Best Atlus Games of All Time Ranked

The Japanese video game publisher and developer Atlus started its journey in game-making in 1986. It didn’t take long for the company to establish itself as the premier place for some of the best turn-based JRPGs of all time, especially in the monster-collecting genre with the Shin Megami Tensei and Persona franchises. 

The best Atlus games of all time showcase the strengths of this developer owned by Sega. Atlus makes the biggest and best monster-collecting games outside of Game Freak and Pokémon. The best Atlus games ranked also have some of the strongest storylines and characters in gaming. 

1. Persona 5 Royal

Persona 5 Royal exists as one of the few genuine masterpieces in video games. The tale of Joker and the Phantom Thieves has it all: swift, excellent turn-based gameplay, engaging monster-collecting, a thrilling story, and unforgettable characters.

It balances it all so well, and the Royal expansion brings new characters, a third semester, and the best content in already the best Atlus game. Plus, it redeems Goro Akechi, one of the most complicated and strongest characters in any video game ever. 

2. Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology

Atlus games remains one of the best storytellers in video gaming, and Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology offers the single best tale in the company’s history. Its time travel ideas and branching paths lead to an emotional and masterful tale worthy of competing with the best storytelling in games. 

3. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse

This game stands alone as a side story to the original SMTIV, but it outdoes that game in every single way. Its minor gameplay improvements help, but what makes it shine as the strongest game in the franchise remains its Persona-level story with brilliant character development and heart-breaking twists. 

4. Persona 3 Portable

The third numbered game in this series revolutionized and changed the history of Atlus games forever. Its switch to 3D brought with it incredible dungeon exploration and turn-based combat. But its greatest achievement remains the strongest cast and storyline in series history with its surprising and sinister moments. 

5. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim

Few games have the level of detail and gorgeous art style as this 2D side-scrolling adventure game. If players ignore the forgettable mech gameplay, they’ll find one of the richest, most surprising, and engrossing stories in video game history. Well, if they ignore the awful last-minute ending twist, that is.

6. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne

The third mainline game in this Atlus series took JRPGs and the company as a whole to the 3D space in a wondrous way. It remains the second-best in the franchise with its extraordinary gameplay and demon-collecting mechanics. Plus, it has just enough story to keep it going in the post-apocalypse.

7. Persona 4 Golden

This expanded version of this beloved game remains the best way to experience it with all of the additional content. It may not have the story chops or memorable setting of the two games surrounding it, but it has one of the best casts in video game history. 

8. Trauma Center: Second Opinion

This remains the most bizarre Atlus games series of all time. It mixes a visual novel-like story with medical procedure simulation mechanics. This remake of the first game on the Nintendo Wii represents the strongest place to check out its fascinating and original experience. 

9. Digital Devil Saga 2

This SMT spin-off game sees players journey to a dark, tribal post-apocalyptic world. Its emphasis on characters and story elevates it above the usual Atlus spin-off games, along with general improvements over its PS2 predecessor. 

10. Etrian Odyssey Untold 2: The Fafnir Knight

This remake of the second classic Atlus dungeon-crawling series brings it into the modern age. The deep gameplay feels tight and thrilling, while the added story gives the game a true hook. It also has the strongest content out of any title in the series. 

11. Shin Megami Tensei IV

The fourth mainline game in this ground-breaking Atlus series provided the best overall graphics on the Nintendo 3DS, and a rich game layered with dozens of hours of collecting monsters and demons. Its story feels a bit lacking compared to a couple of the other games, though, and its successor beats it in every way. 

12. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE

This strange crossover between Nintendo’s Fire Emblem and Atlus’ SMT series results in a pop idol-themed Persona game. It has a colorful and cheery world with fun characters and phenomenal original music. But its dungeons sometimes feel a bit too repetitive.

13. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

The casts of the third and fourth games in this series join together for a spin-off 2D fighting game, which looks gorgeous. This collection on modern platforms comes with both games, including the first one with its excellent story and a new character in Labrys. 

14. Persona 5 Strikers

This spin-off of the best Atlus game of all time takes the Phantom Thieves and thrusts them into an open-action RPG, similar to the large-scale Dynasty Warriors games. It surprises in how close it feels to the mainline games, but it could still use some work with its combat.

15. Catherine: Full Body

This bizarre puzzle platforming game follows a man who struggles with his attraction to two women with the same name and the nightmares that haunt him. Player choice and the challenging puzzles make this an odd but welcome change of pace for Atlus. 

16. Soul Hackers 2

This unique sequel to a cult classic Atlus game feels like the developer’s attempt to make a third pillar of its JRPG lineup. The cyberpunk version of Tokyo looks amazing, and the usual Atlus gameplay tropes all appear. That said, it feels a bit too derivative in every aspect. 

17. Shin Megami Tensei V

This Nintendo Switch-exclusive entry in the series feels like one of the weakest in a long time. Its graphics look fine, but the open world often has problems with performance and the occasional visuals. But its biggest problem remains its bland story progression and characters after three incredible previous games.

18. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment

The first sequels in this beloved Atlus games series opted for a duology-style setup. This resulted in a stronger game with the latter of the two and its fascinating female protagonist, Maya. It may not play the best these days, but it has a fantastic story and set of characters. 

19. Persona 2: Innocent Sin

The second game in this series introduced a new set of characters and an isometric perspective. Like the first game, it feels hard to go back to, but the story and characters remain worth it. Plus, it has its own Joker, who feels much different than the Phantom Thieves’ leader. 

20. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

The first Persona game started as a spin-off for the SMT titles. This means it looks and plays, unlike all future games in the series with its first-person dungeons and grid-based combat. It feels challenging to return to in modern times, but it has a phenomenal soundtrack. 

21. Shin Megami Tensei If

The early Shin Megami Tensei games offer intriguing but often messy and confusing dungeon-crawling RPG experiences. This entry has the best of the old-school style, emphasizing a high school setting, which paved the way for most of the fantastic Atlus games above.