Let's be clear: this is probably better described as an HD port than a full remaster. Many of the video cutscenes from the original are still rendered in SD resolution with letterboxing which frankly looks terrible on a modern screen, for some baffling reason Atlus reused the old compressed sample rate music instead of the easily-obtainable uncompressed versions, and the lack of in-depth graphical options (such as 4k/8k display options or FPS above 30) will probably make "PC master race" types scream.

But honestly? None of that matters much to me.

This is, hands-down, one of the (if not THE) greatest JRPGs of the PS2 generation, and it's one that a lot of people have not played. Even for those of us that have, this is the definitive version. The game looks better than ever, and some QoL additions (such as being able to choose skills during fusion instead of re-rolling them endlessly) make it play better as well. The voice acting is fantastic, and adds a lot of character and gravitas to the much-underappreciated story. If you are the sort who is tired of the "traditional" JRPG group of happy-go-lucky adventurers fighting to sAvE tHe WoRlD, or who wants something more tactically-dense than "press Attack over and over until everything is dead", or if you're just someone who appreciates a game that doesn't insult your intelligence, this is the game you've been missing out on.

My only true criticism (aside from the compressed audio, which is pretty unforgivable) is that, admittedly, the price of this game may be asking too much for some. I'm a longtime fan, so I don't balk at it, but for anyone else that's not sure, I'd say wait for a sale. $30-$40 is probably a more fair price ($20 would make it an absolute must-buy). That said, snap it up on the cheap (or get someone to buy it for you even) as soon as you can. It's time to see what all the hype is about.

gO pLaY a ReAl ShIn MeGuMi TeNsAy GaMe

Let's be clear: this is probably better described as an HD port than a full remaster. Many of the video cutscenes from the original are still rendered in SD resolution with letterboxing which frankly looks terrible on a modern screen, for some baffling reason Atlus reused the old compressed sample rate music instead of the easily-obtainable uncompressed versions, and the lack of in-depth graphical options (such as 4k/8k display options or FPS above 30) will probably make "PC master race" types scream. But honestly? None of that matters much to me. This is, hands-down, one of the (if not THE) greatest JRPGs of the PS2 generation, and it's one that a lot of people have not played. Even for those of us that have, this is the definitive version. The game looks better than ever, and some QoL additions (such as being able to choose skills during fusion instead of re-rolling them endlessly) make it play better as well. The voice acting is fantastic, and adds a lot of character and gravitas to the much-underappreciated story. If you are the sort who is tired of the "traditional" JRPG group of happy-go-lucky adventurers fighting to sAvE tHe WoRlD, or who wants something more tactically-dense than "press Attack over and over until everything is dead", or if you're just someone who appreciates a game that doesn't insult your intelligence, this is the game you've been missing out on. My only true criticism (aside from the compressed audio, which is pretty unforgivable) is that, admittedly, the price of this game may be asking too much for some. I'm a longtime fan, so I don't balk at it, but for anyone else that's not sure, I'd say wait for a sale. $30-$40 is probably a more fair price ($20 would make it an absolute must-buy). That said, snap it up on the cheap (or get someone to buy it for you even) as soon as you can. It's time to see what all the hype is about. gO pLaY a ReAl ShIn MeGuMi TeNsAy GaMe