Should I play Persona 3 or 4 after 5? The Ultimate Guide

My recommendation is to play Persona 3 first. While both Persona 3 and 4 are phenomenal games, Persona 3‘s darker tone and refined gameplay make it a better follow-up to the recent Persona 5. This guide will provide an in-depth comparison of Persona 3 vs 4 to help you decide which to play after loving Persona 5.

Persona 3‘s Mature Themes Suit Persona 5 Players

With its heavy existentialist themes of life and death, Persona 3 strikes a chord with many players looking for a moving story. As someone who analyzes games and narratives, I find Persona 3‘s emphasis on melancholy and mortality far more impactful than Persona 4‘s conventional murder mystery. The grim, philosophical tale matches Persona 5‘s bold tone more closely than Persona 4‘s Scooby Doo vibes.

According to siliconera.com, Persona 3 is "a dark game with characters struggling with death hanging over their heads." Playing as students balancing school and slaying Shadows, the shared DNA with Persona 5 is clear.

Key Persona 3 Story and Theme Aspects

• Prominent deaths of SEES members and friends anchor the mournful tone
• The looming dread imposed by the Full Moon bosses and unavoidable March deadline
• Thoughtful themes that encourage reflection on mortality and legacy
• The somber, atmospheric soundtrack by Shoji Meguro excellently punctuates the experience

Persona 4‘s Murder Mystery Takes a Lighter Approach

In contrast, Persona 4 utilizes a fairly conventional serial killer murder mystery in a sleepy town as the setup for its tale of self-discovery. While investigating strange crimes, Persona 4 maintains a brighter, more upbeat vibe. The characters frequently participate in silly hijinks when not in the TV world dungeon.

Siliconera applauds Persona 4 Golden for its "addictive murder mystery story" and RPGamer.com praises its "fun, Scooby-Doo-style adventures." So while it nails the drama and relationships, Persona 4 generally steers away from the darker tones of Persona 3 and 5.

Key Persona 4 Story and Theme Aspects

• The bizarre "Midnight Channel" urban legend kicks off the plot
• Lighthearted Slice-of-life scenes like school trips and jobs balance the drama
• Upbeat investigation team banter keeps things fun during dungeon crawling
• The poppy soundtrack matches the cheery rural town setting

Refined Gameplay Makes Persona 3 Portable the Best Entry Point

As an older PS2 game, Persona 3‘s mechanics can initially feel dated, especially the random combat and restrictions on party control. However, the Persona 3 Portable version on PSP updates the combat to closely match the faster, smoother modern gameplay of Persona 4. This makes it the ideal first Persona to try after the polished gameplay of Persona 5.

According to rpgfan.com, Persona 3 Portable features "one of the best turn-based battle systems around" with "numerous improvements over the original." Streamlined navigation, direct commands, and full control of your party elevate the P3P combat experience.

Key Persona 3 vs Persona 4 Gameplay Comparison

In-Depth Social Links Provide Motivation in Persona 4

The Social Link system that allows you to bond with characters plays a larger role in Persona 4 compared to Persona 3. Managing your time between building relationships and dungeon diving helps provide motivation to keep playing.

Siliconera praises the "endearing cast" as the "heart and soul" of Persona 4. Forging Social Links grants experience bonuses, new abilities, and deeper connections with the eclectic characters. The expanded female protagonist route in Persona 3 Portable does add many intriguing new Social Links absent from the male route however.

Key Differences in Social Links

• Persona 4 Social Links have more detailed events and focus on characterization
• Maxing more P4 Links unlocks powerful fused Personas
• Persona 3 Social Links feel more tied to unlocking abilities
• P3P FeMC route adds 13 new Social Links unavailable normally

Both Games Have Legendary Soundtracks

When it comes to music, you can‘t go wrong with either Persona 3 or Persona 4. The Shin Megami Tensei series as a whole is renowned for its amazing video game soundtracks, and both of these entries live up to that pedigree with unforgettable music.

According to RPGFan, Persona 3‘s soundtrack by Shoji Meguro is "yet another solid soundtrack that fits the game perfectly." Haunting, melancholic tracks like "Burn My Dread" matched the somber tones. RPGamer meanwhile calls Persona 4‘s music "absolutely incredible stuff – already among the best RPG soundtracks." The upbeat, poppy tracks complement the cheerful vibes.

Notable Soundtrack Differences

• Persona 3‘s atmospheric, melancholy music suits its serious tone
• Upbeat pop and hip hop music provides Persona 4‘s brightness
• Both contain incredible vocal themes that resonate with fans

More Replayability in Persona 4‘s Post-Game

While Persona 3 is fairly linear aside from some bonus boss battles, Persona 4 Golden provides substantially more content for the post-game that enhances replayability. After the credits roll, a whole bonus dungeon unlocks with new story events to experience. Furthermore, the varied character interactions and story routes based on your choices add incentive to play through again.

According to RPGamer, "interacting with characters and forming social links is arguably the best part" of Persona 4 Golden. Siliconera notes that " Choices you make can alter scenes, the way the murder mystery plays out, and even how the game ends." This level of variability Notice how the sentence leads into the quote adds tons of replay value.

Post-Game Differences

• Persona 4 Golden has a lengthy bonus dungeon
• New Game+ carries over Social Link progress for faster completion
• Alternate branches and 10 different endings encourage repeat play
• Persona 3 is fairly linear with minimal post-game content

Play Both, Starting with Persona 3 Portable

In conclusion, while the debate continues over which is better, my recommendation is to play both Persona 3 and Persona 4, in that order. Persona 3 Portable‘s combat improvements make it the ideal entry point after Persona 5‘s polished gameplay. Its melancholy narrative also suits Persona 5 fans. Then when you wrap Persona 3, move onto Persona 4 Golden to solve a fun murder mystery and bond with the delightful characters. Playing both games will give you the full experience of this incredible JRPG series.