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Phantasy Star II

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"Nei" redirects here. For the PFC CSKA Sofia footballer, see Claudinei Alexandre Aparecido.
Phantasy Star II
North American boxart
Developer(s)Sega AM7
Publisher(s)Sega
Designer(s)Akinori Nishiyama (writer / director)
Yuji Naka (producer / programmer)
Composer(s)Tokuhiko Uwabo
Platform(s)Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Virtual Console, Xbox 360 (XBLA), iOS
ReleaseMega Drive/Genesis
Virtual Console
iOS
August 26, 2010
Genre(s)RPG
Mode(s)Single-player

Phantasy Star II (known as Phantasy Star II: The End of the Lost Age in Japan) is a console role-playing video game developed by Sega AM7 and released for the Sega Mega Drive in Japan in 1989. It was also released for the Mega Drive in Europe and the Genesis[disambiguation needed] in America in 1990. It is the second entry in Sega's Phantasy Star series of games that began in 1987 on the Master System.

Gameplay is similar to the original Phantasy Star, the first game in the series. The battle system is turn-based, allowing the player to choose commands for up to four characters. Each of the eight characters has a different set of preferred weapons and armor, as well as techniques, suited to the character's job. The player must defeat enemies in the overworld and in dungeons to advance in the game. One feature that was present in the first game but not in this one is the first-person view in the dungeon, instead the regular top-down view is used (the third and fourth game also lack the original view). Since its release Phantasy Star II has built up a big cult following and is regarded by many critics to be one of the greatest and most influencial console role-playing games of all time.

It was re-released as a port in two different forms for the Sega Saturn and Game Boy Advance named Phantasy Star Collection. It was also released on the Sega Smash Pack Volume One for the Dreamcast. The game is available through Nintendo's Virtual Console service as of February 18, 2008. It is also part of the Sega Genesis Collection for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. A remake, named Phantasy Star Generation 2, was released in Japan for the PlayStation 2 in 2005 as a part of Sega Ages. The game is available in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. On June 10, 2009, it was released on Xbox Live Arcade under the Sega Vintage Collection banner.

Plot

Story

Somewhere deep within the Andromeda Galaxy lies the Algol Star System. The parent star, Algol (referred to as "Algo" by this point in the timeline), has three planets orbiting about it. First is Palm (formerly "Palma" in the original Phantasy Star), the home of the government. Governors, treasurers, and great thinkers dwell here in great ivory towers, away from the hubbub of everyday life. Next is Mota (formerly "Motavia"), the shining jewel. Once a dry desert planet infested with ant lions, Mota has been transformed into a blue and green tropical paradise. Domed farms grow crops, and the water is regulated into dammed rivers. Life on Mota is sweet, peaceful, and easy. The people have everything they want and do not need to work. Farthest out is Dezo (formerly "Dezoris"), the ice planet. Little is known about this mysterious and dark planet.

One thousand years have passed since Alis and her friends liberated Algo from the evil Lassic. Algo has since prospered under the care of a giant computer called the Mother Brain. The Mother Brain regulates the climatrol tower, the bio-systems lab, and all other things that provide whatever the Mota people need.

The game begins with a short monologue in which the character Rolf recalls a strange recurring nightmare he has been having. In the dream, a young girl who resembles Alis from the first game is battling a demon, although he, himself, does not know anything of her identity. Although Rolf is nearby, he is unable to even move or speak while the demon is striking at the girl. Finally, just before the demon kills the girl, Rolf awakens. From his home in the Motavian capital Paseo, Rolf goes to the central tower to meet with the commander, the head of government on Mota, in order to receive his newest mission.

The series' primary antagonist, Dark Force, the embodiment of evil, returns in Phantasy Star II as one of the enemies Rolf and his friends must defeat. Mother Brain, a computer system built to control and maintain the Algo Star System, begins malfunctioning during the game and must be investigated by Rolf. However, he ends up having to defeat it. During the adventure, the party discovers Neifirst, a half human, half bio-monster, that is also part of Nei. Being part Bio-monster (biologically altered animal), she was an outcast from society, causing her to loathe mankind. This caused her to sabotage Mota's Climate Control system, as well as the bio-systems laboratory, causing a drought on the planet. Nei confronts Neifirst with her actions and attacks her in a one-on-one fight, but gets defeated and killed. Straight afterward, Rolf and the remaining party take over and finish Neifirst off, bringing an end to the Biomonster hazard.

Characters

Note: Many of the details in this section are taken from a developers' book released in Japan, and as such conflict with the setting in the English release of the game. Primarily the English version takes place in the year AW 1286, whereas the original Japanese game took place in AW 1284.

There's a total of eight playable characters in Phantasy Star II. Each character has their own personaltiy and each uses different weapons and have different abilities. For instance Rolf uses swords and Rudo uses guns, while Kain is strong against robotic enemies and Hugh is strong against Biomonsters. Swapping between characters throughout the game is essential to progress through some of the more difficult parts.

Rolf

  • Japanese: ユーシス (Yūshisu, Eusis)
  • Race: Palman
  • Birthdate: September 17, 1263
  • Age: 21
  • Job: Agent
  • Height: 173 cm (5’8”)

Rolf is the main character in Phantasy Star II. In battle Rolf is the best all-round fighter. He is one of the strongest physical and magical fighters. He learns all the strongest attacking magic spells in the game (such as Nafoi, Nathu and Magid) and even learns some healing magic, although his healing abilities aren't as potent as other characters. His main weapons of choice are Swords, although he can also use Knives. Rolf is definitively not given a surname in any version of Phantasy Star II or any of its corresponding official material.

Phantasy Star II's top-down style travel is shown as Rolf and Nei move through a town.

Nei

  • Japanese: ネイ (Nei, Nei)
  • Race: Numan/Newman
  • Birthdate: August 30, 1283
  • Age: At least 7 months
  • Job: None
  • Height: 164 cm (5’4”)

After Rolf Nei is the most important character in Phantasy Star II. At the beginning of the game she is more powerful then the likes of Rolf (although later on she is weaker) and her ability to use healing magic also comes in handy. Her main, and only, weapons of choice are Bars.

Rudolf "Rudo" Steiner

  • Japanese: ルドガー・スタイナー (Rudogā Steiner, Rudger Steiner)
  • Race: Palman
  • Birthdate: July 1, 1249
  • Age: 35
  • Job: Hunter
  • Height: 190 cm (6’2”)

Rudo is physically the strongest fighter in the game, but this is counter-balanced by the fact that he learns no magic spells at all. His main weapons of choice are Guns but, like Rolf, he can also use some Knives.

Amy Sage

  • Japanese: アンヌ・サガ (Annu Saga, Anne Saga)
  • Race: Palman
  • Birthdate: April 26, 1261
  • Age: 23
  • Job: Doctor
  • Height: 158 cm (5’2”)

Amy is physically one of the weakest characters in the game. Despite this she learns the most powerful healing magic spells in the game (such as Nares and Nasar). But she is quite slow, so she'll usually attack last of all your characters in a battle phase. Her main weapons of choice are Knives, Staffs and Guns. Amy's definite age is known: According to the same source as her birthdate, "she finished her internship spring of this year" thus the game is set after spring of "this year", hence after her birthday. Graduation occurs in early March in Japan.

Hugh Thompson

  • Japanese: ヒューイ・リーン (Hyūi Lean, Huey Reane)
  • Race: Palman
  • Birthdate: June 12, 1264
  • Age: 20
  • Job: Biologist
  • Height: 175 cm (5’9”)

Hugh is, like Amy, one of the weakest physical fighters in the game, but he is handy at the beginning of the game because he learns a lot of spells that are strong against Biomonsters. His main weapons of choice are Guns and Staffs.

Anna Zirski

  • Japanese: アーミア・アミルスキー (Āmia Amirusuki, Amia Amirski)
  • Race: Palman
  • Birthdate: Unknown
  • Age: Unknown
  • Job: Guardian (Counter Hunter in Japan)
  • Height: 168 cm (5’6”)

Anna is more alike Rolf and Rudo then any of the other characters in the game as she is one of the strongest physical characters in the game. But to counter-balance against this she learns only a few weak magic spells. Her main weapons of choice are Slashers.

Josh Kain

  • Japanese: カインズ・ジ・アン (Kainzu Ji An, Kainz Ji An)
  • Race: Palman
  • Birthdate: December 9, 1263
  • Age: 21
  • Job: Wrecker
  • Height: 180 cm (5’11”)

Kain is a fighter of moderate strength most of the time, but when he is pitted against the robotic enemies about half way through the game he becomes extremeley useful because he learns a lot of spells that inflict more damage against robots. His main weapons of choice are Guns and Knives, just like Rudo.

Shir Gold

  • Japanese: シルカ・レビニア (Shiruka Rebinia, Shilka Levinia)
  • Race: Palman
  • Birthdate: April 1, 1263
  • Age: 21
  • Job: Thief
  • Height: 161 cm (5’3”)

Shir is probably the most useless fighter in the entire game. All the magic spells she learns are either very weak or useless most of the time and she is also physically the weakest character in the game. But she does keep her worth in other ways. Because Shir is a thief if you enter a shop with her in your party she can randomly steal items from the shop, which is very helpful. She can even steal certain items that normally can't be bought from shops. Shir's definite age is known for the same reason as Amy's: Her birthday for the year of the game's setting has passed.

Development

Localization changes

  • Lutz, a refugee Esper who lives in the Esper Mansion on Dezo, aids Rolf and friends in their mission. He is supposed to be the same Esper who accompanies Alis in Phantasy Star, but due to the English version of Phantasy Star naming the said Esper Noah, this point is lost.
  • In the Japanese version, Ustvestia, a musician who teaches the characters the Musik technique, is openly gay; when requested to teach a male character the Musik technique, he comments, "He looks cute", and charges less than he would for teaching female characters. Any obvious references to this were removed from the American release; he instead comments, "He looks smart" – and still charges less for teaching the male characters.[1]
  • While the tracks in the soundtrack are the same for both versions, the snare drums are much louder in the Japanese version.[2]

Reception

The original Phantasy Star game was a big game for its time, but because of the advancements in tecnhology between the Sega Master System and the Sega Mega Drive Phantasy Star II was nearly twice the size of the original and, in the eyes of many, the better of the two games. The game was reviewed in 1990 in Dragon, issue #160, by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.[3] Also Honest Gamers reviewed the game, giving it a score of 10/10 and praising the games apocalyptic mood and difficulty.

Legacy

Phantasy Star II is regarded by many as a forerunner for certain aspects of console roleplaying games, such as an epic, character-driven storyline, a strategy-based battle system, and the demand for extensive strategy guides for such games (Phantasy Star II included one with the game itself). It has made a number of "Greatest Game of all Time" lists: it was number 97 on EGM's list of The 200 Greatest Games of Their Time, and in August 2005 it was inducted into GameSpot's Greatest Games of All Time list.[4] Nintendo Power has called Phantasy Star II, along with Phantasy Star IV, one of the greatest role-playing games of all time.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Ripplinger, Mike (2002). "The Two Phantasy Stars". Camineet. Retrieved 2010-01-29. [dead link‍]
  2. ^ Thomas, Damian (2008). "Phantasy Star 1st Series Complete Album". RPGFan. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
  3. ^ Lesser, Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk (August 1990). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (160): 47–52.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Kasavin, Greg. "Phantasy Star II". Gamespot. Retrieved 2010-01-29.
  5. ^ Editors of Nintendo Power: Nintendo Power February, 2009; issue 2 (in English). Future US Inc, 39-42. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
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