Persona 5 Royal is the best all-around Persona game for most players, while Persona 4 Golden and Persona 3 Reload are excellent alternatives. This ranking covers 21 distinct game releases, counting expanded editions and remakes separately when they substantially change the experience, and including major genre spin-offs. It is an editorial recommendation, not an official or consensus ranking; the games span role-playing, fighting, rhythm, tactics and action, so their positions reflect story, execution, accessibility and how much context they expect from the player.
“All 21” needs a scope: the list below includes the numbered entries, substantially revised editions and remakes, major story or crossover spin-offs, and Persona 5: The Phantom X. It does not count ports that leave a game essentially unchanged, mobile side apps, or soundtrack releases as separate games. Platform availability depends on edition, region and date; Atlus’ US-facing portal lists Persona 5 Royal, Persona 4 Golden and Persona 3 Portable, while Nintendo’s storefront has its own regional listings. Check the live store for the edition you want.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Persona 3 Reload: Standard Edition - PlayStation 5 | $19.40 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Persona 5 - PlayStation Hits - PlayStation 4 Standard Edition | $10.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Persona 5 Tactica - Nintendo Switch | $17.95 | Buy on Amazon |
How to read this Persona ranking
The mainline Persona RPGs offer new casts and stories, so most are possible starting points. Expanded editions such as Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royal are ranked as separate releases because they add substantial content and changes; Persona 3 Reload is a remake rather than a replacement label for the original Persona 3. Spin-offs are judged within their own genre, not as if a rhythm game or fighter were an RPG. Crossover sequels are placed lower when they assume familiarity with earlier casts or storylines.
The 21 Persona games, ranked
-
Persona 5 Royal
Type: Expanded turn-based RPG. Best for: Most first-time players. It combines a stylish, readable combat loop with a large cast and a strong day-to-day structure. Royal expands Persona 5 with new story material and systems, making it the fullest version of that adventure. Its length is the trade-off: it asks for a major time commitment.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.#1 Best Overall
Sale
Persona 3 Reload: Standard Edition - PlayStation 5- Experience the pivotal game of the Persona series faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI.
- Fully immerse yourself in an emotional, gripping journey with new scenes and character interactions, additional voiceover, and a reloaded soundtrack.
- Choose how to meaningfully spend each day through various activities from exploring the Port Island to forging genuine bonds with beloved characters.
- Build and command your optimal team to take down otherworldly Shadows and climb closer to the truth.
-
Persona 4 Golden
Type: Expanded turn-based RPG. Best for: Players who want a close-knit cast and a smaller-town mystery. Golden enriches Persona 4 with additional material and is an approachable entry into the series’ mix of social life and dungeon exploration. Its presentation and combat feel older than Persona 5 Royal’s, but its character relationships remain a major strength.
-
Persona 3 Reload
Type: Remake of Persona 3. Best for: A modern route into Persona 3’s darker story. Reload substantially updates the presentation and play experience while retaining the original’s central arc. It is a better fit for newcomers than the crossover sequels, though it is still a long RPG and does not make the earlier editions irrelevant to players interested in their differences.
-
Persona 5 Strikers
Type: Action RPG and story follow-up to Persona 5. Best for: Players who want to spend more time with the Phantom Thieves. Its real-time battles give the cast’s familiar powers a different feel from the turn-based original. The story continues Persona 5, so play that first if you want the character introductions and emotional context to land.
-
Persona 3 FES
Type: Expanded Persona 3 release. Best for: Players curious about the original game’s form and its added epilogue. FES preserves the older version’s presentation and systems, which can be a draw for series historians but a barrier for newcomers. Its value is not that it supersedes Reload; it lets you compare a distinct release and its additional story material.
Recommended Free Tools
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Persona 5
Type: Turn-based RPG. Best for: Players who specifically want the original release. Persona 5 established the adventure that Royal later expands, with a memorable cast and a confident visual identity. If choosing between the two, Royal is the more complete recommendation; the original’s place here is for people interested in experiencing that first version rather than its revision.
-
Persona 3 Portable
Type: Portable version of Persona 3 with a distinct presentation and protagonist option. Best for: Players who value its alternate route or portable format. Its visual-novel-style navigation differs from the more fully staged presentation in Reload, and that trade-off shapes the experience. Atlus’ US-facing portal lists Persona 3 Portable; check the current regional store for the edition and platform available to you.
-
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Type: Fighting game and crossover sequel. Best for: Players who already know Persona 3 and Persona 4 and want a competitive fighter. It brings characters from both RPGs together and continues the Arena storyline. It is not a sensible first Persona game if story context is the priority, but it is the strongest fit on this list for players who want fighting-game mechanics.
Rank #2
Persona 5 - PlayStation Hits - PlayStation 4 Standard Edition- The 5th numbered game in the series, created by renowned developers! The core development team of the recent Persona titles unites again for this upcoming game.
- A deep and engaging storyline - The thrilling story of a team of defiant teenagers, growing through every trial they face, begins now. Each case will take you one step closer to the truth veiled in darkness...What awaits our heroes: glory or ruin?
- Unique and interesting dungeons with various tricks and traps await - Overcome various obstacles with graceful Phantom Thief action. The simple-to-learn, but hard-to-master controls will be enjoyed by newcomers and veteran Persona players alike.
- Language - A stable of talented voice actors have provided English voice-overs while ATLUS’ celebrated localization team offers an English script that provides a faithful and engaging play experience.
-
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Type: Turn-based RPG and follow-up to Persona 2: Innocent Sin. Best for: Players drawn to the earlier games’ more direct RPG structure and connected story. Its position reflects its importance as a distinct entry, while its age and dependence on Innocent Sin make it a less accessible starting point. Play Innocent Sin first for the intended narrative context.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Type: Turn-based RPG. Best for: Players interested in Persona’s earlier storytelling and systems. Innocent Sin sets up Eternal Punishment and is best approached as part of that two-game story. It feels markedly different from the later calendar-and-social-link RPGs, so players expecting Persona 3, 4 or 5’s structure should adjust their expectations.
-
Persona 4 Arena
Type: Fighting game and story crossover. Best for: Persona 3 and Persona 4 fans who want a fighter with a narrative. Atlus describes Arena as a fighting game featuring characters from Persona 3 and Persona 4. That makes its cast a selling point and its dependence on two earlier RPGs a real barrier for newcomers.
-
Persona 5 Tactica
Type: Tactical RPG spin-off. Best for: Players who want turn-based, grid-based battles with the Persona 5 cast. Its genre gives the series’ familiar team a different strategic frame. The strongest character and story payoff comes after Persona 5, so it is a better follow-up than an introduction.
-
Persona 3
Type: Original turn-based RPG release. Best for: Players interested in seeing the series’ modern RPG structure take shape. The original is historically significant within the set, but later editions and the remake offer different ways to experience its story. Choose it for the original presentation, not because it is the easiest version for a new player to approach.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
Type: Dungeon-crawling crossover RPG. Best for: Fans who already know Persona 3, 4 and 5. Its appeal comes from bringing those casts together, and the character interactions work better with that familiarity. Its dungeon-focused design is also a sharper departure from the mainline games than its crossover branding might suggest.
-
Persona 4: Dancing All Night
Type: Rhythm game and Persona 4 story follow-up. Best for: Persona 4 fans who want a music-focused side story. It is the most compelling of the dancing entries here because it gives its format a narrative role, but it assumes you care about the original cast. It is an after-the-RPG treat, not a substitute for Persona 4.
Rank #3
Persona 5 Tactica - Nintendo Switch- An emotional revolution - Lead an uprising of the heart in a brand-new storyline that takes place in Persona's iconic universe.
- Build your own dream squad - Assemble a team of beloved heroes to fight oppressive armies in thrilling turn-based combat.
- Dynamic content - Overthrow your enemies with powerful Personas, an assortment of weapons, and wipe them out with style!
-
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
Type: Dungeon-crawling crossover RPG. Best for: Players familiar with Persona 3 and Persona 4 who enjoy mapping and party-based dungeon exploration. The crossover is its main draw; it is not designed as a clean introduction to either cast. Its more focused roster gives it a slightly easier entry than Q2, but prior-game context still helps.
-
Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight
Type: Rhythm game. Best for: Players who want music and character scenes with the Persona 5 cast. It is a pleasant companion piece if you already know the characters, but its rhythm-game format does not offer the narrative or combat breadth of the main RPG. Go in for the music and interactions, not for a new mainline story.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsSpecial offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight
Type: Rhythm game. Best for: Persona 3 fans looking for a lighter return to its cast. Like the other dancing spin-offs, its appeal is character familiarity and music rather than a full RPG-scale arc. It ranks below the more substantial narrative spin-offs because it is most rewarding when treated as an optional extra.
-
Persona 4
Type: Original turn-based RPG release. Best for: Players comparing the original with Persona 4 Golden. Golden is the more complete version for most people choosing one, but the original remains a distinct release for those interested in the series’ editions and evolution. For a first playthrough, Golden is the more practical pick.
-
Revelations: Persona
Type: Original Persona RPG. Best for: Series completists curious about the franchise’s earliest game. Its older structure and presentation make it a challenging first stop for players who came to Persona through the later social-simulation RPGs. It belongs on a historical series list, but its importance does not make it the best starting recommendation.
-
Persona 5: The Phantom X
Type: Mobile RPG spin-off. Best for: Players specifically interested in a mobile Persona experience. Its format and ongoing-service model set it apart from the self-contained console and PC RPGs above, so it is difficult to compare on equal terms and may not suit someone seeking a single, complete campaign. Treat platform, regional release and service availability as date-sensitive; check the current local listing before committing.
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Which Persona game should you play first?
- For the broadest recommendation: Start with Persona 5 Royal if you want a modern, expansive turn-based RPG.
- For a tighter cast-centered mystery: Choose Persona 4 Golden.
- For Persona 3’s story in a modern remake: Choose Persona 3 Reload.
- For action combat: Play Persona 5 before Persona 5 Strikers.
- For a fighting game: Play Persona 3 and Persona 4 before Arena or Arena Ultimax if you care about the crossover story.
- For music or tactics: Treat the dancing games and Persona 5 Tactica as cast-driven extras, best after their related RPGs.
Are Persona spin-offs worth playing?
Yes, if you want the genre they offer or more time with characters you already know. The spin-offs are not interchangeable: Arena is a fighter, Q and Q2 focus on dungeon crawling, the dancing games center on rhythm play, Tactica is tactical, and Strikers is an action-RPG follow-up. The crossover stories reward familiarity with their parent games, so they are usually better second or third Persona purchases than first ones.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
