What RPG are you playing right now?

[SNESdrunk]

About to jump into Soul Blazer... that kinda sorta counts, right?

[BoneSnapDeez]

Yeah, it's an action-RPG. You're fine. No ban this time.

[Kidpanda]

Now revisiting the original Phantasy Star on SMS.

This is what I'm still on, flying through it at a brisk pace surprisingly. Play about two hours a night before I go to bed. Heading to a dungeon to get one of the last weapons and collecting the rest of the top gear for everyone. God this game is still stunning after all these years. Even my wife was impressed by the graphics and FM tunes.

[MrPopo]

Now revisiting the original Phantasy Star on SMS.

This is what I'm still on, flying through it at a brisk pace surprisingly. Play about two hours a night before I go to bed. Heading to a dungeon to get one of the last weapons and collecting the rest of the top gear for everyone. God this game is still stunning after all these years. Even my wife was impressed by the graphics and FM tunes.

The game is almost ruined by the zombies with their minute long attack animation.

[Exhuminator]

God this game is still stunning after all these years. Even my wife was impressed by the graphics and FM tunes.

Yes. Yes it is.

I had the fortune/misfortune of having this game when it first released in the USA. It was my very first JRPG. On one hand it was utterly amazing and blew me away as a kid. On the other hand, it wasn't until 16-bit JRPGs started coming out that I was actually impressed with the genre again.

[Sarge]

Did you play Dragon Warrior III or IV during that time? I still think they compare very favorably. Phantasy Star was amazing, though, no question. I really do need to sit down and finish it.

The timing on the releases surely didn't help here in the States. DWIII and PS were only separated by two months in Japan.

(Also, the animated monsters and 3D dungeons were cool flourishes on the game. Probably not something the NES would have been able to do at the time both games were released.)

[BoneSnapDeez]

so sexy

[Nemoide]

I've only played the GBC version of Dragon Warrior III but it managed to dethrone Phantasy Star as my favorite 8-bit RPG. (I played the DS version of DQIV and liked it lots but not quite as much.) But Phantasy Star is still something pretty special. The story, the world, the graphics, and the music are all really great for an 8-bit game. Unfortunately some of those dungeons got seriously annoying, sometimes it was tough to figure out where to go next, and I remember a LOT of monotonous grinding RIGHT AT THE START of the game.

I think it's a shame the Playstation 2 remake never got a translation, I've always been curious about it. But I've been feeling like I'd like to revist the original for a while; maybe I'll actually do that at some point. I wish I could play with the FM soundtrack without resorting to emulation or playing it in Japanese...

[BoneSnapDeez]

I have the PS2 remake of Phantasy Star II. Haven't played it much but it looks great. I plan on getting all the Phantasy Star and Ys games on PS2 eventually.....

[Exhuminator]

Did you play Dragon Warrior III or IV during that time? I still think they compare very favorably.

I rented them. I don't think they compare favorably from an audio/visual perspective, but from a scope of content perspective, perhaps.

sometimes it was tough to figure out where to go next, and I remember a LOT of monotonous grinding RIGHT AT THE START of the game.

To be fair, these were common problems across the genre during that era.

I think it's a shame the Playstation 2 remake never got a translation

Oh but it did...

http://www.pscave.com/psg1/download/

Screenshots:

My only complaint about the PS2 remake's changes is that I don't think the music is as good as the original.