Phantasy Star II

"A phantasy of a game"

The Phantasy Star series chronicles the plight of a star system far from Earth. This system has seen little respite from a menace known as ''Dark Force.'' Cliche? Not really, considering this series is older than some gamers out there.

PS2 (Phantasy Star, not Playstation) is one of the best, most underrated, RPG series around. This sequel to the Master System marks one of the finest RPGs to grace the 16-bit era. The graphics were hailed at the time as some of the best around. Even in terms of cartridge memory, this game broke ground as being one of the first RPGs to clock in at a whopping 16 megabites!

I would love to go on and on, but this is a review, not a history lesson. In that connection, PS is a great game, even by contemporary standards. This is probably attributed mostly to the great story. PS2 was one of the first RPGs that did not involve head-spinning metaphysical moral dilemmas or attempted to delve into the inner recesses of the human mind (while offering mini-games!). I lay the sarcasm thick, but this is only to prove a point, the story here is top-notch. I was actually awed by the epic and rousing, yet somber and piteous, ending. I was impressed by the plot twists and the sense of impending doom that the game instilled within me from the very beginning. Its a very real and human game.

One problem is that the characters could have used more development. You have the typical group of heroes here, each with their stereotypical roles and actions; e.g., the sword wielding hero, the mysterious magician, the strong, gun-wielding hunter, etc. That's okay, though, because the game puts more emphasis on over all story than in the workings of each characters mind. This keeps the story simple and digestible, for a video game, of course.

In terms of graphics and sound, the game can still please. Although players are forced to look at a black, 3D background during fight scenes, and that the colors are in serious need of variety, the game does its job well. I especially liked the character portraits. This helps to give characters a more life-like aspect, rather than having the player rely on squinting at the little on-screen sprites.

In terms of game-play, PS2 will keep you busy and entertained for quite some time. Boss battles will actually get your heart racing and finding new, more powerful weapons really makes dungeon sidetracking worth your time and effort. Finally, the tight story and clear plot and game objectives will never confuse the player or cause boredom. The only gripe I had with the overall gameplay is that this game, as with all other RPGs of the time, relies heavily on the traditional leveling up system. Be prepared to wander aimlessly around dungeons in order to beef up your characters. Put this aside, however, and you will have a solid RPG whose story you will not be forgetting any time soon.

Finally, I would just like to add that this game is hailed as one of the best in the series. Indeed, its strong story compels such a title. Play it if you ever get a chance; a true video gamer owes it to video game prosperity to do so.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/24/03, Updated 06/24/03