"Except for some excruitatingly annoying dungeons, this game fares well"

This is a fairly enjoyable RPG, despite a few flaws

Gameplay- The player starts with a single character, to be equipped with a sword, or knives, or a similar weapon. The player can somewhat customize their characters weapons. Will they go for a large sword, for 1 strong attack, or equip 2 knives to strike twice in each turn?

The player goes around, looking for important things/people in towns as the pass through the overworld. Figuring out what to do usually comes from talking to people in the towns, and finding out the thing the player seeks is in a nearby dungeon.

The dungeons....they would be relatively simple if not for one thing- The player can rarely move more than 3 steps without encountering monsters. While this flaw does not hurt as much in the overworld, where the player generally knows the way to go, the dungeons become almost unbearable. I myself still have the shortest paths through engraved into my gray matter to ensure I spend as little time in the dungeons as possible.

Here's and example- Make it 3 steps into the dungeon, monster encounter. Try to go down a hallway, 2 more encounters. Find out its the wrong way and turn around, another monster encounter. Player finds a chest with a heal item, monster encounter, player must use said healing item just to stay alive. The player can see the object of their search on the other side of the screen, but goes through 3 more encounters on the way. This is the first dungeon. Either the monsters are too strong, forcing the player to turn back for a resupply of healing items, or they are so wimpy that they just annoy the player to constantly face them.

See why this is a bad thing?

Granted, the game becomes more survivable over time, as more characters join the players party. More characters -> More chances to attack in a turn, more room to carry healing items, etc. The player also obtains machine parts that allow the player to quickly pass the terrain by plane or boat.

Also, there is a reason this game is called Phantasy Star 3- Generations of Doom. The player goes through multiple generations of characters. After finishing the main characters quest, that character must decide who to marry. The story continues on as the player becomes the son of the original main char, then the grandson. This is unique addition is one of upsides to this game.

This game would have scored a great deal higher if only the programmers could have given the player more ways to avoid monster encounters.

Music, Sound/Graphics- While I usually don't care much about the graphics and sound, the game did very well in these areas.

The music in the overworld is beautiful. It starts with a somewhat simple tune, but as the player gets a second character, another part is added in. And yet another, until the player hears the music from 5 little tunes in harmony.

There is another tune for the dungeon, and several for battle, that change as the battle rages on. If the player seems outnumbered, overpowered, and out of luck, a dark and almost frightening music plays. However, if the forces of good have the advantage, a more uplifiting and inspiring music plays.

Most graphics are very good, from the monsters the player encounters to the portraits of the main character and his comrades on the menu. The attack animations from the player's characters are good, but it is not the same for enemies, as their attack animation is.... moving some part of their body. I highly doubt a giant moving his hand back in forth in the air does 50 dmg to anything, much less the player's armored covered warriors.

Storyline- The story starts simple, the main character is about to be married when a demon appears and takes his bride. He quickly sets out on a quest to find her. But as the player finishes this quest, and gets into the later generations, they find out there is a more important mission to be discovered, aka Saving the world. It's been done 1000 times, but it still works.

All in all, the game is a stone's throw away from true greatness, but still a somewhat fun adventure.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/09/06