all right looks like a tie beween you guys, i'll just go with my original plan and get persona 3 fes/4, and pick up an old tales game for ps2. maybe even tov

Shin Megami Tensei. What you'll love about the games are the stories, setting, characters, music and art style. Brilliant stuff. I've only played the Tales games from the PS2, and they were just okay. Didn't really like the combat.

If you're going to start the SMT games, I recommend playing Persona 3: FES first since its the easiet SMT game. You can also learn the name of the spells and whatnot. Then play P4. Nocturne is very good and challenging in many different ways. Most of the time, it requires you to strategize and plan out your moves ahead of time. There is a ton of replay value for this game; there's about six different endings and over 100 demons to capture! If you like Nocturne, move on to Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2. The battle system is similar to Nocturne. Last is Devil Summoner: Raidou. This game isn't turn based like the other MegaTen games. The battles are very repetitive, and the combat could use some work, but the story is very good.

I only have limited experience with SMT so...TALES FTW!

Hmm I like both, but Tales has a huge place in my heart.

Shin Megami Tensei. Persona 3 FES on PS2 is the highest rated JRPG to be released on a console so far this year and part 4 coming to PS2 this holiday season is going to be even better.  Your best bet right now for rpgs is to get a DS for some of the classic rpgs from Square, a psp for the more cutting edge rpgs like Final Fantasy XIII Agito that are on their way to that handheld, and a PS2 for its back catalogue of rpgs (it will also allow you to play the PS1 rpg classics as well.  The PS1, SNES, and PS2 are the three systems that have had by far the strongest  catalogues of rpg games) particularly the ones from Square, NIS, Level 5, Atlus, and Working Designs (PS1 versions of Lunar 1 and 2 and Arc the Lad Collection) that are better than any jrpgs that are on or will be coming to the 360 or Wii in the foreseeable future, then get a PS3 when the blu-ray version of Final Fantasy XIII comes out here in the US.

Shin Megami Tensei, eh??

What are the games in this series and are on which console?

(Never played both, Tales is ActionRPG so it is already not appealing to me, unless SMT is ARPG as well then...)

Shin Megami Tensei

Hmm, I'd say that Vesperia, Abyss, and Symphonia are better than any game yet released in the SMT series. I've played Devil Summoner, Persona 3, DDS1 and 2, and Nocturne.

I think Persona 3 ranks up there with the best of the Tales games, but the top 3 Tales games definitely take the win.

So, consistantly, I think SMT wins, as I haven't played a bad SMT game ever, but Legendia wasn't that great(not bad, mind you, just not what I'd hoped).

However, as far as which series has the best games, and the best singular game, I think it goes to Tales, no contest.

That's just my opinion though.

The Final Fantasy series pwns em both easily, though, so like the PS360, these series are doing all they can for a second place finish.

@Pristine

I'm sure way more than half the people on this topic either haven't played the series they didn't vote for, or haven't played either series.

Dude, that sounds like an excellent plan. I envy you for getting to play those games for the first time.

I'd say first pick up Symphonia(or Abyss) first and then FES. That way you will know if you want to explore either series more thoroughly, with minimal expenditure.

If you do go with SMT first, don't try another game(besides FES), those games, while generally high in quality, have several factors that will make you avoid playing future games in the series, like plague. Random battles, no VA, only one dungeon, slow gameplay, confusing and extremely difficulty gameplay. If you are a new jrpg fan trying to step into the super-hardcore world of SMG, start with the FFVII of the series, which is Persona 3. It's much better for beginners than pretty much any SMT game out there, and if you want to like the series, you should start there.

As for Tales, if you like anime and character development, that will be your favorite, period. That series requires much less entheuiasm to be love, and you can rank all of the games I've recommended as top of the genre picks.

Legendia is one of, if not the worst game in the series on a console. It's still not terrible. You should play Vesperia, lol. Shock and awe.