If you wanted to get into the Shin Megami Tensei or Persona series what game would you start with first?  Nocturne, Persona 3, Persona 3 FES, Persona 4, One of the Devil Survivor games?  One of the earlier games in the series?

I started the series with Persona 4, and my bro just rented Devil Summoner 2 from Gamefly which I played a little bit of but I will try to beat Persona 4 before playing any other SMT game.

Persona 3 is probably the best idea. It's self explanitory not a direct sequel to anything (as far as story) and is more forgiving than Nocturne by far. Persona 4 is better, but if you play that first you won't appreciate the improvements and might never get around to 3 which is still awesome, just not as awesome.

I started off Digital Devil Saga... which is IMO the best entry point..

I started with P3Fes. Then Nocturne, then 4. I don't think it really matters which you start with. (Of course it's highly advised that you play P3 before P4.)

The Persona series of games are probably the most readily available - if you can't find them locally Amazon should have them at a decent enough price. Persona 3 FES new should run $20ish and Persona 4 around $30-40. Most other games in the SMT line just don't seem to be as popular and seem to be much harder to find, so you'd probably have to go the used game route to get them and even then they may still be somewhat costly.

I'd just start with whatever one you can find first. I think playing Persona 4 first may put you off to some of the aspects of P3's battle system but honestly they're both good enough games that if you can't get through P3 after playing P4 it's really just your loss not mine or Manny Ramirez's.

He was suspended 50 games.

I started off with P4 then played P3 then bought have yet to play Digital Devil Saga...playing FFIX but cant get the damn P3 FES intro music outta my fuckin head.

PERSONA!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol6fzKXjf8o