Phantasy Star is a role-playing video game (RPG) developed by Sega and released for the Master System in 1987. One of the earliest Japanese RPGs for consoles, Phantasy Star tells the story of Alis on her journey to defeat the evil ruler of her star system, King Lassic, after her brother dies at his hands.
Phantasy Star | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Sega |
Publisher(s) | Sega |
Designer(s) | Kotaro Hayashida |
Programmer(s) | Yuji Naka |
Artist(s) | Rieko Kodama |
Composer(s) | Tokuhiko Uwabo |
Series | Phantasy Star |
Platform(s) | Master System, Mega Drive, Sega Saturn, PlayStation 2, Nintendo Switch |
Release |
|
Genre(s) | Role-playing |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Phantasy Star[a] is a role-playing video game (RPG) developed by Sega and released for the Master System in 1987. One of the earliest Japanese RPGs for consoles, Phantasy Star tells the story of Alis on her journey to defeat the evil ruler of her star system, King Lassic, after her brother dies at his hands. She traverses between planets, gathering a party of fighters and collecting the items she needs to avenge her brother's death and return peace to the star system. The gameplay features traditional Japanese RPG elements including random encounters and experience points. All the characters have predefined personalities and abilities, a unique element compared to the customizable characters of other RPGs of the era.
Sega launched the development of Phantasy Star so their Master System could compete with the burgeoning popularity of console RPGs, particularly Dragon Quest (1986) on the Famicom. Designer Kotaro Hayashida and programmer Yuji Naka formed a team, staffed by a large number of women for the time, including graphic designer Rieko Kodama. The team wanted Phantasy Star to be a unique RPG experience, so added elements like 3D dungeon crawling, a female protagonist, and ample animation. The game's setting was a fusion between medieval fantasy and science fiction, an idea inspired by Star Wars. The team had to use several techniques to fit all their content on a four megabit cartridge, a large game size for the time.
The game was released for the Master System two days after Final Fantasy arrived for the competing Famicom. It was praised for its grand sense of adventure due to its advanced visual effects and deep gameplay. The battery backup system drew praise, but also contributed to the game's notably high retail price which made it difficult for some critics to recommend. The game was re-released on several platforms in the following years, including a series of Phantasy Star compilations. In 2003, a remake was released for the PlayStation 2.
Phantasy Star II - Important Glitches and Tricks - by MrStarbirdMrStarbird. Games; Streams; Forums; More. Home Games Streams Forums. Races SpeedRunsLive Resources Podcasts Users About Statistics API Promotion Help / Contact Donate Patreon. Phantasy Star II Phantasy Star series. Phantasy Star II Game Genie Codes The master code is only necessary if you have a newer model Genesis (with the redesigned casing). Also, you cannot save games while using the Game Genie. Dressing Room: If you have 10,000 Meseta in your inventory, when you load your character you will be allowed to enter the dressing room to change your head (Android only), hair color, costume color, and more. However, you cannot change the proportions or name of your character. Hard difficulty setting: Successfully complete either episode under the normal difficulty setting to unlock the hard.
Phantasy Star is considered a landmark RPG for its use of predetermined characters, a science fantasy setting, and one of the first female protagonists in games. Sega launched a series of sequels, some of which were developed by staff who worked the original. Kodama directed Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium (1993) and Naka produced Phantasy Star Online (2000).
- 3Development
- 5Reception
Gameplay[edit]
Alis battles two 'Owl Bear' enemies near the start of the game, although only one is rendered onscreen.
Phantasy Star is a traditional Japanese role-playing game.[3] It alters between a top-down perspective when the player is exploring the overworld, and changes to a first-person view when engaged in battle or exploring dungeons.[4] The dungeons are long and twisted, and require the player to map most of them on paper.[5][6] When exploring the overworld, the player can venture into a town to buy items and weapons.[7] Outside the towns, monsters may randomly engage the player in battle.[7] The player controls the main character Alis, and as the game progresses, other characters are recruited to her party: a wizard named Noah, a warrior Odin, and a talking cat-like creature named Myau.[3] Each character has different strengths, weaknesses, and abilities.[6] The party has a shared inventory of items and equipment.[4]
When encountering enemies, all party members enter into battle.[4] Battles are handled using a menu system which allows the player to fight or attempt to talk and negotiate with an enemy.[3][7][8] When an enemy is defeated, party members gain experience points and are rewarded with a treasure chest that may contain money or a booby trap.[4] As the characters gain experience points, they increase in level, gaining access to new magic spells and raising their offensive and defensive statistics.[5]
Plot[edit]
Phantasy Star is set in the Algol star system which consists of three planets: the lush and green Palma, the arid and barren Motavia, and the icy and desolate Dezoris. Algol is ruled by King Lassic, who while originally benevolent, becomes a cruel, sociopathic tyrant. After a string of harsh political changes, small pockets of rebellion emerge but are mostly ineffective against Lassic's iron rule. One such rebel named Nero is killed by Lassic's forces, and his sister Alis swears revenge. Alis builds a party of adventurers including a warrior named Odin,[b] a wizard named Noah,[c] and a catlike creature named Myau. Together, they embark on an adventure spanning the three planets, meeting with townspeople, battling enemies, and finding special items that will help in the fight against Lassic. Eventually, the party engages and defeats Lassic, after which an ethereal voice tells them to return to Motavia. There, they encounter a more evil force, Dark Falz, and after destroying him, finally return peace to the Algol system.
Development[edit]
Background[edit]
Yuji Naka, lead programmer
Role-playing games (RPG) were beginning to gain popularity with console players in Japan in the late 1980s.[9][10] Many Japanese game designers were inspired by Western RPGs such as Ultima and Wizardry.[10]Enix's Dragon Quest series was proving to be very popular on the Famicom,[10][11] inspiring other developers to design similar games.[10]Falcom began development on Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished, as Square was doing the same with Final Fantasy.[10] Around the release of Dragon Quest II in January 1987, Sega felt they needed an RPG for their Master System to compete in this emerging market.[9][11][12] They believed they could not rely on third-party support because Sega's hardware market share was only one-tenth that of Nintendo's.[9][10] They looked internally and found designer Kotaro Hayashida and programmer Yuji Naka were interested in creating an RPG.[10][13] They had previously been recognized for their work within Sega — Hayashida for Alex Kidd in Miracle World (1986),[9][10] and Naka for his 8-bit home console conversions of arcade games like Out Run and Space Harrier.[10] With Sega's approval, Hayashida and Naka began forming a team to develop an RPG.[10][13]
The team consisted of around ten people.[14] Hayashida was lead designer and Naka was lead programmer.[9][10] Other staff members from Miracle World joined the project including lead graphic designer Rieko Kodama, and composer Tokuhiko Uwabo.[10] There were more women on the development team than was typical at the time.[12] Among them were Kodama, who drew most of the artwork,[11] designer Miki Morimoto, who did much of the playtesting and enemy statistics configuration,[12] and Chieko Aoki, who wrote the game's original story and script.[12] Aoki had already been working on an original story with most of the dialogue already completed, and this became the first draft for the RPG project.[12] The game would be character designer Naoto Ohshima's first project at Sega.[15] Although there was no team director,[15] Hayashida believes he had the largest role in shaping the game as lead designer and scenario writer,[9] although Ohshima recalls Naka leading the project.[15] The name 'Phantasy Star' was formed after Naka took the word 'Fantasy' from a song he enjoyed titled 'Nagisa no Fantasy' by Noriko Sakai.[12] The team shared the same room, so they could see each other's work.[12] They were given the freedom to build the game how they wanted without restrictions, which Hayashida believes led to them enjoying themselves more and producing a higher quality game in the end.[12]
Production[edit]
The team wanted Phantasy Star to be different from other RPGs. They took many new approaches to the design of the game and its art to provide a unique experience.[11][16] One approach was with the setting. The team was strongly influenced by Star Wars and how it combined Western culture with Japanese touches, such as how clothing resembled judo uniforms, and lightsabers were used like samurai swords.[9][11] Kodama took this approach and designed the world of Phantasy Star using a science fiction motif mixed with medieval fantasy elements.[11] Rather than use an airship to navigate over mountainous landscape, something common in other games, they added in a vehicle that could mow down impassable terrain.[12] The team also added detailed event scenes, and animated monsters to help set the game apart.[16][11] Their philosophy was to use extensive animation, so the ocean and walkways on the world map are always moving.[11] Because the Master System could not draw large sprites, some parts of large characters were drawn to the background and only the animated portions were drawn as sprites.[9]
Navigating a 3D dungeon in Phantasy Star
Another unique addition to Phantasy Star was the 3D dungeons.[11][16] They became a central concept in the game's early planning stages,[10][11] in part because the Famicom was incapable of handling them.[12] The team drew inspiration from Western dungeon crawling RPGs like Wizardry and wanted to add animated navigation to help the player know their location and orientation more easily.[9] Naka had experimented with creating dungeons inspired by these RPGs. Typically these scenes were rendered in small boxes, so Naka was motivated to engineer a full-screen dungeon that could be used for an action game or an RPG.[10] Originally the artists were drawing full 2D backgrounds using a 3D perspective, but the number of frames necessary to achieve the animated effect used too much space on the cartridge.[11] Naka solved this by programming true wireframe 3D dungeons.[11] The artists then used a program by Naka to superimpose their art on top of the wireframes.[11][12] They also saved three-quarters of the memory they would normally need by making each quadrant of the screen identical.[9] The new dungeons scrolled faster than expected and needed to be slowed down.[11][12]
The female heroine, Alis, was a sharp contrast compared with the typical male protagonists of other RPGs.[11][16] Kodama had designed female characters before but never one in a strong and prominent role. This was an uncommon portrayal when games at the time usually had a damsel in distress.[17] Kodama went through about a dozen designs until she achieved a strong but feminine character, one with whom female gamers could empathize.[13][17] Noah was also designed by Kodama, as a mysterious and intelligent character.[13] In the original draft, Noah was an androgynous character and would become male or female depending on how the player progressed. Eventually, it was decided the character would be male.[11][12] Ohshima designed Odin because Kodama did not enjoy drawing muscular men.[11][15] Kodama envisioned the visual contrast between Noah and Odin as comparable to that between Raistlin Majere and Caramon Majere in the Dragonlance book series.[13] Ohshima was also responsible for a third of the monster designs, at most.[15] The lead monster designer enjoyed classic fantasy monsters such as golems and Medusa, so these types of characters appeared in the final game.[11] Myau was designed by Takako Kawaguchi.[11]
At four megabits, the game's data was large for the time.[12]Phantasy Star was only the second game for the Master System to use a chip this large. It was one of four games where it would be used.[d] In spite of the chip's capacity, the team made many compromises to save space.[12] The original story featured four planets, but this was reduced to three.[12] The artists had to make compromises with the backgrounds and battle animations.[11] Background scenes were mirrored vertically to save space. This created inconsistencies with shadowing.[11] There were plans for a password system to save progress, but this was cut due to memory limitations; batteries were used instead.[12] The team wanted to have a password feature as a failsafe in case saving the data corrupted it as was often the case in playtests. Instead, Naka programmed a backup of the save data that could be used to restore a corrupted save file.[10]
Composer Uwabo noted that the game was developed during the Japanese economic bubble, which fueled his enthusiasm which he believes is reflected in the music.[19] The game was compatible with the Master System FM synthesis expansion unit which housed a Yamaha YM2413 chip that added nine more mono channels to the console's programmable sound generator (PSG), the SN76489. The expansion gave the soundtrack a wider range and heavier bass. The unit was not released outside Japan.[17]
Release[edit]
Phantasy Star was originally released on the Master System. (Japanese Mark III model pictured)
Phantasy Star was first released in Japan for the Master System on December 20, 1987, two days after Final Fantasy was released for the Famicom.[10] The game was released in the West in November 1988, introducing players outside Japan to the emerging JRPG scene, having been localized before Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy.[10] It was the most expensive game for the Master System in every market, its price being driven by the large 4 megabit chip, the save battery, and a concurrent chip shortage across the industry.[10] In Japan, the game was difficult to find in stores.[12] Sega often got requests from fans for a Mega Drive port,[12] so they eventually shipped a limited release for the Mega Drive as part of a contest in 1994.[20][21] This version was identical to the Master System version but lacked FM sound enhancements.[21]Tectoy translated the Master System version to Portuguese and released it in Brazil in 1991.[22] Since the original Western release retained the text formatting of the Japanese version, it used fewer characters than a proper English translation required. In 2008, fans modified the text engine to fit longer lines of dialogue, and released a newly translated version with the Japanese FM soundtrack as well.[10]
A series of Phantasy Star compilations were released for the Sega Saturn, Game Boy Advance, and PlayStation 2.[10] The Saturn version was released in 1998. It includes both hiragana and katakana alphabets, an improvement from the original which had only katakana due to limited memory.[23] The 2008 PlayStation 2 version is based on the Saturn version and has additional features.[23] The Game Boy Advance compilation was a straight emulation and was the only compilation released outside Japan.[10][24]Phantasy Star also appeared in emulated form on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3,[10] and on the Wii via the Virtual Console in 2009.[10][25] In 2018, a port developed by M2 was released through the Sega Ages label for the Nintendo Switch.[23][26][14] This version includes enhancements such as options to make the game easier and faster, guides for items, spells, and monsters, the FM soundtrack, hiragana support, and a dungeon auto-mapping feature.[23][27] Naka's tricky programming efficiencies to save memory in the original proved difficult for the programmers handling the port.[14][23]
Phantasy Star was remade for the PlayStation 2 as Phantasy Star Generation: 1 and released on August 28, 2003, in Japan.[10] It was the inaugural release in the Sega Ages 2500 series, Sega's budget label for re-releasing old games for the PlayStation 2.[10] The remake features new graphics, real-time 3D dungeons, new music, and more cutscenes with extended dialogue.[10] The battles now depict all the characters.[10]Conspiracy Entertainment planned an American release as part of a Phantasy Star Trilogy pack, including remakes of Phantasy Star II and IV but it never happened.[10] After the remake of II was released in Japan, the remake of IV was canceled, thus the trilogy set was also canceled.[10][28] The two remakes were released on the PlayStation Network in Japan as PS2 Classics in 2014.[28] A complete fan translation of Phantasy Star Generation: 1 was released by fan site Phantasy Star Cave.[10]
Reception[edit]
Contemporary review scores | ||||||||||||||||
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Phantasy Star was well received. Computer Gaming World called it 'the big shot in the arm for Sega [..] who was, at that time, being buried under a ton of NES titles and aggressive marketing'.[33]Electronic Game Player felt the game was leading the industry into a new era of console RPGs.[6]Sega Pro called it the best RPG on the Master System,[31] and Zzap! called it a must-have for RPG fans.[32]Boys' Life wrote that along with The Legend of Zelda series, 'Phantasy Star may represent the future of home video games' by combining 'the graphic quality of arcade games with the complexity of computer games'.[34]
Windows 7 slideshow download. The game was commended for its strategy, puzzles, and challenge.[4][6]VideoGames & Computer Entertainment and S: The Sega Magazine praised the game for being easy to play and not relying on quick action reflexes.[5][4] Critics liked the variety of monsters and the combat system.[29][33]Computer Gaming World wrote that 'not since Dungeon Master had such a good and explicit graphic combat system been seen'.[33]Computer Entertainer felt the game's large scope and deep gameplay was more typically seen in computer games than on consoles.[29] This large scope made critics thankful for the cart's battery back-up, an unusual hardware feature at the time.[5][29][31] The save battery and complex gameplay led some critics to compare Phantasy Star to The Legend of Zelda (1986).[6][7][34]
Critics praised the game for its presentation, building a grand sense of adventure and atmosphere.[6][5][4][31]VideoGames & Computer Entertainment commended the mix of science fiction and fantasy elements, and felt it had a grander scale than other RPGs.[5]Electronic Game Player wrote that the atmosphere was 'simply breathtaking by current video game standards'.[6] The graphics were enjoyed by many reviewers, especially for their vivid colors and animation;[6][5][32] the monster animations, in particular, received considerable positive attention.[5][4][7] Many reviewers enjoyed the dungeons, thinking the lighting and perspective effects made for a realistic presentation.[5][4][29]Electronic Game Player called Phantasy Star a 'visual tour-de-force' and 'so technologically superior in graphics, that the Nintendo titles pale by comparison'.[6]Zzap! called it a technical achievement considering the Master System's hardware limitations.[32] It was awarded Best Graphics for 1988 by Electronic Gaming Monthly's Player's Choice Awards.[35]
The game was difficult to recommend for some because of its high price.[7][29]Computer Entertainer found the purchase difficult to justify as it was the highest price they had ever seen for a game on any cartridge-based system or disk-based computer.[29]Computer and Video Games felt they could only recommend it for hardcore RPG fans for this reason.[7]VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, however, called it 'such a remarkable video game that it may justify its existence as the most expensive cartridge on the shelf.'[5]
Retrospective reviews[edit]
Phantasy Star was reviewed again for its re-releases. Most critics continued to hold the graphics in high regard.[8][24][36]GameSpot and G-Force wrote that the graphics pushed the Master System to its limits, and helped set the game apart in its time.[24][36]RPGFan and Nintendo Life called the 3D dungeons 'revolutionary'.[37][8]Nintendo Life felt that the graphics did show their age, but noted that it 'looks much better than an 8-bit RPG has any right to and it easily surpasses any NES effort of the era'.[8]1UP.com and IGN agreed, writing that it outclassed both the original Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest.[3][38] Some critics commented that the game felt too standard compared to modern RPGs.[39][3] Some also felt it was more difficult and dull than modern offerings due to heavier grinding.[39][37][40] The Game Boy Advance version was commended for being a good emulation but criticized for poor sound and missed opportunities for enhancements.[37][36]Nintendo World Report praised the Switch release for adding FM sound and enhancements to make for a more streamlined experience.[39]
Legacy[edit]
Phantasy Star is considered a landmark RPG; it has been called 'revolutionary',[8] 'pioneering',[38] and 'ahead of its time'.[41] It is credited with helping to define the genre and introduce the West to console RPGs.[3][10]IGN wrote: 'Phantasy Star was the game that defined an entire generation's early experiences with the RPG genre as a whole, a role-playing adventure without equal at the time of its initial debut [..] a time when competition was virtually non-existent in the category'.[3] It has been called one of the best games on the Master System.[8][10][42]Nintendo Life called it a killer app which 'not only tested the hardware but also the boundaries and expectations of the genre'.[8]Retro Gamer called it 'a key release for the genre's popularity in the West and a key reason to own a Master System'.[10]
The game introduced many elements that later became staples of the RPG genre.[17][43] Its fusion of science fiction with medieval fantasy contrasted with the traditional fantasy seen in all other RPGs of its era.[3][43][42]Nintendo Power explained that Phantasy Star 'was the first RPG to break out of the Dragon Quest / Dungeons & Dragons mold of generic Arthurian fantasy by introducing sci-fi elements'.[43] The inclusion of pre-defined characters with unique personalities and abilities in the game is also considered revolutionary when compared to the customizable characters in other RPGs.[3][44] The graphics are considered ahead of their time, particularly the 3D dungeons and monster animations.[3][41][42][45] It was also one of the earliest video games to feature a female protagonist,[42][45][3] which Nintendo Life called 'perhaps [its] most revolutionary aspect'.[8]
Phantasy Star launched the careers of its staff.[17] Some worked on a series of sequels starting on the Mega Drive,[42] known as some of the best RPGs of their era.[8][46] Both programmer Yuji Naka and artist Rieko Kodama worked on the sequel Phantasy Star II (1989),[42] and Kodama directed Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium (1993),[13] considered by some to be one of the greatest games ever made.[47][48][49] She later served as producer on Skies of Arcadia (2000), a critically acclaimed RPG for the Dreamcast.[13] Meanwhile, Naka served as producer on Phantasy Star Online (2000), the first online RPG for home consoles.[50] Character designer Naoto Ohshima went on to create the character Sonic the Hedgehog and collaborated with Naka on several games including Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), Nights into Dreams (1996) and Burning Rangers (1998).[15]
Notes[edit]
- ^Japanese: ファンタシースターHepburn: Fantashī Sutā?
- ^Odin is named Tyrone in the Japanese version
- ^Noah is named Lutz in the Japanese version and later English games
- ^Phantasy Star was the second game following After Burner to use a 4M cartridge.[10] The other two games where it was used later were SpellCaster and R-Type.[18]
References[edit]
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- ^'Classic Phantasy Star returns this March'. Siliconera. January 16, 2008. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
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- ^'The 1989 'Player's Choice Awards''. Electronic Gaming Monthly 1989 Buyer's Guide. 1989. p. 19.
- ^ abcLan, Oliver (February 2003). 'GBA Reviews: Phantasy Star Collection'. G-Force. No. 10. pp. 62–63.
- ^ abcMcCarroll, John (July 11, 2003). 'Phantasy Star Collection'. RPGFan. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
- ^ abSemrad, Steve (February 2, 2006). 'The Greatest 200 Videogames of Their Time'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1UP.com. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
- ^ abcRose, Bryan (November 6, 2018). 'Phantasy Star (Switch) Review'. Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018.
- ^'Phantasy Star Collection - GBA - Review'. GameZone. May 4, 2012. Archived from the original on August 6, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
- ^ abCork, Jeff (November 16, 2009). 'Game Informer's Top 100 Games Of All Time (Circa Issue 100)'. Game Informer. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016.
- ^ abcdef'Time Machine: Phantasy Star'. Computer and Video Games. January 2, 2011. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
- ^ abc'A New Frontier'. Nintendo Power. No. 238. February 2009. p. 42.
- ^Patterson, Mollie L. (December 30, 2011). '5 Ways Japanese Gaming Still Rules: Catherine'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. Archived from the original on September 23, 2013.
- ^ abHorowitz, Ken (August 6, 2004). 'Sega Stars: Rieko Kodama'. Sega-16. Archived from the original on June 10, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
- ^John, McCarroll (August 20, 2002). 'RPGFan Previews – Phantasy Star Collection'. RPGFan. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
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Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phantasy_Star_(video_game)&oldid=917592881'
Phantasy Star | |
---|---|
Genre(s) | Role-playing video game |
Developer(s) | Sega, Sonic Team |
Publisher(s) | Sega |
Creator(s) | Kotaro Hayashida, Yuji Naka, Rieko Kodama, Chieko Aoki[1] |
Platform(s) |
|
First release | Phantasy Star December 20, 1987 |
Latest release | Phantasy Star Nova November 27, 2014 |
Phantasy Star (ファンタシースターFantashī Sutā) is a series of console role-playing video games and other supplementary media created by Sega. The series debuted in 1987 on the Master System with Phantasy Star, and continues into the present with Phantasy Star Online 2 and other extensions of the Phantasy Star Online sub-series. Each of the games in the series features a science fantasy setting featuring a cross-genre combination of magic and technology.
The first four games in the series are set in or related to the fictional planetary system of Algol, and are single-player RPGs. Later titles bearing the Phantasy Star name are for the most part massively multiplayer online games. Phantasy Star Online and Phantasy Star Universe are set in other galaxies, sharing minor canonical links with the original series, mostly in the recurrence of common themes and antagonists.
- 1Original series
- 5History
- 6Other media
Original series[edit]
1987 | Phantasy Star |
---|---|
1988 | |
1989 | Phantasy Star II |
1990 | Phantasy Star III |
1991 | |
1992 | Phantasy Star Adventure |
Phantasy Star Gaiden | |
1993 | Phantasy Star IV |
1994 | |
1995 | |
1996 | |
1997 | |
1998 | |
1999 | |
2000 | Phantasy Star Online |
2001 | |
2002 | Phantasy Star Online Episode II |
2003 | Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution |
2004 | Phantasy Star Online Episode IV |
2005 | |
2006 | Phantasy Star Universe |
2007 | |
2008 | Phantasy Star Zero |
Phantasy Star Portable | |
2009 | Phantasy Star Portable 2 |
2010 | |
2011 | |
2012 | Phantasy Star Online 2 |
2013 | |
2014 | Phantasy Star Nova |
The original series takes place in the Algol Solar System, which consists of four planets: Palma, a fertile agricultural world; Motavia, a desert planet; Dezoris, an ice planet; and the mysterious Rykros, whose elongated orbit brings it within visible range only once every thousand years. Players travel to all four planets throughout the series, interacting with each unique set of inhabitants and discovering the secrets to the solar system's genesis, which is irrevocably tied to an ancient conflict.
- Phantasy Star (ファンタシースターFantashī Sutā) was the first installment of the series, released for the Master System in Japan on December 20, 1987, and then in the United States and Europe in 1988. It introduced players to the planets, races, and lore of the series. The game follows the adventures of Alis Landale, a young woman from Palma. After Alis's brother Nero is killed by the formerly benevolent government of King Lassic, Alis embarks upon a quest for revenge. She is joined in her rebellion by a muskcat named Myau, a warrior named Odin, and a wizard named Noah. Together, the group defeats Lassic, but discover that he was only being controlled by the malevolent entity Darkfalz. Alis and her companions defeat Darkfalz and restore peace to Algol.
- Phantasy Star II (ファンタシースター II 還らざる時の終わりにFantashī Sutā Tsū Kaerazaru Toki no Owari ni, Phantasy Star II: The End of the Lost Age), released in March 1989, marked the series' transition to the Sega Genesis. It benefited from an upgrade in graphics and in the scope of its quest, as it's more than twice the size of its predecessor. It tells the story of Rolf, a government agent from the town of Paseo on Motavia. In this new setting, 1,000 years after Phantasy Star, Motavia is no longer a desert world, but has been mostly converted into one lush with vegetation and animal life, thanks to a system-wide computer network known as Mother Brain. However, malfunctions throughout the network are resulting in all sorts of catastrophes, from climate change to the appearance of mutant plant and animal life called biomonsters. Rolf changes from an agent of the government to a rebel fated to end Mother Brain's reign over the system. He is joined by a colorful cast of characters, all of whom have their own stakes in the conflict. Beset by the biomonsters at first and government-deployed robots afterward, Rolf and his allies eventually must fight both Dark Force, the enemy from 1,000 years ago, and the Mother Brain.
- Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom (時の継承者 ファンタシースターIIIToki no Keishōsha Fantashī Sutā Surī, Successors of Time: Phantasy Star III), released for the Mega Drive in 1990 and on the Genesis in 1991, was a departure from the previous games in that the different worlds were no longer the different planets of the Algol system. The game revolves around two feuding factions, the Orakians and the Layans, who have been engaged in bitter conflict since their founders disappeared 1,000 years earlier; the factions assume their founders were bitter enemies who fought each other. Unique to Phantasy Star III was a storyline that spanned three generations, starting with Rhys, an Orakian, and continues through two more generations, with the player controlling Rhys's son and grandchildren. At the end of each generation, the player determines the next main character by choosing which of the women encountered during the adventure the characters will marry. Rhys and his children eventually discover the true nature of the world and the conflict - that the seven 'worlds' were actually subsections of the colony ship Alisa III sent into deep space after the destruction of Palm. Somehow Dark Force was able to accompany the fleeing colonists and work to turn them against each other; Rhys' grandchild or grandchildren defeat Dark Force to restore peace to Alisa III.
- Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium (ファンタシースター 千年紀の終りにFantashī Sutā Sennenki no Owari ni, lit. Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium) was released for the Mega Drive in Japan in November 1993, in the United States in February 1995, and in Europe in December 1995. Building on its predecessors, it added a number of new features, such as pre-programmable combat maneuvers called 'Macros', combination attacks between two or more characters and manga-style panel illustrations for major cutscenes. It was also the first game in the series to have in-depth character interaction and development. Taking place 1,000 years after Phantasy Star II, Phantasy Star IV returns to the Algol Solar System, which has been in a precipitous decline after the destruction of Mother Brain, an event known as the Great Collapse. The people struggle to survive against an unforgiving climate and a resurgence of biomonsters. Among them are Chaz Ashley and his mentor Alys Brangwin, hunters who make a living performing various tasks for clients: from protecting citizens from monster attacks to investigating strange events. As seemingly random occurrences all tie back into the system-wide crisis, Chaz and the allies he meets during his quest must fulfill the series promise of fighting back the re-emergence of darkness. However, in this, the end of the original series, players will not only face off against the incarnation of evil, but penetrate to its very source, to rescue Algol once and for all from a bleak fate.
Compilations and remakes of the original series[edit]
- Phantasy Star Collection is a compilation of the four games from the original series, released in 1998 only in Japan on the Sega Saturn, as part of the Sega Ages series. It also includes full motion videos of the original television commercials for the games and 215 pieces of official art. A Game Boy Advance version, produced by Digital Eclipse, was released for international audiences in 2002. This version omits Phantasy Star IV, the full motion videos, and the art gallery. Three of the four games were released again on the PlayStation 2 as part of the Sega Genesis Collection, and all four appeared on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. This compilation includes special features such as behind-the-scenes information, and the ability to save the game anywhere.
- Phantasy Star Generation 1 (Japanese: ファンタシースター generation:1) is an enhanced remake of Phantasy Star, released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2, as Volume 1 of the Sega Ages series. It features newly designed graphics, arranged versions of music from the original game soundtrack, and fleshed out dialogue which results in both character development and a richer story.
- Phantasy Star Generation 2 (Japanese: ファンタシースター generation:2) was released in 2005, also for the PlayStation 2, and is an enhanced remake of Phantasy Star II, and is volume 17 of the Sega Ages series. It mirrors the events of the original game while adding character development and fleshing out the story in more detail. It features enhanced graphics, a revised combat system, and a re-arranged soundtrack.
- Phantasy Star Complete Collection (Japanese: SEGA AGES 2500シリーズ Vol.32 ファンタシースター コンプリートコレクション)[2] was released in 2008, only in Japan for the PlayStation 2 and in 2012 as a download for the PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network. It's volume 32 of the Sega Ages series. It contained the original Master System game, as well as the three games published for the Mega Drive, and the text adventures published through Sega Meganet. Note that the collection consists of the original games, not the enhanced versions mentioned above.
Spin-offs to the original series[edit]
- Phantasy Star Gaiden (ファンタシースター・外伝Fantashī Sutā Gaiden), released in 1992 for the Game Gear, is a spin-off of the original Phantasy Star and takes place on a colony known as Copto, founded by the heroine Alis Landale. In this new setting, Alis is once again called upon to battle evil, now in the form of a being known as Kaburon, which she is able to seal away. The majority of the game then follows the adventures of new characters, Minina and Alec, some 400 years later until they reunite with Alis, who had been in cryogenic sleep in a vigil against Kaburon's return. After Copto is saved, the game foreshadows the reemergence of evil back in Algol in Phantasy Star II.
- Phantasy Star Adventure is a first-personpuzzle adventure game released in 1992 for the Game Gear prior to Phantasy Star Gaiden. Taking place at the same time as Phantasy Star II, it puts the players in the shoes of an agent of Paseo. He receives a letter from friend and scientist, Ken Miller, who is studying on the ice planet Dezolis and invites him to see an important new invention. Once there, the player learns that Ken and his device are missing, initiating an investigation.
- Phantasy Star II Text Adventures were a series of eight text adventure video games available to users of Sega Meganet, a modem for the Sega Mega Drive in Japan, and later released as part of a compilation on Sega CD. Each of the games takes place shortly before Phantasy Star II, documenting the backgrounds of its characters, and explaining what brings them to the town Paseo where they eventually team up to investigate the pervasive troubles of the Algol Solar System.
Phantasy Star Online[edit]
Promotion of Phantasy Star Online 2 at Tokyo Game Show 2017
- Phantasy Star Online is a series of online role-playing games originally released for Dreamcast in 2000, and continuing on the Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, and Microsoft Windows. Phantasy Star Online started a new adventure, centering on the plight of a colony of spaceships called Pioneer 2, in another star system. Players fight through a number of levels spread over four distinct areas, finally facing off against Dark Falz, a nod to the original series. In addition to the main story, players can also take the Hunter's Guild sidequests, which explores the lives of Pioneer 2's citizens, and further delve into the backstory behind the game. In the tradition of MMORPGs, these sidequests reward players with Meseta, the chance to explore the stories behind Pioneer 2's NPC residents, and the opportunity to obtain special weapons.
- Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II was not a simple port of the Dreamcast game (only Episode I). It included a brand new episode not available in the original Dreamcast version (PSO Episode II is not to be mistaken with PSO Version 2 available for the Dreamcast). The game was released for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox in 2002, and introduced several new features, such as multiplayer split-screen mode, three new character classes, game rebalancing, reduced experience point requirements, class recalibration, and five newly explorable areas.
- Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution, released only for the Nintendo GameCube, marked yet another departure from series establishments, featuring a card based play style. Taking place twenty-one years after Episode I and Episode II, follows the people of Pioneer 2 as they continue their settlement on the planet Ragol. The government, amid inner strife, seeks to use a mysterious substance discovered on the planet, known as the germ, to power the newly developed Compressed Alternate Reality Data (C.A.R.D.) technology. Players take on the roles of both agents appointed by the government to explore, research, and capture the rebel elements, or the Arkz, rebel elements themselves trying to intercept and destroy the government's plans for the exploitation of the planet.
- Phantasy Star Online Episode IV: Blue Burst was released exclusively for Microsoft Windows. It is an expansion of Episode I & II, featuring new enemies, maps, and items. The new maps include Crater Routes, Crater I*nterior, and Subterranean Desert.
- Phantasy Star Online 2 is an MMORPG first released for Microsoft Windows on July 4, 2012, and later PlayStation Vita, Android and iOS. A PS4 version was released on April 20, 2016. A Nintendo Switch version was released on April 4, 2018.
Other video games[edit]
Promotion of Idola Phantasy Star Saga at Tokyo Game Show 2018
- Phantasy Star Universe (ファンタシースターユニバースFantashī Sutā Yunibāsu) is an action role-playing game by Sega's Sonic Team for the PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox 360. It more closely follows the series' new direction as set by Phantasy Star Online, mostly played in a persistent online network mode, but unlike its predecessor, featured a more robust single-player story mode. The game is set in the Gurhal Star System, which consists of three planets, each with its own unique culture and inhabitants. After the 'Final Conflict', a war ending 100 years ago, a union was formed between the three planets, leading to the establishment of the Allied Army. During a celebration of the peace accord, a meteor shower facilitates the invasion of the three planets by SEED – a race of strange monsters. The game revolves around Ethan Waber, a member of an elite soldier force called the GUARDIANS, which must rally against the new threat. An expansion titled Ambition of the Illuminus features new enemies, weapons, levels, and cities.
- Phantasy Star Portable is an action RPG released for the PlayStation Portable in 2008.
- Phantasy Star Portable 2 is an action RPG for the PlayStation Portable in 2009.
- Phantasy Star Zero (ファンタジースターZERO) is a third-person action RPG developed by Sonic Team exclusively for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in Japan on December 25, 2008 and in North America on November 10, 2009, and has been released in Europe on February 12, 2010. The game shares gameplay mechanics and themes from previous Phantasy Star Online titles and Phantasy Star Universe.
- Phantasy Star Nova (ファンタシースター ノヴァ) is a third-person action RPG developed by tri-Ace exclusively for the PlayStation Vita, released on November 27, 2014 in Japan. The game's setting involves the crash landing of an Arks Special Planetary Exploration ship on the planet Machia, where photons have no effect.
- Idola Phantasy Star Saga (イドラ ファンタシースターサーガ) is free-to-play Japanese role-playing game that was released to mobile devices on November 27, 2018 to celebrate the franchise's 30th anniversary.
Common elements[edit]
The plot, setting, and themes of the Phantasy Star series vary dramatically from the franchise's early installments to the multiplayer titles of today. Phantasy Star, Phantasy Star II, and Phantasy Star IV all deal with the concept of evil as a living, sentient entity that takes an active interest in galactic events.
A being known as 'Dark Force' plagues the Algol planetary system every thousand years, resulting in mass destruction and loss of life. It begins its campaign of terror in subtle ways, usually subverting others to its will. Only once its pawn has either been eliminated or is no longer useful does Dark Force ever reveal itself. With each incarnation of Dark Force, a group of protectors arise to suppress it, ushering in a period of recovery and prosperity for the Algol system. This cycle of complacency and destruction continues every millennium. In Phantasy Star IV, the source of this being known as the Profound Darkness appears as well.
The original series takes place in the Algol system, with three major planets: Palma, Motavia, and Dezolis. Palma is destroyed during the events of Phantasy Star II, when the prison satellite Gaira crashes into the planet. Several colony ships fled from the disaster, and one of those ships, the Alisa III, is the setting of Phantasy Star III. Other locations within the series include several artificial satellites and Rykros, a planet with an extremely elongated orbit. Phantasy Star Online and Phantasy Star Universe take place in different planetary systems.
Fictional races that re-occur in the series include sentient androids created by humans, called CASTs in the spin-off series and portable games, and Newmans, previously called Numans, elf-like humanoids created by genetically engineering DNA from humans and other, genetically engineered 'biomonsters'.
History[edit]
The original Phantasy Star was released for the Master System in Japan on December 20, 1987.[3] It was one of the earliest cartridges to include battery backed RAM for saving game positions. The game featured 3D maze-like dungeons, which players traversed in a first-person mode. Phantasy Star, along with Dragon Quest, and Final Fantasy, distinguished itself as a pioneer of what came to be defined as console role-playing.[4] The first four games take place in the same universe, as opposed to many RPG series such as Final Fantasy, wherein successive game settings are unrelated, or, at most, superficially related. Each major Phantasy Star game adds onto the series' overall story, culminating in Phantasy Star IV which ties all of the series' plot elements together.
Both Phantasy Star Online and Phantasy Star Universe are their own series based on the original Phantasy Star games. They continue the theme of a persistent game universe, but are set in different planetary systems than the original games.
Reception and legacy[edit]
Games in the Phantasy Star franchise have overall been well received by critics. The original four games in the series are typically regarded as classics for the RPG genre.[5] Upon its initial release, the series was praised for its unique futuristic setting, something that had not been done yet in the genre.[5] In 1996, the series was ranked as the 72nd top game of all time by Next Generation, even as 'there really isn't anything especially innovative here - the titles just have good, solid gameplay.'[6]
Phantasy Star is recognized as featuring one of the first female lead characters, Alis Landale, alongside Samus Aran of Metroid.[7] It was also one of the first RPGs to feature animated monster encounters,[8] and to allow inter-planetary travel between three planets.[9] The game was inducted into the GameSpy Hall of Fame in 2000.[10] James Fudge of GameSpy said of the game that 'everything about Phantasy Star was uncommon, fun, and strange.'[10]
Phantasy Star II was considered one of the best role-playing games of its time,[11] and is regarded as 'a game of many firsts' according to Nintendo Power.[12] It is regarded by many as the forerunner for certain aspects of role-playing video games, such as an epic, dramatic, character-driven storyline dealing with serious themes and subject matter, and a strategy-based battle system.[8][13] The game's strong characterization, and use of self-discovery as a motivating factor for the characters and the player, was a major departure from previous RPGs and had a major influence on subsequent RPGs such as the Final Fantasy series.[14]
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom featured an innovative and original branching storyline, which spans three generations of characters and can be altered depending on which character the protagonist of each generation marries,[15] leading to four possible endings.[8]Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium introduced the use of pre-programmable combat manoeuvers called 'macros', a means of setting up the player's party AI to deliver custom attack combos.[8]
Nintendo Power's staff has praised the original games, saying that Phantasy Star 'was the first RPG to break out of the Dragon Quest / Dungeons & Dragons mold of generic Arthurian fantasy by introducing sci-fi elements. Among its many other accomplishments were the inclusion of characters with actual personalities, the introduction of event scenes, and the presentation of pseudo-3-D dungeons that were a technical marvel at the time.'[4]IGN writer Jeremy Conrad stated that 'anyone who played video games through the 8 and 16-bit eras would know that name [Phantasy Star]' and called the first four main series games 'epic'.[16]
Many of the series' spin-offs, including Online Episodes I & II and Phantasy Star Zero, have generally favorable scores on Metacritic.[17][18]Phantasy Star Online in particular is recognized as one of the most 'revolutionary new games' of the past decade, for its impact in taking 'consoles online' and defining 'small-scale multiplayer RPGs,' paving the way for larger-scale MMORPG efforts such as Final Fantasy XI, setting the template for small-scale online RPGs such as Capcom's Monster Hunter series and some of the later Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy games, and giving rise to 'an entire pantheon of multiplayer dungeon crawlers that continue to dominate the Japanese sales charts.' More generally, Phantasy Star Online made 'both online gaming and the concept of fee-based services a reality for consoles,' paving the way for the online gaming services later provided by all three of the seventh-generation consoles.[19]
Other media[edit]
Game books[edit]
- Phantasy Star 1, Phantasy Star 2 and Phantasy Star 3, was adapted by Game Book, title Futabasha Adventure series, authored by Futabasha on 1989-1990 in Japan.
Phantasy Star 2 Walkthrough
Manga[edit]
- Phantasy Star is one of the video games based in the manga titled Game Gag 1P Comic Sega-hen on November 1997 in Japan, published by Shinseisha.
- Phantasy Star Online 2 Episode 0 is a manga based on the video game of same name, published by Kadokawa and artist by Kiyu Kibako, and released by Manga on 2017 in Japan.
- The Phantasy Star Compendium is a specialty book published by Sega in late 1995, filled with production art, game development details, and expanded information on the characters, worlds, and lore of the original series. It purported to establish a clear connection between all four games, and elaborate further on the full story of the Algol Solar System. Among the connections it established were identifying Laya and Orakio of Phantasy Star III as rebel leaders in a complex and political struggle between the royal family of Algol, including Alis Landale, and infiltrators from Earth who had taken control of Algol as of Phantasy Star II. Consistent with the series, all paths from the conflict still lead back to Dark Force and its progenitor, the Profound Darkness. As a retroactive effort, the details revealed in the compendium may not have reflected the original intentions for the series, and as such met with resistance from long-time series fans for over-complicating the storyline.[20]
Drama[edit]
Original Game Genie Codes
- The Phantasy Star Memorial Drama, released in 1995 by Softbank, is a CD featuring music and dialogue to tell a new story about the characters of Phantasy Star IV. Set three years prior to the game's events, it involves Rune Walsh helping Chaz Ashley recall sealed memories of his days as a petty thief. The story revolves around an artificial intelligence called Gene, which in the wake of the Great Collapse, is convinced that humanity is to blame for Algol's troubles, and initiates a number of plans to eliminate them. It also features the 'spiritual' return of Nei from Phantasy Star II in a new character of the same name, who helps Chaz stop Gene's sinister ambitions.[21]
References[edit]
- ^The World Of Phantasy Star / ファンタシースターの世界 ~ファンタシースターを作った人たち~. 1993. (Translation, archived)
- ^'Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 32: Phantasy Star Complete Collection'. Sega Retro. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
- ^GameSpot staff. 'Phantasy Star at GameSpot'. GameSpot. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
- ^ abEditors of Nintendo Power: Nintendo Power February, 2009; issue 2 (in English). Future US Inc, 39-42. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
- ^ abTierny, Adam (2003). 'Phantasy Star Collection'. IGN. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
- ^Next Generation 21 (September 1996), p.47.
- ^Montgomery, Chris (2004). 'History of The Phantasy Star Series'. Sega-16. Retrieved 2010-01-27.[permanent dead link]
- ^ abcd'Time Machine: Phantasy Star'. ComputerAndVideoGames.com. January 2, 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^John, McCarroll (August 20, 2002). 'RPGFan Previews - Phantasy Star Collection'. RPGFan. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ abFudge, James (2000). 'GameSpy Hall of Fame: Phantasy Star'. GameSpy. Archived from the original on 2013-03-23. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
- ^Lesser, Hartley; Lesser,Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (August 1990). 'The Role of Computers'. Dragon (160): 47–52.
- ^'Phantasy Star II'. Nintendo Power. Nintendo of America. 246-249: 21. 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
- ^Kasavin, Greg. 'The Greatest Games of All Time: Phantasy Star II - Features at GameSpot'. GameSpot. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
- ^Kaiser, Rowan (July 22, 2011). 'RPG Pillars: Phantasy Star II'. GamePro. Archived from the original on 2011-11-30. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
- ^'Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom Review'. IGN. April 25, 2008.
- ^Conrad, Jeremy. 'Phantasy Star Online: Introduction'. IGN. Archived from the original on August 31, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
- ^'Phantasy Star Online Episodes I & II'. Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
- ^'Phantasy Star Zero'. Metacritic. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
- ^Parish, Jeremy (February 2010). 'Phantasy Star Online'. The Decade That Was: Essential Newcomers - We close our look back at the the [sic] past 10 years with five revolutionary new games. 1UP.com. p. 2. Retrieved 23 September 2011.Italic or bold markup not allowed in:
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(help) - ^Capowski, Rebecca. 'Translation and Analysis of the Phantasy Star Compendium'. Archived from the original on 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
- ^'Phantasy Star Memorial CD translation'. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Phantasy Star (series). |
- Phantasy Star Cave Complete Phantasy Star fan site with guides and a wide community.
- The Phantasy Star Pages Comprehensive Phantasy Star page.
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