In an idle moment today, I started thinking of Phantasy Star 2, which I had as a child for my Sega Genesis. It's really an interesting game, with a unique story, but it's also so difficult to the point of being sort of non-fun. I struggled with it as a kid, but I kept on playing it, and eventually made it to the halfway point but that was about it. I had a friend in those years who did defeat it, and he would regal me with tales of the end moments.
The story is actually very interesting, about people living on a future planet controlled by a "Mother Brain" where the ecosystem is regimented... but something has gone wrong and shit is getting fucked up and YOU have to figure out why. It has neat plot twists and a great end villain.
Phantasy Star games never achieved the cultural significance of Final Fantasy, for a lot of reasons, but they still have something to offer. Phantasy Star 3 was interesting as it allowed you to choose a spouse and then your resulting children would continue the quest. Most people agree Phantasy Star 4 is the best of the series.
In my idle moment, I was dreaming of a novelization of Phantasy Star 2, and what that might be like. I would like to tell the story so other people could enjoy it the way my imagination did as a child. I feel that way about a lot of games though.
I'll never forget this game. I hope Sega puts it on the new Genesis compilation for the Switch, and I can enjoy it again.
I played some Phantasy Star 2 on the Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection some time ago, and yeah, it was hard. I didn't get very far but I wanted to. Super cool story, environments and enemies. Maybe I'll find a cheat or guide next time so I can get farther in it.
I can't wait for that new Sega Collection.
yeah the story is supercool. Too bad nobody playtested the game!
I didn't have a Genesis as a kid, but if I did, I probably would've been totally into Phantasy Star 4 at least. I played it much later in college and it seemed like something my high school self would've liked.
4 is actually pretty good!
It's weird how Phantasy Star II is a game that is dated in many ways and hard as hell to boot and yet it was a game that made me finally fall in love in RPGs in my mid-twenties. The Retronauts episode covering it (1up.com era) truly sold me on those early games and from those that I've played (and of course, World of Warcraft), I would no longer be blind to the genre.
I must've played PS2 on the most devices than any game I've owned: Dreamcast, PS2, X360, iPod, GBA, PSP and soon enough, PS4/Xbox One (btw, PS games 2-4 will be available on that upcoming Sega Classics Collection).
As I've stated before, I've never finished the game, not even close. I like the music, the graphics, the characters and the bleak story and yet there are game design choices that don't age well. You need a strategy guide to figure out what gear/weapons work for which characters and what spells truly do; the game never gives you info on this. Also, you grind more than any game I've ever played.
And yet, it still has charm. My willingness to give it a shot and play it multiple times have created an appreciation for it over the years. While I think PS IV is the superior game (and few will dispute that, I wager), it's still an important game for the genre and for myself as a gamer.
I've tried to play through it too, but the farthest I got was with the original game when I was a kid. I got to the second planet. But then I kind of fell off. I do love the game though, and the story is interesting. I've gotten a lot farther in 4, but haven't won that either.
I love Phantasy Star I and IV, liked II, never played the third (that one doesn't count). I actually prefer the original Phantasy Star series to pre-VII Final Fantasy. With II, even with saving everywhere on modern versions, the game is nearly impossible without a guide, so I never finished it either. I'm looking forward to playing II and IV again with the Sega Classics Collection, but I doubt I'll have the patience to make it far in II.
you know, I remember when the 3rd came out my friend had it, and it always seemed so impressive. But as the years passed and I didn't play it and only heard about it, i found it wasn't so good. I love 2, even though it's too tough, there's just something magical about it, flawed as it may be.
I forgot that I have access to the Phantasy Star games on the Genesis collection I have for PS3. Bought it years ago and never touched it. I probably have them on other systems too. I seem to recall playing a bit of IV at some point. Maybe about 10 minutes.
4 is good if you put time into it. Not so grindy, has cool characters and music. It's probably the best one, and most popular.
I've always wanted to play those old Phantasy Star games but I wouldn't do it without a guide. Ain't nobody got time for hostile old RPGs like that anymore!