Skip Phantasy Star and Play PS2?

[Nz17]

So I have a dilemma: do I skip playing through the rest of Phantasy Star I and just jump to Phantasy Star II?

You see, I've gotten past the first few dungeons of PSI and I just don't want to deal with the random battles any more. The graphics, sound, music, characters, story, and world are all really great, but the gameplay is unforgiving. It is like a player has to level up for a large amount of time just to make it through one dungeon, and then when he moves on to the next area/dungeon all that work seems for naught because all the enemies are just as strong as if he were back at the beginning of the previous dungeon without all those new levels for the characters. I know leveling up is part and parcel of RPGs, but sometimes it is too much when it feels you aren't making any progress by doing so.

But I have Phantasy Star II, and I hear it is even better than the first. So do I stay forever unwilling to move forward with the series because of PSI's gameplay, or should I just skip it and start playing II? And if I do, is there somewhere one can read the plot of Phantasy Star I so I don't feel like I'm missing out?

[Aussie2B]

If you're sick of random battles and unforgiving gameplay, I don't think you're going to find much relief in PSII.

[c0ldb33r]

I've often wondered this myself, but for PSIV. I really want to play it and the screenshots look amazing, but I don't really want to have to go through 1,2 & 3. Do you need to?

[maxlords]

You can play all the PS games as standalones but there's a lot of little stuff in em that really adds to the experience if you've played em all. Play the ones you like for sure though...

[Xexyz]

I skipped straight to IV and don't regret it. I really want to enjoy the first two, but the dungeons and random battles just got aggravating quickly. They're just too old-school for me I guess. I never played III. All I know about it is that its the black sheep in the original series.

[Kitsune Sniper]

PS1: Fun but unforgiving.
PS2: Difficult as hell, slow, boring, and FLASHING ALL THE TIME DURING BATTLES WHENEVER SOMETHING HAPPENS OH GOD I'M GOING INTO SEIZURES
PS3: Very difficult and not worth it.
PS4: The best one out of the series.

[Cryomancer]

See, I've played the first three now and I feel like I liked the first one the best. 2 has what feel ultimately like some serious design flaws (so many long, long walks on the ice planet), and an overall slow as a shit pace. 3 is pretty unique and intersting, although also a bit bland sometimes, and you can use saves/save states to play through all the branches semi-quickly (although some of them are fairly redundant). I've started 4, and I can see the appeal, but I just have yet to really get into it seriously thus far.

[YoshiM]

As others have said, you can just jump right into any of the games. It's just nice to know some of the story or locations to get that feeling of continuity between the games.

As for the battles, I thought all the PS games were like that. Heck weren't all RPGs of that type like that back then (Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior, Ultima, etc.)? At least that's the impression I got when I played them.

Personally the concept of going into more dangerous territory was always more of a thrill. Trudge into the more difficult areas, try your luck at fighting the more powerful monsters then quick escape to lick your wounds. I typically fought the lesser enemies to build up Meseta to buy healing items so I could forge ahead to go for higher experience.

Give PS a try. Don't read the story online as there are some neat twists. PS2 was a neat game but it is brutally long with just as many random battles (to the point where back in the day there were suggestions to pop up the menu screen every few steps to try and get through a station as it was very tough). PS3 took a neat turn with the concept of different generations that I almost finished but had to get it back to the video store. PS4 is the crown jewel of the whole series.

[maxlords]

I love the first one but it IS tough as nails. Even WITH maps.

The 2nd one is slow but the story when it's there is great.

Third one I've never played.

4th one is awesome and paced the best. But it's almost TOO polished.

[kupomogli]

The first one to me has a much better storyline and better designed world than the second, but the fourth game in the series is by far the best. One of the best 16bit RPGs. Even has a really good plot twist you'd never expect.

[Graham Mitchell]

I'd play through the first one. It's doable with maps. It's a pretty high-quality game, and probably the best thing ever produced for the master system.

2 is horrible. Not worth the headache.

I will defend 3, though it's not really a canonical phantasy star game. (it was developed by a different team) But i think it's cool, and it's got some beautiful music. Try it, you may like it.

4 is the best in the series, as everyone has already pointed out.

[Black_Tiger]

From what you described, you are better off trying to play through PSIV first and if you can't handle that, then maybe skip random battle RPGs until you've played enough non-random battle games.

[Blitzwing256]

4 was the most generic "look i'm trying to be final fantasy!" game that I have ever played. I bought it on release for 89.99 and finished it in one day. very unmemorable and boring espeically compared to just about anything else that came out around the same time.

if random battles are giving you a headache you might just want to stick to non-rpgs, no matter what ps game you play they are filled with them. (i might recomend those ps1 remakes of the lunar games as the random encounters aren't quite as random) or maybe chrono trigger.

[kupomogli]

4 was the most generic "look i'm trying to be final fantasy!" game that I have ever played.

Phantasy Star 4 is like the original Phantasy Star over a Final Fantasy game. Both Phantasy Star and Final Fantasy were released same year and month. Are you honestly going to say that Phantasy Star 4 is a copy? If anything it's a copy of the original Phantasy Star being so similar to it. Sure it's not as good as some of the FF titles but it's better than most. Phantasy Star 4 is a great game and as an RPG fan that's really all that matters.


(i might recomend those ps1 remakes of the lunar games as the random encounters aren't quite as random) or maybe chrono trigger.

Maybe because they're not random? The Sega CD versions on the other hand are.

[Kitsune Sniper]

4 was the most generic "look i'm trying to be final fantasy!" game that I have ever played. I bought it on release for 89.99 and finished it in one day. very unmemorable and boring espeically compared to just about anything else that came out around the same time.

if random battles are giving you a headache you might just want to stick to non-rpgs, no matter what ps game you play they are filled with them. (i might recomend those ps1 remakes of the lunar games as the random encounters aren't quite as random) or maybe chrono trigger.

Interesting, I played IV and thought it was completely different from FF II / IV and III / VI. And after playing V, I STILL see no resemblance.

And I don't even like the FF games that much.

The problem with PS 1 / 2 / 3 's random battles aren't that they're random, but that they're TOO COMMON. They happen too often. It makes the game feel much slower and boring.

[Blitzwing256]

I never felt they were too common at all (except in the morgue in ps1 fuck that place) most rpgs of that time frame had the same encounter rate overall. 4 was just such a horrible let down after all the hype the magazines were feeding us for over 2 years (to give the game a little credit it came out two years late in the us) i've tried to go back to it several times and just find its an awfull game overall, yet I can still go back to 2 and 3 and enjoy them.

plus the little fact you can't max your charecters out at the end of the game due to a retarded glitch, makes me hate it even more ;-)

[Blitzwing256]

I never felt they were too common at all (except in the morgue in ps1 fuck that place) most rpgs of that time frame had the same encounter rate overall. 4 was just such a horrible let down after all the hype the magazines were feeding us for over 2 years (to give the game a little credit it came out two years late in the us) i've tried to go back to it several times and just find its an awfull game overall, yet I can still go back to 2 and 3 and enjoy them.

plus the little fact you can't max your charecters out at the end of the game due to a retarded glitch, makes me hate it even more ;-)

[Kitsune Sniper]

I never felt they were too common at all (except in the morgue in ps1 fuck that place) most rpgs of that time frame had the same encounter rate overall. 4 was just such a horrible let down after all the hype the magazines were feeding us for over 2 years (to give the game a little credit it came out two years late in the us) i've tried to go back to it several times and just find its an awfull game overall, yet I can still go back to 2 and 3 and enjoy them.

plus the little fact you can't max your charecters out at the end of the game due to a retarded glitch, makes me hate it even more ;-)Ah, there's the difference. You were expecting something that you were waiting for for a few years. Me? I only saw a new game at the rental shop and got it there. I had no preconceptions of the game, other than the experience (mostly horrible, at that) I had with the previous three games in the series. Even after that, I still gave 4 a chance and loved it.

[Blitzwing256]

you're probably right, I loved the series as it progressed up till 4 where it felt like it decided to jump back to 2 (not that 2 was bad but I already played 2) 2 was so differnt than 1 and 3 was very differnt than 2 but 4 was....not awfull but it was just a rehash of 2. proably awesome if you were looking for a megamanish sequel, but definately not what i was looking for (and definately not for 90$ )

[Rolf&Nei]

The continuity is negligible throughout the series and #2 is by far the best. It is not difficult, especially by period standards--or at least it's much more fun than its contemporaries, which were mostly on the SNES...and if you want to talk too many encounters think Tales of Phantasia. By the way, I'm speaking of the real Genesis, not an emulator. Furthermore there are multiple possible groupings, so it can be played more than once, or at least differently from a deep save point. There is also the hidapipe to avoid encounters, besides some interesting secrets that ease gameplay (and should be avoided the first play through). Only strictly beating it--the final boss--is hard; enjoying everything that leads to it is not. I beat this game without a lot of fuss at 12, and it was only the 3rd rpg I'd played; Dezo (the ice-world somebody complained about in response) is not aimless, and the to-and-froing will be nothing if you can survive its mazes (and don't ryuka on Dezo). Nota bene: when searching for the underwater entrance--after getting the maruera gum--you must circumnavigate the globe northwards about 1 and a quarter times; do not go round once and give up. Also, there's no great shame (there is a bit) to using the strat guide, because that was simply the booklet that came with the standard version of the game. You really shouldn't need it. The music is the best vg soundtrack ever.
As for the others in the series, I hated 1: its encounter rate may be 4 times that of 2's. The 4th is disappointing, but also the easiest if you do have trouble with the others. 3 is a bitch...you get no leads from the story, and there are 5 planets to traipse about; its battle graphics are garbage, and its battle music aggressively repetitive; lastly it gives only 2 save slots, making it the most deserving to be emulated. If you can follow the non-story it isn't terribly difficult.
Enjoy 2, there's only one of it.

[Rolf&Nei]

Sorry to be a jerk, but there is no more repetitve game than Chrono Trigger: once past the halfway point every episode involves a boss fight, most of which are boring and gimmicky. If you don't know what 'gimmicky' entails then you've never played a Squaresoft game--and CT should really be called Final Fantasy 6.5. So you can avoid a bunch of fights, but you'll have to level up anyway for the boring boss fights with ugly, silly looking creatures. Then go back in time again and again until you wish you could really go back in time and never have played the game. Its more interesting successor is Saga Frontier (not SF2, which is very altered), though nobody concerned about difficulty should even turn that beast on.

[NayusDante]

I never finished Phantasy Star, but the GBA collection port made for great fun during my senior year of high school. Lots of memories of grinding battles during those boring classes while the teachers graded papers. I would not enjoy sitting down to play my SMS copy unless I was streaming it and had some friends on Skype to commentate with. It's a good game, but the length is artificially inflated with battles.

Perhaps I'm spoiled by FF, but PS2 is really hard for me to get into. I'm not exactly sure what it is that I'm looking at when I play it, or what to expect from it.

So PS4 can be finished in a day??? I might move that up on my backlog queue...

[Aussie2B]

Heh, of course someone named "Rolf&Nei" and registered just to post in this topic is going to defend PSII. Not that hard and you shouldn't need maps? Have we played the same game? PSII requires a ton of grinding or you'll get slaughtered, and the maps are absurd. The dungeons are massive, with a battle every few steps, there's usually tons of foreground crap blocking your view so you can't even get a clear view of things short of moving around extra, triggering more battles, and there are warps all over the place so you can't tell where the hell you are or where you're going. I mean, look at this nonsense:

http://www.phantasy-star.net/psii/maps/mapscontroltower.html

There is very good reason why they included maps with the game because, frankly, it would be stupid and completely unenjoyable to not use them.

Not that I think PSII is enjoyable regardless. Of all the RPGs I've played to completion, I'd say it was the least fun. I mean, it's playable so I'm sure there are worse RPGs with broken code that I've never played through, but it was still a miserable experience and it's all the more perplexing that it's regarded as a classic by many. If anyone cares to read my analysis of the game (albeit it's a touch childish and amateurish since I wrote it as a teenager 10 years ago), here's my review: http://www.gamefaqs.com/genesis/526675-phantasy-star-ii/reviews/review-17761

Also, what's with the random Chrono Trigger bashing? What does it have to do with this topic? I don't want to sidetrack too much here, but the battles aren't gimmicky, they're clever. Who wants every boss battle to be conquered in the exact same way? And who finds boss battles boring? They're the most exciting part of a game, so of course every section of significance should be punctuated by one. And if Chrono Trigger is ugly, I don't even want to know what that makes PSII.

[Rolf&Nei]

Sorry you took my reply to an above Chrono Trigger suggestion so badly, but somebody did suggest it. I just played this game and had expected to love it; really, I didn't mean to bash anything someone loves, but this being a retro site I thought the point was to further games whose sort is no longer being made, and CT's is: every Squaresoft game repeats the one before, or the one from ten years ago. I just feel it makes combat dull when swords and spells are rendered null on enemies who can only be damaged by soda tins and used tampons. As for your dislike of the overhead pipeworks in PhS 2, those usually normalise with a person's vision in 10 seconds, disappearing. Once again, this is not remotely a difficult game next to stuff we've all played, like FF7 (where the 7777 fluke doesn't even have a chance of taking down the emerald weapon), FFX (2 or not), or some maybe slightly less well known monstrosities like Star Ocean. I'll leave with one sincere word of praise for CT: at least there were no beebles.

[Rolf&Nei]

Hey nz17, as you'll see I've already left a lot of verbiage and animosity in responding to your question, so I just wanted to give you a quick word of encouragement without any extraneous garbage. Play the game, it's not slow, not hard, not remotely like any FF game, and is worthwhile. Play it on the actual system, or at least connected to a real tv--definitely not on the Sega Collection; all those games have disastrous sound. Roms tend to falter, or perhaps the different versions are over subtle: don't know how much differs within each, but the best version can be told by entering a dungeon, where the music should begin on a full chord (I think an f).

[NayusDante]

I just feel it makes combat dull when swords and spells are rendered null on enemies who can only be damaged by soda tins and used tampons.

This sounds like the setup of Mother 4. Can I preorder now?

[Aussie2B]

Sorry you took my reply to an above Chrono Trigger suggestion so badly, but somebody did suggest it. I just played this game and had expected to love it; really, I didn't mean to bash anything someone loves, but this being a retro site I thought the point was to further games whose sort is no longer being made, and CT's is: every Squaresoft game repeats the one before, or the one from ten years ago. I just feel it makes combat dull when swords and spells are rendered null on enemies who can only be damaged by soda tins and used tampons. As for your dislike of the overhead pipeworks in PhS 2, those usually normalise with a person's vision in 10 seconds, disappearing. Once again, this is not remotely a difficult game next to stuff we've all played, like FF7 (where the 7777 fluke doesn't even have a chance of taking down the emerald weapon), FFX (2 or not), or some maybe slightly less well known monstrosities like Star Ocean. I'll leave with one sincere word of praise for CT: at least there were no beebles.

Heh, laying the sarcasm on thick, eh? If you're trying to insinuate that I got butthurt and blew up over the random Chrono Trigger bashing, anybody can read and see that it didn't happen. And if you think you're going to get a reaction by trashing the game in my avatar, you'll be disappointed on that one too.

But, wait, are you honestly claiming that FFVII is a hard game? Harder than PSII even? Again I have to question if we played the same game. FFVII is probably the easiest RPG I've ever played, crappy bonus Weapon battles aside.

[sheath]

I have found that PSII requires less grinding when I take the time to find my own way through the dungeons. Actually, this tactic works for almost every RPG I have ever played. If I try to make a B line for the goal in any one scenario I never get enough experience to make it to or through the next.

[Rolf&Nei]

I really wasn't being sarcastic till towards the end. FF7 was hard in that I thought everybody played the weapons--straight through of course it's a one-nighter. Also it was just so disappointing...and that game has tons of random combat. (It isn't gimmicky though). By the bye, did you ever ruin your game by skipping the purchase of the chocobo lure and sneaking by the python in the swamp? You really can do this on foot, and the result is that, given you explore the cave, the chocobo lure will never be available for purchase. And in FFX I again intended the extra stuff. But you must think Star Ocean was too hard? No bite on the rest?

[Emperor Megas]

If you have an issue with random battles boring you, then skipping installments is pointless because the entire Phantasy Star series has them, and in pretty much the same supply.

/bickering



The fact that you'd ask if you should just skip to the next one tells me that you probably won't get much more out of the second one. I really don't care for the third one, but it's the only one to offer you something slightly different. Still, it doesn't do away with the things that you hate most about the first.

Overall, I can't suggest the series to you if you don't feel up to finishing the original for the reasons you stated. There's nothing wrong with not enjoying it mind you, so please don't take what I'm saying offensively (some gamers are weird that way).

IMO, the origianl Phantasy is the least linear of the lot, and had the most interesting gameplay of the series with the 3D mazes and all. There are several different ways to play through the original. It's also one of the most memorable, IMO, followed by the second. I don't remember many particulars of part 4, just the graphic style, a few characters and the tech combining factor. I remember TOO much of the third that I wish I could forget.

My verdict is: if the original Phantasy Star really isn't for you, then the (canon) series probably isn't for you.

[old_skoolin_jim]

I bought it on release for 89.99 and finished it in one day.

Do I detect a hint of exaggeration there? I know the MSRP was $99.99, but to buy an RPG in 1994 and finish it in a single day? Come on now... stop crapping all over this classic.

[old_skoolin_jim]

(double-post... blasted internets!)

[Edmond Dantes]

I'm sad.

I never got to play PS4.

I've played 1-3 though. Of that trilogy I liked 1 the best. 2 is overrated (a battle system where you basically have no control and just watch? Heck with that), and 3 seemed like it deserves its reputation.

[sheath]

PSIII is probably my most played of the series. I actually enjoyed getting to all seven endings, not sure why everybody else hates. The graphics were top notch and I really enjoyed the gameplay, dungeons and especially the music.

It seems like PSII fans hated it for not having third person character views in the fights and more futuristic stuff.

Final Fantasy fans seem to be focused solely on dialog (not storyline, meaningless drivel scenes).

Then there's that group that likes RPGs where they don't have to level up or fight unless they want to. I'm not sure where they come from.

[Graham Mitchell]

Heh, of course someone named "Rolf&Nei" and registered just to post in this topic is going to defend PSII. Not that hard and you shouldn't need maps? Have we played the same game? PSII requires a ton of grinding or you'll get slaughtered, and the maps are absurd. The dungeons are massive, with a battle every few steps, there's usually tons of foreground crap blocking your view so you can't even get a clear view of things short of moving around extra, triggering more battles, and there are warps all over the place so you can't tell where the hell you are or where you're going. I mean, look at this nonsense:

http://www.phantasy-star.net/psii/maps/mapscontroltower.html

There is very good reason why they included maps with the game because, frankly, it would be stupid and completely unenjoyable to not use them.



Aussie2b, I don't think the true issues with Phantasy star 2 could be more eloquently stated. Another issue with the game (and ultimately the reason I stopped playing it ) was that not only are the dungeons horrible, they all look exactly the same. After the 8th brown pipe-filled excuse for a level I just said fuck it. The game wasn't offering me anything in exchange for 1hr frustration and dependence on a faq, other than enemy pallette swaps.

If you look at the genesis library at the time of the games release, it's pretty easy to see that the only reason ps2 sold relatively well is because it was the only rpg on the genesis. Sword of vermilion, despite it's issues and dreaded "arcade action" and first person viewpoint, was released around the same time, and is a much better game imo. I was sad ro see it wasn't included in sonics ultimate genesis collection.

[Blitzwing256]

Do I detect a hint of exaggeration there? I know the MSRP was $99.99, but to buy an RPG in 1994 and finish it in a single day? Come on now... stop crapping all over this classic.

still have the original price tag on my copy, but yeah one full day to play through, game didn't require much grinding was excessively linnear. I did die once in dio's fortress and spent about an hour leveling up but after that had zero problems till the end.
This is also back when I didn't have to worry about school work and life to get in the way of my video games, ahh the good old days ;-)

[Emperor Megas]

PSIII is probably my most played of the series. I actually enjoyed getting to all seven endings, not sure why everybody else hates. The graphics were top notch and I really enjoyed the gameplay, dungeons and especially the music.I hated the music, graphics and character designs of PSIII. I didn't mind the branching generational story arch at all, I just hated the over all package.


It seems like PSII fans hated it for not having third person character views in the fights and more futuristic stuff. Well, all of the Phantasy Stars has futuristic settings, not just part 2, and I did miss seeing your character during the fight scenes, honestly.


I've played 1-3 though. Of that trilogy I liked 1 the best. 2 is overrated (a battle system where you basically have no control and just watch? Heck with that)What are you talking about? You don't 'just watch', you input your commands at the beginning of every turn except when the enemy surprises you were lose the first turn and get attached automatically.

[sheath]

On the music, I can't think of many Genesis games that come so close to sounding like real instruments than PSIII (bells especially, talking about real hardware Model 1 HDG stuff here). Sword of Vermillion and PSIII push the Genesis sound in totally different directions than I've heard any other game on the system, and to me they are good directions.

On the graphics and character designs, I have always preferred playing as adults. I wouldn't like Castlevania, Shinobi, Double Dragon or Golden Axe with super deformed kids as the main characters either. So I took to PSIII's art right away. I had already played through Phantasy Star II at that point and really just saw everything as an improvement except the lack of main character art in the fight scenes. But then, the fight scenes actually had relevant backgrounds, parallax and a lot of animation in the enemies.

[Black_Tiger]

On the music, I can't think of many Genesis games that come so close to sounding like real instruments than PSIII (bells especially, talking about real hardware Model 1 HDG stuff here). Sword of Vermillion and PSIII push the Genesis sound in totally different directions than I've heard any other game on the system, and to me they are good directions.

On the graphics and character designs, I have always preferred playing as adults. I wouldn't like Castlevania, Shinobi, Double Dragon or Golden Axe with super deformed kids as the main characters either. So I took to PSIII's art right away. I had already played through Phantasy Star II at that point and really just saw everything as an improvement except the lack of main character art in the fight scenes. But then, the fight scenes actually had relevant backgrounds, parallax and a lot of animation in the enemies.

I also enjoy PSIII, but I like most pre-32-bit RPGs. ;) PSIII is super underrated and unfairly hated by people who want it to be something else. It would be much more accepted if it wasn't an official Phantasy Star game.

PSII is still heavily overrated by those who praise it, but overall opinion has become more polarized in recent years. I had lots of fun with PSII when it came out, but it was the biggest let down of the four traditional console RPGs. The original Phantasy Star is still my favorite.

PSIV is overrated by those who call it 'teh greatest game/RPG evAr'. It is a nice game with a unique feel though. It is perfect for the Nomad and I probably played through it more times on the go than on a TV.


sheath: If you like Phantasy Star games and adult characters, you should try Neo Metal fantasy (http://www.thebrothersduomazov.com/search/label/Neo%20Metal%20Fantasy) for PC Engine. It's cheap and I wrote an english walkthrough for it.

[sheath]

sheath: If you like Phantasy Star games and adult characters, you should try Neo Metal fantasy (http://www.thebrothersduomazov.com/search/label/Neo%20Metal%20Fantasy) for PC Engine. It's cheap and I wrote an english walkthrough for it.

I agree with everything you said there. Neo Metal Fantasy looks great as well especially with an english walkthrough. That reminds me that I need to get back into Legend of Xanadu since I printed off the walkthrough. I will have to see what I can snag Neo MEtal Fantasy for later though. I just dropped $40 on Saturn and PS1 games the other day and that is too much right now.

[Emperor Megas]

On the music, I can't think of many Genesis games that come so close to sounding like real instruments than PSIII (bells especially, talking about real hardware Model 1 HDG stuff here).I never thought about the quality of the key, pitch and tone, I just didn't/don't like the music at all. Heck, I can put up and play 'real instruments', but you wouldn't like the way it sounded if I did. :|


Sword of Vermillion and PSIII push the Genesis sound in totally different directions than I've heard any other game on the system, and to me they are good directions.I never played Sword of Vermilion. I'll have to get around to it now.

SIDE NOTE: Recently in another thread someone asked how you decide what games to play. The poster/post was blasted by a few here, but I thought it was a good question. I said when something is mentioned at the forum or somewhere online like youtube it'll usually motivate me to play it. This is a perfect example.


On the graphics and character designs, I have always preferred playing as adults. I wouldn't like Castlevania, Shinobi, Double Dragon or Golden Axe with super deformed kids as the main characters either. So I took to PSIII's art right away. I had already played through Phantasy Star II at that point and really just saw everything as an improvement except the lack of main character art in the fight scenes. But then, the fight scenes actually had relevant backgrounds, parallax and a lot of animation in the enemies.IIRC, all of the character's in the Phantasy Star games were adults. Well, many were teenagers, but I still consider that grown up. If you're talking about the SD look of the party members that you move around the map with, well, they're just avatars. Placeholders. You aren't really 'playing with/as them', you're just moving them across the map, like chess pieces.

Still, if you aren't a fan of Super Deformed characters (I am; in a big way), I suppose it doesn't matter though.

[sheath]

I never thought about the quality of the key, pitch and tone, I just didn't/don't like the music at all. Heck, I can put up and play 'real instruments', but you wouldn't like the way it sounded if I did. :|

I like the compositions (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8KDsbAFw8s) too, they are way more memorable to me than PSIV's, and only PSII's BGM for that foggy island (forget the name, Secret Ways (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XLKBuYt1W4) is the song) sticks with me.


I never played Sword of Vermilion. I'll have to get around to it now.

SIDE NOTE: Recently in another thread someone asked how you decide what games to play. The poster/post was blasted by a few here, but I thought it was a good question. I said when something is mentioned at the forum or somewhere online like youtube it'll usually motivate me to play it. This is a perfect example.

That's the only way I end up playing "new to me" games these days. I am very rarely surprised even after buying the game though. Sword of Vermilion must be played in the mindset of somebody who wasn't expecting anything conventional. I should also add that music and I rarely mix, but in video games the music alone can be over half the experience for me. ;)


IIRC, all of the character's in the Phantasy Star games were adults. Well, many were teenagers, but I still consider that grown up. If you're talking about the SD look of the party members that you move around the map with, well, they're just avatars. Placeholders. You aren't really 'playing with/as them', you're just moving them across the map, like chess pieces.

Still, if you aren't a fan of Super Deformed characters (I am; in a big way), I suppose it doesn't matter though.

Phantasy Star is the first console series I know of without superdeformed characters. I always appreciated that, even though I didn't play the first Phantasy Star until about seven years ago. Phantasy Star III's appeal was that the characters all changed twice throughout the game. I don't like games where I get to tweak every little thing about a character, but I enjoyed seeing what the next generation of the previous characters looked like based on my choices.

[Black_Tiger]

Sword of Vermillion was very cool for its time. I'll never be able to judge it without nostalgia, but I understand how people playing it for the first time today wouldn't have the patience for it.

[NayusDante]

Now I'm having second thoughts about selling that CIB Sword of Vermilion in my Genny eBay bundle... I tried to play it and wrote it off as a generic second-rate RPG. Nothing really stood out to me from what I played, did I miss something?

[QuickSciFi]

^Sword of Vermilion is like a little gem best saved for when you're ready in full to take a trip back to 16-bit goodness. One has to keep in mind that this was an early Genny title, which outperforms many of its 16-bit successors (even outside the Genny). A lot of people jump into it with the misconception that it is one of the best RPGs of the era. While it wasn't the best, it certainly wasn't the worst. But with Yu Suzuki behind it, there are so many features that stand-out which will grant you one of the best experiences any RPG fan can hope for, if he/she allows it. The music is among the best soundtracks of the 16-bit generation, and whilst the story lacks in depth, it holds strong in thematic and fluidity. You will probably play it once and compare every other Middle-Ages fantasy RPG to it. That's what happened to me. It may not be the best 16-bit era RPG, not even on the Genesis, but it is the most immersive middle-ages fantasy RPG you'll find from that period. And if you want a soundtrack that will keep you coming back for more, then this is your game.

[Graham Mitchell]

Now I'm having second thoughts about selling that CIB Sword of Vermilion in my Genny eBay bundle... I tried to play it and wrote it off as a generic second-rate RPG. Nothing really stood out to me from what I played, did I miss something?

Well, aesthetically they did a great job. The visuals are crisp and colorful, and the "scaling" effect in the first person view is pretty impressive for the time. And almost all the music is fantastic. It seems to be influenced by Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (hear the rockin' mournful music from the first town, complete with handclaps). I think the game is worth playing for these elements alone.

The gameplay itself is rather unique, as well. Its sort of like the Golgo 13 games, where there are multiple different styles of games rolled into one. Of course, it does suffer the cliche issue of trying to do too much and not being really superb at any one thing. Despite this, I think it works, and the game changes things up often enough to keep you from getting too bored with it.

Most importantly, when I play it today, It still feels impressive and fun. When I play many 8 or 16 bit rpgs today, I wonder why I liked them so much back then.

[Blitzwing256]

vermillion was one of the very few dungeon crawler rpgs that I really enjoyed (automap helps) the only major complaint I had is at about 90% of the way through the game you max out your level and combat is completely worthless to you from that point on, a major issue thats tough to get past that late in the game, but otherwise it was a pretty memorable game for its time.

[kupomogli]

Sword of Vermilion is a great game. To stay on topic though, while I do like Phantasy Star 2, Sword of Vermilion is better. Phantasy Star 4 is my favorite RPG on the system though.


I was sad ro see it wasn't included in sonics ultimate genesis collection.

Dammit! Because of this thread and the Phantasy Star games, I just ordered Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection a couple of days ago. Sword of Vermilion was in the previous game. Why remove it from the "ULTIMATE" collection? Just kidding. It would have been nice to be on the ultimate collection, but I own it on the PS2 collection and on the Genesis. Because it's missing it really doesn't make the collection that ultimate though does it?

The cool thing about Sword of Vermilion is that if you wanted to you could always use the guide that comes with the game making it much easier. Or just go through the game without the guide and it's still fun. Just remember to pick up all the maps in town so you can see where you're going.

[ki_atsushi]

Crazy to see such lukewarm and even (gasp!) negative responses about PSIV.

I've played a ton of RPG's and it's still in my top 5 of all-time. It has great character development and story, excellent music and graphics for the Genesis, and it's a nice finish to the series. I'd rather play PSIV over many entries in the Final Fantasy series, and that's even coming from a fan of Final Fantasy.

This thread weirds me out.

[Edmond Dantes]

What are you talking about? You don't 'just watch', you input your commands at the beginning of every turn except when the enemy surprises you were lose the first turn and get attached automatically.

No, you input your commands at the beginning, and then they auto-battle until you press a button.

Most of the time I found there was no reason to interrupt, so I felt more like a spectator than a participant.

[Nz17]

Wow, I never realized that complaining about a too-high encounter rate and the demands of leveling in a game would summon so many people to question my RPG prowess. So to try to stem the tide of these comments, here are some RPGs that I have finished:

Final Fantasy VI (SNES III)
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VIII
Xenogears
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete
LUNAR: Eternal Blue Complete
Ax Battler: Legend of Golden Axe
Alundra
Arc the Lad
Chrono Cross
Rhapsody
Parasite Eve
Breath of Fire III
Wild ARMs
Disgaea
Dark Arms: Beast Busters 1999
Skies of Arcadia

Keep in mind, these are just a selection of the RPGs I've completed based on a cursory overview of what I can remember. If we were counting ones that I have played but not to completion or own, this list would be much greater... especially with non-traditional RPGs.

[sheath]

^Sword of Vermilion is a like little gem best saved for when you're ready in full to take a trip back to 16-bit goodness. One has to keep in mind that this was an early Genny title, which outperforms many of its 16-bit successors (even outside the Genny). A lot of people jump into it with the misconception that it is one of the best RPGs of the era. While it wasn't the best, it certainly wasn't the worst. But with Yu Suzuki behind it, there are so many features that stand-out which will grant you one of the best experiences any RPG fan can hope for, if he/she allows it. The music is among the best soundtracks of the 16-bit generation, and whilst the story lacks in depth, it holds strong in thematic and fluidity. You will probably play it once and compare every other Middle-Ages fantasy RPG to it. That's what happened to me. It may not be the best 16-bit era RPG, not even on the Genesis, but it is the most immersive middle-ages fantasy RPG you'll find from that period. And if you want a soundtrack that will keep you coming back for more, then this is your game.

proxy rep!

I had actually played through Phantasy Star II and Dragon Warrior before I got to rent Sword of Vermilion back in the day. I had also beaten Golvellius by then, and what caused me to rent Sword of Vermilion was the 1st person perspective, the Adventure style small enemy battles, and the near full screen boss fights!

Man was I driven to keep working my way through that labyrinth of a game just to see that next boss in action! It was exciting and scary at the same time when I actually got to a boss, because there was no practicing that gameplay aspect.

I really wouldn't compare Sword of Vermilion to any other RPG for that very reason. I should also add that Phantasy Star IV probably is the longest and most involving traditional console RPG on the Genesis. I would probably pick Shining in the Darkness as my favorite though, followed by the Shining Force games if they were allowed.

[Zebbe]

If you don't like hard difficulty and random encounters, skipping Phantasy Star for the sequel is kind of like going from BDSM to getting raped.

[Edmond Dantes]

^ Best analogy ever.

[Emperor Megas]

If you don't like hard difficulty and random encounters, skipping Phantasy Star for the sequel is kind of like going from BDSM to getting raped.Fantastic!

[kupomogli]

^ Best analogy ever.

You said anal. That was cool.

[Blitzwing256]

If you don't like hard difficulty and random encounters, skipping Phantasy Star for the sequel is kind of like going from BDSM to getting raped.

congratulations! a winner of the thread is you!

[kupomogli]

Phantasy Star 2 wasn't that bad. I've only played Phantasy Star 4 prior due to the Sega Channel so the first time I've played any of the other Phantasy Star games was on Phantasy Star Collection. So I've finished Phantasy Star 2 without a guide book. It's a lot harder than the first game though, more grinding, and most of the grinding was required on the second to last boss(seriously.)

[Graham Mitchell]

I decided to create this. I'll use it as my new avatar.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b334/kupomogli/ps2rape.jpg

Hahaha! It's so true.

[sheath]

Hide your daughters, hide your wife....

[Zebbe]

Phantasy Star 2 wasn't that bad. I've only played Phantasy Star 4 prior due to the Sega Channel so the first time I've played any of the other Phantasy Star games was on Phantasy Star Collection. So I've finished Phantasy Star 2 without a guide book. It's a lot harder than the first game though, more grinding, and most of the grinding was required on the second to last boss(seriously.)


I've also finished it without the guidebook (except for checking if I had taken all chests in one Dezolis dungeon, which I had). The second last boss is indeed very hard with all his status attacks, you don't just need grinding but also a bit of luck.

[PapaStu]

Hey guys, while an interesting way to call things, lets lay off throwing around the rape tag.

Thread re-opened, net dragged back into the street.

Game on!

**/me heads back off to pondering buying moar DS games**

[pseudonym]

I've never played 2 before, and by the looks of this thread, I don't want to either. :)

I would rank the series this way personally: 4 >>> 1 > 3 > 2 (although I've never played it).

[vintagegamecrazy]

I'd recommend to you to stick with the first game. I just finished the game today myself and really enjoyed it! It's got a lot of random encounters and can get a bit tough in the end (Baya Malay tower is really hard) but it wasn't overly difficult in the end. Give it a shot because II is much more daunting.

[vintagegamecrazy]

Well I just started playing Phantasy Star II now and man is it a LOT HARDER than I remembered. I played it almost to the end many years ago and had my cart stolen on me and just now got up the courage to tread its waters again. Still not a big fan of this game yet. Just today I got to the second area and the game froze, I tried two more times and was killed by those stinkin blaster enemies. Finally I beat that area and got to the Bio Center. I decided to take a much more defensive approach now. I've been grinding a lot more and maxing out on equipment and it's helping a lot. It's still hard though

C'mon Sega-16 fans let's keep this thread alive.

[Wraith Storm]

Phantasy Star was amazing for the time and is still a great play today. It was VERY HARD right from the get go, so you had to grind right off the bat, but aside from the bumpy start to the game I really enjoyed what I played of it.

I never beat it though because once I heard the FM soundtrack I didn't wan't to play without it. The US soundtrack sounds very good but hearing the FM version sounded much more bad @$$ and epic! One of these days I will figure out a way to play the English version WITH the FM soundtrack. I'm sure I'll have to resort to emulation to achieve this however and thats disappointing because I like to play on the original hardware.

Phantasy Star II I thought was really fun. I liked the music, the graphics, the characters, the story. I never thought the random battles were that bad, but then again I never thought the random battles in Skies of Arcadia were that bad either, and thats commonly used as a prime example for people that dislike random battles. It really depends on the game, but I usually prefer random battles over being able to see and avoid the enemies.

However, I will completely agree with what was said about the Pipework dungeons and teleporters. I love mapping out dungeons but Phantasy Star II had really bad, confusing, frustrating dungeon designs. I eventually moved on to other games. Years later I picked up the strategy guide and planned to start the game again, but haven't found the time yet.

Phantasy Star III I found very to be a mixed bag. For every good thing there was a bad thing. As mentioned earlier in the thread, the music was incredible. The chimes and bells on the title screen floored me when I first bought the game and still impress me to this day. The soundtrack is high quality stuff but only half the compositions are any good. I hate... HATE the battle music. Especially compared to the other installments memorable tunes.

Regardless, I thought the game was REALLY fun. I liked the story it presented and the world felt very unique for some reason. The scifi elements were there but they were much more subtle. I never made it past the first world unfortunately. Not because it was too hard or I didn't like the game. There just seems to be something that I am missing. I just don't understand the game mechanics.

At the beginning when you go to to town and get the android so you can sail to the island is where I start having issues. My healing items only work like 1 out of 4 times. So if I want to heal a character I have to use 7 or 8 healing items to recover the smallest amount of HP. It seems like the items have a high fail rate or something? So I decided to start over and tune my magic to healing and had the same issue. I ussed up all my MP and was only able to heal like 1 or 2 times. What gives?

Surly it can't be programmed like this, this is ridiculous I thought, so I loaded up the ROM and had the same issues. Then a few months later my buddy Chad bought PS III and I borrowed it from him and yet again the same problem.

I REALLY like what I played of PS III but I don't understand why magic and items have such a high fail rate or why they have a fail rate at all for that matter? Surely I am missing something, but I have yet to figure out what it is I am doing wrong.

Phantasy Star IV is the only PS game that I have actually completed and it was an unforgettable journey. Top notch graphics, excellent music and a great story presented with beautiful anime slide show cut scenes to move things along.

The combination attacks and taking on missions from the the Hunters Guild were awesome ideas and well executed. The characters were very memorable (c'mon who doesn't like Raja?!) and some areas like the Air Castle and Rykros were unforgettable to me.

To answer the OP's question; If you don't like random battles then you probably won't get a lot of enjoyment from the Phantasy Star series as a whole. But if you have not played Phantasy Star IV then give it a shot before giving up on the series. It's the most refined and accessible installment IMO.

[Phantar]

I've played Phantasy Star II, III and IV, and of the three, PS II is the only one I haven't finished yet. I really enjoyed the game, and the story, whenever it decides to kick in, is amazing. But once I reached Dezo (the ice planet) with its labyrinthine level layout, I lost my nerve. I like playing without maps for the most part, and if I have to, I prefer only to glance at one every once in a while to get an idea where I have to go. But Dezo was impossible to navigate!

The story in PSIII wasn't quite as engaging, but I actually found that game more accessible in the long run than its predecessor.

[sheath]

I never beat Phantasy Star II because that bastard Dark Force kept making my characters kill each other. I haven't played to the end on my complete copy that I picked up a few years ago.

[Blitzwing256]

Phantasy Star was amazing for the time and is still a great play today. It was VERY HARD right from the get go, so you had to grind right off the bat, but aside from the bumpy start to the game I really enjoyed what I played of it.

I never beat it though because once I heard the FM soundtrack I didn't wan't to play without it. The US soundtrack sounds very good but hearing the FM version sounded much more bad @$$ and epic! One of these days I will figure out a way to play the English version WITH the FM soundtrack. I'm sure I'll have to resort to emulation to achieve this however and thats disappointing because I like to play on the original hardware.

Phantasy Star II I thought was really fun. I liked the music, the graphics, the characters, the story. I never thought the random battles were that bad, but then again I never thought the random battles in Skies of Arcadia were that bad either, and thats commonly used as a prime example for people that dislike random battles. It really depends on the game, but I usually prefer random battles over being able to see and avoid the enemies.

However, I will completely agree with what was said about the Pipework dungeons and teleporters. I love mapping out dungeons but Phantasy Star II had really bad, confusing, frustrating dungeon designs. I eventually moved on to other games. Years later I picked up the strategy guide and planned to start the game again, but haven't found the time yet.

Phantasy Star III I found very to be a mixed bag. For every good thing there was a bad thing. As mentioned earlier in the thread, the music was incredible. The chimes and bells on the title screen floored me when I first bought the game and still impress me to this day. The soundtrack is high quality stuff but only half the compositions are any good. I hate... HATE the battle music. Especially compared to the other installments memorable tunes.

Regardless, I thought the game was REALLY fun. I liked the story it presented and the world felt very unique for some reason. The scifi elements were there but they were much more subtle. I never made it past the first world unfortunately. Not because it was too hard or I didn't like the game. There just seems to be something that I am missing. I just don't understand the game mechanics.

At the beginning when you go to to town and get the android so you can sail to the island is where I start having issues. My healing items only work like 1 out of 4 times. So if I want to heal a character I have to use 7 or 8 healing items to recover the smallest amount of HP. It seems like the items have a high fail rate or something? So I decided to start over and tune my magic to healing and had the same issue. I ussed up all my MP and was only able to heal like 1 or 2 times. What gives?

Surly it can't be programmed like this, this is ridiculous I thought, so I loaded up the ROM and had the same issues. Then a few months later my buddy Chad bought PS III and I borrowed it from him and yet again the same problem.

I REALLY like what I played of PS III but I don't understand why magic and items have such a high fail rate or why they have a fail rate at all for that matter? Surely I am missing something, but I have yet to figure out what it is I am doing wrong.

Phantasy Star IV is the only PS game that I have actually completed and it was an unforgettable journey. Top notch graphics, excellent music and a great story presented with beautiful anime slide show cut scenes to move things along.

The combination attacks and taking on missions from the the Hunters Guild were awesome ideas and well executed. The characters were very memorable (c'mon who doesn't like Raja?!) and some areas like the Air Castle and Rykros were unforgettable to me.

To answer the OP's question; If you don't like random battles then you probably won't get a lot of enjoyment from the Phantasy Star series as a whole. But if you have not played Phantasy Star IV then give it a shot before giving up on the series. It's the most refined and accessible installment IMO.

two things might be your problem with 3
many of the early enemies, particularly the little blue and red guys (names escape me) will poison you (on the subscreen there will be a little p to say you're poisoned). poison works differnetly in ps3, while poisoned you cannot be healed,thus making anti a VERY important spell.

the other issue is you need to delegate your spell strength to make differnt spells stronger/weaker in town (the little shop that looks like a shield on the outside is the tactics redistribution shop) as mieu levels up her magic is pretty well balanced, but just starting out you might want to boost anti a little more so it works more often as you get posioned quite a bit.

[Wraith Storm]

two things might be your problem with 3
many of the early enemies, particularly the little blue and red guys (names escape me) will poison you (on the subscreen there will be a little p to say you're poisoned). poison works differnetly in ps3, while poisoned you cannot be healed,thus making anti a VERY important spell.

Hmmm... It's been years since the last time I gave PS III a shot so I don't remember the finer details, but this HAS to be what my problem was/is.

I looked at reviews online and walkthroughs that people had written and never saw anything mention item and magic failure rate, so I knew that I had to be overlooking something. If the only way to tell if your character is Poisoned is a "P" on the sub menu then Its quite possible that I just over looked it or didn't realize what it symbolized. Not to mention that almost every other RPG I have played you can still be healed while poisoned.

I am almost certain this was the issue I was having! Thanks Blitzwing!



the other issue is you need to delegate your spell strength to make differnt spells stronger/weaker in town (the little shop that looks like a shield on the outside is the tactics redistribution shop) as mieu levels up her magic is pretty well balanced, but just starting out you might want to boost anti a little more so it works more often as you get posioned quite a bit.

Man It sounds like poison can bee pretty annoying in this game...lol. When I start up another game I will keep this in mind. Thanks for the advice!

[Blitzwing256]

no problem, my first few hours with the game was frustrating because i coudln't figure out why I coudln't heal, once i figured it out it was smooth sailing, poison doesn't really show up much in the game past the first few areas, but man was it a bitch at first. the one benefit to it is that you don't lose hp when poisoned you just can't get more ;-)

[Joe Redifer]

Phantasy Star 2 doesn't hold a candle to part 1. It's a good game, but not as good as part 1. All Phantasy Star games have random battles.

[vintagegamecrazy]

Phantasy Star 2 doesn't hold a candle to part 1. It's a good game, but not as good as part 1. All Phantasy Star games have random battles.

Joe you nailed it. PSII doesn't even come close to the original in any way at all!

[Zebbe]

It's not that strange. Phantasy Star was the work of a team that already had mastered the Master System hardware, while the sequel was their first 16-bit game. I think I like both equally.

[XYXZYZ]

So I have a dilemma: do I skip playing through the rest of Phantasy Star I and just jump to Phantasy Star II?

You see, I've gotten past the first few dungeons of PSI and I just don't want to deal with the random battles any more. The graphics, sound, music, characters, story, and world are all really great, but the gameplay is unforgiving. It is like a player has to level up for a large amount of time just to make it through one dungeon, and then when he moves on to the next area/dungeon all that work seems for naught because all the enemies are just as strong as if he were back at the beginning of the previous dungeon without all those new levels for the characters. I know leveling up is part and parcel of RPGs, but sometimes it is too much when it feels you aren't making any progress by doing so.

But I have Phantasy Star II, and I hear it is even better than the first. So do I stay forever unwilling to move forward with the series because of PSI's gameplay, or should I just skip it and start playing II? And if I do, is there somewhere one can read the plot of Phantasy Star I so I don't feel like I'm missing out?

At that point I'd just load PS1 up on an emulator and use cheats to blast through it. You see the story progression, and don't waste your valuable time.