge others about their feelings on it.
@@manninggagep5r story aint as strong as p3’s like come on man. these characters actually do shit unlike in 5 where theyre development is done after their arc. and the endings are no contest fs
what a goddamn list. 🤝🤝🤝
Coming here as the credits roll on persona 3 reload. I need the answer DLC stat!
There’s no need for spoilers in a ranking video
It’s hard for me to talk about things I love without talking story, since story means a lot to me. I also gave two warnings lol
It's impossible without spoilers tbh. Why in any way should someone watch this video without playing at least 50% of the games
Reload is definitely number 1 for me.
I've never played Persona, but one of my good friends absolutely loves the series. I just received my Steam Deck and thought this would be the perfect handheld adventure! So which one is the best to start off with as a newbie?
the best as a newbie is probably persona3 reload, the no1 game he talked about, its quite simple and you get used to stuff quite quick, I think its on sale currently like 40% so you can check it out ig
Either P3R or P5R would be the best starting points.
@@pokestar9994 Ended up grabbing P5R on sale on Steam for $22. Seemed like a great deal for such a massive game
Glad to see Tacitca praise. It’s a strong 7/10 game in the best way.
100%
I would love to see you do a video. Your favorite Social links
Persona 5 has the best style, the best difficulty, the best systems for combat and Persona collection and the best social link interactions. Persona 3 has the best characters, has Theurgies (the coolest combat gimmick to date) and the story is about equal for me compared to P5
For me the negatives of P5 are bloat, the game becomes longer than it needed to be because of some systems that have become a bit too convoluted, and for P3 the negatives are that the game is too easy and that Shinji should have been introduced to the party earlier so you could miss him more when he departs
I will be playing Persona 4 Golden very soon. I hope Atlus remakes P1 and the P2 Duology i don't care that they are super old I am sure you can modernize them and expand them in ways that will make them shine in the modern day. Of course, all this will come after P6, which I'm expecting to become the best game in the series
Best difficulty? It's probably the second easiest game in the series, only behind Innocent Sin.
@@puderkman you're delulu how is it the 2nd easiest if p1 p2 and p3 are easy af. it's the 2nd hardest after p4
@@moonblastx1996 All Persona games are easy, but Persona 5 stands out to me (and most fans) as especially easy. Although it isn't braindead like Innocent Sin
@@puderkman Therefore... your point? For me it was the one I enjoyed the difficulty the most
P3 might have the best story overall, but I just can’t give it number 1 since almost fucking nothing happens for the first several months.
How come this video has so many dislikes? I don't even see hate comments, it's very strange. Also what are people upset about?
i think P3 is the reason
I could not get into p4golden. I really enjoy the new Yakuza and Final Fantasy games. Just wondering if there is one that has a great starting point that anybody could recommend.
P5 royal for sure
P3 Reload Best game for me but Royal is a lot more fun. Level design is simply unmatched in p5 royal, it's really fun exploring the palaces.
Absolutely I agree. Was only saying Royal is most definitely more accessible to newcomers because of palaces and such
@@CometCloud56 awesome. I appreciate the replies. I have gamepass and can start with 3 too. But looking at buying 5 as well. I just remember in 4 when I did those dungeons got bored but that was years ago. I have come to love jrpgs a lot more.
@@TetGodOfGames awesome. I will put both of these on my list. I really appreciate the replies.
Stoked for this one! ❤
You rock Barrett! Excellent work
P3R over P5/R? I couldn't. P5/R allows you to fuse Personas into weapons, Network Fusion, sacrifice Personas for EXP, and a whole list of other QoL upgrades along with (imo) a much better cast with much better plot. _But_ I guess for those who really liked P3 and its theme and plot, Reload scratches that itch. I treat this whole ranking video as a personal Barrett Courtney list anyway, so it's all good. No one can make a list of "objectively best Persona games ranked" that we'd all agree with anyway
Those QoL updates don’t do much for me personally and I would disagree that the cast and plot are “much” better. I think they both have really great qualities but the themes and writing of P3 are a bit more cohesive and stronger for me and are also things that strike a big emotional chord for me.
Also, never tried to sell this as anything more than just my personal ranking, I say as much at the end of the video 🙂
@@BarrettCourtney Oh hey Barrett! I know you didn't try to sell this as anything more than your personal ranking, my comment was more for any potential commentors (commentators?) who tend to treat any ranked/list video as absolute fact. I saw the video (both versions back to back) in their entirety; I wasn't criticizing or tearing down your list btw, I'm not sure how my tone came across through text. I'll apologize if you thought I was.
You finding the themes & writing of P3 more cohesive & stronger is perfectly valid; I do think they're good, but P4 & P5 struck a big emotional chord for me in a way P3 didn't, so the reason you rank P3 so high is why I'd rank P4 & P5 higher. As for whether the cast and plot are "much" better I've recently been exposed to Persona Twitter & let's just say I've seen divisive opinions across the fanbase! What I think is a better cast will just be my own personal tastes & doesn't mean my opinion invalidates yours or anyone else's.
I was surprised P3R topped P5R in the moment, and while I understood why you did so, I was merely commenting that I myself preferred P5R. While I do prefer the fusion QoL in P5R, I totally get that it doesn't do much for a lot of players. Thanks for taking the time to reply! Looking forward to future Persona videos from you
bro also the confidants of p3r were so random, boring, useless, shit talking about a dying tree for 10 ranks vom april to december without any topic changes and almost all of the non-team-confidants were like this... they were not just fking boring, they didnt give u any perks for improved gameplay, like wtf xD i cant understand how people put 3 over 5, maybe its nostalgic idk
also the story and the concept of the metaverse in 5 was way moooore complex
idk bro
I've played all to completion and my personal pick is 3, 4,5...five being number 1.
This thumbnail goes too damn hard!
🫳🫴👋✋👐🫷🤌🫲💪🫱🫰✌️ barret hands
je ne sais quoi 🫴👐✌️🤌🫳
wait he's Re-ranking them?
P3r and p5 tactica are being added. So the rankings are being changed for that
Need an update once Metaphor: ReFantzio drops!
But that’s not a persona game!
@@BarrettCourtney it is to me 🥹
@@ytm23akit's not even set in the same SMT Universe, so it's definitely not a Persona game ^^
Barrett is goated
Good think my first persona was the number 1
Reload is great. The core of P4 is better IMO. Sucks that it's the most dated of the modern games at this point.
playing through P3 reload which is my first real deal Persona experience and loving it so far. Has such a nice snappy pacing for a long JRPG
BASED
In P4G you predicted the guy at the gas station was the mastermind behind the whole thing? yeah right!
Not the twist I was alluding to. Also might delete your comment for spoilers sake lol
It's already a spoilers vid might as well lol
It’s kinda predictable I guessed too
i feel like it's just me that can't stand persona 3
nah me too, while I cant say much cause im abt 20 hrs into it. But so far, its comparatively weaker on all levels except UI to p5
Original 3 is a chore to play and reload is way too easy even compared to 5 which is saying something.
I enjoyed P3, But yeah I def feel out of place for thinking it doesn't hold a candle to P4 or P5, I seriously don't understand what makes people choose it as the best, Feel like people def over exaggerate just how "Deep" The story is, Overall it's like a solid 8/10 for me while P4G & P5R are 10/10 level experiences to me.
@@butterschunkmcdonalds5333 I agree, P3's story is great but only when something meaningful is actually happening because for some reason the story refuses to have any meaningful progression for most of the game except the last 3 months, the rest feels like the writers were stalling, unlike P5 and P4 which have the story progress in a consistent pace that keeps me engage.
Also the dungeon in this game is so terrible especially when playing it right after P5, it's so boring and repetitive that I try to get it done as soon as possible every month just so I can focus on other things because that dungeon is that bad.
Am i the only one who thinks Persona 4&5 are better than 3? Like, By a pretty wide margin lol, P3 was still amazing but man it didn't make me feel things the way 4&5 did. 3 felt like it took itself very seriously, But a bit to a fault, Not alot of character interaction in comparison to other games, Its more like the characters have their own lives going on outside of hanging with the MC, And while that's certainly more realistic, It threw me off when more pivotal scenes did happen, I never really felt much of an emotional attachment to any of its characters, Reload did improve this to an extent, But still i struggled to feel for them the same, Like it wasnt until the end of the game that i started to get to know characters on a more personal level, And by then, All their major breakthrough moments had already came and went, So it left me in sort of a weird spot, I still ended up liking all the characters but it took until the last semester of the game for them to really click with me. And its story, While still great, Was very predictable to me, Maybe its just from playing 4&5 beforehand, But nothing really wowed me like 4&5. To me, 4 is like the ultimate feel good, Comfort game, Despite the story, Everything is kinda light hearted and playful overall, So the emotional moments that did occur hit twice as hard, And with 5 i feel it was like the perfect balance between the seriousness of 3 and the playfulness of 4, Ngl i still think P5R had the best story out of all of them. Overall P4G is my favorite, But i think P5R is def the best. P3R is the only one that didn't stick with me afterwards, Which is wild considering how everyone hyped it up, Def feel like people over exaggerate just how "Deep" Persona 3 is in comparison to the rest of the series. Still a phenomenal game tho.
I don’t know why, but whenever I compare one to the other two I always find the one to be overrated, for 3,4, and 5
Persona 5 and persona 4 are way better than persona 3
Not sure if you're checking out the comments, Barrett, but I'm new to Persona and not sure if I should start with P5R or P3R. What would you recommend, now that you've updated your list?
I understand this is your personal ranking, but would that change for someone's first time?
A few people have asked me this and I think now with Reload in the mix, it’s honestly just more about which one you think is gonna be your vibe. Check out trailers for both and see what strikes the mood for you currently
@@BarrettCourtney Thanks, Barrett! Really appreciate it, and you!
Reload if you want a really enjoyable story with great gameplay mechanics, great soundtrack, and you will be left in tears at the end. Reload also can do every content available in the game without replaying the game in newgame+. Royal if you want a chill game, its a bit easier game I would say also palaces were super fun to explore something that no other persona game comes close to.
@@TetGodOfGames Thanks! I chose Reload and started it 2 days ago. I'm 8 hours in already, so you could say it's going really well! 😅
I love the persona series but I refuse to play those dancing persona games
P5 Strikers is actually my favorite Persona game. That's not to say I don't love the mainline games, but I really preferred the combat from Strikers. I found myself falling asleep during particularly late nights playing P3/4/5, but I was hooked for all of P5S.
For real?
Personally speaking I don't know what takes my number 1 spot, but I'll forever put 4 ahead of 5. 5 is too bloated and has cringy ass dialog.
Talking shit abt p5 while being a P4 fan is CRAZY, only one of the games has a character constantly making bear joker, a character who always talks about meat for some reason, a cringy idol saying senpai every 10 seconds and 2 hot springs scenes with the underage girls
@@chillswany facts, not to mention having the worst and most predictable murder mystery ever created and one of the worst plot twists ever written lol
Personally the characters in persona 4 are sooooo much better than the others in the big 3
When persona 4 or 2 gets a better updated version it’s gonna be the best ones in all persona until p6 comes out
For you maybe, for me p4 characters are probably only better than p1 characters lol, the friendship felt forced and most of them weren't well developed. P2 on the other hand deserves a chance to be in the spotlight, even if it's not my favorite
@@cristianoducceschi3547 forced makes no sense did you even play the game😭 they all have way better chemistry than any friendships in 1,2&3
@@KD-fs9qq I mean in comparison to 2,3 and 5 yeah it's pretty forced in those games the characters all need to resolve conflict between them, they argue and even get angry at each other, in p4 they don't, and to me that's pretty irrealistic
@@KD-fs9qq but don't get me wrong I'm not attacking and I don't want to sound arrogant, that's just my experience with these games, glad that you enjoyed the IT much more than me
@@cristianoducceschi3547 i appreciate that i wasn’t trying to attack u either. At some points I do agree.
*talks about how great the new dub for reload is* then proceeds to play an absolutely awfully delivered line. Not very convincing lmao.
Barrett saying "addicting" when he means "addictive" will never not be infuriating.
I feel you. Huber from EZA does the exact same thing.
why b? why
4 is more engaging than 5 as a story. Rather have scooby doo with tangible stakes than cringy "these adults naughty" with little in terms of what the hell is going on until like august
Nah 5 is better, having the worst murder mystery ever created with the most anime cliché characters doing nothing for 7 months, waiting for the plot to actually matter is cringe, do I have to mention that every single shadow confrontation starts with the same dialogue lol, if you prefer 4 that's fine but I also can find reasons to shit on p4