Overall 8.8 Graphics 6 Sound 7 Addictive 9 Story 10 Depth 9 Difficulty 8
9
The glorious black sheep of the series janus
Today's the big day! You, Rhys, the Okarian Prince of Landen, are going to marry Maia, a mysterious woman that washed up on the shores close to the castle. It was love at first sight (must be the turquoise hair). But as you are pronouncing your vows, a mysterious dragon comes flying in to kidnap Maia, screaming "You filthy Okarian! Maia will not be yours!" This can only have been done by a Layan, whom the Okarians fought in a destructive war 1000 years ago. You prepare the army to pursue the dragon, but your father the King stops you, as no one has seen a Layan in 1000 years. And besides, Okario's law states "Kill no living people". So your are sent down in the dungeon to cool off, although you swear before your father that you will find Maia, no matter what. After some time in your cell, you notice a woman in front of the door; it's Lena, from the neighboring kingdom of Satera (many claim that she was engaged to Rhys so the kingdoms would be united, but no such thing is said in the game). She helps you escape, and wishes you luck in your quest to find Maia.
Unfortunately, you can't get anywhere; the bridge to Satera has been destroyed, the caves leading to other worlds are blocked and the Laya temples simply reject you. So you walk around to neighboring towns, and you meet an old man who would let you on his ship to go in a cave where, apparently, a magician has a gem in his possession that could open the way to another world. However, he wants to see a cyborgs, who supposedly bring luck. Cyborgs? These creations have been used extensively against Layans (and Layans used them, too) so Okario's Law would be respected. As you walk to another village, people talk about a mysterious being see around a lake; that being doesn't blink! As you approach that lake, you see that being. Thinking it's a Layan, you draw your sword, but the being stops you. She identifies herself as Mieu, a combat cyborg programmed to be commanded by Okario and his descendants, which you are. And so you return to the old man, who lets you ride his boat. On your way to the island, you go over a sunken temple; the old man tells you of a legend saying that "Dark Forces" is held prisoner in that temple by the Sword of Okario. After landing on the island, you search the cave and find Lyle, a mysterious man who gives you the Sapphire, which will let you travel to Aquatica. However, he leaves you alone because of more pressing business.
What will you find in Aquatica? Will you be able to travel to other worlds? Will you be able to find Maia? Were Layans really responsible for the kidnapping? Why are those tunnels to other worlds looking so... high-tech?
Graphics: 6/10
Although characters and foes are well-drawn, the game is quite a setback from Phantasy Star II, and even Phantasy Star I. In PS2, you actually saw the characters attack directly (albeit slower than in PS4). In PS3, you only see the effect of the weapon/magic like PS1. But what's worse is how enemies attack: They merely move a part of their being to tell they are attacking (ear, finger, they flap, etc.) In PS1, at least, Dark Falz and Lassic attacked you directly.?
Sound: 7/10
The music is pretty average for this era and for Genesis. It is very heavily synthesized and repetitive; it's especially bad for the fighting music. However, I liked how the overworld theme is made. The more people there are, the more instruments are added to the track. With 5 people, the music sounds pretty epic. Also, the dungeon music is pretty addictive. The cave music (in the tunnels between worlds), although just a remix of the dungeon music, is still good.
Story: 10/10
This is where the game shines, for those who are not Phantasy Star purists. (Just a side note: Phantasy Star 1, 2 and 4 are sequels to one another. 3, on its side, doesn't have a *direct* link to the universe, although one of the endings does make a link, and in one of the towns in Frigidia, some people tell you that they are indeed for Algol). Indeed, as you go and search for Maia, you find out more facts about Layans, which makes you think about that war 1000 years ago. Also, this game has a unique feature: Generations. After Rhys completes his quest, two women tell him they want to marry. Who you choose as your wife will completely change what you son will do during the second generation. And whoever your son marries will also influence how the game ends.
Addictiveness: 9/10
This generation features makes you want to see what will happen to the different grandsons of Rhys. Although the quests end up the same - a fight against Dark Forces - what happens after is always unique. And although there are no sidequests, it's always a challenge to get the best weapons and armors (which you can buy).
Difficulty: 8/10
Although the game is addictive, it requires an immense amount of patience. Clues are sometimes very well hidden, which could make you restart the game. Also, the encounter rate is painfully high, and in the last dungeon, it's almost impossible to escape, even with savestates, and even if you surprise the monsters!!
Another hard feature is the magic system. You do use magic points, but magic can fail because it works on the strength you give it. For example, giving only one point to Anti (cure poison) means it will very likely fail. And there's no way to know if "time" and "order" magics are working; there are no explanations in the instruction manual as to what their effects are.
In conclusion, this game is a must for RPG fans, despite weak graphics and music and an awful encounter rate (which does translate into much stronger characters). The many women you can marry will make you wonder what would have happened if you married someone else...
Review Rating: 4.9/5
Submitted: 10-07-13
Updated: 10-10-13
Review Replies: 4
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