Sega's Phirst Phantasy

Although Sega had an 8-bit video game console in the 1980s in the form of the Master System, it would not reach the success of the rival Nintendo Entertainment System. However, there were maybe a handful of notable titles for the console, among them the original Phantasy Star, which would be the first Japanese RPG released in North America. It would see several rereleases, including a remake for the PlayStation 2 that would remain in Japan. The Sega Ages series would find its way to the Nintendo Switch, with the latest version of the game being Sega Ages: Phantasy Star.

The debut of the science-fiction RPG saga opens with protagonist Alis mourning the demise of her brother Nero at the hands of the forces of the evil Lassic, King of the Algol star system. Alis vows vengeance and gathers three companions. These include the feline Myau, the warrior Odin, and the magician Noah, with whom she traverses three habitable planets to gather the resources necessary to confront Lassic. The futuristic setting was distinct in the world of RPGs at the time, with a few anime cutscenes as well, not to mention a good twist during the ending. However, story scenes are few and far between, and the direction on how to advance the narrative is frequently poor.

The original Phantasy Star was released when the North American branches of Japanese video game corporations cared not about the quality of the translations of whatever games saw daylight beyond Japan. Unfortunately, the Switch version retains the same sloppy localization job as the Master System incarnation. The translators, for one, limited the names of the playable party members to four characters, with conventions that would become inconsistent throughout sequels. These include Noah instead of Lutz, with the item and spell names suffering the same fate. The dialogue is equally sloppy, with Engrish like “First Food Shop.” Even the English versions of titles such as the rival Dragon Warrior had more care given to translation, so Sega could have done the same for their flagship RPG, or the team in charge of porting the game could have easily improved it, if possible.

In the Switch Sega Ages release, the player can choose between playing the original version or the updated Ages version with contemporary interface upgrades such as rebalanced difficulty, a pause menu showing item and spell effects, and automaps for the first-person dungeons. However, players cannot toggle between the maps of different floors, which would have been nice given that one can still find it easy to get lost in them. Furthermore, the three planetary overworlds still lack maps, and the direction on advancing the central storyline, as mentioned, is often poor, necessitating the internet. Still, there are positives, among them the retained in-game ability to record progress anywhere, and things are not too bad regarding control.

Battles in Phantasy Star are random, with Alis at first fighting alone. However, she gets her mentioned allies, combat consisting entirely of foes of the same type. Each character can attack with their equipped weapon, use an MP-consuming spell, use an item from the inventory, attempt to talk with the enemies or attempt escape, which, true to classic Japanese RPG fashion, can fail. However, a weapon Noah can wield, the Wand (with players needing a spare one in their inventory), can guarantee retreat. Once the player has inputted commands for their characters, they and the enemy exchange commands in whatever order the random number gods dictate, with annoyances such as healing for characters low on HP coming too late.

Luckily, the pace of combat tends to be swift, with victory netting all characters still alive experience for occasional leveling and a treasure chest that the player can either open or leave behind. Chests contain money, sometimes an item, but some may be trapped. Other quirks exist, like Odin being able to equip firearms that damage all foes for a fixed amount and tend to do more damage than his most powerful axe late in the game. The game mechanics, overall, work well, aside from the mentioned issue with the turn order and some late-game stretches without healing opportunities.

The Sega Ages version of Phantasy Star utilizes FM synthesizer music, beginning with a catchy title screen theme; other notable tracks include the cave and tower themes. However, the sound effects are primitive and repetitive, at times screechy.

The visuals were in many respects ahead of their time for an 8-bit RPG, given the occasional still anime cutscenes and animate monsters in combat, although reskins abound of both the enemies and dungeons. The colors, character designs, and environments also contain pleasing designs, but the graphics show their age.

Finally, with the assistance of the internet, one can finish the game in as little as nine hours. However, those without external references will easily find playtime higher. The lasting appeal is not high, aside from completing the enemy compendium.

Ultimately, the Switch version of Phantasy Star does a decent job bringing the Master System classic to contemporary audiences, especially with its quality-of-life improvements such as the dungeon automaps and pause menu highlighting item and spell effects. Other aspects, including the game mechanics, soundtrack, and narrative scenes, are notable. However, not everything has aged well, given the poor quality of the translation, the weak direction in advancing the central storyline, and the various visual issues. Regardless, Nintendo Switch owners can check it out for a reasonable price. With the assistance of a walkthrough, it can be an enjoyable piece of video game history.

This review is based on a playthrough of the Ages version of the game.