Memories Archive II

I finally got hold of Phantasy Star several years after those sleepless nights of pacing had faded to the barest of memories. I opened the game up, dusted off my SMS (which was still very new), and watched, stunned, as the story unfolded. In the weeks that followed, every afternoon after I got home from school would be an afternoon of combat with no quarter as I terrorized the monster population, bought up vast amounts of burgers, and made and broke local economies in my armor and weapon purchasing. I mapped the dungeons, found everyone, flew to other worlds, and finally faced the ultimate evil in Baya Malay. And as I sat there, watching the return of the world to peace, I could hardly believe it was over. I felt so close to my characters. We had fought side by side for many months. And it was almost too much to put the game back in its case and shelve it and the SMS. Sometimes I take it out, play that final battle over, chow down on a few burgers, for old times sake.

Reading over your pages makes me think I'll have to 'aquire' a genesis system somehow and Phantasy Star II. The war isn't over yet!

Anyway, I abandoned the series for a few years. Shortly after I became fascinated by the Shining Force games (I'm convinced myself and my friend are the only two people on the Earth that liked them). The only problem with Shining Force was it lacked the traditional RPG feel. I hunted around in my local Blockbuster and came up with PSIV. One word describes my first impression: WOW!!!!! From the opening theme to the final notes of the ending score I was hooked. The graphics, the gameplay, the way the writers worked subtle humor into the story (favorite joke: When you are in Saya's schoolroom, head into her bedroom and examine her cabinet. Chaz responds with "It's not nice to open other people's cabinets without their permission... but this may be an exception," followed by Alys essentially smacking him in the back of the head).

After two rentals and shelling out $80 to get it I am still pleased. I've played through the game twenty or more times and still can't get enough. But, alas, I still have never played PSI OR PSII. I recently read a walkthrough for PSII and III. Knowing the storyline for every game helps, since I found myself smacking my forehead and saying, "OF COURSE! IT MAKES SENSE!" while playing PSIV.

Well, I guess that's about the whole of my memory, now excuse me while I go back to Blackbuster and see if I can rent one, get one free PSII and PSIII.

By the way, I'm not a purist, by the American name for Rune Walsh is light-years better than his Japanese name.

"Jewl"

.....but I know that some part of me waits patiently in the Algol star system, for the day that I can return......

I got a job at Babbage's and PS4 came out. The price was $99.99!!!! that was insane! But the game sold out that day! I found a brand spanking new PS4 a month ago for $29.99 at Kay Bee. I finally played the final game and am still enjoying it immensely.

I can't wait for Phantasy Earth. I hope that Sega is smart enough to release it in the USA. It seems unfair that RPGs are considered a niche market.

At the time, I knew there was PS for the Master System but because it was 8-bit , I didn't think it would be good, so I never took advantage of my best friend' s machine :( Not that I could find the copy of the game, anyways. From all that I've read in here, PS is undoubtedly wonderful.

After playing PS3 and 2, I was unhappy that Sega Genesis didn't have too many R PG's. Super Nintendo did though so I sold my Genesis to buy the SNES. I playe d most of the RPG's on there, including Final Fantasy 2, which was very good bu t it didn't have that FEEL that a PS game has (I don't know WHAT exactly it is) so FF never held a special place in my heart, as PS does. While I had my SNES I saw that PS4 was coming out for the Genesis. I was pretty crushed. It certa inly brought back many memories of PS 2 and 3, but as time went by and it took them longer and longer to get PS4 out in Japan (and even longer in US), I was t oo busy going to school, playing field hockey, and working to worry about when I was gonna get my hands on PS4. Quietly I sold my SNES and went on with my li fe. I graduated from high school, and here I am, a freshman in college and PLAY ING Phantasy Star 4 !!!!! YAY !!!! I guess after stumbling on this PS page, wh o wouldn't? I'm gonna get my hands on PS 2 and 3 and I will keep 'em forever, NO selling these babies again ! I know some of you are having trouble locating a PS2 or PS3. If you are, try to get them as used games from mail order - try Funcoland, at http://www.funcoland.com. Currently, they're sold at $25 each. Anyways, as y'all know from my babbling, I'm a HUGE fan of PS. I'm currently p laying PS4. I would be playing it now, 'cept my boyfriend has limited my playin g time! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !! :~( So here I am, tortured with thoughts of Dem i's imprisonment, I must wait till Friday :( :( I can only play it on Friday an d Saturday. Oh well. I guess being a Pre-Med major, it helps to have a boyfrie nd who is more sensible than I am :) Otherwise, I would flunk all my classes fo r sure ! *grin*

Thanks y'all for sharing your thoughts and LONG LIVE THE ALGO STAR SYSTEM!

About May 1993 I found out there was a Phantasy Star 2! Well, I snapped that up. I was wrapped. I played it days on end. Took me ages to get to Dezoris. But shock! Horror! Other things came into play. One day I took the hint book to school (AAAA!) to read, and lo and behold, I lost it. Erk. I think I was on the verge of tears; at this stage I was on Dezoris, and had half the Laconian stuff! I was screwed! I went up and reported it missing and stuff...then eventually, I managed to find it; I left it in one of the rooms! Doh. I didn't want to sneak in and get into trouble (why?), so I waited til wednesday (we had a walkathon that day where you walk for raising money for the school) and at hometime I ran in and ran out with it, no prob.

By now I was wondering why I was jinxed like that. I found out later though: I was using my Pro Action Replay on it to cheat and get unlimited HP and stuff. :) Of course, I got my punishment. I saved it right before the chest where the last boss is at; came back the next day, and "$&#$#^*&#*&!!!!!!!" my savegames were wiped! (Brings a tear to the eye thinking of it. Sob, sob!)....I was upset. I've only played it briefly since. I broke my Pro-Ac since then(accidentally!)

Now, I found out PS1 and PS2 are on the Emulators, plus the other ones! I don't want the others; I'm happy with 1 and 2. I just gotta find the original 1 so I can play it on a big tv and scare myself again...:)

But oh well, later on, I found out that a friend that lived down the street had PS1! He showed me the manual, told me every single aspect of the game, and praised it as if it were the best game on Earth (he's not kiddin' either). So I asked him if I could borrow it. "No, I can't, my parents would freak if I did." Ah nuts, I thought to myself. But at least I got to come over every once in a while to play it. But unfortunately, I was to the point of getting the Hovercraft until his Sister "accidently" erased my game. *DOH!* It was tragic. I just about gave up on the game.

Then three years later, I bought a Genny (along with my OTHER newfound love STRIDER :P ). And the hottest releases then were Sonic the Hedgehog and PS3. (remember the ads of the old lady knocking Sonic? I think she was in the mag ads for PS3 also) So I hopped over to my local video store and rented PS3. "WOW!" I thought to myself. My friend came over to spend the night that day so we had a PS3 binge that whole weekend. I personally thought the storyline was kind of weird and confusing, as it didn't really go along with PS1. Then I finally beat it. Man it was dissapointing, beating an RPG in less than two days. This disapointment also led me to believe that PS2 was as bad also, since I haven't played it yet.

Then one year later, we moved to another town, and I met someone with a very vast library of Gennie games. And in it was PS2, I asked him if I could borrow it, he kindly let me. I took it home, popped it in, and was ENTHRALLED with it! It had so much resemblence to PS1 (sans tunnelvision dungeons). And the storyline followed PS1. I spent WEEKS on playing this game. Then I finally beat it, the ending was so shocking, and made me want to know what in the hell happend to Rolf and the gang during the bout with the humans. I gave the game back, and just continued on with my life doing normal things. UNTIL...

In 1993 I read Gamepro magazine which had pics of PS4! I almost wet my pants, the graphics were STUNNING. I couldn't wait for it. But I did, for two years... And when it did come out, I was shocked to see the price tag of *$90.00* at the local Babbages. The next day I rented it and was in complete joy. I didn't get very far, and I had to take it back. But within a couple months, I saved up my money, and immediately bought it. It was worth every penny. I went through it, and was saddend by the death of Chaz's mentor. And vowed revenge against Zio. Then I met up with the Espers, and sort of confused about where they lived, and how they lived, it reminded me of PS2 in a way. Then the story unfolded, and it all made sense. And then I was REALLY shocked to see the planet which comes only once every 1000 years, Rykros. Then I beat the game, amazed by the ending. To this day, I wish for more. And I also wish for PS1 in my hands. But now there's a possibility to play it thanks to modern technology called emulators. Which reminds me, I have to go, I believe Odin's calling from a cave, and Myau is itching to use that bottle around his neck. :)

Don't get me wrong, the PS series is like a an old friend that I can always turn back to for an hour or two of monster-somping nostalgia. Wren and Mieu both are very special to me. However, when it comes to hard-core cool, Lyle has them all beat.

I can still remember sitting down, turning on the Genises and being treated to Rhys' wedding. Cool music, beutiful women... I thought I'd already won; I had the girl and all was right with the world. Then, from out of no where, a dragon beastie swoops in and absconds with the fair damsel. I swore then and there that I'd tear that foul flyer apart. I really wanted to find it and kill it.

As you all know, the game progressed and I met a strange green haired individual bearing a shiny rock. He claimed to be a friend and wanted to join the party, but had other buisness. He just wasn't ready to join the party.

Throughout the first half of the game, Lyle remained an enigma. He dashed around from one land to another and joined the party in his own good time. Everyone in his town loved him. He was an anti-hero and a damn good one at that. Anyone who disagrees will recall when he threw down with Rhys.

In the second adventure, Lyle grew old and lost an eye in combat. By this time he had become friends with Rhys and the two fled to Aridia together with their families. I thought I had seen the lat of Lyle when, low and behold, that pesky dragon gives me a pigy-back ride to techna. I finally learned the truth about Lyle; He had stolen Rhys' bride all those years ago. I got out of my chair and yelled "YES!!" Not only was Lyle the coolest character in the game, he was about to join my party. The six of us together again: Me, Lyle, Foi, Gra, Tsu, and Zan....

I was crushed when Lyle died.

I didn't want to go to school. I think I even may have shed a tear for the old adventurer. A new resovle burned within me. It took me until four a.m. , but I layed Siren out that day for killing Lyle. I defeated him with Wren's Pulse Cannon and a lot of Foi. I made him hurt. I avenged Lyle's death and felt a profound emptiness when it was all over... That is until Ayn marrid Thea and the message read that Lyle gave his consent for the marriage. Most people think this is a gross plot error. I know better. Lyle was just too damn sneaky for Death. He'll always be my favorite.

In my gaming since then, I've played many characters fashined after Lyle. Several have been really sneaky Vampires. Others have been powerfull warriors. They all remind me of sneakiest man ever to walk the face of Palm:

It started when I was at my uncles house, and I found a new-looking game that was seemingly forgotten at the back of the cupboard where my uncle keeps his many sega games. I had played it for five minutes, and I was hooked.

My uncle lives in Kelowna, so I could only play PS on holidays. :-(

I played a little at christmas time, and managed to free the people of Zema from Zio's spell... At easter, I fought that Zio's guardian guy at Zio's fort...

Then, in the summer, I defeated him! Up the steps to free Demi! Uh-oh...

Chaz! Look out!... Nooo!...

Off to termi for the psycho-wand... Then, with a growing will for vengeance, I defeated that evil spider-thingy, then off to ...Krup was it? Anyhow...

Then, disaster struck. I couldn't bring myself to play for nearly a week.

After Alys' death, I was more than determined ever to tear that Zio to bits.

However, We had to leave for home the next day. :-(

Vengence must wait until christmas. I could wait. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold...:-)

The game, however, was forgotten until easter.

Then, I (after a little pursuation) traded my uncle a basketball game he was going to buy for PS. Everyone was happy. I played the game, but could not manage to beat Zio.

At home, however, things changed. As Zio fell to Chaz' attack (all my TP and skills were used up), a great feeling of accomplishment and success began to fill me. I had accomplished what I had come for... *smiles*

I played the game on and off, for the weeks that followed, through the difficulty of the floating castle, and the Dark Forces... Until, I faced off against the ultimate opponent. The room was completely dark, exept the dull light from my little TV. It was ten PM. I had been playing all day long, and then, the moment I had been waiting for... All was silent in the house, exept from my quiet laugh.

I watched the game end, with a tear in my eye.

I has succeeded.

Soon after, I started seeing pictures of Phantasy Star 4 and I flipped out. "This looks like an awesome Sega CD game- wait a minute, this is Genesis!!" I knew I had to get it. About a year later, it was finally released. After reading stupid reviews by those half-wit magazines out there like Gamepro and Gameplayers I was a little skeptical, but I paid the huge price and got it. I was amazed by everything. The graphics (loved the anime style artwork), the animation, the well-developed characters, the music, the non-linear plot, (thanks to things like the hunters-guild missions and other side quests), the combination spells, and just about everything else. The only problem was a lot of the story didn't make sense because I didn't play 1 or 2.

Then, a good friend of mine let me borrow PS1 (on the master-gear converter) and PS2. I started with PS1. Right away I was amazed with the graphics considering this was supposed to be 8-Bit (even on the little game gear screen.) Then I heard the Air Castle music in the first dungeon. I thought it was so cool how they did a remix for 4. The best thing was all the tie-in's with PS4's plot. The story was great and the challenge was fierce. (The hardest one in my opinion.) After drawing tons of maps, getting tons of items, weapons, and levels, I finally beat it. Unfortunately, the first took me so long that I didn't get to play that much of the 2nd one before my friend had to move, and I had to give it back. From what I played of it, it had the same mood, that same special something, that PS's 1 and 4 had. I thought some things were annoying, like the very hard random encounters, and it seemed to take so long to build up characters and save meseta for new weapons. (Of course that could of been just at the beginning.) The graphics and music were great though, and from what I've heard about the ending I know that one of these days I will get a copy and complete it. (I hope.)

After playing 1 and 2 and knowing more about the story, my repeat journeys through PS4 were a whole different experience. The game ended off the series so perfectly, and in my opinion was the best all around. The many tie-ins to PS1's plot were awesome. (Even though a lot of names were mis-translated, I think I figured most of them out right down to the Professor Luveno/Lubetz error.) Ideas like the return of Lassic/Lashiec, having the cat give you the silver fang/silver tusk, and the whole Noah/Lutz story were awesome. All in all I think the Phantasy Star games are the best series of any RPG. Final Fantasy isn't even a true series, because none of the 6 total Final Fantasy games have anything to do with each other at all.(They just use the popularity of the name, to sell more games that have very minor similarities.)

The general mood or feeling I got from playing these games was something very special. There is just nothing quite like Phantasy Star. Thank you Sega.

After that, I got the 2nd and was also immediately impressed by the entourage of original critters and animations for them! Not even Square*Soft had animated critters for their Final Fantasy line, for which I was hooked well before knowing about Phantasy Star. Then I got the 3rd which was slow going at first, but enjoyable, esp. with the music changing according to the tempo of both combat and the # of players I had when out in the wilderness. The combat for the 3rd is a bit shaky though and I much prefer the 2nd and 4th.

My friend later rented 2 and played through parts of it. He checked out the ending with a saved game and said it was really cool. Later I met another friend who was a huge PS fan. He let me borrow PS2. It was incredible. An excellent futuristic storyline and good old fashioned RPGing. It was even pretty tough at the end. And it was a cool ending.

Some time after that my friend with PS2 let us use his Power Base Convertor. We loved all those cool Master System games and we were eager to check out PS1. We were amazed at its power. 3D dungeons, good graphics, and a huge adventure my friend to this day hasn't beaten. I never really got my hands on this one but I was more than impressed.

Last year my brother rented PS4 and busted through it during Spring Break. The best storyline of all that reached all the way back to PS1, awesome graphics, update RPG techniques, and cool soundtracks that even incorporated PS1 music. (My PS friend who bought 4 never even noticed the PS1 Dungeon music in the Air Castle. And he owns both games. And I've only seen PS1 once.) A bit after that I found PS3 cheap and bought it for another play through. Even now I'm looking for the other PS's used (and hopefully a power base). I'm eager for some of the best RPGing that's ever graced a system. Phantasy Star is the best and I'm waiting with baited breath for any Phantasy Earth info. Let's continue the adventure!

Phantasy Star III was a disappointment after the graphics of 2, but I still enjoyed it a heap. I went through all the 4 endings, and got a kick out of it. A year after getting it, I started playing it again, and it rests at home, since I have no television here in school.

A few months after getting 3, I went to a used game store, and traded about a hundred little games for PS2. I still love that darn game.

PS4 eludes me, since I have no television here, nor time to play, but someday, it will be mine, and I will find a way to kill the Darkforce. Nei would have been my wife, had she not died.

Anyway, a year or so later I got a game that wasn't like any I had ever played: Miracle Warriors. It was a game in the Phantasy Star vein, and it was the first Role Playing Game I had ever played. MW was the true precursor to the Phantasy Star series, although it was technically not as advanced as PS1, and was set in a "Dungeons n' Dragons" style medeival world. I must have played that game for a month before I finally beat it, and I was pretty excited.

When I read about Phantasy Star in a video game magazine, I couldn't wait for it. Miracle Warriors had become a neighborhood game, where my friends and I would gather around the TV and try to figure out the puzzles, and when Phantasy Star came out, that's what happened again.

We were all amazed at the 3D graphics of the mazes, and the storyline was pretty complex (especially to an eight-year-old :)

I had just recently gotten the Hovercraft when disaster struck. One day I had brought my SMS to a friend's house to play some other games (blasphemer!), when I forgot the power cord. "No problem", we thought. "We'll just use the one from his Nintendo." You can see what's coming next, right? :) Anyway, the SMS was fried beyond repair, and I wouldn't get to play a Phantasy Star game until 6th grade.

The Sega Genesis had just recently come out, and my friend Gideon (Gid for short) was the first to get one. We had been playing pencil and paper "pseudo-Dungeons n' Dragons" for awhile and were all big role-playing fans, so the first game he got for the Genny was, you guessed it, Phantasy Star II. Unfortunately, the machine stayed at his mom's house as his parents were divorced, so I didn't get to play it much, myself.

On his birthday, he had a slumber party at Mama Kin's house, so "the usual gang" went up there to play games.. mostly PS II. At my suggestion, we started a new game instead of continuing where he was (which was not very far, anyway, but that dosn't matter). We played from 7:00pm 'till about 3:00 the next afternoon, literally playing in shifts :) and we made it to Uzo Isle before his mom had to take most of us back home.. it was a school night.

He finally beat it, and it sat in it's plastic box until the fateful day finally came.. I got a Genesis. I asked Gid if I could borrow PS2 for a few weeks. I did, and played it straight through for most of a month (summer!). It is simply the best video game RPG I have ever played, period.

Later on, I got a Power Base Converter for said Genesis, managed to wrangle a used copy of PS1, and spent another 2 months, off and on, beating that (I went through about four pads worth of graph paper mapping out the dungeons!). PS1 was the most satisfying video game ending ever for me.

A few months later I bought Phantasy Star III, and.. well.. it was somewhat disappointing. It was the fastest I'd ever beaten an RPG without cheating (a little under 2 weeks), and, after I finished it once, I went and sold it. Although it wasn't a BAD game, it just didn't live up to the Phantasy Star name. Recently I went and rented it again, just for kicks, and it was a little better the second time through (probably because I didn't have such high expectations).

I have yet to play Phantasy Star IV (the price tag is a little high for me), although I've been meaning to rent it. Mabye I'll get it next week.. although three days just isn't enough time to spend on a Phantasy Star game, especially one with reviews like IV has been getting! Mabye in a few months I'll be able to find one somewhere.. although if anyone out there has it, has beaten it, and is willing to sell it cheap, e-mail me (akuma@powergrid.electriciti.com)! :)

Here it is, 1997. The impact the Phantasy Star series has had on me has inspired me to become an Information Technology Major at the Rochester Institute of Technology. I just created my first little RPG for a multimedia class, and found it to be the funnest educational experience of my life.

After reading other memories, it seems most PS fans didn't start with, and haven't even played the original. If you (by some strange twist of fate) arrived at this page without ever experiencing a PS game, and are interested, see if you can find the original first, and follow it with PS2. I doesn't matter if you play 4 before three, since they take place at about the same time, in different regions of space. If you play PS 2 or 4 first, you won't appreciate references to the previous games as much.

So does anyone out there know what happened to Rolf, Rudo, and the rest after their battle with several hundred earthmen?

I went on to beat PS III without knowing the story, and having great difficulty just figuring out the next step to take. Just managing to see the ending was a great accomplishment for me, even though I think among the PS games, III was the weakest.

Then my friend introduced me to PS II, which I must say was THE BOMB!! PS II still is my favourite PS game. The feel of the game just struck me as being otherworldly, especially the unique soundtrack, it makes you really feel like you're in another world. I've beaten PS II countless times, it's fun just giving the characters different names and trying out different party combinations to beat Mother Brain :) And I just love games with a dark and foreboding feel... :)

Needless to say, I was anxiously waiting for the release of PS IV, especially after I heard that it'll work more in the style of PS II!! It came out, and I bought the Japanese version (again... 'cos the English version wasn't out yet). THIS time, I've gotten quite good at Japanese. PS IV was the first RPG in Japanese where I ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD THE STORY!!! Yup, highly emotional, I cried when Alys died, and I agree with most people that PS IV has the BEST ending of any RPG (Ys II comes a really close second). PS IV was fun to play, and the story was good, 'cos it was like the game which links all the PS games together. It was a little easy though... but the definitive Phantasy Star game in my opinion.

Which leaves me satisfied, even tho I haven't played the original Phantasy Star. It's quite hard to get a hold on one of those nowadays. As a series, I must say that Phantasy Star has to be the best RPG out there, beating even Dragonquest and Final Fantasy (which excels as individual games, but not as a series...) I'd love to play Phantasy Star, even though I don't own a Master System.

"I wonder what the future holds for us?"

However, this was not was I was going to say. I was going to say that I decided to perform the ultimate victory of Rhys, the first character this time. So in Aridia I saved up for two Royal Needles. Some sweat, I tell you. Then, I remembered that there were some expensive tools in Cille, but I thought it wouldn't be a problem. It sure was.

Do you know what prices they have in this town?! It's way too expensive! In spite of my lonesome and ambitious monsterkilling I couldn't come up with the cash.

If you or anybody else bought Royal Protector and Royal Vest for the cyborgs, etc. in the first generation let me know that you did and what levels the cyborgs reached.

Now, when I first played it and got up to where I got Rune ((my absolutely FAV character in the whole game)) I was like, " Whos...he's cute!" ::laughs:: Yes, I actually thought a cartoon was cute! I ne'er thought that could happen, but poof! there was Rune. His blue hair....his endless scorn of Chaz Ashley ((I thought that was such a loser name!!))....oh, just everything he did I luved! I even run aorund my school yelling things like, "Flaeli!!" and "Hail Rune!". Everyone thinks I'm nutz! But, I'm not...really....I'm not....believe me!!!

OK now....I got really good at the game...but I stopped playing a bit after Zio died. I..::sniff::...felt bad for him. He was like the kewlest bad guy! I also got really ticked off when Alys took the blow meant for Chaz. She should have let Chaz die!! hee hee. Also, what I don't understand is this: WHAT HAPPENED TO DORIN???? I mean, he and Rune go traipsing off to the Ladea Tower...you get Rune...but you ne'er hear of Dorin again! ::shakes her head:: My friend told me that Rune ate Dorin. I hope that's not true!! My friend Zio..((yes, I have a friend who's screen name is Sir Zio)) told me Dorin drowned in the sand. ::shrugs::