Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Another Story

"An incredible RPG featuring the Sailor Moon characters"

Sailor Moon – Another Story is an RPG based on the famous Sailor Moon anime. Released by the year of 1995 or so, this game went fairly unnoticed, but, unlike some other Sailor Moon based games, like those Final Fight clones, this one is very good.

Story: 10/10
It is... ahem, “another story” so the plot is not based on any specific saga of the anime. But the story could take place just before the events of Sailor Moon Super S, as there is no sign of the Pegasus here, but Serena and Rini can change into their “Super Sailor” status using the moon cup. There are some nasty evil enemies endangering Crystal Tokyo and trying to change history and, obviously, Serena ( Usagi, or whatever you call her ) and the rest of the sailor senshi must stop them, since old enemies are being revived and causing a lot of trouble around.

I am not going to spoil anything else, I only have to say that the story is really good and the plot has many twists and turns to keep things interesting. Every Sailor appears in this game ( yes, even Sailor Saturn is here! ) and each one of them is a unique addition to your party and to the story, instead of being merely worthless sidekicks. The story is excellent and does justice to the license.

Gameplay: 9/10
It is pretty much standard RPG stuff. The battles are turn based and the enemies are random encountered. Your party can have the maximum of five characters per time, from a total of ten. During the battles, every command is menu based and you probably know what to expect: attack, magic, defend, run... There is also an interesting type of attack called “link technique”, in which two or three Sailors join their magic abilities to perform a more powerful move. This reminds me of Chrono Trigger’s dual and triple techs.

It may not be evident in the beginning, but a lot of strategy is necessary to win the battles. Instead of just having a front and a back row, there are various different formations to dispose the characters. Both attack and defense are drastically changed in the various possible combinations, and mastering this feature is highly recommended to finish the game. In addition to that, a character will never have more that 12 magic points ( MP ). It completely refills after each battle, but this does not make the the things easier. You’d better think twice before drawing a super destructive attack, especially against bosses, because you MP will run out in an instant.

It is also interesting to mention that the game does not take place in some fictional fantasy land, it takes place on Earth. This means that whenever you win a battle, you will gain Yen, not gold, and that you can fly around the actual world map ( there is an airship later on the game ) visiting actual localities.

Controls: 10/10
There could not be anything wrong here. Everything is menu based and what you are looking for should not be farther than one button click away. It’s easy to learn and works perfectly.

Graphics: 9/10
The Sailors look just like they do in the anime. The animation is smooth and the visual effects when a magic is used are very good, with transparencies and so. During the battles, the visual is similar to a SNES Final Fantasy, since the graphic style is much like that, although they are not that good and the characters are not super deformed. The demons do not have any animation during the battles ( again, think of FF ) but they are well drawn and were directly taken from the anime.

Sound: 10/10
Very good. Each tune fits perfectly what is happening on the screen, the battle music is good and the boss music is excellent. Of course, the Sailor Moon theme ( Moonlight Densetsu ) could not be missing and it is played, although not until the end, in title screen. Some of the others songs of the anime are also played throughout the game and are easily recognizable.

There’s more. Each Sailor apparently has the voice of their own seyuu of the Japanese anime version. I don’t know whether it is true or not, but, either way, the voice acting is outstanding.

Challenge: Hard
Unlike many RPGs, it is not possible to rush through this game. You'll find that level building is a very necessary part of the game, and it is incredible how one single level of experience can mean the difference between life and death. Some of the boss battles, and even some normal encounters, can be virtually impossible without the appropriate levels. Also, finding the best formation and the best characters for each situation is a necessity most of the time.

The game's length is also very good. The game does not feature an inner clock, but my guess is that it took me around 20 hours to complete it, which is not bad.

Replay: 6/10
This is the weakest point I found in Sailor Moon – Another Story. The game is fairly linear and, although there are a few secret enemies and items that you might have missed the first time around ( damn those puzzle pieces ), the replay appeal is not very high. The first time is a lot better.

Overall ( not an average ): 9/10
If you are a Sailor Moon fan, this is a game that I cannot recommend you more. Even if you never heard of Sailor Moon, the game remains very good, although the story might become a bit confusing. I, myself, was never the biggest Sailor Moon fan, but this game really caught my eye. Sailor Moon –Another Story is not the best RPG on the SNES, but is a solid RPG that should not be missed and it is a Sailor Moon game that will please players of both genders alike.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/07/02, Updated 03/02/02