This remake is a complete expansion of Persona 3. While it fails to exceed expectations in some aspects, it surprised me in many others. I appreciate the platonic option for female social links, I like the visuals, I appreciate the complete overhaul of the RPG mechanics and quality of life additions that stack up compared to future entries. While I do think price jacking to $70 USD is scummy, I got enough enjoyment from the game to justify the price hike. I personally think it improves enough to be held as the best version of Persona 3, but I completely empathize with people who felt betrayed or think less of the remake for excluding bonus content seen in older rereleases.