This is the 2nd installment of ESP/Game Arts Production of the Lunar Series the depicts the stories of Heros on a Moon known as Lunar, or the Silver Star and how they go above and beyond for their world.
The game was translated and ported to the US by the late Working Designs.
System: PlayStation 1
Rated: T for teen
Story Line/plot: 9
Musical Score: 8.5
Battle System: 10
Graphics: 7.5
Difficulty: 8
Over all: 8.5
The game starts off with Hiro, a young archeologist, and his companion a baby "Dragon" named Ruby in the middle of an exploration of an area known as the dragon ruins. While Hiro attempts to excavate a jewel from a stone dragon's head, he sets off a trap that sends him and Ruby running for their lives, they narrowly escape with the Dragon Jewel. Victorious, they decide to return home to Hiro's grandpa, a respected Archeologist named Gwen. Not soon after their return, strange activity starts up at a nearby tower known as the blue spire. Hiro, Ruby and Gwen decide to go investigate. Once to the top of the tower, Hiro encounters a strangely dress women by the name of Lucia, who claims to be from the Blue star, the planet that everyone lived on over 4000 years ago. Hiro falls in love at first sight and after hearing her story, decides to help her find the Goddess Althena who is assumed to be in human form on the silver star. As they exit the tower, Leo, the White Knight of Althena's Guard stops the group and tried to Kill Lucia off, however, they escape and Hiro and Ruby start to escort Lucia to the Goddess while they have to elude everyone that thinks that Lucia is here for harm.
On your journey with Hiro, Ruby and Lucia, you encounter many challenges that range from little fluff balls that spew fire at you, to enemies that where thought to be dead from over a thousand years ago. You also encounter many friends that have the same love for Lunar that Hiro does, and with the bond of their friendship and the power of humanity, you must take down an enemy so fierce, that not even Althena stood a chance against him.
The Battle system is basically a cross between a tactics RPG and a normal RPG. In order to do basic, melee attacks, the character must actually run up to an enemy and attack, this creating some strategy for how the player should place his/her units. Spells have 4 different spell ranges, Single, Zone, Line and All. Single and All are self explainable, while the ranges of Line and Zone type spells varies from spell to spell, adding even more strategy to the game. The encounter system is much like the Earthbound/Mother Series, where the enemies are seen before you encounter them, making it easier to avoid fights.
The sound score is truly amazing, from town themes to cut-scenes with excellent voice acting. Every bit of this games sound is like gold for your ear drums. the score was so great, that Working Designs included a CD with most of the music from the game with the collectors box set.
The graphics were sub-par at best, the only redeeming part was that this game had FULL ANIME CUTSCENES WITH VOICE OVERS. I believe thats why the graphics had to be toned down a bit to allow such a great story line to be told
The Difficulty of the game is pretty high, an unexperienced RPG gamers will have trouble getting through the somewhat hard enemies. The only place you can revitalize yourself (max out HP/MP) are at statues of the Goddess Althena scattered around the world, and most of the time there are not any near any of the bosses, and you eventually find yourself in a boss fight with less then half your MP. and If you decide to clear out an area of monsters and then go back to heal up, there will be more when you get back causing a lot of profanity to come out of the players mouth. But this task is simple for people like me, why have played a whole slue of RPGs and who looks for great challenges.
Overall, a really impressive game, one that stole my heart with it's plot and memorable cast. I won't lie and say, there was a scene that actually made me cry. This game is a thrilling addition to any avid Role Playing gamers inventory of great and classic games. The box set contains the 3 disc game, a making of disk, a Music CD, A bunch of little standing portraits, a pendant made to look like Lucia's, and a 1/2", leather bound, instruction manual. on average the Collectors box of this game cost around 200$ factory sealed, but I got mine for 60$.
if you want to enjoy a truly great game and one that deserves to go down as one of the greatest games of all time, go buy this game.
