this or srw v?

[Trigger21]

I'm a total beginner in this series and I'm torn which to get between the two.

[Creep Gnome]

SRW V is a better game than 30.

[OAD MAN]

SRW V, is a very good games for begginers.

SRW 30 is too massive and way longer than it needs to be, making it hard to finish for non-fans.

[Vox Insanire]

30 is fairy non-standard, so start with V to get a better idea what the series is like.

[Sardorim]

SRW 30 has way more QoL changes, but the storytelling and progress is hit or misa. SRW V is very very easy but plays more like a traditional SRW.

I hope the next SRW plays closer to that than what 30 did.

[TekFan]

V. All of the above and has a better series list.

[Z2k1]

Of the ones on PC, the best in terms of plot is V. If you somehow have a PS4 or PS5, I honestly preferred T.

[★☆☆☆☆]

Originally posted by Sardorim:

SRW 30 has way more QoL changes, but the storytelling and progress is hit or misa. SRW V is very very easy but plays more like a traditional SRW.

I hope the next SRW plays closer to that than what 30 did.

I just hope the next SRW game isn't region locked on PC.

[Ninth Hour]

Ideally, one would start with SRW 3 for the SNES. Both the ROM and the emulator are readily available and easy to use and the game is one of the few in the series that has an English translation. It's also one of the few games in the series (together with 4, Alpha, and Alpha Gaiden) that actually presented a balanced challenge (skewed slightly towards the difficult side). Playing it gives one a deep appreciation of the various refinements that would come in later titles.

But if, more realistically speaking, you'd prefer to start with a modern title, SRW V is a reasonable entry point, depending on your tolerance for easy games. It has rules (e.g. being able to use spirit commands even after completing movement, ExC for extra attack power and extra attacks) that were not present in earlier titles and that make it very forgiving. These rules were subsequently carried over into X, T, and 30.

The roster for V is great. The remake of Battleship Yamato, Gundam Unicorn, Getter Robo Armageddon, more modern iterations of Mazinger (as well as Mazinger Zero), Full Metal Panic, Gundam 00- all have epic units. Cross Ange is divisive among the fanbase but I personally liked the series and the Vilkiss is suitably powerful.

Sadly, the game risks becoming boring towards the final third, when your most commonly used units are fully upgraded. This is the same pattern in all subsequent games. SRW 30 is particularly egregious, as it has a ton of missions outside the main narrative, that you can play for extra resources. It's hard to believe that there can be a game easier than V but that's what 30 is.

[REhorror]

Have to say V is a better game, really.
30 is bloat, I have to say.