Phantasy Star II
Encyclopedia
Phantasy Star II 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 in America in 1990. It is the second entry in Sega's Phantasy Star
series that began in 1987 on the Master System.
Since its release, Phantasy Star II has gained a cult following and is regarded by many critics to be one of the greatest and most influential console role-playing games of all time.
and in dungeons to advance in the game. However, the game lacked the first person dungeon view that the first game included.
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.
With two exceptions, all of the characters can be renamed by the player at the time of their introduction.
Rolf: (Japanese:
ユーシス, Yūshisu, Eusis) 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 Megid) and even learns some healing magic, although his healing abilities are not as potent as other characters. His main weapons of choice are Swords, although he can also use Knives. Rolf is not given a surname in any version of Phantasy Star II or any of its corresponding official material.
Nei: (Japanese:
ネイ, Nei, Nei) 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), she gains levels faster than other characters up to a certain point, and her ability to use healing magic also comes in handy. Her main, and only, weapons of choice are Bars. Nei is one of only two characters who cannot be renamed by the player. She also cannot be removed from the adventuring party for the duration of her stay.
Rudolf "Rudo" Steiner: (Japanese:
ルドガー・スタイナー, Rudogā Steiner, Rudger Steiner) 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) Amy is physically one of the weakest characters in the game. However, she learns the most powerful healing magic spells in the game (such as Nares and Nasar). But she is quite slow, so she will usually attack last of all your characters in a battle phase. Her main weapons of choice are Knives, Staffs and Guns.
Hugh Thompson: (Japanese:
ヒューイ・リーン, Hyūi Lean, Huey Reane) 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. Later, when the player is fighting robotic enemies, his contributions become less important. 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) Anna is one of the strongest physical characters in the game, but only learns 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) 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) Shir doesn't gain much in terms of offense, but is the quickest player in the game. Another benefit to the party lies in another area altogether: 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 cannot be bought from shops. The items she steals will be more useful the higher her level is. The only catch is that, when Shir steals, she temporarily leaves the party and must be picked up at Rolf's home in Paseo in order to receive the item she stole. Like Nei, Shir cannot be renamed by the player.
and Game Boy Advance
named Phantasy Star Collection
. It was also released on the Sega Smash Pack Volume One for the Dreamcast. 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 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
. 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. On August 26, 2010 it was released for iPhone
.
, a key game in the genre's popularization in that territory. The original Phantasy Star game was a big game for its time, but because of the advancements in technology between the Sega
Master System and the Sega Mega Drive Phantasy Star II featured a a cartridge that held 1.5 times the data of the original's and, in the eyes of many, was 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. Honest Gamers also reviewed the game, giving it a score of 10/10 and praising the games apocalyptic mood and difficulty.
Phantasy Star II is regarded by many as a forerunner for certain aspects of console role-playing games, such as an an epic, dramatic, character-driven storyline dealing with serious themes and subject matter, a strategy-based
battle system, and the demand for extensive strategy guide
s for such games (Phantasy Star II included one with the game itself). Phantasy Star IIs purely science fiction
setting was also a major departure for RPGs, which had previously been largely restricted to fantasy
or science fantasy
settings. The game's science fiction story was also unique, reversing the common alien invasion
scenario by instead presenting Earthling
s as the invading antagonists rather than the defending protagonists. 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.
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. Nintendo Power
has called Phantasy Star II, along with Phantasy Star IV
, one of the greatest role-playing games of all time. In 2011, GamePro
included the game in its "20 Games That Defined Role-Playing Games" list.
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
in Japan in 1989. It was also released for the Mega Drive in Europe and the Genesis in America in 1990. It is the second entry in Sega's Phantasy Star
Phantasy Star
is the first installment in Sega's renowned series of the same name. It was released for the Sega Master System in Japan on December 20, 1987, and then in North America and Europe in 1988. It is considered one of the pioneers amongst console role-playing games, both for its advanced graphics...
series that began in 1987 on the Master System.
Since its release, Phantasy Star II has gained a cult following and is regarded by many critics to be one of the greatest and most influential console role-playing games of all time.
Gameplay
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 overworldOverworld
An overworld is, in a broad sense, an area within a video game that interconnects all its levels or locations. They are mostly common in role-playing games, though this does not exclude other video game genres....
and in dungeons to advance in the game. However, the game lacked the first person dungeon view that the first game included.
Story
Somewhere deep within the Andromeda GalaxyAndromeda Galaxy
The Andromeda Galaxy is a spiral galaxy approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Andromeda. It is also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224, and is often referred to as the Great Andromeda Nebula in older texts. Andromeda is the nearest spiral galaxy to the...
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
There are a total of eight playable characters in Phantasy Star II, each with his or her own personality, weapons and abilities. For instance, Rolf uses swords and Rudo uses guns, while Kain is strong against robotic enemies and Hugh is strong against Biomonsters.With two exceptions, all of the characters can be renamed by the player at the time of their introduction.
Rolf: (Japanese:
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
ユーシス, Yūshisu, Eusis) 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 Megid) and even learns some healing magic, although his healing abilities are not as potent as other characters. His main weapons of choice are Swords, although he can also use Knives. Rolf is not given a surname in any version of Phantasy Star II or any of its corresponding official material.
Nei: (Japanese:
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
ネイ, Nei, Nei) 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), she gains levels faster than other characters up to a certain point, and her ability to use healing magic also comes in handy. Her main, and only, weapons of choice are Bars. Nei is one of only two characters who cannot be renamed by the player. She also cannot be removed from the adventuring party for the duration of her stay.
Rudolf "Rudo" Steiner: (Japanese:
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
ルドガー・スタイナー, Rudogā Steiner, Rudger Steiner) 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:
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
アンヌ・サガ, Annu Saga, Anne Saga) Amy is physically one of the weakest characters in the game. However, she learns the most powerful healing magic spells in the game (such as Nares and Nasar). But she is quite slow, so she will usually attack last of all your characters in a battle phase. Her main weapons of choice are Knives, Staffs and Guns.
Hugh Thompson: (Japanese:
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
ヒューイ・リーン, Hyūi Lean, Huey Reane) 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. Later, when the player is fighting robotic enemies, his contributions become less important. His main weapons of choice are Guns and Staffs.
Anna Zirski: (Japanese:
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
アーミア・アミルスキー, Āmia Amirusuki, Amia Amirski) Anna is one of the strongest physical characters in the game, but only learns a few weak magic spells. Her main weapons of choice are Slashers.
Josh Kain: (Japanese:
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
カインズ・ジ・アン, Kainzu Ji An, Kainz Ji An) 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:
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
シルカ・レビニア, Shiruka Rebinia, Shilka Levinia) Shir doesn't gain much in terms of offense, but is the quickest player in the game. Another benefit to the party lies in another area altogether: 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 cannot be bought from shops. The items she steals will be more useful the higher her level is. The only catch is that, when Shir steals, she temporarily leaves the party and must be picked up at Rolf's home in Paseo in order to receive the item she stole. Like Nei, Shir cannot be renamed by the player.
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 gayHomosexualityHomosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
; 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. - While the tracks in the soundtrack are the same for both versions, the snare drums are much louder in the Japanese version.
Ports
It was re-released as a port in two different forms for the Sega SaturnSega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
and Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
named Phantasy Star Collection
Phantasy Star Collection
Phantasy Star Collection's North American release was met with generally favorable reviews, earning an aggregate score of 76 out of 100 on MetaCritic. Critics noted that although the game was outdated, it still held up with its innovations to the genre. They praised the games' uniqueness upon their...
. It was also released on the Sega Smash Pack Volume One for the Dreamcast. A remake, named Phantasy Star Generation 2
Phantasy Star Generation 2
Phantasy Star Generation:2 is a role-playing game released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and is an enhanced remake of Phantasy Star II, originally released for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive in 1989...
, was released in Japan for the PlayStation 2 in 2005 as a part of Sega Ages
Sega Ages
Sega Ages refers to a number of compilations or re-releases of classic video games from developer and publisher Sega.-Saturn version:Sega-AM2 released several Sega Ages games for the Sega Saturn in Japan:...
. The game is available through Nintendo's
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
service as of February 18, 2008. It is also part of the Sega Genesis Collection
Sega Genesis Collection
The Sega Mega Drive Collection is a video game compilation for the PlayStation 2 and PSP, compiled and emulated by Digital Eclipse and released in the U.S. in 2006 and Europe and Australia in 2007...
for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. The game is available in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, known as the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection in PAL regions, is a compilation of video games developed by Backbone Entertainment for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles...
for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. On June 10, 2009, it was released on Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
under the Sega Vintage Collection banner. On August 26, 2010 it was released for iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
.
Reception/Legacy
Phantasy Star II was a landmark game in its time, the first RPG for the Mega Drive, and the first 16-bit console RPG to be released in North America, arriving several months before even the original Final FantasyFinal Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
, a key game in the genre's popularization in that territory. The original Phantasy Star game was a big game for its time, but because of the advancements in technology between the Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
Master System and the Sega Mega Drive Phantasy Star II featured a a cartridge that held 1.5 times the data of the original's and, in the eyes of many, was the better of the two games. The game was reviewed in 1990 in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
, issue #160, by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars. Honest Gamers also reviewed the game, giving it a score of 10/10 and praising the games apocalyptic mood and difficulty.
Phantasy Star II is regarded by many as a forerunner for certain aspects of console role-playing games, such as an an epic, dramatic, character-driven storyline dealing with serious themes and subject matter, a strategy-based
Tactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
battle system, and the demand for extensive strategy guide
Strategy guide
Strategy guides are instruction books that contain hints or complete solutions to specific video games. The line between strategy guides and walkthroughs is somewhat blurred, with the former often containing or being written around the latter. Strategy guides are often published in print, both in...
s for such games (Phantasy Star II included one with the game itself). Phantasy Star IIs purely science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
setting was also a major departure for RPGs, which had previously been largely restricted to fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
or science fantasy
Science fantasy
Science fantasy is a mixed genre within speculative fiction drawing elements from both science fiction and fantasy. Although in some terms of its portrayal in recent media products it can be defined as instead of being a mixed genre of science fiction and fantasy it is instead a mixing of the...
settings. The game's science fiction story was also unique, reversing the common alien invasion
Alien invasion
The alien invasion is a common theme in science fiction stories and film, in which extraterrestrial life invades Earth either to exterminate and supplant human life, enslave it under a colonial system, harvest humans for food, steal the planet's resources, or destroy the planet altogether.The...
scenario by instead presenting Earthling
Earthling
Earthling is a term commonly used in science fiction to identify humans as opposed to extraterrestrials. The literary effect aimed for is a distancing effect, inviting the readers to contemplate their own species as it might be seen from an external point of view...
s as the invading antagonists rather than the defending protagonists. The game's strong characterization, and use of self-discovery
Journey of self-discovery
The term "journey of self-discovery" refers to a travel, pilgrimage, or series of events whereby a person attempts to determine how they feel, personally, about spiritual issues...
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
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series.
It has made a number of "Greatest Game of all Time" lists: it was number 97 on EGM's
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
list of The 200 Greatest Games of Their Time, and in August 2005 it was inducted into GameSpot's
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
Greatest Games of All Time list. Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
has called Phantasy Star II, along with Phantasy Star IV
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium
is a console roleplaying game released in 1993 for the Mega Drive in Japan and in 1995 for the Sega Genesis in North America. It is the fourth and final game in the original Phantasy Star series, concluding the story of the Algol Star System...
, one of the greatest role-playing games of all time. In 2011, GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
included the game in its "20 Games That Defined Role-Playing Games" list.
External links
- Phantasy Star Cave's Phantasy Star II section
- Phantasy-star.net's guides (includes original manual and complete script)
- RPGclassics.com's guides and item lists for Phantasy Star II
- FantasyAnime.com's guides (includes screen captures, art scans, music and downloads)
- Nintendo Virtual Console Virtual console homepage