Phantasy Star II -- Part Four

The dams proved to be a challenge. These dungeons have some of the most sadistic mazes ever created by human beings. It took several days of playing, but eventually I opened each dam and flooded the canals on the planet.

But just when I thought the job was finished, security robots attacked and captured my party. We were taken to a space station orbiting the planet, and couldn't attack or use items.

The space station crashed, killing the entire party and destroying the planet entire planet Palm. Our bodies were salvaged in space by an outlaw, Trevor, and he cloned us back to life. We thanked him and headed back to Mota, beaten and unsure of what to do next.

Our headquarters offered further support by loaning us the use of the last spaceship on Mota. It is automatic, so anyone can drive it. Without a second thought we went to Dezo, the other planet in the system. Alis and her friend had done much the same thing 1000 years ago.

Dezo is desolate. A mysterious fog envelops the entire planet, and the inhabitants speak a different language. I had to find the Mogic Hat before we could communicate with the Dezoians. There are two species of Dezoians, one appear to be hardy humans, the others are rabbit-like creatures.

After exploring the space station for a while, I found the two towns of Zosa and Ryuon. I've upgraded all my gear, and the only thing left to do is figure out where to go...

Song of the Week: Phantasy Star II "Mystery"

This week's song is another great track from the Phantasy Star series. This music plays in some of the dungeons I'm trying to get through, and the second half is super catchy.

Rock on, Sega Genesis, rock on.

Phantasy Star II -- Part Three

Read: Part One
Read: Part Two

It was several months since I last adventured on planet Palm. I had destroyed a bio-lab, but the Climatrol system was malfunctioning, and I had to explore it. However, the journey wouldn't be easy because I first had to invent a way to breath underwater.

By chance, a scientist in Kurei was working on just such a device--all he needed was a certain type of leaf which only grew on a certain island. The only problem: the people of Palm quit using vehicles years ago when teleportation was perfected.

However, in the same city some old jerks mentioned a jetski that they used to get drunk on and seduce women with in the old days.

The only other building I had access to was the gigantic garbage facility of Roron. Maybe the jetski was there? It was, and I now had the coveted RPG-boat! Also we ate poison cake in Roron. Good times.

I was using Rolf, Rudo, Nei, and Amy; exploring the mountains required several trips to gain a few levels. Eventually I could pimp out all my dudes and dudettes with the hottest gear. Rolf began to get more powerful that the others... Rudo's laser cannon made the leveling process bearable, but Rolf now holds the edge with his attacking magic, healing, higher damage, and teleportation. This isn't to say laser guns don't come in handy--defense has no effect on a motherfucking laser, so when physical attacks do a measly 8 or 9, Rudo always hits for 50-58.

Eventually I found the leaf, got the underwater-breathing gum, found the oceanic entrance to Climatrol, and broke into the facility. At the top was another catgirl, like Nei. She revealed that both Nei and herself were genetically engineered people (because that was not obvious). Her name was Neifirst and she attacked and killed Nei. Storydeath.

My team avenged her death, unsuccessfully. Neifirst kicked my ass. So I did it again, but this time I removed all of Nei's gear because $$$$ rules everything on Palm. I died again... The third time I was more cautious, walked through the dungeon collecting all the treasure, got to Neifirst, warped out, saved, went all the way back, and--finally--defeated her.

The cloning labs wouldn't bring Nei back to life. They had already done it a dozen times, but somehow they knew she was a bio-engineered person and refused to do the job. This fits with the harsh, apathetic world. Very few people have helped us, and a lot of people have already died.

Mother Brain declared us criminals. Her robots were sent to destroy the team. No longer would I be fighting bio-monsters...the world had changed.

My organization stood gaping in awe. Too afraid to arrest me themselves, and realizing Mother Brain's sinister intentions, they agree to let me do whatever the fuck I want on Palm.

Mother Brain outlawed all spaceflight.

I'm going to break into the damns and lower them.

There used to be a spaceport on Palm.

Continue Reading in Part 4!

Phantasy Star II -- Part Two

I'd been assigned to gather some information on the Bio Lab. My commander suspected something was wrong with Mother Brain. A highwayman named Darum, however, was robbing everyone who crossed the bridge and killing most as well. He'd already tried to killed Nei a few months back. After gathering info in the small, dynamited town of Arima, I found a key and some dynamite in Shure dungeon.

I used this key in the next dungeon, Nido tower, and found Darum's daughter, Tiem. She asked to be taken to her father, after we showed her a letter we had found. The letter was ransoming Tiem, and she is horrifying to discover that her father became a murderer because of her. Tiem hides her face with a veil, and tries to tell Darum that killing is wrong, but, instead, he kills her. In a fit of grief, he blows himself up, ending the first story arc in a brutal murder-suicide.

But Rolf and co. press on to another town, Onita, and, finally, the BioLabs themselves. The experience and money is fantastic, and I'm able to buy several ceramic knives, good armor, and have decent gear for the dungeon. Unfortunately, Amy dies about halfway in, and I decide to press on. I almost make it to the recorder, but then Rudo dies as well and I have no choice but to warp back to town and try again -- this time I succeed and head back to Paseo!

My commander's suspicions are confirmed: Mother Brain fucked up, but currently HQ's best theory is that someone tampered with the programming, which sounds pretty reasonable. They've got some graphs to back this shit up too. My boss gives me a key, and I'm free to explore a lot of the world.

I traveled to two new towns, but not much happened. That means 2 new party members. However, I'm enjoying my current party, and think I'll stick with it. In part three I'll detail the next 2-3 dungeons and describe the two new towns, the garbage heap, and the developing story of Phantasy Star II.

READ ON TO PART 3

Click here to go back and read Part One.

Phantasy Star II -- Part One

I killed Lassic. Peace could now return to the Algol system, but the game instructed me to go to the Governor's mansion on Mota. There I fought a demon, the real boss of Phantasy Star. Rolf, the protagonist of Phantasy Star II, dreams about Alis fighting this demon in the into to his game. He wakes up on Mota. The star system is a very different place than the one Alis inhabited.

The Mother Brain handles all of humanity's problems: from money to the weather. One suspects early on that this power extends towards the government as well. Rolf works for the Mother Brain, in fact, he's its top agent. Right from the start, a tension exists between what the player knows must happen: information about Mother Brain's supposed evil plans needs to be gathered, and what Rolf wants: to do his job as a field agent, go home, and watch TV.

In Phantasy Star, the people of Algol were beaten down, but some of them have hope. In Phantasy Star II, this virtue has degenerated into apathy and amorality. A band of rebels dynamites an entire town and steal everything in sight, and still it remains unclear to me as a player who, if anyone, I should be rebelling against. Probably not the misguided rebels, but probably not Mother Brain either. If there is one thing Star Trek has made perfect clear: computers lack the human emotion to rule people. Still, the question is chillingly relevant, and, surprisingly, Phantasy Star comments on real life more effectively than fantasy-RPGs.

The battle system is greatly improved, and I'm glad to say goodbye to first-person dungeons as well. Phantasy Star II compensates by providing the player with amazing music, easily on par with Final Fantasy 7, Sonic, Mega Man, Lufia, Ninja Gaiden, and other acclaimed video game soundtracks. Usually the battle theme in an RPG is "okay" and sounds vaguely "tense" which sometimes just translates to "unbearably annoying" or "seizure inducing." Phantasy Star II's battle music could roughly be categorized as "fucking awesome."



Sega brings this level of quality to every single track in the game.

I really enjoy the new battle layout, it's nice watching Nei and Rolf slash at the enemies. Battle formations are now varied, and Phantasy Star feels futuristic and exciting. Many genre perks missing from Phantasy Star (moving NPCs, huge cast of characters, dual wielding, etc.) are now, thankfully, present. Sega takes full advantage of the Genesis hardware and create a technical rival to Final Fantasy. But Final Fantasy 4 was really easy, even the Japanese version. You could basically beat it and sleep at the same time. I'm hesitant to call Phantasy Star II "underrated," because it's actually quite popular and I know many gamers out there already consider PSII to be the best 16-bit RPG ever created. I look forward to testing that claim.

Continue reading in Part Two!