A masterpiece...easily my fave PS game. A real gem of an RPG.

I would download this to my wii the moment it comes out i have not played it before but i have heard so much good things about it

Phantasy Star 4 is a classic.

It has everyone thing that you expect out a rpg. It has a great plot, great graphics, great use of cut scences, great battle system and very music.

Phantasy Star 4 is the best rpg on the Sega Genesis. I recommend it to anyone that doesn't own the cartridge or Sega Genesis classics.

Best RPG on stock MD, and good competition for FF6, CT and the like.

I this game hard? What does it compare to difficulty wise?

Man, this game looks really promising! I was wondering though, is it recommended that you play through episodes 1 to 4 in chronological order following the storyline, or can they be played perfectly at random? And won't starting with PS IV kind of ruin the other games as they're apparantely not up to the standards of 4?

just started this the other day (in the genesis collection for ps2) and i'm lovin it... to be honest, so far at least, i'm not as into it as much as i was into the snes ff games but it beat CT and any other snes rpg hands down. this is prob one of the best rpgs i've ever played...

Ill never forget this game! This game is amazing. There are moments in the storyline of the game that to this day I will never forget. Thats how much it impacted me. The graphics, story, the music...its all top notch. You dont have to play the other Phantasy Stars first to play this one...but I remember the quality of this one kinda ruined the older Phantasy Stars for me when I tried to go back and play them.

I've heard nothing but good things about this, and I probably wouldn't worry too much about starting with this one and not bothering with the previous games. But we need a better video for this! I want to see gameplay (battles, menus), not just the intro (which isn't really going to help me decide whether the game's for me).

seconded.
intro videos are lame. gameplay videos is what its all about.

Umm you can just go to youtube and watch more videos of it.

I want this.

I think I'll skip on PSII and III and just go for this when it's released, as the VC isn't getting enough quality RPGs and I want to get the best one possible right now

Never played a PS game before most I was FF but this looks awesome so I'll get it.

@Oldschoolmayhem - me too, think i will give it a go. does anyone one know the rough number of hours this game takes? I love the old school rpgs but i hate getting bored of them half way through which i find happens a lot

One of the best Games I ever played.
You can set it in a row with Final Fantasy 6 JP (also known as Final Fantasy 3 US).
In my opinion PS IV is way better than FF 6

• Macrosystem for Battles
• Combine techniques
• Nice Cutscenes
  and many more...

This is the best RPG what I have played. The best. Musics are great.

This game was too addictive, can't wait for it to be released!

this series has kept going down hill. is this one as bad as 2 or 3?

sorry i mean 1 and 3

to sum up ps4 in one word: amazing. i play it to this day still every chance i get. hopefully nintendo will make the right move and release this, eb, and smrpg soon because my wii points are collecting alot of dust ;x

My thoughts on the game its very good but a few things let it down. The interface is much clunkier than what you would expect to see in FF. I also found lack of information in places (lack of tech description for instance) a bit weird with the fact you can talk to your party (to find out where to go next if you get stuck).

Thankfully none of those issues get in the way of the game too much and it is worth putting up with them. All it reallys means is you have to put a little more effort into playing than you would say, FF.

Also, I find it a little sad some of the wow worthy ideas didn't catch on. The macro system (the cloest you'll find to this is auto battle but it isn't realy the same ) and the cutscene syling (the only games I know of that does the comic book panel style are both SEGA works*). Some games do the find out where to go next thing well but none in PSIVs style (usually buying hints or a log of the adventure)

*-The Project Rub and Rub Rabbits game on the DS and PSO Ep II on the Gameucbe.

Sucks for you guys who don't have a PS2 or PSP, cuz then you could just play it on Sega Genesis Collection! This was the only PS I really liked on that collection. PSII wasn't bad, but was a bit too difficult and time-consuming for me, and PSIII was just boring.

I think I'll give this one a go. I've heard enough good things about it, and I like a game that gos for a more Sci-fi theme, especially in a genre that seems obsessed with Medival fantasy worlds.

I just have to ask, though, is it really Sci-fi? I ask this because I had purchased another game that claimed to be a Sci-fi RPG, yet, after a mere glimpse of some technologically advanced civilization, it immediately strands you on some backwards, Medival planet and it devolves into a generic medival fantasy RPG. I felt so cheated by that game, and I really don't want to make a mistake like that again. So does PSIV run with the Sci-fi theme the whole way through, or is that "Sci-fi RPG" only on the back of the box?

I won't quite be downloading it, to tell you the truth, as I intend to get the Sega Genesis Collection, probably on the PSP(I need some reason to use that thing), but if it's really just a Fantasy type game, I not even going to bother with it.

I'd still like an answer, mind you.

I have the Genesis Collection on PSP, but whenever this game shows up I'll still give serious consideration to downloading it. Phantasy Star IV really is an excellent RPG, and the VC emulation will probably be a step up above what Sega managed with PSP, so--yeah, I'll definitely think about it.

Stop waiting and buy Sega GenesisMegadrive Collection for PS2 or PSP if you want to play this and most of Sega's other great stuff. You get Phantasy Star II, III, and IV. If you want the first, I'd wait for the SMS release, since the only port is on GBA, and it's got some bad glitches, including a save glitch.

If you don't have a PS2, I can only ask why the hell you'd have a Wii instead unless you're running the Homebrew Channel.

Admittedly, Sega Genesis Collection has some slight emulation problems (the only ones I've noticed are sound problems, and the biggest is the lack of speed-up music in Sonic), so if this is your all-time favorite game ever, go ahead and spend $8, but everybody else should just buy that collection and be done with it.

I can only laugh at everybody who's stuck waiting for this right now, when it's been available forever elsewhere, as a hard copy and cheaper too.

For the uninitiated, this is the great finale on the 16-bit system, and it's considered to have aged better than the other three. If you like the series and have no qualms with playing older games, you should play I and II (and if you really like it, III), but most people would recommend you starting with this. They make references to previous games, but it's really ok to skip ahead.

I'm getting the GBA PS collection and then I'll wait for this to come out the VC if I like what I played in the previous games. Sadly I would get this on the Genesis collection, but I don't have a PS2 or money to get one.

yeah, i've been playing this when i get the chance on the playstation 2 genesis collection and i have to say, it's amazing. prob one of the best rpgs that will ever hit vc. right now, i'd say it's my second fav rpg of all time (second only to Final Fantasy 2(4) and keeping in mind that i never was able to find most ps1 rpgs cuz i got my ps2 just recently. in fact i just got my playstation2 specifically for the genesis collection to play this very game and for the 2 mega man collections). I'm enjoying the game even more than I did ff3(6) or chrono trigger. The story's cool, and the music is great (for the most part).

if you don't have it yet on playstation 2, you'll be doing yourself a favor when you get it on vc.

This was released in Japan in June, so it should be coming soon, right?

i dont know this game, but i see lots of positive posts here, maybe i give it a try
i have played PS II, and was also fun, until i got stuck somewhere
i now have plans for games, maybe after i got the others i'll buy this one aswell, looks good, just like PS II

This is a great Friday for us europeans. So much high rated games. I have Phantasy Star I-III as originals, so I´m thinking of trying to get this one also as original.

Great to see another wonderful RPG on "Virtual Console" =).

This game is great. Granted, I've never finished the game. I've got a terrible attention span. Only made it up to the first vehicle you drive. But I did get to the first battle with the main villain, and the events surrounding him were just what you'd expect from an encounter with a main villain (this guy is big trouble). And from what I've seen from the game so far, this game definately is up there with the great RPGs of the 16-bit era.

My only complaint is the spell names. You can't play this game without an instruction book by your side. I appreciate the attempt at original spell names, but I'd rather have my FIREs and CUREs instead of FOIs and RESes. Heck, a few spells and abilities weren't mentioned in the original instruction booklet. (Yeah, I own the original.)

This review makes me regret buying Phantasy Star III, yet I might as well enjoy III before IV comes.... (If only I leveled up better in III...)

Incredible Genesis game! Easily the best of the Phantasy Star franchise. Can't wait 'till it comes to North America!

yup. as i said above... this and mario rpg are probably the best vc is gonna get...

Is this as brutal as 2 was?

@Jiggy37
"the VC emulation will probably be a step up above what Sega managed with PSP"

...And why would that be? That wouldn't make much sense.

Also, PAL gamers who buy the VC version will get a slower game.

All I can say is I hope PS4 is released sometime soon, because I was planning to go Wii Point shopping as soon as possible. Luckily there's Secret of Mana to tide me over.

"Is this as brutal as 2 was?"

Nope. It's the most playable game in the series. Pretty smooth ride. And it's also going to be WAY more meaningful if you've completed PS1, 2, and maybe 3 (which is kind of a sidestory). It sort of plays off a certain story thread that goes through the other games and completes it--definitely a "sequel".

I'm faced with a difficult question. PS4 or Earthbound?

It LOOKS good, but I can't decide. I have a love hate with the virtual console. Yeah there are a bunch of awesome games, BUT YOU WANT THEM ALL! Thank god they're cheap.

@Divock

LOL, welcome to the club man

I might try it out if I can get over my distaste for all Genesis audio.

Might get this but the crappy slow PAL music puts me off. Looks great though.

Do you have to play the previous games to understand the plot of this one? I've never played a phantasy star game but I'm kinda tempted to try this one. If I just skip the first three will I be totally lost?

Really looking forward to getting this one

@soniczelda dude
At the rate Nintendo is going right now, we won't get Earthbound for another year so just get this game

I hated the first two PS games with a passion. The clunky menus and other old school RPG flaws really grated on my nerves. This one is much better, though.

"I might try it out if I can get over my distaste for all Genesis audio."

No kidding. It's not the most primitive audio chip ever made, but somehow that "tinny" sound just gets everywhere and you KNOW when you're hearing a Genesis game. Sometimes it's not so bad, but of all the really memorable game tunes I've heard, relatively few are from the Genesis.

Sigh The worst type of christmas present -- one you can't return or exchange.

You know, after reading the review...I still don't want this game, not one bit.

I'm probably one of the few who doesn't enjoy this game. The beginning turned me off and the battle system feels awkward. The enemies are stationary while your character seems to appear in front of them to get attacked. I'll try to play through the game more, but I almost regret buying it.

Okay, can you jump right into this game without getting confused with the story or should I play the first ones first?

^I don't think you'll be lost or anything. But a lot of plot points will be more meaningful if you've gone through the original.

For best results, play 'em all. The next best way is PS2 and then 4, as 2 is the game where most of the references are made. They really are all worth playing.

I played this game on the Sega Genesis collection and it is worth every point its one of the best RPG's around.

I just downloaded this a week ago and I'm amazed! It is very true to the first Phantasy Star on the SMS.

Agree with the above post. This is just epic. I've been playing it for a fortnight now and am completely addicted. Excellent characterisation, lovely graphics, great music and perfectly fluid battle mechanics.

For RPG fans this is a must

I didn't know this game existed until I found it on nintendolife. And what a great game it is! It is by far the game I at the moment play the most on my wii.

The story is really interesting and very uniqie I think among those countless medieval fantasy styled RPGs. Battle system works and easy to get into, if you are familiar with games like Final Fantasy. It is true though that it can be a bit annoying not knowing what the skills and techs actually do when you want to use them, but the in game operations manual is a good enough reference, and there is also a great deal of game FAQs to be found online.

24. Mickeymac asked whether it is really science fiction or just sci-fantasy, and well, I think for the most part it qualifies as science fiction. The story builds on science fiction elements and conventions. We have planetary systems, ancient alien civilisations, robots, AI, space stations and stuff. However, the battle part of the game is still pretty fantasy-like. You use swords and armor, and some magic spells every once in a while.
However in a good RPG, the story is important, and the fantasy elements there is not very many.

A really amazing game offering many hours of engaging play time!