phantasy star 2 genesis

[bigbacon]

Why does this game seem so expensive compared to all the other genesis phantasy star games? Is there something special about it?

I got 3 complete for $10 and 4 complete for $20 but I can't find a reasonably price copy of 2. I am not a genesis person, am I missing something?

[starsoldier1]

Why does this game seem so expensive compared to all the other genesis phantasy star games? Is there something special about it?

I got 3 complete for $10 and 4 complete for $20 but I can't find a reasonably price copy of 2. I am not a genesis person, am I missing something?
Many consider PS2 the best in the series for its dark story, addictive game play, and challenge plus it was an early release as well. Part 3 on the other hand was released when the Genesis really hit its stride and it only got mixed reviews.

[Emperor Megas]

This must be a new development. I always remember IV being the most expensive (and common), especially complete, being as it was one of those later cardboard boxed titles. II is honestly my favorite, but I never spent that much time with IV. I ended it once, but I ended all of the other Phantasy Star games several times over. I have a feeling there's a lot more replay in III and IV since III has branching paths and IV has that funky technique combining system which is sort of fun to play with.

[kupomogli]

I've always thought Phantasy Star 2 was overrated. It's an okay game for a system that doesn't have many RPGs, but that's it. Phantasy Star 4 though is an incredible JRPG. One of the best classic style JRPGs ever in my opinion. Sad that Sega stopped with the series(non online) just when it was getting good enough to really compete with Final Fantasy. Maybe Final Fantasy 6 was the reason Sega gave up.

[Emperor Megas]

I've always thought Phantasy Star 2 was overrated. It's an okay game for a system that doesn't have many RPGs, but that's it. Phantasy Star 4 though is an incredible JRPG. One of the best classic style JRPGs ever in my opinion. Sad that Sega stopped with the series(non online) just when it was getting good enough to really compete with Final Fantasy. Maybe Final Fantasy 6 was the reason Sega gave up.I think the fact that no one really cared about Phantasy Star was the reason SEGA gave up on the series. :)

[Edmond Dantes]

This must be a new development.

Yeah, I remember owning a complete in box copy that even had the strategy guide, and I only got ten bucks for it. But now its pricey? Wish I hadn't sold...

That said, I agree with kupmogli in that its honestly overrated. I actually prefer the original Phantasy Star due to its tighter gameplay. Phantasy Star II bothers me partly because the story had terrible pacing (you're told to investigate some lab... and then you have to wander to a couple of different towns and do completely unrelated dungeons for hours before you can even get to said lab. Way to keep me hooked, game -__-) and the battle system was mostly just you sitting and watching and you could interrupt every once in awhile to make suggestions. I actually had more fun with part three, although both pale compared to the Master System original.

(I've never played the fourth).

[bigbacon]

i was eyeing a copy last night with the map and everything. went for $48 dollars. There are some with box,game,manual (no map etc) but again, already at like 30+ bucks and there is one copy out of canada which is technically the cheapest even with the shipping but not hint book or map.

Only one I'm missing, I just finished #1 on the SMS and want to play through the rest of them. I'll take box+game+manaual but not at $40 bucks.

[AbnormalMapping]

It's expensive because of the myth surrounding it. When the FF7 fans cried about Aerith's death, the Phantasy Star fans were there to remind them about Nei. And Dark Force looks great in a youtube Let's Play. But honestly, it's aged even worse than FFVII, with maze-like cut and paste dungeons that lead to one anti-climax after another, and an overall plot that's basically "Grind more".

III is known for trying to fit multiple generations into a cart barely able to contain even a single good story. It's a bizarre experiment, and one that fails, filled with vast expanses of nothing to do or see and stories and characters that are mostly forgotten by even the people who played it. ("Hey, it's that one guy who I remember from Phantasy Star IV!")

IV is the best of the bunch. But the story is front and center, and it's...well, to give you an idea of why it wasn't even impressive back in the day, there's a running gag about someone's ears looking like horns. If you're trying to understand where I'm going with this, don't worry - I am too. It didn't make any sense then, either. It's biggest claim to emotional depth comes early on, when they kill off bad ass Alys so you can play as her wide eyed and incredibly boring audience insert blonde sidekick, Not Luke Skywalker. It's kind of like being forced to play Raiden or Vaan, but worse, because both of them actually tried to be their own characters.

Hence, Phantasy Star 2 is the one everyone remembers. And if they were young enough to remember it when there was no real competition available, it can still inspire them to look at a universe filled with possibilities.

Everyone else should steer clear, unless they're going for a complete collection or want a conversation piece.

[Emperor Megas]

I've played through Phatasy Star II at least 10 times and I never knew that battles could auto run until I read it here. LOL.

The reason I love I so much is because of the music and the memories. It was one of the first major sequels that I anticipated as a kid. Phantasy Star was my first and favorite RPG, so part II was a big deal to me, and so long as it wasn't terrible, I was almost guaranteed to love it by default. I can't imagine playing it now for the first time if I didn't experience it when I was young, or rather, I don't know how I would feel about it since I have a bias.

[BlastProcessing402]

I've played through Phatasy Star II at least 10 times and I never knew that battles could auto run until I read it here. LOL.

How could you not know? That's the default, they just keep going unless you press a button to stop them.

I once lent PS2 to a friend (just the cart, I never lent out manuals) and he didn't know you could STOP the auto run and thus had to overgrind to ridiculous levels to get through the game (and still couldn't beat one of the last bosses (don't remember if it was DF or MB stumping him)) because he didn't know you could stop and change commands after battle started.

[Emperor Megas]

How could you not know? That's the default, they just keep going unless you press a button to stop them.

I once lent PS2 to a friend (just the cart, I never lent out manuals) and he didn't know you could STOP the auto run and thus had to overgrind to ridiculous levels to get through the game (and still couldn't beat one of the last bosses (don't remember if it was DF or MB stumping him)) because he didn't know you could stop and change commands after battle started.I always pressed the button while the creatures were materializing. It was just something I did akin to drumming your fingers on the table when you're waiting for something. I didn't realize that the battles would run their course if I didn't press a button to cancel it. I haven't played the game in many years, but I think that there was also a red lighted box of some sort that you would toggle on if you pressed the button before the battle/turn began. It would cancel the standard attack sequence of your party and you could input specific battle plans, and I believe I always would. I'm going to have to fire the cart up sometime soon just to check the whole auto-battle thing out.

[BlastProcessing402]

I always pressed the button while the creatures were materializing. It was just something I did akin to drumming your fingers on the table when you're waiting for something. I didn't realize that the battles would run their course if I didn't press a button to cancel it.

LOL that's awesome. I love hearing stories like that.