I...Don't like the original P3. I loved it at my initial playthrough but started to dislike it more and more as I replayed it. There are underdeveloped character dynamics, a story that does not progress like in %70 of the game, and, of course, the infamously bad Tartarus. Still, I always liked the ideas and vision behind that game, so I was excited for this Remake. Atlus fixes most of the problems and puts the definitive version of their games with re-releases most of the time, IMO, so they will do it again with possibly the most beloved game in their catalog, right?

Well, it is the definitive version but instead of fixing the game's problems, they just "reworked" it and only made it more accessible. Of course, there are some fixes, such as combat. They've added some new abilities and party control, making it faster and visually more appealing. While I appreciate these, they're not enough to carry a dungeon crawler experience that's made of walking the same corridors and fighting with the same enemies for hours. Another change in combat is the difficulty. The other P3 variants are relatively easy, but this one is a bit too easy; there isn't any challenge apart from instakill moves, which makes the combat much more monotonous. Let's talk about Tartarus some more; they didn't bother to make it a bit more fun. Yes, they added some new features, but nothing was groundbreaking. I understand it's impossible to turn it into a handmade and polished dungeon, and I also understand that their focus was on the story. Still, you spent most of your time in this game wandering in Tartarus, so they could've at least made some unique floors or added more story beats, scripted events, etc. Would it be enough? I don't know, probably not, but at least it would feel like we're doing something rewarding for all the trouble we're going through by pushing the analog stick in the same direction and spamming the same attacks to the same enemies. Tartarus is still a chore, and I hate it; it's the worst thing that holds P3 back, and sadly, Atlus didn't make enough changes to it.

And, of course, the other, and positive, side of the coin is the dating sim mechanics. They're not very varied or interactive with their activities, but the social links are pretty good; there are some self-explanatory dialogue and repetitiveness, but there are also notable moments like seeing the people you're hanging out with growing up as a person or sharing their secrets, feelings and opening their inner thoughts to you and those scenes makes up for it. Another interesting thing about it is (without giving out any spoilers) that not all of them have a happy ending, which makes this game stand out among this "new Persona trilogy." This isn't a bleak game like many people make it out to be, but it's obviously more depressing than the other two, and SL endings are perfect fits; you're constantly closing and opening new pages throughout the game, sometimes you end up with an unbreakable bond, and sometimes things doesn't work out due to life circumstances. Still, you always have a place in a particular time of their lives. I can't say this one has the best Social Links in the series, but it's the one that grasps the concepts of Social Links the best.

Speaking of Social Links, something that bothers me about this series that's even more irritating in this game due to the cast living under the same roof is the effect of social links on your environment and the main story. On the same day, you share a moment with a friend from the dorm, and they act as if nothing has happened; I know this sounds like nitpicking, and it may be, but it hurts the immersion so much. It doesn't need to be a very polished scene or something, but at least the dialogue could change.

Like I said at the beginning of the review, the pacing of the main story is a massive problem for me; this is a pretty common criticism for P3, so I'm not going to talk about it very much, but I just wanted to point it out that it's still that way but a little bit better. They only changed a little but added some new, arguably simple, scenes. They have a significant impact on the character dynamics despite being very simple. The cast felt like acquaintances rather than friends in the original. They feel much more like one in this version, and that made the ending feel just as powerful as my initial playthrough because I connected with these characters more than ever.

In the Persona series, you spend dozens of hours in the same places, so the city or town becomes a character itself, and that's one of the few things people complain about in this Remake. I see where they're coming from: the "loneliness" of the city isn't there anymore; it feels rather dreamy and nostalgic; the lighting, colors, rays, crowds, a skybox that looks handpainted, scattering leaves, etc. I think they went with this kind of art style because of the game taking place in the 2009-2010 period, and instead of making it like that period, they've decided to make it like how they remember that period, and it's perfectly fine for me. I don't think one is better than the other; it's just a different style. But they could've given NPCs some movement, especially in the club escapade.

UI has also changed, and I don't think I even need to elaborate on that. Once again, it's both useful and beautiful, and most of the transactions only consist of straight lines and texts, which shows how good this game's art direction is.

One thing I'm a bit whiny about is the new soundtrack. It's fantastic, but I do miss the old version of Mass Destruction and some other tracks. But I think the brand-new ones are some of the best in the series, let alone P3; I wish there were more, though.

Overall, I think this is a good game, but it's a wasted potential as a remake. The main problem of the original was Tartarus, and the main problem of the Remake is again Tartarus.