The latest release of Tokimeki Memorial is significantly different with the previous releases. The biggest difference is graphics and art design. TM3 characters are now completely 3D, and one can now see changes in their facial and body motions. On my personal opinion, character design is more "To Heart-like" (more realistic, less flashy), while TM2 characters are more "Tenchi Muyo-like" (flashy, classic anime big eyes).
Significant changes also appear in the game play. Rather than giving a fix number to your statistics, one's skills are now determined with levels; level increases with experience. One does not lose levels, but you lose experience that are used to gain a new level when you perform various tasks (school work, clubs). One can also now get items (which are used for gifts and "discussion topics"). Discussion topics are used during dates with girls. Discussion topics vary from math and literature to sports and video games. One also not got to choose your clothes for dates and other events; if the "Dress Code" is not met, a denial of date or participation of events may occur :-).
You can also now have hobbies. Hobbies range from fishing to model building (you got to build your own Starship Yamato or Magical Girl model!). Birthday and Christmas gifts are "made" through hobbies. Some of the discussion topics can also be obtained from hobbies.
In my opinion, I am fairly impressed with the game, but there are considerable issues in certain aspects of the game play. The 3-D CG is decent. BGM and voice acting is a little bit sub-par when compared with earlier releases. The plot is decent, but it is nothing spectacular. The clothing choosing system is annoying; it is hard to determine when it is OK or not. I get by this clothing choosing system mainly with the help with Japanese websites, but BBS in Japan has significant grievances as most of the people figure out how to choose clothes mainly by "Trial and Error". There is no longer an image gallery, instead one gets a "epilogue"; the epilogue gives text details to events occur with the girl one had finished, this could be challenging to import gamers who are not familiar with the Japanese language. Apart from the clothing choosing system, other aspects of the game play is generally OK to good; the "hobby" command is a good new addition, but I do not understand why certain weekend commands are taken out or changed (in other words, "Why change something, when something is good enough"). TM3 are generally recommended to TM1/2 veterans and people who are interested in import gaming, but I think TM2 is still the best ever released in the series. Issues in the game play have caused some damages to the whole gaming experience. If I have a grade to give to the game, I will give a B; a one sentence comment about the game will be "The game is not bad, but just do not expect too much".
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