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The Phantasy Star series
- Thread starter FelixSH
- Start date
gorha
For the Ylory of Mankind
Oh, for sure, the earlier games are also great and ahead of their time. In fact, I think that might have contributed to their relative unpopularity at the time, at least in the US - the American console gaming public wasn't really into RPGs in the 80s (as easy as it is now to poke fun at Japanese companies' attempts to explain or dumb down early JRPGs for American kids, they weren't totally wrong to do so), so the first three Phantasy Stars, especially PSII with its sickos-only dungeons, weren't going to bring them into the mainstream (PSI would make a fine first RPG, but it was for a console not many people had; and PSIII is just really weird, to the point that I have an easier time imagining someone playing it as their first RPG and liking it than imagining that person going on to enjoy other RPGs). And then by the time PSIV came out, Sega was leaning heavily on fast action in their marketing because Sonic was so successful, and you can't sell a turn based RPG like that, even one as fast paced as Phantasy Star IV.
That's all speculation on my part, of course, but it makes sense to me that Phantasy Star didn't get the kind of mindshare that Final Fantasy did.
As long as we're speculating, by the time IV came out in the US, the next gen consoles were on the way - the PS1 was out in Japan and would come out here later in the year, and the Saturn was just around the corner (not to mention the 32X debacle). I wonder where IV would rank in the mindshare of western fans had it come out in 1993 or 1994...
But yeah. That's all speculation on my part anyway. Who knows. Imagine a Saturn Phantasy Star V... Ah man.
But yeah. That's all speculation on my part anyway. Who knows. Imagine a Saturn Phantasy Star V... Ah man.
Rolled credits on Phantasy Star 0 today:
Took about 8 hours. A pretty breezy, easy game, though I'm sure the postgame which I'm told by a buddy of mine is quite long, is where the difficulty lies. It's fun, though! If you've not played it, it's basically straight up PSO on the DS.
Took about 8 hours. A pretty breezy, easy game, though I'm sure the postgame which I'm told by a buddy of mine is quite long, is where the difficulty lies. It's fun, though! If you've not played it, it's basically straight up PSO on the DS.
Beat the 100 floor mega dungeon on normal difficulty in Phantasy Star 0:
It wasn’t difficult, just long. The experience from individual enemies was pretty low, though the bosses and a couple big enemies had enough that I gained about ten levels running through it.
On to Hard mode! Already the exp is higher and the enemies attack more often, so finally maybe there will be some difficulty? The dragon boss I just beat seemed more difficult. The CPU AI seems to be at their limit, though, no matter what orders I give them, they love to just take hits and die lol
It wasn’t difficult, just long. The experience from individual enemies was pretty low, though the bosses and a couple big enemies had enough that I gained about ten levels running through it.
On to Hard mode! Already the exp is higher and the enemies attack more often, so finally maybe there will be some difficulty? The dragon boss I just beat seemed more difficult. The CPU AI seems to be at their limit, though, no matter what orders I give them, they love to just take hits and die lol
So I've been playing Phantasy Star 0 a lot and got to Super Hard (which involves beating that dungeon again lol), but I'm a bit underpowered currently for Super Hard even at level 75, so I've got some grinding to do. In the meantime, I've been itching to play the first Phantasy Star again. So I did!
I have not, however, been in the mood to make my own maps, lately. I know, it's super lame on my part, but I just haven't wanting to do that. I have, however, been on a physical strategy guide kick lately, and turns out someone made a lovely one available both online for free, and printable by order from Lulu. So I picked one up, since I've been collecting Phantasy Star strategy guides lately (have them all besides IV so far, of course, since that one is so expensive):
It's actually quite lovely, actually. Better print quality and paper quality than I'd have suspected. Has maps and items marked on them, along with the guide part that tells you what items are available for purchase where, as well as some hand drawn, unofficial art:
In any case, I grinding up some mesetas on these guys to get some new equipment to survive the next two dungeons:
Got the series staple dungeon cake:
And, after a more difficult dungeon to get in and out of than I remember, my final party member!
I'd forgotten all the characters, including Noah/Lutz here, all start at level 1 in this game. Thankfully, he doesn't get absolutely pasted by the monsters in the dungeon you get him in, but he still needs some levels for more MP at least, which I'll work on.
Game is an absolute vibe. I definitely plan on finishing it on real cart here.
I have not, however, been in the mood to make my own maps, lately. I know, it's super lame on my part, but I just haven't wanting to do that. I have, however, been on a physical strategy guide kick lately, and turns out someone made a lovely one available both online for free, and printable by order from Lulu. So I picked one up, since I've been collecting Phantasy Star strategy guides lately (have them all besides IV so far, of course, since that one is so expensive):
It's actually quite lovely, actually. Better print quality and paper quality than I'd have suspected. Has maps and items marked on them, along with the guide part that tells you what items are available for purchase where, as well as some hand drawn, unofficial art:
In any case, I grinding up some mesetas on these guys to get some new equipment to survive the next two dungeons:
Got the series staple dungeon cake:
And, after a more difficult dungeon to get in and out of than I remember, my final party member!
I'd forgotten all the characters, including Noah/Lutz here, all start at level 1 in this game. Thankfully, he doesn't get absolutely pasted by the monsters in the dungeon you get him in, but he still needs some levels for more MP at least, which I'll work on.
Game is an absolute vibe. I definitely plan on finishing it on real cart here.
FelixSH
(He/Him)
That guide looks lovely.
Did I mention that I love, that one of your party members is a cat? A space cat, sure, but still, it's a cat. Love that.
And, if you are feeling evil, you can permanently kill him off. Which is evil, but I can appreciate that it is a thing in this game.
Did I mention that I love, that one of your party members is a cat? A space cat, sure, but still, it's a cat. Love that.
And, if you are feeling evil, you can permanently kill him off. Which is evil, but I can appreciate that it is a thing in this game.
He does look a bit sketchy, doesn't he? Lmao
Wait, permanently? I thought you could revive him, because don't you need him to get to the Air Castle?
Phantasy Star complete, on original cart!
Myau's transformed design is so cool. Love the flight up to the Sky Castle, too.
I didn't get a photo of it, but Alis's brother is avenged here, the text says. Quite a trip to get to Lassic, the jerk!
I love that the only enemy in the game that does not show you its HP total is Dark Falz. You have to fight and just hope you win... All four of my characters were alive at the end of the battle, but Noah and Alis were close to death. I did it, though!
Apparently the governor was possessed by Dark Falz. You'd think Lassic would've been possessed by him... But perhaps there's something lost in translation. Phantasy Star 1 knowers, let me know!
Does the breeze knows of the hardships that they endured? Find out next time!
RIP Rieko Kodama.
What a great game. I love Final Fantasy III and have yet to play the first Mother, but I'm fairly confident that this is my favorite/the best 8-bit RPG. No real weaknesses to speak of. Great graphics, cool story, unique dungeons and presentation, just enough challenge but not unfair at all... Good stuff.
Highly recommend the strategy guide I linked above, too. Worked great for this playthrough.
Myau's transformed design is so cool. Love the flight up to the Sky Castle, too.
I didn't get a photo of it, but Alis's brother is avenged here, the text says. Quite a trip to get to Lassic, the jerk!
I love that the only enemy in the game that does not show you its HP total is Dark Falz. You have to fight and just hope you win... All four of my characters were alive at the end of the battle, but Noah and Alis were close to death. I did it, though!
Apparently the governor was possessed by Dark Falz. You'd think Lassic would've been possessed by him... But perhaps there's something lost in translation. Phantasy Star 1 knowers, let me know!
Does the breeze knows of the hardships that they endured? Find out next time!
RIP Rieko Kodama.
What a great game. I love Final Fantasy III and have yet to play the first Mother, but I'm fairly confident that this is my favorite/the best 8-bit RPG. No real weaknesses to speak of. Great graphics, cool story, unique dungeons and presentation, just enough challenge but not unfair at all... Good stuff.
Highly recommend the strategy guide I linked above, too. Worked great for this playthrough.
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I'd love to get a remake of the original Phantasy Star.
I mean, the SEGA AGES release is terrific, but I think you know what I mean here.
I mean, the SEGA AGES release is terrific, but I think you know what I mean here.
Ooh, maybe next time I'll play the PS2 remakes of 1 and 2 lmao (I know that this, too, is not what you meant, sorry lol)
Purple
(She/Her)
Aside from just really making things tense, the lack of visible HP also hides the behind the scenes trickery that there's actually two of him in the fight, mechanically. Getting around, if I'm not mistaken, both a hard coded 1 byte HP cap, and giving him double turns.
I kinda don't, honestly? The game's still kinda jaw-droppingly gorgeous today, that "breezes knows" bit and "first food shop" are the only real localization quirks, and the only actual flaws I could name are that initial roadpass/passport grind being a big pacing problem, and it's weird Myau's best weapon is the one in the shop not the one in the nasty cave. The Switch port's pretty available, and makes an effort to fix both of those plus add an auto-map (personally I find the extra xp/cash option to be a HUGE over-correction for a one-time issue, and the map spoils the hidden doors/pit traps).
Do you want, like, the full FF7 treatment for it? Voice acting and full 3D and such?
Ah, that's very interesting! The strategy guide I was using mentioned he had 510 HP, which I thought was a lot but didn't piece together that that is 255 twice... I wondered if he also got down to just one turn in that fight later on, as if I recall correctly, I was surprised he only attacked once a few times.
Phantasy Star II Hint Book writers: I appreciate you putting treasure chests on the map, but please also put, say, the Recorder location on there, too. I'm four floors deep and don't know where to go, so I had to intuit it was the corner of the map where the Hint Book writers didn't have anything marked lol
It is, as you've said up thread, a vibe. I love just hanging out on the title screen and letting that mournful song play. Like the Phantasy Star 1 playthrough, I'm using a guide - I used maps before on GameFAQs but I was curious to see how the Hint Book that came with the game originally did for getting you through the game. I have a feeling I'm going to be referring back to those posts I made a couple years ago with, say, the route through Uzo Island or whatever it's called highlighted in red lmao
In any case, I got the Recorder and left Hugh at home (lol), so I got the Key Tube thing and am off to, iirc, Zema. That'll be after work, though.
Maybe not the full FF7 treatment (altering the story and changing the combat and all that), but something a little more in that direction, yeah.
I was disappointed that the Switch SEGA AGES version didn't have a toggle for those graphics, but that was also before I learned that the PS2 version changed more than just the visuals
I'd still like to try that version in English, in any case. I rather liked the visuals.
Trimates are more than enough for everything in the game so pack inventories full of them, and Shir in particular is the fastest so she gets priority whenever you need it. She doesn't even ever have to use her attack command with casting items being plentiful (she can steal a Fire Staff for Foi, and when you get a Storm Gear she's pretty much set); having her hands free means she can double up on shields and become fairly untouchable. Coolest character in the game by far, and secret best mechanically.
It may be in black and white and have pretty blurry screenshots, but literally the second I opened this PSIV guide I realized it's the best one I have besides the fanmade strategy guide for 1 because it labels what is in each chest on the dungeon maps:
Why the various guides, including the Hint Book that came with II most frustratingly, don't do this is beyond me. Draw a line between the word "Dimate" or whatever and which chest it happens to be in. Please!
In any case. Besides the Phantasy Star Universe strategy guide (ugh), I have all the English language ones now for this series, including the online games. That's about it for PS collecting for me, considering I have all the games. Love this series.
Oh and Shir stole a bunch of daggers and two Lasr Knifes, but I could not get her to steal a Fire Staff yet. Maybe she'll have a better shot at it as she levels up? In any case, I'm gaining levels and meseta with Rolf, Nei, Shir, and Anna currently, since Rudo is going to be around in my party permanently once Nei leaves...
Why the various guides, including the Hint Book that came with II most frustratingly, don't do this is beyond me. Draw a line between the word "Dimate" or whatever and which chest it happens to be in. Please!
In any case. Besides the Phantasy Star Universe strategy guide (ugh), I have all the English language ones now for this series, including the online games. That's about it for PS collecting for me, considering I have all the games. Love this series.
Oh and Shir stole a bunch of daggers and two Lasr Knifes, but I could not get her to steal a Fire Staff yet. Maybe she'll have a better shot at it as she levels up? In any case, I'm gaining levels and meseta with Rolf, Nei, Shir, and Anna currently, since Rudo is going to be around in my party permanently once Nei leaves...
Ah, Uzo Island, my behated
It actually isn't so bad when you have a map with the path you need to take laid out on it (the Hint Book is woefully inadequate here - they didn't have to draw the exact path, but perhaps labelling which cave went where would be enough, even if you ended up going to a wrong few trees it wouldn't be a huge deal).
The music, though. My god.
It actually isn't so bad when you have a map with the path you need to take laid out on it (the Hint Book is woefully inadequate here - they didn't have to draw the exact path, but perhaps labelling which cave went where would be enough, even if you ended up going to a wrong few trees it wouldn't be a huge deal).
The music, though. My god.
I'm right there with you (well, I haven't played Marble Madness, though I should maybe rectify that if the music is as good as in Phantasy Star II lol)
So whoever owned this Hint Book before me definitely played at least through this point of the game:
They drew lines from the entrance of the dungeon all the way to the final floor, where they didn't bother to mark where the boss was just because at that point, there's just the one route to her. I wish they hadn't done it with pen, but oh well. It's accurate! Thank you, probably random 1990s child!
Here she is:
the original Biomonster, Neifirst. The first real boss of the game... She's not easy, though I came prepared well enough to beat her. Rudo died but the other two survived and we won.
(the fight actually occurs between the third and fourth image there, but it flows pretty nicely for the post, anyway)
For the time, this is actually pretty moving - this is a good chunk of unique art made just for Nei, here. I wish there had been more dialogue - and maybe a scene where they show Rolf and co burying Nei rather than just a couple text boxes - but I do appreciate the Clone Labs person saying they can't resurrect Nei (even though they could when she died during regular gameplay lol). At least they try to make it make sense!
And now we're terrorists! It just goes from bad to worse, doesn't it?
(the fight actually occurs between the third and fourth image there, but it flows pretty nicely for the post, anyway)
For the time, this is actually pretty moving - this is a good chunk of unique art made just for Nei, here. I wish there had been more dialogue - and maybe a scene where they show Rolf and co burying Nei rather than just a couple text boxes - but I do appreciate the Clone Labs person saying they can't resurrect Nei (even though they could when she died during regular gameplay lol). At least they try to make it make sense!
And now we're terrorists! It just goes from bad to worse, doesn't it?
What a great game.