https://www.vizzed.com/play/phantasy-star-ii-gen-sega-genesis-4665-game

Phantasy Star II was the very first RPG released on a 16-bit console, the Sega Genesis. And all through the era, it remained one of the most advanced games, beating even Squaresoft and Enix (especially Enix) with its intricate battle graphics and complex, continuous story that followed Phantasy Star I. How did the soundtrack stand though?

It was OK, considering how early in the 16-bit era the game was made. You can still hear the very heavy drums that characterized Master System music, although it of course sounds more realistic. And most of the time, it incorporates well.

Overall, the tracks are very context-appropriate. Phantasy (the prologue theme) starts slow, retelling the story of Alis and her friends that freed Algol of evil 1000 years ago. Then the music gets upbeat and more “joyful” to tell how the world changed with the Mother Brain. This sharp contrast was done well. A Prologue (when Rolf wakes up from his nightmare) is also very appropriate. It’s slow and very dark to reflect what he saw: Alis fighting Dark Falz and his hopelessness in watching this dreadful fight. Advanced (the dungeon music outside the dams on Motavia) takes great advantage of the Genesis highly “synthetic” sound chip to create the perfect futuristic track. The drums give it the right tempo while the arrangements combine both mystery and darkness. Secret Ways, on the other hand, DOES sound mysterious. The synth gives its place to arrangements giving you the feeling that you are in a strange place with many secrets (like the Maruera tree and the crevice leading to Esper Mansion). Mystery sounds more high-tech, which is perfect for those very large dams you are exploring, and also more upbeat to show that your time is counted to save Motavia from a catastrophic flood.

However the music on Dezolis was done better. Silent Zone (the overworld theme) has very mysterious arrangements – better than on the SMS – that both show of little-known that planet still is, but also how cold and snowy it is. Violation (the dungeon music) also sounds very mysterious. Considering you can only enter those dungeons when Lutz gives you the Prism, it’s just perfect. The slow drums help heighten the mysterious ambiance of the place. And Death Place (the final dungeon) had the perfect arrangements for the situation. It’s very upbeat, and it sounds a little… anguishing, showing that you are about to finish your mission.

However there were major deceptions for me. First, the Motavia overworld theme is nowhere as epic as the Palma overworld theme in PS I. Instead it just sounds like a stroll in the park, without any worries. At the very least there could have been a different theme after the Climatrol catastrophe, showing that something is going terribly wrong. There wasn’t even a theme for the water scooter you drive around a bit on Motavia; at least Phantasy Star III did THAT better. Pressure (the town theme) was much too upbeat for the context; these themes are supposed to make you feel welcome (like Excite Town, the village theme on Dezolis). Pressure makes you feel the stress of a giant metropolis with its quick drums. And Blacky News (the shop theme) is perfect for the clone shop with the, er, clown owning it… but not for the other shops. It feels like you are entering a very hostile territory where you might get shot at any moment.

Finally the boss fight was the only “different” battle theme of the game and it was quite disappointing. It sounds good in itself – the arrangements sound dramatic, and also sad considering you are losing Nei – but it’s nowhere near as dramatic as the final boss theme in PS I. The battles against the Mother Brain and Dark Force were kind of anti-climatic because of that.

Nevertheless, Phantasy Star II is still a good addition to any video game music library. Its heavy synth is the perfect fit for that futuristic world, and its drum tracks usually integrate well.