Phantasy Star IV | The Greatest Genesis RPG (Retrospective)

Over the years, the reception to Phantasy Star IV just seems to get better and better. Many people consider it one of the best 16 bit RPGs of all time along with being the greatest Genesis RPG. With that said, just how well does this sci-fi classic hold up nearly 30 years later? Join us as we take a deep dive down memory lane to find out.
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Teespring: my-store-c82b58.creator-sprin...
Edited by: Evan Pierson
Written/Narrated by: Corbin Pierson
00:00 - Introduction
04:40 - Beginning of Story Summary
10:58 - Thoughts on Plot and Setting
12:43 - Characters
14:35 - Spoiler Segment
15:30 - Battle System
18:22 - Exploration and Atmosphere
19:22 - Music
20:36 - Closing Thoughts
23:08 - Outro
#PhantasyStar #PhantasyStarIV #PhantasyStar4Retrospective

[@Taranchule]

The Phantasy Star series doesn't get enough love. I really wish Sega would make new single-player installments. Hell, I wish they would include the Master System original on more compilations!

[@ikagura]

We didn't get any since NOVA and it's still a Japanese exclusive on the dead Vita...

[@farett5114]

Agree, but the new releases depart from the original story too much. Different races from the original, not enough exploration. I found Disney's original black hole had more in common with the original phantasy star story, if you can stand the ".hack"esk soundtrack. I want a back story that explains the "tech into magic origin of the hunters guild". (Hint, pre-Ai "mag" belt clip)

[@justinc882]

Save time, it's just one of the best rpg's ever. This game is 10/10

[@BKazunori]

I might be wrong, but I believe the first Phantasy Star, was the first RPG to be translated to Brazilian-Portuguese... just a trivia for a future video.

[@colos3284]

The most funny thing is that the Phantasy Star 1 one was also the first one JRPG translated into English.

[@cloroc]

It's also the 2nd rpg translated to sign language.

[@fictionalmediabully9830]

First JRPG released in the UK, alongside Miracle Warriors.

[@marcsm2008]

Yup, it was the first RPG transtated to Brazilian Portuguese. Biggest reason why most of us still love it.

[@paulorufalco]

and the PS 2 and 3 also was translated, only PS4 wasnot

[@acidwizard6528]

Rune was one of my favorite RPG characters growing up. The way he's introduced as being so much more powerful than the rest of your party the first time he joins, then being about the same as your party when he permanently joins shows the growth of your team, as well as demonstrates what a badass Rune is to begin with. I always play the mage class in any RPG with that type of choice and my love for Rune kind of shaped my preference although there is more to it than that.

[@dukkemonterier3429]

He is the coolest magician character I've know. Gotta love that arrogant bastard.

[@acidwizard6528]

@@dukkemonterier3429 Agreed. Most of the time, the mage character is portrayed as a stoic, wise, bookworm. It was nice to see a caster who is a brash playboy instead.

[@dukkemonterier3429]

@@acidwizard6528 Indeed. It's truly unique and a great contrast to Lutz too.

[@ChaoticNeutralAnimation]

I also

[@whatareyoulookingat908]

I loved that he was essentially Lutz... that his essence survived to join this ages-long fight.

[@ophidianmind333]

Thanks for this video. Phantasy Star IV isn't just my favorite 16-bit RPG, it's held up as my favorite game of all time for many years now. As for Phantasy Star IV, Final Fantasy VI, and Chrono Trigger being treated as something of a holy trinity of 16-bit JRPGs with a North American release, I would agree with that. If we were to include Japan-only releases, I could agree with including Dragon Quest V as well and I would also add Shin Megami Tensei II to that list. Also, while Phantasy Star IV does deserve credit for killing off a lead character before Final Fantasy VII did that, Phantasy Star II had already done so back in the late 80s. Phantasy Star II was a surprisingly dark game for its time and even featured a story line where a character unintentionally kills his daughter and then commits suicide after realizing what he has done. That was the first time I had ever seen anything like that in a game.

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

It's almost funny in a bizarre sort of way. These days, games are so focused on graphics that imitate reality down to the most subtle nuances of facial structure, etc.... But back in the 80's, we already had games that hit so hard, you couldn't adequately describe it in words. I know exactly the scene you mean in PS2, and even with all the advances in technology and video game storytelling as a whole... this is one thing I will never forget as being truly human, even if it was in low-resolution 2D sprites.

[@dukkemonterier3429]

That was indeed a very dark scene. PSII was tragic.

[@Perdonadoooooo]

what the fuck, didn't know that made me wanna play PSII even more lol

[@horroRomantic444]

Phantasy Star II is the earliest game I remember where one of the main heroines dies mid game. Sega truly was ahead of its time.

[@thenonexistinghero]

I dunno if it was truly ahead of its time... yes, it is pretty significant. But major heroes/heroines dying has been a pretty common story trope ever since stories were invented. They were bound to make their way into games sooner or later.

[@ChaoticNeutralAnimation]

As a child it blew my mind when she died. I thought for sure I did something wrong and that's why she passed. I remember reloading the save, leveling her up (way too much) hoping that would keep her alive but it didn't.

[@coreycann6751]

They all die in the end too

[@SpoonyBard88]

Alys is indisputably THE main character at the beginning of the story. She is the most accomplished fighter and the natural leader. Chaz is her apprentice and steps up to the plate only after she dies. It's the JRPG equivalent of killing Ned Stark.

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

"Your party doesn't give a shit about ominous warnings..." Sounds like the start of your typical JRPG adventure to me! Though since Phantasy Star IV was the game that finally got me interested in RPGs almost 30 years ago, it was certainly a major turning point for me.

[@Jack_80]

finally? i didn't get into them until a friend kept pestering me to play ff7, then i've been in love with the genre ever since. the legend of heroes trails games are my favorite. just started playing cold steel 4 after playing 1-3 all in a row. it's been a really long trip.

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

@@Jack_80 The Trails series is amazing. Cold Steel was a hell of a ride, and I would say that it's in my top 5 RPG series of all time. Really looking forward to the next entries in the saga, which will hopefully come to the US sooner rather than later... Please enjoy CSIV. It's S-Rank awesomeness from start to finish.

[@Jack_80]

@@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama from what i've seen/heard, the trails games are starting to turn towards a more action rpg type gameplay. not full blown action, but like in the middle of action and it's current gameplay. i'm not a fan of all these turn based rpg series switching to action, we have plenty of action rpgs as it is and not enough modern turn based rpgs.

[@pachucodreams]

@@Jack_80 That was the first JRPG I played as a kid, and had no idea wtf I was doing. I remember being genuinely confused and asking myself "What?! I can't chop people up with my bigass sword like Legend of Zelda??"

[@Mattonores]

Neve played it but the colors of the arts are so alive

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

This is what "cutscenes" looked like in the 90s XD. This was supposed to have originally been a Sega-CD game, which means those still shots probably would have been animated...but even as a Genesis title, that stuff still holds up, in my opinion. Even if the game doesn't get as much attention as Chrono Trigger or FF6, the attention to detail, especially in battle and in the "cutscenes", is hard to ignore. I definitely recommend this game for any RPG enthusiast who also likes sci-fi elements.

[@stefanswiss3760]

@@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama the cutscene of PSIV, few games had these to that extent, I think it is a shame as for many games (lets say PSII but it is the case for 95% of the games) you had those cutscenes once in a blue moon in the middle, at the end or inbetween stages if you did an action game. It didn't give you that much to chew on. PCengine and mega CD with animation gave you something else but it was much more work and money to produce and thus it was also limited to somewhat standard camera shots. I think that's a shame that more games didn't take the profusion of scenes of PSIV as an example as with a low budget, you could communicate like in a manga panel, showing ambiances, an artist view of the village in the morning with the team enjoying a coffee and in civil clothes or a night time in the village. Also it is much more cinematographic to see a long panel to make the exposition or on the opposite an intense close up a la Sergio Leone on the eyes to show tension! The composition of the shots are often excellent and I would say that nowadays,in none AAA games, when they make an fmv with the engine of the game, the developpers don't bother themselves with composition... a shame... that makes everything fall flat

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

@@stefanswiss3760 I was thinking about other games from that time period that did similar things, and yeah, not a lot came to mind. Of course you had games like Lunar on Sega CD, but when it comes to cartridges...something like PSIV was pretty rare. One of the only other games that came close (in my memory) were the Ninja Gaiden games on NES. Even though those games had some rudimentary animation in their cutscenes, I still feel that PSIV had a much better overall presentation, and there was more energy and meaning behind those scenes than just the "reward" of clearing a stage in Ninja Gaiden.

[@Nikanoru69]

For 30 years, the first cord of the music for the spoiler section still hits me hard. And I 110% support the fact that once you've beaten the game, you can access the OST from the game's opening menu, so you can listen to songs like #48 Pao Pao at any time if you need a cheery beat you can groove to. Or song #19 when you need a good cry. Or #44 for a slowly building epic battle!

[@TheWaveExistance]

Before FF7 ..... This and super mario rpg are the games that gave rise for my love of rpgs . I remember renting this from blockbuster at least 4 times .. This was also the precursor for my obsession of sci fi .............. then xenogears came along some years after ... good times

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

I'm right there with you. I can't even remember how many times I rented this game before I saved up enough allowance to buy it (it was super f@!#$ing expensive for a Genesis game at the time) but it was worth it. My first honest-to-god RPG experience (other than FF1 which I was not a fan of at the time). I will never forget it.

[@Densetsu13]

Yo, saaaame! I rented the shit out of this game from Blockbuster because back in 95-97 when this came out this game was around $95 CAD which was insane. A few years later I just bought it out from them when I was a teen haha

[@stefanswiss3760]

I too got into RPG through Phantasy Star and I think I am not getting invested that much in medieval fantasy because I prefer the star wars vibe I felt playing PS. unfortunatly since then, I didn't find PSO or Xenosaga to perfectly hit the spot as their sci fi is too clean, I like the rugged look of the sci fi we have in star wars and phantasy star better.

[@JoeyLamontagne]

@@stefanswiss3760 if anything Star Ocean kinda filled the Phantasy Star spot for me after 4

[@TBoneTony]

Phantasy Star 2 was the first (from what I am aware of) to have one of your main party members die mid way through the game. Phantasy Star 4 did it with better random battles that allowed you to see the scene without loads of grinding. Phantasy Star 1 was great for its time but looping music would be hard for those who are annoyed by the main music continually playing. Phantasy Star 2 is great but has tough dungeons you could easily get lost in and random battles and tough grinding. Phantasy Star 3 is good but deviates from the main story to focus on a side story. Phantasy Star 4 is perhaps the best of what the series has to offer with so much being learned from the earlier games to make it a classic.

[@DSan-kl2yc]

3 is also weird in lots of other ways. It's almost the most visually distinct. Not necessarily in a good way. The story seems more spaced out then even the original because it's like they spread it out. It did something cool. But it's an odd duck.

[@PunkStatix]

PSIV is my favorite RPG growing up, and it still holds strong today. It is a little cliche with having one big enemy (Zio), only to find a bigger enemy (Dark Force), only to get a final biggest enemy (Profound Darkness), but overall is still done very well. I only wish they kept these games up instead of going to Phantasy Star Online. Great video as always though!

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

I distinctly remember when I was a kid, looking at Game Informer and whatever other gaming rags where popular at the time, hoping to see something about a Phantasy Star V, only to read about "Phantasy Star Online" being in development... It sounded like a great idea (and it was, honestly) but losing that sense of adventure from the Master System/Genesis titles that was (not even ironically) on a galactic scale...kind of sucked. Nothing would replace the friends I made in the first 4 games of the Phantasy Star series, and I always hoped that one day, something would continue that saga.

[@Darkkfated]

I did like how they gave us a plausible, detailed explanation as to why we keep "killing" Dark Force, only to have him show up every 1000 years. Having it tied to the nature of the Algol Solar System itself was a really cool reveal, in my opinion, and made this really feel like a proper conclusion, with our Heroes defeating not only the Big Bad for good, but also destroying the source of all Evil so the cycle is forever broken.

[@shelterfromcold8620]

Wild Arms did a similar thing too.

[@JoeyLamontagne]

I did like the curve ball of Lashiec coming back though.

[@jasonm7298]

8:17 I was listening to this in the background and had to pause, rewind and do a double take thinking I misheard this.

[@Densetsu13]

🤣😂🤣 💦🤭

[@iamthejolson]

Phantasy Star IV was my first JRPG and I'm still shocked more games don't use the comic book panel style of storytelling.

[@ikagura]

Nowadays it's more like real time cutscenes but this was quite original.

[@tonyknighton4019]

Funny thing is PSO1 episode 3 DID use this format. But many people wrote it off to the point that it went unnoticed because of the change in game play.

[@TrentDan]

Worth mentioning that the more people are in your party you get a different layer added to the music, to add a sense of growth and progress. If you ever get the time, start with one person and add one at a time to notice what I mean.

[@colos3284]

Thanks for the reminder of this cool feature. But it's true that it's a feature in Phantasy Star 3.)

[@notyoursavior78]

Phantasy Star IV was a fantastic game. I had a similar experience seeing it released for 99.99, but then getting it later on when it was only 30 for some holiday I don't remember. The comic book panels still look great today. The music was solid. The game could drag a little at parts but still easily the best Phantasy Star and the best rpg on the Genesis.

[@JanusHoW]

My favorite moment in the game is toward the end, when Chaz (the protagonist) meets the messenger of the Big Good of the game. He basically responds to its command to destroy the Big Bad by calling the Big Good out for just sealing the Big Bad away and then just going off somewhere else, forcing the people of Algo to deal with it.

[@ikagura]

Honestly I'd love to see Phantasy Star 2 being remade in the style of End of Millennium.

[@RengaBeats]

okay.. this is only.. MY FAVOURITE GAME EVERRRRR!!!!

[@rockdesu]

This is the First game to make me cry.... way before FFVII and Aerith.

[@GamingBroductions]

As much as I love FF7 it is a little lame that it usually hogs all the attention when most people think of sad and memorable JRPG deaths even though games like PS4 did it earlier

[@rakaigaming5830]

@@GamingBroductions give me final fantasy 6 over 7 anyday n I love all the phantasy star games even the playstation ones.The genesis phantasy stars are gems💎 imo.Thanks for the great content keep it up my brotha.I discovered your channel like a month ago n have watched most of your uploads lol.Keep up the phantasy star retrospectives thanks.

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

Bruh...that PSIV ending tho... Even as a kid, I can remember how much that meant to me, not to mention what happens to a certain 8-Stroke Warrior.

[@rakaigaming5830]

@@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama FF 6 n PS 4 were the best in NY childhood n are goats today.

[@vsolyomi]

They also killed Aerith before it was mainstream!! Love it!

[@GamingBroductions]

For sure! PS4 was one of the first JRPGs to give us a really memorable death from an important party member. It deserves way more credit for that

[@JannPoo]

@@GamingBroductions And the whole concept of the death of a party member in Phantasy Star IV is clearly meant to be callback to a similar event in PS2. So the series did it even earlier.

[@thenonexistinghero]

@@GamingBroductions If you're interested, there is 1 niche JRPG that has a character death that I'd say impacted me more than anything. That game would be Half-Minute Hero: The Second Coming. A sequel to a niche JRPG that barely anyone knows in the first place. It's so unknown that even most of the fans of the first game don't even know this sequel even exists (it's actually very affordable on Steam and regularly on a deal for $10 or less). The game pushes tropes, cliches and parodying so far that it pretty much becomes its own thing altogether with a cast of very likeable and memorable characters a result. And there's 1 part of the game where it hits especially hard. I also saw a few KZbinrs stream it and they lost it as well. Anyhow, its a niche among the niche... but very much a gem. The soundtrack is also amazing and was composed by an all-star cast of well-known Japanese game music composers.

[@alfasilverblade]

@@thenonexistinghero i have both on Steam and the first one on PSP as well. Did all 3 100% PSP and Steam have different post end content.

[@LordSephleon]

I'm probably one of the rare people who loved Phantasy Star 3. The generational story is something that I never knew I needed until I played that game, and is still something I look for in games (Record of Agarest War is the only other one I know of). It was also my first actual Phantasy Star game, but it was far from my first RPG - I had been playing them since Ultima: Exodus on NES. I wanted to get Phantasy Star 4 when it came out in the US, but I couldn't justify the then-100$ price tag to my grandparents for a single game. I haven't been able to go back to it, having only played a few hours on emulators and otherwise being bogged down with work and other games on my list. Eventually, I will definitely complete it even if just to see the story for myself. I've managed to stay away from spoilers for it, only having seen specific non-spoiler battles on KZbin (usually solo challenge-type stuff), which unfortunately means I had to skip a portion of this excellent video. :(

[@gzsprout]

Try dragon quest 5 for more generational RPG goodness! Romancing Saga 2 as well, but it's more gameplay than story related

[@LordSephleon]

@@gzsprout Those are also on my long list of older games to eventually get around to. In fact, almost the entirety of the Dragon Quest series is on that list except for 1 and 8 (which was the first series sequel I ever played after the very first game on the NES). :D

[@chrisw8069]

It just has to do with the fact that it isn't as connected as the other two games. The walk speed is also terrible to. When I played through it I used a walk speed code to get through it.

[@LordSephleon]

@@chrisw8069 Yeah, the walk speed is a definite flaw.

[@ikagura]

This game had some good ideas on paper and some originality (like the instruments in the overworld for each party members) but it's obviously rushed and not made by the original team. It got diamond in the rough and sadly it never got any Sega Ages treatment that would fix issues.

[@ChibiTheEdgehog]

That Rune and vehicle Music Is all time great 👍🏾. The mechanics where bots repair themselves, regaining HP just from walking, but can't use magic, is the kind of mechanic balancing act that these new RPGs are missing

[@Densetsu13]

The first FF and DQ were my first JRPGs and this PSIV was my third, so it was a definite upgrade. I definitely have nostalgia goggles when it comes to this game, but back in the day before FMV cut scenes were the standard, the manga panels were a God send to really bring the storytelling and characters to life! Not to mention that fast tight battle system (once you know what the hell everything does and how to maximize macros), great atmosphere and that jammin' soundtrack! 😍 Also my 11 year old mind was blown that a main character was actually killed off (this being pre-FF7). You definitely surprised and made this Patron happy bros. Thanks! 😁🥰

[@elijahchacko1226]

There is much interest in the previous titles

[@DragonKingX78]

PSIV my favorite of the franchise and one of my favorite Genesis games.

[@bentanner199]

Please do a retrospective of Phantasy Star 1-3! Even if you lump all three into 1 video. I love the series, and I love the retrospectives!

[@dukedarkwood2098]

One more neat thing about the Macro system is that you can customize turn orders - while it won't let anyone go faster than their speed permits, it can be used to delay a faster character to go after a slower one, if they have something you don't want to have happen until after something else happens. As well, certain of the Combo attacks are turn-order sensitive. Lastly, because enemies WILL go as their turns come up, having the slower person go first can ensure an enemy cannot possibly go BETWEEN two attacks you are trying to turn into a combination. (Nothing wrecks a combo quite like an enemy with just the right speed stat to come between characters' turns. Or, for that matter, your own party members - what if the combo involved your fastest and slowest characters? Without custom turn order - or dead allies - it would never naturally combine.)

[@feiwong3634]

Exactly, thats what macros are for, i remember back in the day i didnt used it and hated when enemies attacked just between 2 combo users.

[@Darkkfated]

On the other hand, having ALMOST ALL of the game's combo abilities "locked" behind knowing exactly how to build the macro that activates it is.. not fun? Like at all? It's literally a case of "Guide Dang It" (see TV Tropes) and many people have NEVER seen MOST of the game's combo abilities as a result. Even those of us who owned the original cartridge back in the day and have replayed it dozens of times.

[@stefanswiss3760]

@@Darkkfated Back when I was a kid I discovered every combo except for the Destruct combo, I went trying every single combination one by one even with healing tech and skills. I understand your point though and nowadays, it wouldn't hurt to have hints in-game, (most villagers don't say much anyway so having an old expert or a researcher in a village telling you with subtlety that during some wind tornadoes, villagers observed the torch of the village being engulfed in it transforming the very nature of the disaster and having burned the next door house. I would have liked that.

[@dukkemonterier3429]

It's mainly important for combo specials indeed.

[@DSan-kl2yc]

@@Darkkfated they aren't locked. They can happen naturally. Macros just make it easy to do. I get that discovering them in a modern context without hint might be frustrating because you're missing out. But they aren't even that useful compared to normal spells. Some are nice attacks but newer abilities become just as good. And wasting most of your characters turns to do one attack isn't usually the best anyway.

[@jeremyswiger2546]

Whoever brings a Phantasy Star V to the table I'm buying your console day 1!!!!

[@ikagura]

Careful this may be a monkey paw wish.

[@michaelfisher1390]

I'll sacrifice a goat for this!

[@JerryTerrifying]

If you make Phantasy Star videos I will watch them.

[@RyanBancroft]

So, so glad to see you giving this game much deserved love. I still remember going to Toys 'R Us as a kid and seeing this game for $99.99 (one of the most expensive games I'd ever seen, right up there with Earthbound, and that one came with tons of bonuses). I kept dreaming of the opportunity to get my hands on it. Eventually I found it for $30 on a steep sale on the original hardware, and had a chance to put all of the hype to the test. What a game~~! I minted many a fine memory with this title, and wondered if it could hold up to today's standards. [A note on nostalgia - I assume I'm still susceptible to it, but I've tested how I manifest it as a crazy busy, fulfilled adult. Let me just say that I've encountered some surprises like trying to replay Final Fantasy 7 (after playing it like 10 times as a kid, and telling anyone who would listen it was the greatest game ever), expecting greatness and chills of nostalgia, and being borderline disgusted by the terrible writing (not to mention the completely nonsense of some of the plot beats). I lost interest an hour or so after leaving Midgar, which was always my favorite part, when the world would open up. So I think nostalgia only goes a small way with me (from a "what holds my interest" standpoint).] Phantasy Star IV was one of the first games I replayed on my Retroid Pocket 2, maybe a year ago now. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed myself. Given how much you've talked about it in past videos, I'm surprised you didn't comment on how fast the battle system is. It absolutely blazes along, and has one of the fastest battle-complete-back-to-exploration cycles I've ever experienced (if you button mash it's a second, maybe two). Also, I know it's silly, but this is a particular standout compared to the previous Phantasy Star titles - the walking speed! PSIV's is easily 3x, maybe as much as 5x, that of previous PS titles. It makes all the difference. The game feels like it respects your time, and the speed of everything makes exploration always feel satisfying. I can't even replay the previous PS titles because it feels like your characters are punishing you with every step. PSIV feels like it was built to respect your time, well before games had to artificially do this by introducing fast-forward features and rapid-leveling mechanics. This game's balance is just unreal. Usually when I'm playing a JRPG, I kind of lose steam leading up to the final confrontation. I either don't finish it at all, or it takes quite a push of will to take those final steps. With PSIV, I flew to the final confrontation, the game ended, and I'm like "what, that's it!?" I couldn't believe the game had ended, and I really wanted more. Not that it was unsatisfying - it was a well-crafted ending, as you mentioned. But I just really wanted more of this game to play, and there was nothing else. It was over and I was sad. I will say that the quest structure was kind of underdeveloped and not really useful (the rewards were unnecessary and not helpful, just money which is quite abundant). I also really wish there had been more to find and experience via exploration (there were only two or so real rewards from exploration throughout the entire game). Besides that, and the too-short length to my mind, this game is borderline perfection. Is it better than Chrono Trigger or FF6 though? No, not in my mind (though I must admit that it holds my attention far more than a replay of Chrono Trigger does, but that may be because I've played CT over 10 times and PSIV maybe 4). But dang it's quality, an absolute treat to those who love classic JRPGs.

[@colos3284]

Most realistic comment. Thanks.

[@ChazTheYouthful]

This is the culmination of 3 games' stories with kickass graphics, sounds, story, and battle systems. It is possible to argue that no other game in this era had the same scope of vision to wrap up so much that came before it.

[@lnsflare1]

Honestly, I would say that PS4's story was notably better than FF6's and Chrono Trigger's, due to it being the culmination of the entire Phantasy Star series' overarching plot, dealing with their emotional reactions in much more detail, and presenting major story beats in manga panels rather than bouncing and spinning sprites. Also, regarding the technique/skill names, remember that, in addition to all of them getting explained in the manual that was supposed to ship with each copy of the game, this was the fourth game in a series where every game used this naming convention, so something like "Nafoi" would have been as familiar to much of its target demographic as "Fire3/Firaga" or "Agidyne" would be to fans of Final Fantasy 4 or Persona 4, respectively.

[@Darkkfated]

I still wish they'd given Party Member names 5 or 6 characters (minimum!) like they did Technique and Skill names. I can't be the only one who abhors having a hero named "Chaz". It still makes me cringe and I love the game to pieces.

[@stefanswiss3760]

@@Darkkfated I wasn't a fan of the name ROLF either indeed, only for Chaz it was not the problem as he was named Rudy... that was an equally lame name to my ears unfortunately. Chaz/Rudy has a good arc but his very design with a round head and his dialogue are detrimental to his charisma. I often imagined since I was a kid what possible scenario would the heros of my childhood be put in in a respectful way, and for Chaz I could never imagine him with a new interesting look or a follow up to his story where he would shine... (I have no such problem imagining something good for Rika and Rune)

[@Darkkfated]

@@stefanswiss3760 It doesn't help that PS IV's translation is... kinda all over the place. Some lines are well-done, but many creep into Final Fantasy IV Blind Idiot/Totally Literal territory.

[@ikagura]

I like that naming convention of having prefixes.

[@gzsprout]

I JUST finished a(nother) play through of this game yesterday. Such a great little game.

[@GamingBroductions]

It holds up very well today still. The pacing of everything from the story to the battles is just executed so nicely

[@tyroneholly9884]

@@GamingBroductions Hey Gaming Broductions whats the song that plays at 24:02 in the outro of this video?

[@JoshuaJacobs83]

Well now I feel I have to try this game.

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

You truly must. You will not regret it. Even if you are unfamiliar with the other offline Phantasy Star games, you will surely enjoy this one. It was my true baptism into the world of RPGs, and it definitely holds with the other greats of the 16-bit era. Even if you don't get the subtle references here and there (and believe, me, as someone who then went back to explore the other games in the series, there are MANY) you will still love this singular title for what it is.

[@RenoKyrie]

@@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama The Phantasy Star Online games are also quite decent Mostly PSO1 Blue Burst(The Gamecube and PC release of PSO1), Phantasy Star Zero for the DS, and Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity for the PSP Theres also Phantasy Star Online 2 + Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis on Xbox, PC(Steam and Epic), and soon to be PS4 at the end of July

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

@@RenoKyrie I missed PSO on Dreamcast back in the day, but played the PC and GC releases for a while, and then onto PSU. These days if I'm doing any MMO stuff it's FFXIV (which I've been on since 2010), though I do want to get into PSO2 in the near future. I miss that kind of loot-based action RPG gameplay, and it would be a good break from the norm.

[@Timeforceletsgo]

I am begging you, please do a whole Phantasy Star series retrospective. You guys rock.

[@marthislobogelido]

I did a Phantasy Star retrospective on my blog and just finished with Phantasy Star IV looking forward to see your opinion on those games too. Btw FF VII is not even the first FF that killed mayor characters FF II and IV also did this earlier. Phantasy Star II also have a mayor death

[@KeyOfDestiny]

I loved this series so much especially 4, I still listen to the 4th’s OST for nostalgia.

[@MylesInfocus]

This was one of my first RPGs growing up. As a kid I wasn't ready to lose a main character like that lol...

[@ChibiTheEdgehog]

If I recall correctly Phantasy Star started development long b4 Final Fantasy. However, due to the fact that it wasn't just a cut and paste of Dragon Quest. Requiring building a brand new engine that included "3D" dungeons. So, obviously requiring more time than a copy paste job using sprite swaps. It's amazing it was able to be completed in time to be only 2 days after FF. Yuji Naka is a God tier coder. This game needs a remaster, not a FF7 remake. All the people who grew up on this game want is a brand new modern 3d engine, nothing more leave everything else alone. This game with the Pso2:NGS engine would be a site to behold. This game was the grand pappy of Mass Effect and I would not mind Sega bringing in some eX Bioware folks to work on it.

[@tonyknighton4019]

They're not going to do that though. PSO makes much more money than you think.

[@RwnEsper]

Man I love this game. By far my favorite of the entire 16 bit generation. Chrono Trigger may be better, technically, but PS4 just made me care about the characters so much!

[@RwnEsper]

Alys is so dismissive of Zio because she knows Rune. She has seen what an Esper can do firsthand so she knows Zio isn't truly powerful. (Yeah I took my online moniker from this character)

[@thefalsehero]

I love Phantasy Star IV. As stated in this video, the game's atmosphere and characters really draw you in and keep you pushing through dungeon after dungeon. The only fault I will give it is that after leaving Motavia, the story takes a nosedive, in my opinion. The reason for this is because the first half of the game, up until the second Zio fight, is extremely personal. Each step of the journey feels like a natural progression from the last, creating a build-up of story and anticipation as everything comes to a head. Unfortunately, after that plot line plays out, it becomes a rather run-of-the-mill "save the world" story. When that happens, the scenes and plots are built with far more focus on just trying to find a way to destroy the big bad guy, rather than the personal missions of the characters themselves. Still, I love it so much that I'm writing a full retelling of the story. I'm also getting it narrated and made into a youtube series (check my channel).

[@ikagura]

The part with the Eclipse Torch and Lassic felt like a filler but you knew since Zio was defeated that Dark Falz is still looming behind.

[@thefalsehero]

@@ikagura Most of the second half feels like filler, which is why I consider it inferior. But it's still a fun game with some worthwhile moments, even after Zio's defeat. So it's not all bad.

[@dukkemonterier3429]

I am sure it was pretty personal for Raja and the Espers.

[@ikagura]

@@dukkemonterier3429 And honestly at the end you discover the origins of Dark Falz in Rykros.

[@dukkemonterier3429]

@@ikagura Everyone had a good reason to stop the evil. Everyone suffered from it. Remember how Raja wanted to prove everyone and destroy the tower to save his people? How Kyra was giving her life alone to invade the tower and save everyone who was falling ill and dying? How Wren wanted to make sure everything stayed in proper balance? Saying that it wasn't extreme personal to them is absurd.

[@chrishunter8305]

Wish I'd had a chance to play this on initial release. First played it in 2002 by emulator and was hooked. Plus it kinda helped I was the same age as Chaz then, but also there was something really compelling about it.

[@tommieveazey7224]

Believe it or not this have got me into a Looking for manga. Voltron was about the only anime that I could watch. Played this before gundam came out in the states 94 I think

[@Shuukuriimudaisuki-sama]

I was largely the same way. The manga-style "cutscenes" were so amazing at the time. I remember when I played PSIV, there were few anime that were widely known in the US (to a kid, at least) but...one was Tekkaman Blade, aka Teknoman. I remember that the Darksaber mobs in PSIV *very strongly* resembled the Tekkaman characters (like Saber/Evil) and that was what got me interested in both RPGs and anime lol.

[@Truth-Justice-Freedom]

Oh my, the BEST JRPG!

[@ViktarTheBarbarian]

Phantasm Star 2 and 4 are great games! Shining Force is also really good!

[@kaiser1963]

Shining force 3 is an underrated masterpiece

[@thechad7643]

I played the Phantasy Star games in order and Phantasy Star IV concludes the series wonderfully. I’m happy the mainline story never got another entry as it would just cheapen what this game accomplished. It’s clear the creators cared a great deal about this game having just the right feel and it’s one of the best conclusions to a series I’ve ever seen.

[@ikagura]

I don't know what could happen in an hypothetical PS V because of the end of IV (unless it's a prequel to it).

[@thenonexistinghero]

They could've just made a new mainline entry set in a new universe, but based around similar concepts and themes though...

[@ikagura]

@@thenonexistinghero That's Phantasy Star Online, Universe, Online 2 and New Genesis.

[@thenonexistinghero]

@@ikagura No, they aren't. They are completely different. That's like saying Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy are the same.

[@ikagura]

@@thenonexistinghero PSO, PSU, PSO2 and NG are all part of the same franchise, just with different sub-series. Think of it as SMT, Persona and Devil Summoner, they're all part of the bigger Megami Tensei franchise with recurrent elements but are more or less all separate from each others. Funny thing that you're talking about FF and DQ because the modern FF games are barely like the classics (aside from elements such as invocations and the chocobos) but are still considered to be part of the same franchise. Dragon Quest also had two different trilogies of games (the Erdrick and Zenithian ones) so they're like separate sub-series but they're still part of the same franchise. So what if the other PS games aren't set in Algol? PSU's Ghural is similar to it with 3 planets and PSO2 is not even related to the Dreamcast title but is still called Online, same with New Genesis and they all got Dark Falz, the rappies, the item names and some weapons as well.

[@allmight9840]

Good work man enjoyed the video 💪

[@morriganrenfield8240]

Thankfully we have two scifi jrpgs coming this year! Hopefully they do well And sega pulls its head out of its ass and makes a single player phantasy start again

[@GamingBroductions]

I’m assuming you’re referring to Star Ocean 6 as one of those but what’s the other? And yes, a new single player phantasy star game would be incredible, come on Sega! Give the fans what they want

[@silverhawk3043]

The series definitely needs the ff7 treatment. 1-4.

[@kidkytes6233]

Rieko Kodama has said she has a story treatment for Phantasy Star 5 written. Sega just needs to give her a team.

[@stefanswiss3760]

@@kidkytes6233 really? they evolved on that? For the longest time her interviews would say that they thought about vague ideas and probably making a reverse shift going after the great light that was not so good. A possible main protagonist called Neta and possibly Chaz being dead but they didn't go further and didn't have anything solid. (well, even with those ideas displayed, we can look at how different PSII was supposed to be when it was about making it with Lutz waking up to be afighter all of a sudden and not a mage with a whole different story, I think they spurted ideas but no work has been done)

[@dukkemonterier3429]

I want Generations IV and well done.

[@ismokemadherb4677]

Always was one of my favorite classic jrpg series . Keep up the great content and keep up the awesomeness.

[@TamMcilhargey1]

Seen this just got uploaded just want to say keep up the good work love your videos man ❤️.

[@GamingBroductions]

Thanks man, really appreciate that! 👍

[@Beodude123]

Such a good game. Such a good video. Thanks!

[@gzsprout]

A recommendation on a future game to check out, tho a little niche, Infinite Space on DS. 9/10, an excellent story, it has tons of options for various routes to attempt, etc. I love mecha / customizable ships in RPGs and that's this to a T. Would be interesting to hear another's take on it

[@gamingwhilebroken2355]

Agreed great game, but hard to get into.

[@chrisw8069]

Shining Force, Phantasy Star IV and Lunar 2 are 3 of the best RPGs of the 16bit generation.

[@hellblueboy4]

I love that you put old cm of the game in your review. I get a surge of nostalgia everytime.

[@nimaiiikun]

a very underrated RPG. i loved the remixed tracks from PS1. I hope one day Sega actually makes a sequel to Phantasy Star instead of making PSO games.

[@ChicagoRetroGamer]

I absolutely loved this game when it came out and I still try to play it every couple of years. Love the comic book style animation and also the story line is super engaging and love the development of the characters as well. Good video!

[@felipecoelho8350]

I think your content is great and the presentation is almost spot on. However, I think there is room for improvement when it comes to your intonation: sometimes I get distracted by it, since it feels more like you're reading a script rather than having a conversation with me. Anyways, your work is solid and I'll stick around for more content!

[@SuperSupersoda]

I don't care what topic you do next, these videos are so high quality, I'll watch it.

[@Brilj815]

Always been meaning to get around to play this series. I was a Nintendo kid tho. But I will have to make the time to play them now.

[@yahoo9957]

Thanks for video. Now I'm expect another Phantasy Star 1-3 review.

[@igable82]

Phantasy Star IV, my favorite RPG and to me the best one that I hold above all others. I have lost track the amount of times I have played this game. Also that scene with Alys can get me to tears.

[@trevor_mounts_music]

Such and underrated game. Love the soundtrack, the combat system, the aesthetic. A real gem

[@gastervooodoooo]

Amazing video! I absolutely love Phantasy star series, and this video make my day!

[@lolizador]

Oh lord, my first and one of my favorite jrpgs, thanks for the memories man

[@roblov1]

One of my favorite games of all time and matches the greatest SNES rpgs in FFIV and FFVI in quality and epic story as well as great, before their time combo spells. Lastly, who can forget the Tower of Anger and Megid.

[@jerppursh7570]

I am so glad you made this video because no one talks about this game for some reason. Growing up with this game normally would make people say it's perfect in every way but you had many of the same points I did, especially on the technique names. Like Dragon Quest has Kaswoosh and Sizzle because those are based on onomatopoeia. Phantasy Star 4 tho... well I mean, go ask a random person what Savol does.

[@ILikePopCans]

Great retrospective, i always heard good things about the Phantasy Star series but never knew why they were good.

[@RedBlueSpot]

Fantastic game and great retrospective! My first RPG experience was Phantasy Star III (and I liked it) so PSIV blew mind. I wish I played PS1 and PS2 first so I got all nods and references. Thank you for a fantastic retrospective and Im looking forward to a retrospective on PSI, PSII and PSIII too.

[@PAINNN666]

Oh. Hello bro. Same story about first jrpg ever.

[@bobbyo5807]

Nicely done here👍

[@nexmeles8023]

Honestly this and Star Ocean are about the only two sci-fi RPG's I really know of that have had longevity! I just got a Mint copy of Phantasy Star 1 and was so happy to find it.

[@shadowwsec]

I couldnt help but cry a bit at some of the songs because i love this game so much

[@victorgagnon5929]

Excellent work -- I'm a big fan of the series and got each of the four original games upon release...they are still in the collection to this day! My interest in seeing other Phantasy Star videos would go in this order -- 1, 2...3...probably not surprising. (:

[@video-luver769]

PSIV was the very first JRPG I ever played to completion. It was such a compelling story, so many great characters... And a gut-wrenching sacrifice. It's stayed with me all these years.

[@murphiverse]

Nice job on the video.

[@andyf3269]

Great video as always! It would be cool if you have a backstory on the cat at the end of your videos or atleast some time dedicated to the cat 🙂

[@aliasv6964]

I'm glad this video was made. I love this game. It's a game from my childhood I actually do think on and play every few years. What made it special was all my friends had a SNES and I was never allowed to play FF due to limits on save files. So this was all I had been denied and finally was in my hands.

[@waynedsouza6412]

"Laughter" and "Ooze" are two of the best boss music tracks ever

[@Fektthis]

There are to many outstanding 16 rpgs for me to say I have a favorite. Getting that out of the way, I'm fairly certain this is the one I've replayed the most over the years. I've always loved this one.

[@iechromefox]

This is my favorite RPG. Thankyou!

[@happosaai]

Wow! I did not expect some anime clips from that first Dragon Quest anime!

[@matthuck378]

I played the first 3 as they came out, but missed part 4 until recently (Steam version for a dollar can't be beat). PS4 is a great 16 bit JRPG, and very much holds up today.

[@bakuiel1901]

Coming back to some of your videos I missed but I only remembered this as the game with the Sandworms for years, we used to rent it. I was trying to play through all these on the Genesis collection but might jump ahead and just best this one

[@Aeis_Kalt]

I've always meant to get back to this game for one reason. There are 2 androids in the party, one you lose as she becomes part of a space station(if I am remembering that correctly), I just want to see if you can give her upgrades to Wren, since you get to keep him.

[@stefanswiss3760]

Nope, There are parts in a treasure chest that she can equip to obtain a new skill, nothing happens if you prevent your party from opening this chest and if you come back later with Wren to see if he can equip it. I made sure to check such stuff when I was a kid in the 90's ^^

[@Aeis_Kalt]

@@stefanswiss3760 bummer. still a fucking great game though. think I bought this one, and Beyond Oasis on the same day. Used to go home after my 10hr shifts and play all night listening to Slayer.

[@thegamersician]

Damn, I was JUST playing PSIV again on the Sega Collection and was thinking about doing a retrospective myself... but I don't know what else I'd say that wasn't said so well here! I grew up with the game, as I had the Sega Channel back in the day... but I never actually finished it. I only finished the game when it was released on PSP (also via a variant of that same Collection) and absolutely fell in LOVE with it. One of my favorite JRPGs- and games- of all time. Sort of blows me away how good it still is!

[@grimsgraveyard3598]

Wonder if this was remastered I'd play it

[@S.O.G13]

I’m going to have to give this game a shot, you talked me into it lol

[@HHog]

16:00 There are no TP-restoring items, for the record. The only way to replenish TP is also by staying at an inn, or by using one of Raja's skills; "Ataraxia".

[@lincolnmarkviii96]

I rented this game back in 1995 at a local video store. I like it so much that I ask the guy if I can buy it. He wants $70 for it. That was a lot for a 14 y/o so my parents brought it for me new at Toys R US and it was $70. One of the most expensive games at the time. Then a few months later for Christmas I got a Sega Nomad because my brother and I would fight over the Sega Genesis and this was my parents solution. Not many people ever hear of the Sega Nomad. I made it my mission to level up to 99 which I know Chaz did. I think I still have the game somewhere and just a few months ago I found the original package and brought back so many memories and endless nights with the Sega Nomad. Definitely one of the greatest RPGs of all time. Thank you Sega

[@collosiamusic3036]

do retrospectives of the other Phantasy Stars!

[@soukai]

I discovered this game on the wii vc as an adult and it completely fascinated me.

[@japanimationman4442]

I think Final Fantasy 2 (the real FF2 that we didn't get in America until the FF Origins release on Playstation) was the first JRPG to kill a party member. Unfortunately, it did so in a very clumsy, repetitive, and emotion numbing way. Funny enough, the fake FF2 (actually FF4) would do the inverse, by fake killing pretty much everyone in the party. It still turned out just as clumsy, repetitive, and emotion numbing as before, though. Phantasy Star 2 (which came out in America right on schedule in 1989) is the first JRPG I know of to use character death as we see it now: a major impactful tragedy that hits hard. I don't even remember a major character death in DQ5... But it has been like 20 years since I played it. Mostly, I remember the marriage choice, which I felt Phantasy Star 3 somehow did a better job of. Do you prefer the girl you spent maybe a week hanging out with about ten years ago, or the girl you just met yesterday? At least PS3 gave you something resembling a relationship between the characters. It's worth remembering that PS 2 and 3 came out before the SNES even existed. And PS4 came out (in Japan) around 6 months before FF6, and having combo attacks over a year before Chrono Trigger. The whole series was ahead of its time.

[@colos3284]

Thank you for highlighting the evolution of certain aspects of JRPGs. The author of the video did not touch on this topic much, only mentioning DQ5...

[@rriggs6547]

Loved this series as a kid. I didn't get to play 4 when it came out though. 2 was my favorite. I would enjoy seeing more videos about this series.

[@Footender]

My Friend across the street had SNES with FFVI and Chono Trigger and I Had Genesis with Phantasy Star IV so I got to experience all 3 and I would agree they are all essential RPGs

[@jackrichardsen9271]

Phantasy Star 4 wasn't first to kill a major character either *cough* Nei *cough*

[@coreycann6751]

Not only did Nei die, but then all characters you play as die after killing the mother brain for the earthlings. Super dark game. Im surprised no one in this comment section mentioned the murder/suicide of the robber Darum and his daughter, Teim.

[@whiteiswong]

Glad this is available so easily on the Sega Genesis Classics Collection and Switch Online + Expansion Pack. And Shining Force 2 speaks to my heart, you have such great RPG tastes |-)

[@reneroy8672]

Thank you

[@inkmage4084]

I was so obsessed with Phantasy Star, it was my third RPG, after Dragon Quest, and Final Fantasy. Years later in my last year of high school. I made an RPG with some friends, based on a comic I drew as a kid. It was sci-fi fantasy all the way, called "Sentient Armament". Was heavily inspired by Phantasy Star, but the gameplay was more inspired by Chrono Trigger, you didn't travel time, but to different planets. We had it looking like Guilty Gear (PS1 GG). It wasn't finished, but I would love to redo and finish it, as I am currently redoing the comic. Main character was a soldier, who gets booted out, as they people aren't too comfortable with his alien heritage, and some think he is responsible for the death of a great hero. He later takes a job as a bounty hunter, but is also the lead vocalist and guitarist of a Rekkr Metal band called, Ragnarok.. His guitar, was also his secondary weapon he names "Violent Resonance".

[@hitkid2456]

I kind of wish there was a game from the Profound Darkness's perspective, like an alternate reality where they won. Rieko-san talked about the possibility of going after the Great Light, well that's just what PD would have in mind... But beyond that I dunno how it would work.

[@1funkylionsfan913]

Phantasy Star 2 killed off a party member, it literally made us back in the day grind for a hot minute at the half way point only to find out no matter what we did a starting character who is on the cover and who was the only claw (bars) user in the game would Parrish RIP NEIFIRST = RIP NEI 😢