Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium | |
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Packaging for the European version of the game Art by Boris Vallejo | |
Developer(s) | Sega |
Publisher(s) | Sega |
Director(s) | Rieko Kodama Toru Yoshida Kiyoshi Takeuchi |
Producer(s) | Jerry Markota |
Artist(s) | Toru Yoshida |
Writer(s) | Akinori Nishiyama Tōru Yoshida (original story) |
Composer(s) | Izuho Numata Masaki Nakagaki |
Series | Phantasy Star |
Platform(s) | Mega Drive/Genesis |
Release |
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Genre(s) | Role-playing video game |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
RPGClassics.com - Providing RPG info on all your favorite games with a sprinkling of personality. Phantasy Star IV Game Genie Codes. These codes are created by and copyright to Tony Hedstrom.Don't forget to visit his homesite, The Code Hut. These codes MUST be entered at the start of a new game.
Phantasy Star IV, released in Japan as Phantasy Star: 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), is a role-playing video game released for the Mega Drive/Genesis in Japan in 1993 and Europe and North America in 1995. It is the fourth and final game in the original Phantasy Star series, concluding the story of the Algol Star System. It was the last Phantasy Star game until Phantasy Star Online (2000), which has a mainly unrelated story.[1]
The game was also made available on the WiiVirtual Console in Japan on June 24, 2008, in the PAL regions on November 14, 2008, and in North America on December 22, 2008, for the price of 800 Wii Points.[2]Phantasy Star IV is also part of the Sega Genesis Collection on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable and on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Phantasy Star IV kept many of the gameplay elements of the previous game, including turn-based battles, overhead exploration, and magic spells. It received mixed reviews upon its release, but has been subject to positive critical retrospectives.
- 3Release
Gameplay[edit]
Phantasy Star IV is an archetypal role-playing video game, featuring the staples of exploration, NPC interaction, and turn-based combat. Like the previous games in the Phantasy Star series, individual characters each have their own statistics and equipment that determine the character's performance in combat, improving their statistics by gaining experience levels (achieved through victory in combat). Additionally, non-android characters have access to 'Techniques,' i.e. magic spells, the use of which draw upon a character's pool of 'Technique Points' (TP), with new techniques being learned as a character gains levels.
Phantasy Star IV has a number of features new to the series, including combination techniques, manga-style panel illustrations that accompany the narrative, and an expanded script.
The instruction manual for the American version states that there are 15 possible combination attacks. However, only 14 were ever discovered.[3][4][5] Occasionally, the 'secret technique' Feeve, a useless technique accessible through hacking, is mistaken for the 'lost 15th combo.'[6] Word of the day apps for mac.
Plot[edit]
Chaz and Alys explore the town of Piata
Phantasy Star IV takes place 1,000 years after the events of Phantasy Star II. After an event called the Great Collapse, much of the once-thriving planet Motavia has been reduced to desert, and life has become progressively more difficult for the planet's inhabitants. To make matters worse, there has been a marked increase in the numbers of the 'biomonsters,' a catch-all term for the strange and violent aberrations of Motavia's flora and fauna.
Keeping these creatures under control is the job of 'hunters'. During an investigation into such an outbreak, Chaz Ashley, a young hunter, learns of the relationship between the biomonster problem and the planet's ecological crisis. The planet is in the process of returning to its original desert state as the climate and biosphere-controlling devices installed over a thousand years previous begin to fail. The reasons behind the malfunctions are clarified as the plot unfolds, relating directly to the events of Phantasy Star II.
Chaz and his allies connect the world's troubles to a cult leader called Zio, 'The Black Magician,' whose aims appear to be total annihilation, not only of Motavia, but of the whole Algol solar system. The heroes stop Zio in order to restore the computer systems maintaining Motavia. However, it soon becomes clear that Zio is merely the vanguard to a much larger enemy, long buried in the past. The secrets of the Algol star system are revealed as Chaz and company discover both the nature of the threat to their worlds as well as the safeguards placed in a time long forgotten.
Release[edit]
The game was released in Japan in December 1993, North America in February 1995 and the United Kingdom and Europe in December, 1995.[7] End of the Millennium was the first Phantasy Star title not to be localized to Brazil by Tec Toy.[citation needed] Sega initially stated that they would not publish the game in Europe.[8]
In the United States, the game retailed for just under $100.[9]
The cover art for the American and European releases was done by Boris Vallejo. Both covers depict Chaz, Rika, and Rune, but the American/European box art deviates from their appearance in-game.
In Japan, the game was initially announced as Phantasy Star IV,[10] but by the time of release it had been renamed Phantasy Star: The End of the Millennium. At the time, this renaming was seen by the gaming press as an attempt to make it clear that the game was a followup to Phantasy Star II.[11] The American and European releases took the title Phantasy Star IV, though the title screen of all versions of the game reads Phantasy Star: The End of the Millennium. The titles are combined to Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium in the Sega Genesis Collection compilation.
Phantasy Star IV was the last Phantasy Star game until Phantasy Star Online (2000), which has a mainly unrelated story.[1]
Ports and remakes[edit]
The game was ported as part of Phantasy Star Collection for the Sega Saturn, released only in Japan. There was a Windows port released in 2004, as well as its inclusion in the Sega Genesis Collection for the PlayStation 2 and PSP. It was included in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. The game was included on the Sega Genesis Mini.
The Sega Ages project planned a remake for the PlayStation 2 console,[12] having revamped the first two games: Phantasy Star Generation 1 and Phantasy Star Generation 2. However, the Sega Ages website confirmed that a port of Phantasy Star Collection for the PlayStation 2 featuring all four of the original games would be released, leaving the previously announced remake in development limbo.[citation needed]
Reception[edit]
Reception | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Phantasy Star IV: End of the Millennium received generally positive reviews, with critics typically approving of the gameplay elements but disapproving of the story and graphics. GamePro praised the ability to inspect background objects, the convenience of the macros and talk option, and the translation. However, they commented that the inability to purchase multiple items at once is irritating, and were especially critical of the story, describing it as routine, frequently incoherent, and derogatory towards women.[25]Next Generation remarked that Phantasy Star IV, 'while still a good game, is years behind.' They elaborated that while other RPGs were making major innovations to the genre in both graphics and gameplay, Phantasy Star IV still fundamentally looked and played the same as Phantasy Star II from five years before.[19] The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly commented that the graphics are mediocre, the music is irritating, and the story is too slow paced, but that the magic/technique system, equipment, and general gameplay are all highly involving and enjoyable.[9]Sega Saturn Magazine (previously Sega Magazine) said that the graphics are outdated even compared to other Mega Drive/Genesis games and that the game is incomprehensible to newcomers to the series, but that 'the game succeeds by creating cinematic moments, introducing new characters and powers, and taking many weird and wonderful plot turns.'[24]Mean Machines criticized the graphics, animation, and effects, but praised the playability, story, and lastability, calling it the 'best pure RPG for the Megadrive.'[8]GameFan criticized the translation, but said the 'graphics are beautiful, the music is powerful, and the non-stop original ideas make this cartridge an absolute must-own for the RPG enthusiast'.[16]
Retrospective reviews have been very positive. In RPGamer, Sepherstein praised the title as one of the greatest RPGs he'd ever played, with 'magnificent graphics, sensational soundtrack, gripping story and incredible battle system'.[20] Parn of RPGFan also called it one of 'the best RPGs ever made'.[21] Reviews for the Virtual Console release were also very positive. Nintendo Life's Corbie Dillard said that one couldn't have asked for a better end to the 16-bit series.[18]IGN called it one of the definitive 16-bit role-playing games, stating the 'storyline and characters are deep and engaging,' the 'attractive anime-style cutscenes steal the show visually,' and the gameplay is both 'classic and unique at the same time.'[17]Tor.com described it as 'an ambitious JRPG that is the perfect end to the series, taking the best elements of each of the previous games and weaving together a 'phantastic' journey.'[26]Eurogamer stated that it is 'epic in scope' and recommended that 'anyone with a fondness for JRPGs should investigate this at once.'[15]
In 2007, IGN ranked Phantasy Star IV as the 61st best game ever made.[27] In 2012, IGN placed Phantasy Star IV at number 59 in their Top 100 RPGs of all time, citing the elegantly simple mechanics and the game's influence on Phantasy Star Online (which they ranked as number 23 on the list).[28] In 2009 Nintendo Power labelled the title, along with Phantasy Star II, as one of the greatest RPGs of all time.[29]Complex Magazine ranked the game number 2, behind only Gunstar Heroes, in its list of the best Sega Genesis games.[30]
References[edit]
- ^ abStahl, Ben (May 17, 2006). 'Phantasy Star Online Hands-On'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018.
- ^'Two WiiWare Games and One Virtual Console Game Added to Wii Shop Channel'. Nintendo of America. 2009-12-22. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
- ^'RPGClassics.com - Phantasy Star IV'. Shrines.rpgclassics.com. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- ^'Phantasy Star IV Combination Attacks'. Phantasy-star.net. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- ^'Phantasy Star IV (GEN) FAQ/Walkthrough by Sir Pobalot'. GameFAQs. 2004-08-23. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- ^'The Secret Technique • Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo'. Psalgo.com. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- ^Search:. 'Phantasy Star IV Release Information for Genesis'. GameFAQs. Retrieved 2011-03-10.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
- ^ abc'Megadrive Review: Phantasy Star IV'. Mean Machines Sega. No. 33. July 1995. pp. 76–77. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
- ^ abc'Phantasy Star IV: End of the Millennium Review'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis (69): 35. April 1995.
- ^'The Phantasy Star Compendium Translation'. Archived from the original on February 10, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2008.
- ^'International Outlook'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. Ziff Davis (53): 94. December 1993.
- ^'Sega Ages Line Up Page'. Ages.sega.jp. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
- ^Baker, Christopher Michael. 'Phantasy Star IV'. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
- ^'Phantasy Star IV for Genesis - GameRankings'. www.gamerankings.com.
- ^ abWhitehead, Dan (November 17, 2008). 'Virtual Console Roundup'. Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ abGameFan, Volume 3, Issue 4, April 1995
- ^ abThomas, Lucas M. (2 January 2009). 'Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium Review'.
- ^ abDillard, Corbie (November 14, 2008). 'Review: Phantasy Star IV'. Nintendo Life. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ ab'Downhill'. Next Generation. Imagine Media (3): 95. March 1995.
- ^ ab'Phantasy Star IV - Review'. RPGamer. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
- ^ ab'RPGFan Reviews - Phantasy Star IV'. www.rpgfan.com.
- ^Sega Power, Issue 73, page 51
- ^Sega Pro, Issue 44, pages 40-41
- ^ ab'Review: Phantasy Star IV'. Sega Saturn Magazine. Emap International Limited (2): 91. December 1995.
- ^'Role-Player's Realm: Phantasy Star: End of the Millennium'. GamePro. IDG (77): 116–117. February 1995.
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2017-06-18. Retrieved 2017-06-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Tor.com
- ^http://top100.ign.com/2007/ign_top_game_61.html
- ^'#59: Phantasy Star IV'. IGN. 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
- ^Editors of Nintendo Power: Nintendo Power February 2009: Issue 2 (in English). Future US Inc, 39-42. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
- ^http://complex.com/pop-culture/2012/03/the-100-best-sega-genesis-games/phantasy-star-ii
External links[edit]
- Phantasy Star IV at Phantasy Star Cave
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Phantasy_Star_IV:_The_End_of_the_Millennium&oldid=917851879'
Phantasy Star | |
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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 |
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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. https://republicheavenly205.weebly.com/windows-8-chess-titans-download.html. In 2003, a remake was released for the PlayStation 2.
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] https://bosslu.weebly.com/clevo-2700t-driver-for-mac.html.
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]
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] https://nthoff.weebly.com/2014-nec-handbook-free-pdf.html.
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] https://republicheavenly205.weebly.com/teamviewer-beta-version-free-download.html.
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]
Phantasy Star 4 Genesis Game Genie Codes
References[edit]
Best Phantasy Star Game
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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.
- ^ abcdefghijkThomas, Lucas M. (August 31, 2009). 'Phantasy Star Review'. IGN. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
- ^ abcdefghij'Special: Phantasy Star'. S: The Sega Magazine. No. 7. June 1990. p. 11.
- ^ abcdefghijMandel, Joshua (August 1989). 'Reviews: Phantasy Star'. Video Games & Computer Entertainment. pp. 30–32.
- ^ abcdefghiHarris, Steve (September 1988). 'Phantasy Star'. Electronic Game Player. Vol. 1 no. 4. p. 60.
- ^ abcdefghGlancey, Paul. 'Mean Machines: Phantasy Star'. Computer and Video Games. No. 89. p. 93.
- ^ abcdefghiGreen, Kelvin (August 16, 2009). 'Review: Phantasy Star (Virtual Console / Master System)'. Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on September 26, 2017. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
- ^ abcdefghijSzczepaniak, John (2018). 'Hayashida, Kotaro'. The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers Vol. 3. SMG Szczepaniak. pp. 325–330.
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacadaeafagahThorpe, Nick (April 2017). 'The Making Of: Phantasy Star'. Retro Gamer. No. 167. pp. 52–57.
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstu'名作アルバム - Interview: 小玉理恵子 『ファンタシースター』デザイナー'. Sega (in Japanese). April 4, 2003. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. (Translation, archived)
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrsThe 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)
- ^ abcdefgSzczepaniak, John (2018). 'Kodama, Rieko'. The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers Vol. 3. SMG Szczepaniak. pp. 332–339.
- ^ abcWong, Alistair (September 29, 2018). 'Phantasy Star's Main Designer Talks About What Went Into The Making Of The Game'. Siliconera. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
- ^ abcdefSzczepaniak, John (2018). 'Ohshima, Naoto'. The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers Vol. 3. SMG Szczepaniak. pp. 297–299.
- ^ abcdAli Almaci, Hasan; Kemps, Heidi (December 13, 2004). 'Interview: Rieko Kodama Feature'. The Next Level. Archived from the original on September 16, 2017.
- ^ abcdeHorowitz, Ken (December 6, 2017). 'Behind the Design: Phantasy Star'. Sega-16. Archived from the original on March 22, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
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- ^Phantasy Star 1st Series Complete Album liner notes. Wave Master. 2008. (TranslationArchived December 14, 2018, at the Wayback Machine)
- ^'Gaming Gossip'. Electronic Gaming Monthly (53). EGM Media, LLC. December 1993. p. 64.
- ^ ab'BEメガドッグレース'. Beep! Mega Drive (in Japanese). April 1994. p. 18.
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- ^ abcde山村智美 (October 31, 2018). '「SEGA AGES ファンタシースター」インタビュー'. GAME Watch (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
- ^ abcTracy, Tim (December 16, 2002). 'Phantasy Star Collection Review'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
- ^'Phantasy Star'. Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on March 31, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
- ^Craddock, Ryan (December 13, 2018). 'Phantasy Star Joins The Sega AGES Line On Switch Today'. Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
- ^'SEGA AGES ファンタシースター'. Sega Ages (in Japanese). 2018. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
- ^ ab'Phantasy Star Remakes Re-released On PlayStation Network In Japan'. Siliconera. August 20, 2014. Archived from the original on December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
- ^ abcdefg'Sega Software: Phantasy Star'. Computer Entertainer. Vol. 7 no. 9. December 1988. p. 10.
- ^'The Hard Line'. Sega Power. No. 46. September 1993. p. 100.
- ^ abcd'Sega Software Showdown: Part 5'. Sega Pro. No. 5. March 1992. p. 21.
- ^ abcd'Phantasy Star'. Zzap! (in Italian). No. 58. July 1991. pp. 68–69.
- ^ abcAdams III, Roe R. (November 1990). 'Westward Ho! (Toward Japan, That Is)'. Computer Gaming World. No. 76. p. 84.
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- ^ 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.
- ^'The 100 Greatest Video Games of All Time'. Slant Magazine. June 8, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
- ^'The 500 Best Video Games of All Time'. Polygon. November 27, 2017. Archived from the original on March 3, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
- ^'The Top 100 Games of All Time!'. IGN. 2007. Archived from the original on December 3, 2007. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
- ^Ahmed, Shahed (February 5, 2001). 'Yuji Naka Interview'. GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 26, 2015.
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