"Black sheep of the series? Not so much..."

Before we begin here...yes, Phantasy Star III is regarded as the black sheep of the series. Yes, Phantasy Star III was designed by a different team. Yes, I would rather be in Philadelphia. But I am here to tell you, the reader, not to judge this title by its reviews. It is still to this day one of my favorite Sega Genesis RPGs -- nay, one of my favorite RPGs ever. And I believe that this game is perhaps one of the most underrated of all time. Before you come after me with a flaming stick and a pitchfork, hear me out. Here are some of the dimensions that make this game so gosh darn special.

Graphics(7/10): A lot of people had complaints over the graphics in this game. I personally thought they were great. The medieval backdrops were very well designed. This game may not be eye-poppingly gorgeous to today's standards, but for a 16-bit game, I think the graphics are pretty darn good. There were a few problems with the graphics, however. They reuse a lot of the same sprites, except they change the color. Unique sprites for each character would have made this game three notches better. I also wish they would show the character attacking in battle, instead of the way they presented it by just showing a mark for an attack (you'll see if you play it). All in all, though...good graphics.

Gameplay(8/10): Relatively easy to use the spells and maneuver the character, although the character moves at a painstakingly slow pace. Still your basic 3 button configuration. Easy to access menu and battles.

Battle System(5/10): Pretty bland if you ask me. Just another random battle system where you walk and fight. The spells are useless for the most part in this game as well. And there are battles every two steps.

Story(6/10): Takes place in a Civil War type setting, where Princess Laya and Prince Orakio have battled thousands of years ago. The present of the game takes place a thousand years after the war, where their followers are still at war. This game, if ask me, could have been done so much better in regards to story. You marry, grow old, and die. Your children and grandchildren take over for you. Sounds like a great idea, but I think the way in which it was done was rushed and not in step with the rest of the game. You might be thinking to yourself, ''Self, what does this have to do with the other games?'' Well, without spoiling anything, it all ties together nicely towards the end.

Difficulty(9/10): Fairly difficult game. I would advise heavily that you get your walkthroughs handy, because a lot of the things in the game are difficult to figure out. But that's a good thing, isn't it? ;)

Replay(10/10): Definite replay value. Four possible endings depending on which choices you make. Makes for a great replay value.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/07/04