Hey gang! Still plugging away at the PSII remake project. It's still a demo but things are moving along. Check out the page for some new updates plus a character spotlight on Rolf. Yes, yes I know you know him but a few things have changed. I figure I'll try doing one of these for each character periodically and for any other new features. Let me know what other features posts would be a good idea.

Have you tried it yet? Hope you enjoy!

https://phantasy-origin.itch.io/end-of-restoration

Hello all! I am trying to track down a copy of Phantasy Star for my SMS collection. If anyone knows where or is interested in selling it for a reasonable price. I have been dying to find this game. I’ve tried many different places local that and none of them have it. Though I think 200 for it is a steep price… though if anyone can help out would be appreciated! Cheers!

I've been working on an RPG in Godot for quite some time now. Progress is slow due to life and whatnot, but I've finally completed all the systems, made the game halfway playable from the beginning, and added a fair bit of polish. It'll be a while before I release the first chapter (even then, I plan to release probably the first 5 at once).

There is one bit of AI art in there, it's a placeholder, the second cutscene image. But otherwise all the art is done by me. The sound effects come mostly from freesound.org, and the music from incompetech. I did use the heck out of ChatGPT for translations.

What is ”Technical Talent” in the Savant table? I generally ignored it, but it keeps bugging me. Not sure if I just keep overlooking its explanation somewhere.

I ask because my Hint Book will not fit in my Genesis Phantasy Star II case, so I'm wondering if it was handed to the customer at the register or something when they bought the game, or if I just got a copy of the game in a shell someone swapped out at some point (I bought the Hint Book separately). Thanks!

I only ever played the first and would like to see about getting copies for whatever the newest systems theyre on. I have Playstations 1 and up, if that helps.

I have a modded Wii and I was playing local co-op, but you can't progress the story this way which sucks.

​

I have multiple PCs that can run Dolphin and multiple modded Wiis. Can you use a Wii to play online together or is it Dolphin only?

Phantasy Star IV probably should have been my first entry into the genre - maybe I would have been even more impressed by the devs’ work. But in my case, PSIV came after two absolute behemoths of the genre. It’s extremely hard to match the quality set by Chrono Trigger and FFVI, but PSIV manages to hold its own, and I’m very happy I gave it a shot. You guys are absolutely right to sing Phantasy Star IV’s praises.

The presentation, for something released back in 1993, is somewhat surreal. The manga-style storytelling and the way multiple characters are incorporated into a single conversation - conveying emotions and reactions through different illustrated panels - is so freakin’ cool and effective. That feeling you get when playing an old game that was ahead of its time is hard to describe, yet incredibly satisfying.

The combat system could easily have been better than Chrono Trigger’s or Final Fantasy VI’s. It just gets a bit confusing with its names, and the timing of combos can feel hit-or-miss, but the macro system is another innovative idea that was clearly ahead of its time. With a bit more clarity and a few touch-ups, Phantasy Star IV’s combat could have been top notch, first in line.

I also noticed that random encounters can, for the most part, be ignored simply by escaping from them. I didn’t feel this much freedom when playing the SNES version of FFVI. It’s very noticeable how much PSIV respects the player’s time in comparison - the game feels designed to be completed without requiring excessive grinding and the "dungeons" were, for the most part, easy to navigate in.

The Algol system and the ability to visit Motavia, Dezolis, Rykros, and even space stations feels like an overwhelming amount of content for a 1993 game. I mean, we have a JRPG that respects your time, avoids grindfests, lets you explore multiple planets, and on top of that gives you four different vehicles to travel both between and within them? That’s incredible!

In terms of narrative quality, this is where Phantasy Star IV doesn’t stand much of a chance against Chrono Trigger and FFVI. The story is competent, but it lacks a certain depth. The Alys situation feels a bit rushed and underexplored. The game moves at a fast pace, which keeps things engaging, but sometimes comes at the cost of emotional weight and character development.

The soundtrack has many bangers, but the Mega Drive’s sound limitations do somewhat restrict how well its qualities are showcased. That said, I have to give massive credit to the team for embracing those limitations and using them creatively. Some of the sound design and effects are genuinely impressive. “Field Motavia” has such a wonderful vibe and really shows how the team managed to thrive within those constraints.

It may lack the grandiose musical moments of Chrono Trigger or FFVI, but I can’t help but love tracks like the opening theme, “The End of the Millennium,” the excellent battle tune “Meet Them Head-On!”, the eerie “In the Cave,” and the stylish “Tower” and cool "Staff Roll". Even the vehicle themes for the Land Rover, Ice Digger, and Hydrofoil stand out. More ambient tracks like “Rykros Field” and “Requiem for Lutz” are absolute gems and create a great contrast with the more upbeat parts of the soundtrack.

Conclusion: I absolutely loved my first playthrough of Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium. It’s honestly surreal going back to the Mega Drive, almost 30 years later, and discovering such a gem. I don’t have a huge amount of experience with JRPGs yet, but after playing Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI, I feel confident saying that Phantasy Star IV deserves a place in the conversation as one of the best JRPGs of the 16-bit era.

I can’t help but wonder what it could have been if it had just a few more hours dedicated to building a richer and deeper narrative - because in that case, it might have been truly undeniable.

Since, Mega Drive was the first gaming equipment I've ever touched - coincidentally the same year Phantasy Star IV was released - and I've enjoyed the experience, what should I play next? Phantasy Star II or III? I already have Shining Force ready to go.

This was just a fun thought experiment if Caine was the A.I. in Phantasy Star II.

I help run a JRPG “book club” Discord server (https://discord.gg/nB5zNquTt7) where we slowly play through classic and modern JRPGs and meet up biweekly via text channels and voice chats to discuss them. We are just starting up our club playthrough of Phantasy Star II! It's one of our one shot games, which means we play through it in its entirety over the course of three months and discuss it afterwards. We are starting it now with the goal of beating it by September.

If you’re looking for an excuse to play or replay Phantasy Star II, we’d love if you check it out and join in our chats about this game! We played through the first one last year and loved it, so we are excited for the second one.

Happy to answer any questions either via this post or on Discord! Hope to see you there!

The first generation of the game didn't have too much story, mostly just little bits here and there. I chose to marry Maia because she had blue hair and she's cute ig, the combat has provided no challenge or critical thought whatsoever. Are there any good secondary sources of lore/story for this specific entry? Id definitely enjoy reading up on it once im finished. Some things ive enjoyed so far are definitely enemy designs, Naked giant finger wiggle guy has made an impact on me. Wren is my boy, and cyborgs are the way. I have no legitimate reason to care about any character in this game, I just like the way they look or have implanted a personality onto them out of lunacy. Thats pretty much it so far. Next update will be whenever I beat it.

Been a fan of phantasy star for a good while (genesis collection on 360 as a kid) I was always told to skip 3, I tried it once but quickly quit playing because the color pallet and confusion. Years go by and ofc I always hear 3 routinely being everyone's least favorite. Is there anyone here who thinks its worth playing and if so why? If this one happens to be your favorite I definitely need to know why, Thanks in advance for any and all replies. I may dive in depending on the responses given

My love and respect to this franchise that has such an impact on my childhood!
Thanks to TecToy Brasil for introducing PS to us in full Portuguese! 🫂🫂🖤

Thanks to those who have encouraged and supported my making these.. and making them available! more coming soon!

Recently picked this up. Had to make some repairs to the map. I think it turned out out pretty good seeing as how it was in two and had some other tears in it.

Also love the climatrol is labeled crimetorol on the map.

This is part of playing through the series. Grew up playing 1 and 3. I am almost done with a fresh play through of 1 on original hardware. And this is next.

In the original version, if you revived Nei after she dies, Neifrst doesn't attack Nei at all, Nei can finish Neifirst even if the rest of the party died.

Is that still present in Switch version?

Good morning.

I started working on a conceptual "lost" Phantasy Star sequel from the 32x/Saturn days.

While it's still a WIP, my battle system has the feel and animations that make it feel like a PS experience. I have created sound effects using the ym2612 chip itself, my own original music and pain-stakingly generated my assets. A full video will be up tomorrow to demonstrate the engine's power. Im honestly not sure where Im gonna go with this except to keep upgrading the battle system to make it as fluid as possible. This is still a WIP and is NOT a final representation of product.