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0 Dungeon crawlers are an acquired taste, but sometimes the allure of a long-lost Japanese gem is too tempting to ignore. Class of Heroes 3 Remaster, developed by Acquire Corp and published in the West by PQube, is one of those titles. Long stranded in Japan since its original PSP/PS3 release, this remaster out now on Nintendo Switch and Steam finally lets us enrol in Preciana Institute, Draken Academy or Takachiho College and experience the quirky, grind-heavy world our friends in Japan have known for over a decade.
Class of Heroes 3 Remaster – Just missed the Master Grade
The real magic here is seeing games that were once locked away in Japan finally crossing the seas. It’s exciting to watch these once-region-bound titles get a second life in the West. Have you ever longed for a favourite game that was never released in your country? Share your pick in the comments below—let’s commiserate about those hidden treasures we’re still waiting on!
Gameplay
Class of Heroes 3 is equal parts nostalgia and head-scratching. You start by picking one of three schools. I chose Preciana Institute, drawn in by its colour scheme and promise of balanced play. Each school offers a unique principal, teacher, and slightly different flavour, giving replay value if you’re determined to see every nuance.
Once in school, you’ll be dumped rather unceremoniously into a “staff room” after chatting with a teacher. Clicking “Organise” lets you form your party, which feels great, until you’re whisked into a school tour with little explanation. The Store quickly became my favourite place, not least because it shows your entire team’s current gear for easy comparison. Enrolment allows you to build your own squad of plucky students, but the character name limit is disappointing, especially when NPCs like Bougainvillea stroll around with far grander monikers. The alchemy system offers dismantling and synergising without punishing you for experimentation, which is refreshing.
Dungeons play out in first-person, with movement that feels clunky. You’ll bump into walls, turn too sharply, and sometimes wish for a mount. Standing still thankfully prevents random encounters, and encounters themselves aren’t overwhelmingly frequent. But when combat does come, you’ll be fighting blindly; there’s no enemy health bar.
Unfortunately, you’ll grind for ages on the same monsters just to stand a chance against the first boss. Classic JRPG fans may call this “tradition”, but modern players may call it “tedium”. Worse, death boots you back to the very start without an autosave. I lost several hours of progress, and after another few missteps (including a quest pointer that sent me “beyond Welcoming Grove” to nowhere), my enthusiasm stalled.
Graphics & Audio
The artwork is a mixed bag. Character clothing is beautifully drawn, brimming with charming anime flair. Backgrounds are equally pretty, evoking a fantasy world. But character portraits remain rigid. If a student’s icon is smiling, they’ll keep grinning whether they’re scolding you or keeling over. Profile icons change only during levelling up or critical health, leaving conversations feeling static.
Audio is similarly uneven. The Japanese-only voice acting fits the game’s heritage, but prepare for a lot of reading if you’re not fluent. The soundtrack swings between annoyingly repetitive and delightfully cutesy, with the dungeon battle themes rocking harder than expected. Menu sounds and constant prompts like “R=Skip L=Backlog Y=Hide Window X=AUTO” clutter the screen, a reminder of the game’s handheld origins.
Longevity
On paper, Class of Heroes 3 has plenty to offer. Three schools, a vast alchemy system, over a thousand potential items, and a hefty roster of classes and races promise dozens, if not hundreds, of hours. Replayability is baked in if you can stomach the grind and clunky controls. However, for some players, the combination of unclear quest progression, lack of quality-of-life features like fast travel or autosave, and minimal narrative payoff will make the length feel more like a time sink than a treat.
The humour sprinkled throughout, like a muscular man in women’s clothing. Lightens the grind, but charm alone can’t mask the outdated design.
Final thoughts
Class of Heroes 3 is a curious relic: part love letter to classic dungeon crawlers, part frustrating reminder of how far the genre has come. Its charming art, rocking battle themes, and customisable teams are offset by stiff character portraits, clumsy movement, punishing restarts, and quest design that borders on opaque.
For seasoned JRPG fans who relish grind, strategy, and a taste of Japanese gaming history, this remaster is worth a cautious enrolment. For newcomers or those expecting modern conveniences, consider auditing rather than committing to a full-time schedule.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
Now you’ve red this why not check out our review of one of the best RPG’s released in 2025? Of course it’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
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