Top 20 Best RPG Series of All Time

#7. – Phantasy Star

# of Good Games in the Franchise: 3

Active: No

Phantasy Star was Sega’s answer to Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. The first title was released worldwide for the Sega Master System. Since then it has been included in multiple compilations and even a generations remake on the PlayStation 2. Phantasy Star II was darker in tone when it released on the Sega Genesis, but is my favorite game in the franchise. It too has been re-released and even remade. The third title was made by a different developer and it really shows. The battle system, graphics, and story just aren’t up to par. Sega redeemed themselves with the fourth and final iteration in the series. This tied up all of the loose ends for the overarching story and has one of the best battle systems in any Japanese RPG.

This is another franchise I was late to the party with. The first Phantasy Star is an absolute treat to play even today, but it’s confusing, vague, and very difficult. Phantasy Star II is even more difficult but ditches the first person dungeons for a more traditional experience. The story is one of the best I’ve ever experienced in a video game. I’m not a fan of Phantasy Star III and consider it the only bad installment. It’s still worth playing for the generation system alone, and the ways in which this affects the story is really interesting. Phantasy Star IV is the most accessible of the bunch and an absolute blast to play even now. It’s a shame that Sega didn’t continue the mainline games and instead shot off into the realm of online (even though these too are great games).

The Best Way to Play:

I don’t recommend playing the first Phantasy Star on the original hardware. I also don’t recommend the remake because it loses something in translation. Instead, check out the Sega Ages version on the Nintendo Switch. The quality of life additions (such as an in-dungeon map) take away a lot of the frustration. Phantasy Star II hasn’t had this kind of treatment so any re-release (or the original version is fine). The same goes for parts 3 and 4. They’re all worth playing to reach the summation of the story that is Phantasy Star IV, and I fully recommend checking this franchise out if you haven’t already.