Megami Tensei Topic

[xXMelancholiaXx]

Well I mean that's a fine choice too. I really doesn't matter. The only reason I'm hesitant to recommend Nocturne is because it can be Nintendo Hard at various points. But then again they all can. But Nocturne gave me the most trouble.

He needs to learn how awesome MegaTen is... the hard way.

That will definitely do it.

[Farron]

I'll say the opposite. I started with P3 but if I had started with Strange Journey I don't know if I'd look forward to the next installment.
Nocturne is a great game but too hard and if you're not prepared for this kind of punishing it can be too much to take.
If you don't want to recommend Persona to a beginner I'd go with Digital Devil Saga. While I played only a little of it it feels much more manageable, I don't know.

[Mickeymac92]

I'll say the opposite. I started with P3 but if I had started with Strange Journey I don't know if I'd look forward to the next installment.
Nocturne is a great game but too hard and if you're not prepared for this kind of punishing it can be too much to take.
If you don't want to recommend Persona to a beginner I'd go with Digital Devil Saga. While I played only a little of it it feels much more manageable, I don't know.

I found them all to be difficult but still very managable. While Persona 3 has the easiest combat, it's got a ton of outside-combat mechanics that can make it a pain at times, and it requires you to think of a lot of things that you never have to deal with in other entries in the series.

Personally, the first SMT game I got into was the original Shin Megami Tensei, and while it was difficult at first, I found it to be pretty managable from then on so long as I kept on top of my levels and made sure I upgraded my demons and did a lot of experimentation with the fusion system. And of course, every game afterwards has been a wimp in comparison. I was actually disappointed with Nocturne and Strange Journey at first because they were (and still are) so easy. I rarely had much trouble so long I did some extra grinding here and there and made sure I incorperated and upgraded/fused every demon I could. Of course, I love both games now for those mechanics, but hey.

[kyuusei]

I didn't find Nocturne hard but i always felt like it was because I beat both DDSes first and had a bunch of fusion practice in P3 and 4. I probably wouldn't recommend it FIRST but it's a much better introduction to the series than something like Strange Journey would be.

[Zadok83]

Anyway, which game in the SMT series should I get my hands on first?

Nocturne, because it's the 3rd entry in the main series. All of 'em SMT games are good, but I agree with Mickey. You should start with a main entry.

Well I mean that's a fine choice too. I really doesn't matter. The only reason I'm hesitant to recommend Nocturne is because it can be Nintendo Hard at various points. But then again they all can. But Nocturne gave me the most trouble.

Trust me guys, Nintendo Hard is child's play to me.  I grew up playing and finishing "Nintendo Hard" games, so difficulty isn't an issue.

How do the games go in chronological order?  Is Nocturne considered part 3 of the DDS and where does Persona fit in all this?

[CDFN]

Anyway, which game in the SMT series should I get my hands on first?

Nocturne, because it's the 3rd entry in the main series. All of 'em SMT games are good, but I agree with Mickey. You should start with a main entry.

Well I mean that's a fine choice too. I really doesn't matter. The only reason I'm hesitant to recommend Nocturne is because it can be Nintendo Hard at various points. But then again they all can. But Nocturne gave me the most trouble.

Trust me guys, Nintendo Hard is child's play to me.  I grew up playing and finishing "Nintendo Hard" games, so difficulty isn't an issue.

How do the games go in chronological order?  Is Nocturne considered part 3 of the DDS and where does Persona fit in all this?

They're all independent from each other. Think of them as separate franchises that have some themes in common.

[Eusis]

How do the games go in chronological order?  Is Nocturne considered part 3 of the DDS and where does Persona fit in all this?

Nocturne is part 3 of Shin Megami Tensei. Digital Devil Saga is something else that recycles the engine, and anyways Nocturne doesn't have a strong narrative tie to SMT2 like SMT2 did to SMT1. As far as localized games the only ones that really should be played in a specific order are DDS1&2, doing otherwise is the same as jumping to the Two Towers or Return of the King without reading prior installments, whereas in most other cases there's either no connection or is more akin to going from the Hobbit to Lord of the Rings (Persona 1 to Persona 2... and probably nothing else).

[Zadok83]

Anyway, which game in the SMT series should I get my hands on first?

Nocturne, because it's the 3rd entry in the main series. All of 'em SMT games are good, but I agree with Mickey. You should start with a main entry.

Well I mean that's a fine choice too. I really doesn't matter. The only reason I'm hesitant to recommend Nocturne is because it can be Nintendo Hard at various points. But then again they all can. But Nocturne gave me the most trouble.

Trust me guys, Nintendo Hard is child's play to me.  I grew up playing and finishing "Nintendo Hard" games, so difficulty isn't an issue.

How do the games go in chronological order?  Is Nocturne considered part 3 of the DDS and where does Persona fit in all this?

They're all independent from each other. Think of them as separate franchises that have some themes in common.

 

Ok, now I understand.  I might give Nocturne a try first, then I'll move to DDS, and finally Persona.  Thanks for the info guys!  =D

[hell_snake]

I don't know exactly why, but I really like the Strange Journey boxart. Actually, I think it's my favourite one out of the entire series, and definitely the best boxart on the DS.

[xXMelancholiaXx]

You know I'm really on the fence about the DS. I don't really know if I should get one or not. Are Strange Journey and Devil Survivor worth it? I know it's a goddamn Megami Tensei but still I'm unsure.

[CDFN]

Anyway, which game in the SMT series should I get my hands on first?

Nocturne, because it's the 3rd entry in the main series. All of 'em SMT games are good, but I agree with Mickey. You should start with a main entry.

Well I mean that's a fine choice too. I really doesn't matter. The only reason I'm hesitant to recommend Nocturne is because it can be Nintendo Hard at various points. But then again they all can. But Nocturne gave me the most trouble.

Trust me guys, Nintendo Hard is child's play to me.  I grew up playing and finishing "Nintendo Hard" games, so difficulty isn't an issue.

How do the games go in chronological order?  Is Nocturne considered part 3 of the DDS and where does Persona fit in all this?

They're all independent from each other. Think of them as separate franchises that have some themes in common.

 

Ok, now I understand.  I might give Nocturne a try first, then I'll move to DDS, and finally Persona.  Thanks for the info guys!  =D

I should ad that within every sub-series you should play them in order if you can though it only really matters in DDS1&2 and Persona 2 IS and EP. You should also play P3 before P4, you'll be able to appreciate the connection between both games, since P4 takes place 2 years after P3, just in a different town and with different characters.

I almost forgot, there's another sub-series, devil summoner, where the second game is a direct sequel to the first.

Now that I think about it, the games in the mainline series are self-contained while the games in the spin-off series usually have some kind of connection between them.

So yeah, I suggest chronological order for all the spin-off series and whatever order you want for the mainline SMT games. There is no connection whatsoever between the different series.

[hell_snake]

You know I'm really on the fence about the DS. I don't really know if I should get one or not. Are Strange Journey and Devil Survivor worth it? I know it's a goddamn Megami Tensei but still I'm unsure.

I think you better save up for a 3DS at this point. Unless you're a Golden Sun hardcore fan that it.

[xXMelancholiaXx]

You know I'm really on the fence about the DS. I don't really know if I should get one or not. Are Strange Journey and Devil Survivor worth it? I know it's a goddamn Megami Tensei but still I'm unsure.

I think you better save up for a 3DS at this point. Unless you're a Golden Sun hardcore fan that it.

I was interested in the DS because it has the ability to play Gameboy Advance games. I was curious to see if I had missed anything. I'm not much of a handheld gamer you see.

[CDFN]

You know I'm really on the fence about the DS. I don't really know if I should get one or not. Are Strange Journey and Devil Survivor worth it? I know it's a goddamn Megami Tensei but still I'm unsure.

Well, like hell snake said, the 3DS is around the corner. If you're a fan of srpgs, devil survivor is one of the best games in the genre ever, it's really good. SJ is a hardcore dungeon crawler.

[Eusis]

You know I'm really on the fence about the DS. I don't really know if I should get one or not. Are Strange Journey and Devil Survivor worth it? I know it's a goddamn Megami Tensei but still I'm unsure.

Depending on why you've been ignoring handhelds I'd either wait on the 3DS or jump for the DSi XL. I do think the DS in some form IS worth checking out, it has one of the strongest game libraries out there and it's one of the two good places for JRPGs this generation, the other being the PSP. Anyways, both of the MegaTens are pretty good but I made little progress in Devil Survivor and am maybe 2/3rds of the way through Strange Journey.