Just a quick question, since this series is supposed to be HOT.

Are the games connected in anyway? Or is it similar to Final Fantasy?

I noticed that 1 and 3 have been re-made for PSP, and 4 is coming for the Vita.

Do I really miss any major story beats if I just play 3 and 4?

I haven't played P2, but apart from that not really. They're definitely more thematically consistant than Final Fantasy though, and P3 and P4 play almost identically.

Thematically I understand, but what about story wise?

I just don't want to feel like I'm lost if I start playing 3 without touching 1 or 2...

They're all disconnected, like the good ole' days of FInal Fantasy.

That said, 2 was also remade for the PSP (both versions of 2), and I know that at least Innocent Sin seems to have a more close connection to the first game in the series, but nothing that makes it inaccessible.

Awesome! Thats so great to hear.

What about this "disconnect" between 2 and 3? I've just been reading that 3 and 4 play different than 1 and 2 - such as 3rd person mode and different tone.

@bemusedchunk said:

Thematically I understand, but what about story wise?

I just don't want to feel like I'm lost if I start playing 3 without touching 1 or 2...

They are all connected. However, they aren't really directly related. P2 IS has party members and NPCs from P1. P2 EP is an alternative telling of P2 IS (well sort of). P3 breaks from this direct line though there are still callbacks. P3 and P4 are tied together fairly directly but the plots are not directly linked (well not until P4A).

So in short, start with P3 and you won't miss out on anything major.

Awesome. Pretty much answered everything I wanted to know.

Thanks! Any idea on the release date for Persona 4 Golden?

@bemusedchunk: The wiki says October 30th.

Persona 1/2/2 are, and then it's 3/4.

I also have a little advice. I know this might be blasphemous to some but I say you gotta know why you coming to these games. If its for story mainly then theres no shame in playing the game on easy. I like my games challenging and really enjoyed the souls series as well as meat boy and such so I'm not a VG wimp by any stance. P3P Got so overwhelming that I've not finished it. Because after being BS'd by a few random monsters (usually after great items, 10 floors, and 45 minutes from a save) and figuring out that the game wanted me to go grind for 10 hours I decided that I would rather move on to another game instead of repeat the 30 hours I had put into the game on easy or get killed and lose my items any more. If its for cheap kills and random difficulty spikes feel free to ratchet the difficulty up. For me the combat system is not special in the least so there's next to no reason to spend more time than you have to doing it. The story and characters are amazing and really the stars of the show.

I too will say there is no need to play this game on a hard difficulty if you just want story. As a fan of the Endurance Run, I grabbed persona 3 for my Vita for the wacky story. It did not disappoint.

@bemusedchunk: no bromeister your ok. Persona 1 and 2 take place in different worlds, except some characters p1 characters make cameos in the Persona 2 duology. Persona 3 and 4 on the other hand are semi connected. They take place in different years and in different settings but a major plot point in 3 affects the storyline of 4. There easy to understand, dont worry.

@bemusedchunk: 1 and both parts of part 2 are connected in a way. Characters from 1 & 2 are mentioned in Persona 3's "Who's who" bit on the TV. 3 & 4 have the most direct connections. They ARE all connected but not in a way significant to their respective stories (With the exceptions of Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment).