Difference between revisions of "Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium"
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==Review== | ==Review== | ||
===Good=== | ===Good=== | ||
| − | * The large graphics used in the cut-scenes look | + | * The large graphics used in the cut-scenes look fantastic, the battle backgrounds are decent, and I like how, when you go inside houses, the exteriors match the terrain around them, only bigger. The background tiles, though scant, are sufficient. |
| − | * Being able to talk amongst the party to remind you where to go was a | + | * Though I felt it was a step down from game III, the music was still pretty good. |
| − | * The various weapon types (boomerangs, claws, etc,) make combat more | + | * Being able to talk amongst the party to remind you where to go was a fantastic idea that makes it much harder to get lost in the game, especially if it has been awhile since your last play session. |
| − | * The macro system | + | * The various weapon types (boomerangs, claws, guns, etc,) make combat more interesting looking. |
| − | * Unlike Final Fantasy games, death magic functions frequently enough to be viable. | + | * The macro system helps speed up combat, especially grinding. |
| + | * Unlike Final Fantasy games, death magic functions frequently enough to be a viable option. | ||
===Bad=== | ===Bad=== | ||
| − | * | + | * The game isn't innovative enough for a 1993 game. Although the narrative is much stronger than an 8-bit RPG, the play mechanics are not. This is a bit embarrassing for a released after ''[[Final Fantasy V]]'' and ''[[Secret of Mana]]''. |
| − | + | * There is a bit too much grinding for my taste. | |
| − | * | + | * Adding the ability to inspect background objects is annoying new feature for several reasons: |
| − | ** If there isn't anything of note, you have to read the same text saying | + | ** If there isn't anything of note, you have to read the same text saying there isn't anything there. Except, sometimes it looks like there is something there, and, sometimes the auto maneuvering makes you face away, and sometimes the NPC moves away from you, so you end up getting this text a lot. There is no reason for it. If there isn't anything there, just don't do anything. |
| + | ** There is text for many things, which encourages the player to search them all, but most of the text is repeated. | ||
| + | ** The auto maneuvering makes it difficult to face objects you want to inspect. | ||
| + | ** In the end, this whole system was a waste since you never get any useful information or items from it. | ||
* There are a lot of juvenile sexual references at the expense of women. | * There are a lot of juvenile sexual references at the expense of women. | ||
| − | * I | + | * I would have preferred descriptive names for techniques like fire and heal instead of the abstract names used. Also, the manual leaves out a lot of skill definitions, so you have to experiment with them to figure them out. |
| − | * I wish the NPCs were more interactive. In Nalya, you meet a couple who eloped from Aiedo, and the wife wants to see her parents again, but her husband thinks they will too mad at them. When you got to Aiedo, you discover her parents want her | + | * I wish the NPCs were more interactive. In Nalya, you meet a couple who eloped from Aiedo, and the wife wants to see her parents again, but her husband thinks they will too mad at them. When you got to Aiedo, you discover her parents have gotten over them eloping, and just want to see her again. However, when you return to the couple, you can't tell them about her parents. This would have been a nice side-quest, but nothing ever comes from it. |
* When buying weapons and armor, you aren't shown what you already have, or if what you're about to buy is better. | * When buying weapons and armor, you aren't shown what you already have, or if what you're about to buy is better. | ||
| + | * The combination magic is a pretty cool idea, but the game only tells you that it exists and gives you a single example, then tells you to find the other 14. This is about as exciting as doing your taxes. | ||
| + | * The solution to the carnivorous forest is a bit out there. | ||
===Ugly=== | ===Ugly=== | ||
| Line 45: | Line 51: | ||
==Representation== | ==Representation== | ||
| − | + | Four of the ten playable characters are female: Alys, Rika, Demi, and Kyra. | |
| − | + | Several damsel in distress quests | |
Passes bechdel lots of chatter between girls | Passes bechdel lots of chatter between girls | ||
Latest revision as of 09:36, 1 May 2024
| Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium | ||||||||||||||||
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Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium is a fantasy sci-fi role-playing video game developed and published by Sega for the Genesis on 1993-12-17. It is a midquel which is takes place 1,000 years after Phantasy Star II, but 1,000 years before Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom. It is the last game that was made which takes place in the universe of the original Phantasy Star series.
Contents
Personal
Review
Good
- The large graphics used in the cut-scenes look fantastic, the battle backgrounds are decent, and I like how, when you go inside houses, the exteriors match the terrain around them, only bigger. The background tiles, though scant, are sufficient.
- Though I felt it was a step down from game III, the music was still pretty good.
- Being able to talk amongst the party to remind you where to go was a fantastic idea that makes it much harder to get lost in the game, especially if it has been awhile since your last play session.
- The various weapon types (boomerangs, claws, guns, etc,) make combat more interesting looking.
- The macro system helps speed up combat, especially grinding.
- Unlike Final Fantasy games, death magic functions frequently enough to be a viable option.
Bad
- The game isn't innovative enough for a 1993 game. Although the narrative is much stronger than an 8-bit RPG, the play mechanics are not. This is a bit embarrassing for a released after Final Fantasy V and Secret of Mana.
- There is a bit too much grinding for my taste.
- Adding the ability to inspect background objects is annoying new feature for several reasons:
- If there isn't anything of note, you have to read the same text saying there isn't anything there. Except, sometimes it looks like there is something there, and, sometimes the auto maneuvering makes you face away, and sometimes the NPC moves away from you, so you end up getting this text a lot. There is no reason for it. If there isn't anything there, just don't do anything.
- There is text for many things, which encourages the player to search them all, but most of the text is repeated.
- The auto maneuvering makes it difficult to face objects you want to inspect.
- In the end, this whole system was a waste since you never get any useful information or items from it.
- There are a lot of juvenile sexual references at the expense of women.
- I would have preferred descriptive names for techniques like fire and heal instead of the abstract names used. Also, the manual leaves out a lot of skill definitions, so you have to experiment with them to figure them out.
- I wish the NPCs were more interactive. In Nalya, you meet a couple who eloped from Aiedo, and the wife wants to see her parents again, but her husband thinks they will too mad at them. When you got to Aiedo, you discover her parents have gotten over them eloping, and just want to see her again. However, when you return to the couple, you can't tell them about her parents. This would have been a nice side-quest, but nothing ever comes from it.
- When buying weapons and armor, you aren't shown what you already have, or if what you're about to buy is better.
- The combination magic is a pretty cool idea, but the game only tells you that it exists and gives you a single example, then tells you to find the other 14. This is about as exciting as doing your taxes.
- The solution to the carnivorous forest is a bit out there.
Ugly
Media
Videos
Representation
Four of the ten playable characters are female: Alys, Rika, Demi, and Kyra.
Several damsel in distress quests Passes bechdel lots of chatter between girls
Notes
Tech
- Res - Heal
- Sar - Heal all
- Anti - Cure poison
- Rimpa - Cure paralysis
- Arows - Resurrect 1
- Rever - Resurrect 1 with 1/4 hp
- Regen - Resurrect 1 cure all ailments
- Hinas - Escape dungeon
- Ryuka - Teleport to town
- Foi, Gifoi, Nafoi - Fire fits 1 enemy
- Wat, Giwat, Nawat - Ice hits 1 enemy
- Tsu, Githu, Nathu - Laser hits 1 enemy
- Zan, Gizan, Nazan - Air hits all enemies
- Gra Gigra, Nagra - Gravity hits all enemies
- Megid - Disintegrates all enemies
- Bolt - Kill all enemies
- Gelun - All enemy attack down
- Doran - All enemy speed down
- Brose - Kill all enemies
- Remit - All enemies sleep
- Saner - all agility up
- Shift - 1 attack up
- Deban - All defense up
- Vol - Outright kill 1 enemy
Skills
- Vortex - Hits 1 enemy
- Crosscut - heavy damage to 1
- Ground - Sleep
- Vision - Dex up for all
- Crash - Kill 1 if it hits
- Ray Blade - Damage 1
- Explode - Damage 1
- Flaeli - Damage 1
- Diem - Kill 1
- Death - Kills 1
- Astral - Damage 1
- Eliminate - Kill 1
- Air Slash - Damage all
- Hewn - Damage all
- Tandle - Damage all with lightning
- Efess - Damage all with monsters
- Legeon - Damage all
- Negatis - Air damage to all
- Moon shadow - Sleep all enemies
- War Cry - Attack up
- Illusion - All agility down
Links
Categories:
- Video Games
- 1993 Video Games
- Video games developed by Sega
- Video games published by Sega
- Genesis Games
- Video Game Genre - Exploration
- Video Game Genre - Role-playing game
- Media Theme - Adventure
- Media Theme - Cyborgs
- Media Theme - Fantasy
- Media Theme - Post-Apocalyptic
- Media Theme - Science Fiction
- Software Distribution Model - Commercial
- Video Game Prime Order - Strategy, Adventure, Action
- Game Mechanic - Playable Female Character
