Lunar Sega CD vs. Lunar PSOne

[Daria]

The only company who's ever come close is Atlus.

I'd rank NIS right up there with ATLUS in terms of funny translations. Neither of them match Working Designs' ...sincerity though. The people in that company loved every game they localized and it shows through in the final product. WD was all about the passion of gaming, never about the bottom line. Course it bit them in the ass in the end. But it's admirable. ATLUS juggles their priorities better.

[kainemaxwell]

I like both versions of Lunar 1, though drawn more to the PSX remakes of both games. Only one out of that 4 I haven't played really is the Sega cd of Lunar 2.

[RPG_Fanatic]

I like the PSone versions better than the Sega CD versions. Better graphics.

[Edmond Dantes]

I'd like to get replacement copies of the Sega CD versions some day, but:

I honestly prefer the PSOne version of The Silver Star. While the story was similar, the Sega CD version felt very much like a "first draft" to me--you knew what it was trying to convey but it just wasn't doing it very well and caused everything to be predictable and the characters kind of one-dimensional. And I liked the soundtrack... as a soundtrack. But in the game I felt like "it's just trying too hard." The PSOne's soundtrack felt more "balanced" to me.

I've never played Eternal Blue in either form.

[Colorado Rockies]

PS1 version because they removed the random battles. I just dont have the patience for random batles anymore. Nothing is more frustrating then trying to get out of a cave or something and fighting enemies every two steps.

Any classic rpg's that I play nowadays are ones where the enemies are clearly visible like Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, Super Mario RPG, Secret of Mana etc.

[mobiusclimber]

... You can see, non-random battles make it like you can see. Imagine how slow and tedious games like Chrono Trigger would have been with random battles....

Any classic rpg's that I play nowafays are ones where the enemies are clearly visible like Chrono Trigger...

The enemies in CT are only visible half the time (when they aren't hiding) and they're unavoidable about 80% of the time. Sorry for going off-topic, but this is a misconception that everyone seems to make about this game, and I just really don't get it. We all played the same game, didn't we? Why are CT's boring, worse-than-random battles being compared to Lunar's (or Earthbound's, or even Chrono Cross')? Sure, they aren't random, but they're worse than random. Not only are they usually unavoidable (b/c the enemy is hiding behind a bush or in the water and they jump out no matter where you walk) or they're hanging out and they act surprised and then attack you when you walk through the only path available (again, no way to walk around them). So it's the same enemies in the same place with no way to avoid them. To me, that's even worse than random battles, and I'm glad more games didn't adopt that approach.

Heh, sorry for the off-topic rant. XD

[Edmond Dantes]

I can sort-of agree with that.

But to be honest, non-random battles of any sort is valuable not so much for "being able to avoid battles" but more for the psychological effect. Yes, the enemies in CT are set, but at least there's a sort of predictability to them. It's nice to know in advance that a battle is coming, vs them just springing on you like in most RPGs. I can't count how many times I got irritated when I was just five steps away from an exit, or a treasure chest, and all the sudden the game cranked up the encounter rate on me.

[PresidentLeever]

MCD. I like the music better, and that's pretty much the main draw for me with these games since it's so good.

I also have a thing for games that push a system, which Lunar 2 does on MCD but not on PS1.

Edit: I'll admit I haven't really played the PS1 games though, only watched some videos. But from what I could tell the graphics, while more colorful seemed more sloppy to me. Didn't like the redone cutscenes as much either.

[Colorado Rockies]

I can sort-of agree with that.

But to be honest, non-random battles of any sort is valuable not so much for "being able to avoid battles" but more for the psychological effect. Yes, the enemies in CT are set, but at least there's a sort of predictability to them. It's nice to know in advance that a battle is coming, vs them just springing on you like in most RPGs. I can't count how many times I got irritated when I was just five steps away from an exit, or a treasure chest, and all the sudden the game cranked up the encounter rate on me.

Exactly what I was trying to say, this was just better written.

[xelement5x]

I love the Lunar games, probably more than is healthy. That said, there are some major story differences between the Sega CD and PS1 versions, but I'd have to say I like the SegaCD version better.

As others have stated the music is better for the most part, and the story is still very fun. Plus it was the first real RPG I ever played, and that sucked me into the whole genre. I bought the PS1 version when it came out as well, and I thought it improved on a lot of things, but there is still some definite charm in the SegaCD version that the PS1 version kind of looses in a couple bits. I've yet to play Lunar Harmony for the PSP, though I've got a copy I just haven't found the time to dig into it yet. It looks neat, but I doubt anything will ever live up to the original in my memory.

I personally love the WD games and have quite the massive collection of them, they were the original group of folks devoted to bringing over niche games, though they've pretty much been replaced by the likes of Atlus, XSeed, and NIS.

[mobiusclimber]

I can sort-of agree with that.

But to be honest, non-random battles of any sort is valuable not so much for "being able to avoid battles" but more for the psychological effect. Yes, the enemies in CT are set, but at least there's a sort of predictability to them. It's nice to know in advance that a battle is coming, vs them just springing on you like in most RPGs. I can't count how many times I got irritated when I was just five steps away from an exit, or a treasure chest, and all the sudden the game cranked up the encounter rate on me.

I can certainly understand that, tho for me I've always liked the tension of not knowing whether I was going to make it out of the dungeon intact or not, poisoned and down to the lower double digits in health. Will I get attacked? Will the game feel merciful and spare me? The problem w/ the way CT does it is you DO know, and if it was a tougher game, that would be a problem. Thankfully non-boss-battles are a cakewalk (usually), so it's never been a problem of "I'm down to the lower digits in health, no way to heal, and I know I'm going to get jumped by these tough enemies that I can't avoid." Seriously, how many tough non-bosses are there in the game?

Anyway... wish I could comment on Lunar, but I've only ever played Lunar 1 on PS1 and Lunar 2 on Sega CD. (Didn't even get very far in Lunar 2, gonna have to get back to it when I'm done with Pier Solar.)

[Edmond Dantes]

One day when I have money and I'm not on a quest to CIB my current game collection, I'll need to hunt down the two Lunars.

[OldSkoolBrian]

I prefer the Sega CD version of the game.

[betamax001]

What do you all of you think of the PSP remake of the first one? I only played that game and I really like it, shame there probably wont be an enhanced remake of the second one.

[TonyTheTiger]

What do you all of you think of the PSP remake of the first one? I only played that game and I really like it, shame there probably wont be an enhanced remake of the second one.

I think it's good but it also falls into that Maverick Hunter X and Symphony of the Night redub category. Aside from the obvious hurdles that come with simply being a PSP game, it pushes a reimagining onto a fanbase that is very devoted to the game as it was while at the same time being out of it's time enough to have difficulty earning new fans.

It's a good game. But like the the afforementioned games, it'll probably wind up as a mere footnote like Lunar Legend. Not beloved like the Sega CD and Playstation/Saturn games. Not reviled like Dragon Song. Not a quirky bit of trivia like Walking/Magic School.

It'll just be...there.

[old man]

I prefer the PS1 remakes for all the slick in-game artwork, and hand drawn backgrounds. Some of them are really beutifull.

[SpaceHarrier]

What do you all of you think of the PSP remake of the first one? I only played that game and I really like it, shame there probably wont be an enhanced remake of the second one.

Love the new graphical style. The remixed music is, IMO a mixed bag. I like some of it better, some of it not as much as the PSX version. PSP Nall's voice tends to inspire immediate, murderous rage.. I miss the old voices. They had that 90's anime charm. Most new voices are decent, however. The opening song.. it's funny that they redid the lyrics again and they still sound awkward and nonsensical. I prefer the PSX version here again, but that is probably nostalgia talking.

(For the record, I've not played the Sega CD original. But now I can see how fans of the original Sega CD might prefer it over the PSX remake. I prefer the PSX version over the PSP reremake.)

Other thoughts about Silver Star Harmony:

Slight screen-tearing when town maps scroll, bah.

While I like the ability to have unlimited items in my inventory now, it tends to make an already pretty-easy game even easier. Still, item management is much improved.

I kind of despise the new beginning 'training' segment. It just seems so unnecessary, out of place and cheesy. It's an easy RPG afterall. It doesn't need a tutorial. Perhaps the scene should have been a non-playable segment later on in the game, or an animated cutscene (doubt that would have happened). I just think the game is supposed to open up light-hearted, like, "Hey, let's go on an adventure!" the way it used to. The dark and foreboding junk right off the bat is just whacky.

Despite all that, I have enjoyed what I've played so far of the PSP version. The PSX version is definitely in my Top 5 favorite RPGs that I've played, so naturally I still like Harmony as well. Nostalgia tends to get the best of me, though.

Still, Harmony's graphics are really easy on the eyes!

[spongerob]

I can sort-of agree with that.

But to be honest, non-random battles of any sort is valuable not so much for "being able to avoid battles" but more for the psychological effect. Yes, the enemies in CT are set, but at least there's a sort of predictability to them. It's nice to know in advance that a battle is coming, vs them just springing on you like in most RPGs. I can't count how many times I got irritated when I was just five steps away from an exit, or a treasure chest, and all the sudden the game cranked up the encounter rate on me.

Agreed. You might not know when the enemies will appear, but most of the time you know where they won't. And there's a certain comfort in knowing your flow will not be interrupted.

To this day, random battles still bug me, even if just a tiny bit. It's like if you were on your way to get something you really, really wanted and every 15 seconds or so, you had to stop for 1-2 minutes and do your taxes/clean the house/watch the big bang theory. In FFIII, I felt they could've had a few less random battles. The flow of that game would've been perfectly spot on if I wasn't walking around like the magnet for everything evil. I guess it could've been worse, like a NES RPG.

[PresidentLeever]

Agreed. You might not know when the enemies will appear, but most of the time you know where they won't. And there's a certain comfort in knowing your flow will not be interrupted.

It's like if you were on your way to get something you really, really wanted and every 15 seconds or so, you had to stop for 1-2 minutes and do your taxes/clean the house/watch the big bang theory. In FFIII, I felt they could've had a few less random battles.

Sounds to me like a big part of the problem is that you're just not enjoying those battles, which is understandable for FF games.
I wouldn't want to get rid of random encounters/ambushes completely. I mean where would the excitement in exploring be if you could always control or predict what's going to happen?

[TonyTheTiger]

I wouldn't want to get rid of random encounters/ambushes completely. I mean where would the excitement in exploring be if you could always control or predict what's going to happen?

Funny you say that. I find it the complete opposite. When in a labyrinth in a game with random battles my initial instinct is to make a beeline for the exit since I know randomly wandering down tunnels looking for treasure will result in X number of hours spent fighting. This is especially annoying in games like Vay where dungeons are specifically designed to goad you down a path only to result in a dead end.

In order for me not to feel assaulted by wasted time the encounter rate needs to be extremely low like in Lost Odyssey.

I generally believe in the design philosophy "have respect for the player's time." And punishing somebody for wandering off path with 4 or 5 battles that effectively have no more relevance than a commercial break is not abiding by that.

I actually find FF the least bad offender since most FF fights can be won very quickly by mashing attack. Games with random battles just hard enough to require thought are much worse. Yes, individually they may be "more fun" or whatever, but we're not talking about individually. We're talking one after the other after the other while you're trying to find a door or treasure chest. It's the equivalent of somebody pausing your game of Battletoads and making you read passages from Dickens before letting you continue.