Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete

"Working Designs has done it again!"

I was one who never did get a chance to play the Lunar games on the Sega CD. I also don’t import, so I missed out on the Sega Saturn remakes. However, when Working Designs brought this game, and its predecessor, Lunar: The Silver Star Story Complete to the Playstation, I was very happy to see it come. Having played Lunar: SSSC, and loving every minute of it, I was compelled to run out and play Lunar 2. I was NOT disappointed. Lunar 2 takes place a long time after the original Lunar, 1000 years I believe, and you join Hiro, and his companion Ruby, on their quest to help their friend Lucia stop the evil Zophar. On the way, you’ll make new friends, fight incredibly hard bosses, and much more. And one of the most noticeable things is the difficulty level of Lunar 2. I’ve found that this game is MUCH harder than the original Lunar, so be prepared to have a much more troublesome time going through this game. Not that that is bad, I find it more fun to have a more challenging game to play, and I’m sure you will too.

Gameplay:

As far as the gameplay goes, not a whole lot has changed from Lunar. The battles play out the same way as the first Lunar did. One of the most noticeable gameplay changed that I noticed from Lunar to Lunar 2, is that in dungeons, you don’t walk the same speed as you do in towns. Instead, your speed is reduced to a slow walk, and you can have Hiro do an occasional boost of speed. This isn’t very good if your low on HP and MP, and you want to escape from an enemy, but you’ll have to make do.

Story:

Ahh! What can I say about the story that won’t ruin it! This game has such a great story, that you won’t want to stop playing. You’ll join Hiro, and his companion Ruby (who claims to be a Fire Dragon), on their adventures. I’d say more, but I don’t want to ruin the wonderful story that this game has! Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

Audio/Visuals

This game has wonderful music. I often find myself humming along with the great music found in this game. And the graphics haven’t changed much from the original Lunar. You still have your small little sprites, which I prefer to today’s polygonal, realistic looking characters, and of course, the beautiful Anime cutscenes! Working Designs did a great job with those, just as in the original Lunar.

Overall:

This is a must have for fans of the original Lunar. Working Designs has released a real winner with Lunar 2: EBC, just like the original Lunar. If you feel the need to rent this before you buy, go right ahead, but I recommend this to all fans of RPGs! Even if you’ve never played the original Lunar (if you haven’t, shame on you!), I recommend you play it, THEN go play Lunar 2: Eternal Blue. You will NOT be disappointed.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/03/01, Updated 01/03/01