Characters like Kainé (intersex due to a fantastical curse) and Emil (androgynous chimera experiment victim) carry over unchanged from the source material, serving narrative purposes tied to fantasy elements and personal backstories rather than serving as vehicles for identity politics or social justice lectures. No race or gender swaps, forced diversity, pronoun normalization, or critiques of traditional norms appear; the plot revolves around a brother saving his sister in a post-apocalyptic world of replicants and shades.

The remake avoids DEI consultancy (no Sweet Baby Inc. or similar involvement from Square Enix or Toylogic), features no localization censorship of outfits or dialogue (Kainé's revealing attire and swearing intact), and includes a controversial 'Daredevil' achievement rewarding an upskirt peek at Kainé's 'secret,' which drew minor pre-release criticism from progressive outlets but underscores the game's resistance to woke sanitization. Yoko Taro's direction emphasizes emotional subversion over activism, with no developer statements on inclusion mandates.

Reception is strongly positive across critics (Metacritic ~80) and audiences (user scores ~8.0-8.1, Steam 88% positive), with complaints limited to gameplay repetition—no 'go woke go broke' backlash or review bombing. This purity of entertainment-focused design, free from ideological intrusions, makes it a standout example of traditional gaming excellence.