Phantasy Star

[danzibr]

Just wondering who has enjoyed the ol' Phantasy Star games. I myself have played only through PS I, II, III and IV. I read that they remade I and II for PS2 but it never got to America and remaking IV got scratched, which made me sad. Honestly, Phantasy Star IV is one of my favorite games of all time.

Has anyone played the other Phantasy Star games? How are they?

[Teutonic Knight]

Stop me if you didn't like the other games but I thoroughly enjoyed the Phantasy Star Online and series, and maybe the Universe that came after it. They play like 3-D MMOs, with character customization, classes, weapons, spells, and rerunning dungeons to get the best drops. All online servers have been shut down, except for Universe, so if you wanted to play online, which like other big budget MMOs will cost you money.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed it. The rare weapon list goes on and on. Watch some gameplay videos for what it actually looks like, being the first set of Phantasy Star games in 3-D, the gameplay will be much (maybe) different.

[Daremonai]

While I like the series as a whole, something about PSU was lacking - though I couldn't say what it was. Having said that, I am enjoying Phantasy Star Portable, which is just about identical to PSU in terms of gameplay. Still, I'd prefer it if they could return TECHNICs to not requiring specialised hardware to use.

Also, the online component of PSU was sorely lacking (or at least it was while I was using it) - a barely-populated lobby that STILL couldn't load up character appearances until after you'd finished running past someone...I hope they fixed that.

[danzibr]

Stop me if you didn't like the other games [...]
I actually never played the other games, which is what I was wondering about. I figured since I loved PSI-PSIV I'd enjoy the others, but I just never got around to it. Maybe I'll try it out some day.

[polity4life]

I remember that, during the Dreamcast days, if you purchased NFL 2k, you also received a voucher for free playing time on the Dreamcast Network. Well, that voucher ended up giving infinite access.

Oh yes, I remember playing my Ranger with that crossbow that had a death effect, shot like ten bolts in a spray pattern, and just destroyed. So many hacks, so many stolen weapons...good times.

[danzibr]

I remember that, during the Dreamcast days, if you purchased NFL 2k, you also received a voucher for free playing time on the Dreamcast Network. Well, that voucher ended up giving infinite access.

Oh yes, I remember playing my Ranger with that crossbow that had a death effect, shot like ten bolts in a spray pattern, and just destroyed. So many hacks, so many stolen weapons...good times.
That sounds like good times.

I was reading about a few people (well, just one actually, and this was a while ago) doing a remake of PSIV. I think it would've been cool to revive certain peopleAlys and Sethand be able to pick your own 5 when going into... whatever the final zone is. Alas, 'tis a pity.

[tonberrian]

I got Sega Genesis Collection for the PSP (which has since become damaged somehow, sigh) which had II, III, and IV all on it. I started with II, and quickly became disenchanted with it due to feeling lost in all the dungeons with the floors all looking the same and so many random encounters.

I wish I had gotten into IV more, but it was a time of many games to be played and that one had fallen to the wayside.

[Airk]

I got Sega Genesis Collection for the PSP (which has since become damaged somehow, sigh) which had II, III, and IV all on it. I started with II, and quickly became disenchanted with it due to feeling lost in all the dungeons with the floors all looking the same and so many random encounters.

PSII is an excellent game, but it's oldschool RPG Hard. There are plenty of random encounters, and they're NOT TRIVIAL. Trying to get through all your random encounters by "just pushing A" like the joke goes about RPG combat will just get you killed, or at least, leave you so battered that you'll never make it through the dungeon before your resources run out.

I''ve never played PSIII beyond the very beginning, but it doesn't really "feel" much like the others in the series. It's also largely unconnected to them in terms of plot.



I wish I had gotten into IV more, but it was a time of many games to be played and that one had fallen to the wayside.

PSIV is an excellent game, and I strongly recommend getting back to it. You won't have any of the problems you experienced in PSII. Though for maximum enjoyment you might want to read up on events that happen during PSI and PSII.

I don't really consider the various "online" Phantasy Star games to be part of the same series as the original RPGs - there's even less similarity between them and the Phantasy Star RPGs than there is between, say, FF14 and FF4. It's all essentially predicated on the concept of the PSIII colony ships and WHOOOOLE Lot of handwaving. They might be good games or they might not (I've not played them) but they're not really Phantasy Star games, as far as I am concerned.

[Starwulf]

Since Wiki and Google are being pissy towards me(as usual), could someone list all the Phantasy Stars released for saying...The DS and/or the PSP? (OR other newer consoles if any at all).

I've long wanted to get into the Phantasy Star games, for many many years actually(since I was a kid), but I never owned any of the Sega systems when I was younger, so I was never able to. I remember a good friend of mine when I was a kid always raved about how awesome they were, and I've always heard good things about them since.

[Winter_Wolf]

For my money, Phantasy Star I and IV were the best of the series. PSII suffered from failure to implement the fine tuning to the combat system that PSIV had, for example picking specific enemies to attack rather than enemy group. Anyone who's played knows how the game for some reason refuses to just kill that enemy in the group of three that has only 1 hp left but still does mad damage every turn.

After that, I tried Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus (or something like that) for my PS2, but never really got into it. The controls require heavy twitch reflexes to succeed, and combine RPG with shooter and 3D fighter games. That is, you need to have proper bearing when you swing your weapon or you swing at air and get repeatedly hit in the flank until you correct or die horribly.

I did play and beat Phantasy Star Portable 2, and it was pretty enjoyable after the learning curve (also it has less buttons to fiddle with than a Playstation 2 controller). That said, after PSI-PSIV, the play style shifted rather abruptly. If you like to sit back and ponder your next move, you're going to die--often--until you get with the game or get tired of the games.

[danzibr]

Coincidentally, I played PSIV first, then PSIII, then PSII, then PSI (totally incidentally).

PSIV is by faaaaaar the best. And you're not missing anything if you just go straight there. Definitely don't play PSII, think it sucks then give up on PSIV. In fact, I don't like PSII that much; I just played it 'cuz I love PSIV. PSII isn't that bad, but you have to do a decent bit of grinding and there are very, very few boss fights, which I find very disappointing. PSIII certainly has a different feel, but I like it a lot.

[Fri]

Yeah, ps IV is one of my favourite rpg of all time.

Just saying.

[Geno9999]

I've only played Phantasy Star 0 for the DS.
I thought it was a decent Action/RPG. Though I have never played the other games, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I should find and play it again, I've only played through as a CAST, not as the Humans or the Newman.

[Fri]

I made some gifs and collage pics for phantasy star IV back then. After digging a bit, I found them!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Faris/phantasystar.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Faris/phantasystar4.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Faris/phantasystar.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/Faris/phantasystar4.jpg

[Airk]

There's nothing WRONG with PSI or PSII (PSI was freaking revolutionary for its time) but they are products of an earlier era, where RPGs were expected to be challenging. I didn't find the issue Winter_wulf mentions about only being able to target groups to be a "lack of refinement" so much as a conscious decision. After all, you have to presume that while in the game everyone is lined up in neat, tidy rows, that from a "simulation" perspective, it's actually a swirling melee, and you might not be able to get to the exact target you want. There were techniques and weapons that hit entire groups, so if you needed to make sure you finished off a mortally wounded opponent, those were what you used - it required a little more thought that the fairly brain dead "just pick the right monster to stab" style.

PSIV is definitely more of a modern-era game, and, actually, one of my go-to examples for precisely how to balance a game in terms of pacing. You essentially never have to grind, but it maintains a consistant challenge throughout because the designers clearly spent time tuning the random encounter rate to give you enough XP for the bosses to be challenging.

Again though, while danzibr asserts that you won't miss anything by jumping right to PSIV, I don't think that's true - the game is FULL of call-outs to earlier games in the series, and it really deepens the experience if you have played, or, at the very least, READ about the events and characters of PSI and PSII.

[danzibr]

Again though, while danzibr asserts that you won't miss anything by jumping right to PSIV, I don't think that's true - the game is FULL of call-outs to earlier games in the series, and it really deepens the experience if you have played, or, at the very least, READ about the events and characters of PSI and PSII.
Yeah, but it also explains a lot of that stuff in-game. You're complete right, of course, about referencing the past games, but I don't think you're missing much by not playing them.

[Airk]

Yeah, but it also explains a lot of that stuff in-game. You're complete right, of course, about referencing the past games, but I don't think you're missing much by not playing them.

Believe me when I say that if you've spent hours in the company the characters from earlier games, the references to them are MUCH more effective.

[Coidzor]

...Now I'm missing PSIV. :smallfrown:

[danzibr]

Believe me when I say that if you've spent hours in the company the characters from earlier games, the references to them are MUCH more effective.
Hmm, my memory must be poor. The last time I played through the series was something like 3 years ago. I did indeed play the hell out of the earlier games, but didn't get much from the references in PSIV.

[Baka Nikujaga]

http://i54.tinypic.com/2nsz4av.jpg
I've played PSP and PSP2 (the latter of which I'm still grinding for items in), and I would have liked an Infinity port but it seems PSO2 has taken priority.

[Winter_Wolf]

There's nothing WRONG with PSI or PSII (PSI was freaking revolutionary for its time) but they are products of an earlier era, where RPGs were expected to be challenging. I didn't find the issue Winter_wulf mentions about only being able to target groups to be a "lack of refinement" so much as a conscious decision. After all, you have to presume that while in the game everyone is lined up in neat, tidy rows, that from a "simulation" perspective, it's actually a swirling melee, and you might not be able to get to the exact target you want. There were techniques and weapons that hit entire groups, so if you needed to make sure you finished off a mortally wounded opponent, those were what you used - it required a little more thought that the fairly brain dead "just pick the right monster to stab" style.

You spelled my name wrong. :smalltongue: That aside, I agree that every game prior to IV had something to contribute toward a more fulfilling understanding of it. Personally I still think the first one was even slightly better than IV in a lot of respects.

[Airk]

You spelled my name wrong. :smalltongue: That aside, I agree that every game prior to IV had something to contribute toward a more fulfilling understanding of it. Personally I still think the first one was even slightly better than IV in a lot of respects.

Sorry about that. Clearly I visually conflated you with Starwulf.


I felt that the following parts of PSIV, in particular, were enhanced by having played the earlier games:


Everything surrounding the Air Castle.
The town of Terme, with the statue of Alis and Mau.
MEETING Mau
Lutz, in general, though that's sortof muddled by whole original translation of PSI calling him "Noah"
The entire scene where Chaz 'meets' the souls in Elsydion. Without having played earlier games, this becomes just a montage of "Who are these people anyway?". Whereas I almost CRIED during this scene.


There were a lot of other references as well, almost all of which are at least moderately enhanced by the feeling of "OH! I remember that!" as well.

[OracleofWuffing]

Being mostly on the Nintendo side of things back in the day, my first exposure to the series was Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 and 2 on the GameCube... Since then, I've played a bit of Blue Burst and Phantasy Star Zero. I've also been able to acquire Phantasy Star III, but wasn't really impressed on it and I hear it's probably the worst executed of the serieses. I kinda do want to get through the series (I mean, I played through the NES-era Dragon Warrior games, they can't be too annoying), 'cause I'd like to know more of the very sparse references PSO made to the series. I also have a friend that was getting really, really excited about that PSO2 game coming out later, but I'm going to wager I won't be able to play that title.

[Airk]

Being mostly on the Nintendo side of things back in the day, my first exposure to the series was Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 and 2 on the GameCube... Since then, I've played a bit of Blue Burst and Phantasy Star Zero. I've also been able to acquire Phantasy Star III, but wasn't really impressed on it and I hear it's probably the worst executed of the serieses. I kinda do want to get through the series (I mean, I played through the NES-era Dragon Warrior games, they can't be too annoying), 'cause I'd like to know more of the very sparse references PSO made to the series. I also have a friend that was getting really, really excited about that PSO2 game coming out later, but I'm going to wager I won't be able to play that title.

If you survived the original Dragon Warrior (which even managed to impress me with how tedious it was when I was 12.) then PS1 and PS2 should feel like a cakewalk crammed full of glorious plot by comparison.

[danzibr]

Sorry about that. Clearly I visually conflated you with Starwulf.


I felt that the following parts of PSIV, in particular, were enhanced by having played the earlier games:


Everything surrounding the Air Castle.
The town of Terme, with the statue of Alis and Mau.
MEETING Mau
Lutz, in general, though that's sortof muddled by whole original translation of PSI calling him "Noah"
The entire scene where Chaz 'meets' the souls in Elsydion. Without having played earlier games, this becomes just a montage of "Who are these people anyway?". Whereas I almost CRIED during this scene.


There were a lot of other references as well, almost all of which are at least moderately enhanced by the feeling of "OH! I remember that!" as well.
Hmmm, yeah. You convinced me!

EDIT: The first time I played this game I hadn't played any of the others. In particular, upon meeting Myau, it was like... what? Also, after playing PSIII I really liked the whole crashed part of the spaceship outside the northern town whose name escapes me. I wish there had been more to that dungeon.

[Gnoman]

The big thing I hated about Phantasy Star I was the featurelss 3D dungeons. It was so hard to get around even if you had graph paper on hand and methodically moved step-by step, simply because there was zero variation graphically.

[Winter_Wolf]

The big thing I hated about Phantasy Star I was the featurelss 3D dungeons. It was so hard to get around even if you had graph paper on hand and methodically moved step-by step, simply because there was zero variation graphically.

That may have been one of the single biggest things in making my memory what it is these days. I used to be able to (barring the random encounters) make my way through several of the dungeons without even looking. Because there were practically zero visual cues and if I couldn't keep track of the whole map in my mind, I'd be screwed/totally lost the second I took my eyes off the graph paper. Still despite that, it was my favorite of the series.

Can you imagine if they'd actually implemented the 3D dungeons in PSIV? I'd read that they were going to, but scrapped it.

[danzibr]

How's the plot of the other Phantasy Star games? That is, do any take place after PSIV? It seems like there's not much to do given the ending and all... but I did read some awesome fan fiction once about it.

[Airk]

How's the plot of the other Phantasy Star games? That is, do any take place after PSIV? It seems like there's not much to do given the ending and all... but I did read some awesome fan fiction once about it.

My understanding is that all the additional PS spinoff games are related in some way to the various "colony ships" from PS3. Which admittedly does give them a lot of room to do whatever the heck they want, but doesn't result in any of it feeling particularly connected to the Phantasy Star universe.

[danzibr]

My understanding is that all the additional PS spinoff games are related in some way to the various "colony ships" from PS3. Which admittedly does give them a lot of room to do whatever the heck they want, but doesn't result in any of it feeling particularly connected to the Phantasy Star universe.
This actually makes me want to play them more.

[danzibr]

Oddly, I had a dream a couple nights ago that I was replaying PSIV but it was an SRPG! Like Shining Force or Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea.

If such a thing were made, would you want to play it?

[Coidzor]

Oddly, I had a dream a couple nights ago that I was replaying PSIV but it was an SRPG! Like Shining Force or Final Fantasy Tactics or Disgaea.

If such a thing were made, would you want to play it?

Totally. Having trouble picturing it, but totally.