Lunar Silver Star Story Complete

RPGers have been eagerly (and patiently) awaiting a PlayStation version of the highly touted Sega CD classic, Lunar: The Silver Star--but why? Lunar may have been hot a couple of years ago (try 1993), but it definitely shows its age with Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete.

Dragon Slayer

You play as Alex, a young kid with a hankerin' for adventure who aspires to be one of the Dragonmasters of old, just like his town's hero, Dyne. Alex takes his childhood friend, Ramus, and his sweetheart, Luna, with him on his quest. There's also a comic-relief character, Nall (a cross between a cat and a bat), whose main function is to revive characters that have lost all their hit points. While she makes the game easier for first-timers, veterans of good RPGs like FFVII will find her assistance unnecessary.

Lunar

Lunar's character graphics contain the same squashed-down miniatures as the original game, which means squashed adventurers and squashed monsters that are a little less than fearsome (some of them even look a little on the Furby-ish side). The magic spells are also pretty flaccid and are accompanied more often than not by really lousy music.

Working Designs did, however, try to add as much as possible to bring this game up to PlayStation speed. There are over an hour's worth of cleaner-looking cut-scenes, lots of voice-acting and music, and a totally revamped icon-based menu system that's a lot less cumbersome than Sega's Lunar. Other extras include a music CD, a "Making of Lunar" CD, and a cloth map.

A Lunar Cycle

LSSSC does a good job of integrating its story line into the action, but you'll eventually tire of the old-school graphics and repetitive fighting mechanics. Several enemies hit you before you can rally your troops, and using the A.I. command (where the CPU decides your battle strategy) is no help--you'll find that your precious magic points are being used up in situations where whacking someone with a sword would've been sufficient.

Another gripe is the exclusion of Lunar: Eternal Blue. Why that excellent sequel wasn't packed into this "commemorative" edition of Lunar is beyond comprehension (it would've helped layer this otherwise simplistic and fundamental game). Even though Lunar is called "Complete," RPG diehards and fans of the Lunar series will beg to differ.

Graphics

Graphically, Lunar is behind the times. Flat battle areas, wimpy spells, and itty-bitty enemies will assault your eyes. The anime cut-scenes are the visuals' only saving grace.

Sound

The standard in-game music is good; the music surrounding the spells during batde isn't The voice effects, which shine in the early part of the game, are not utilized well throughout

Control

The A.I. command should be able to better handle small logical dilemmas such as spell-management and automatically equipping weapons and armor.

Fun Factor

There's a list of other games that surpass Lunar in quality, style, and substance. Even if you're a fan of the Sega CD version, you will find Lunar Silver Star Story Complete only worth a nostalgic rental spin...and nothing more.

Easily one of the best-loved RPGs of the '90s, and on many players' all-time Top Ten lists. The unforgettable characters and classic love story pull you into this tale of adventure and betrayal. The graphics aren't too shabby and the music complements the flow of the game. It doesn't take too long to beat, which makes it ideal for repeat play to relive the drama. Still the jewel of the WD library and a must-have for any Sega CD owner.

One of the few bright spots during the brief life of the Sega CD was Game Arts/Working Design's Lunar: The Silver Star. The game's involved story line and memorable cast of characters made it a favorite among owners of Sega's short-lived peripheral. The game, however, never really received widespread recognition due to the Sega CD's relatively low installed base.

Fortunately for fans of classic role-playing action, a newly updated and expanded version of the game, entitled Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, is coming stateside courtesy of Working Designs. Originally released for the Sega Saturn in Japan, the game tells the story of Alex, a young man obsessed with the legendary warrior, Dragonmaster Dyne. Accompanied by his friend Ramus and a wise-cracking baby dragon, Alex sets out to find the legendary warrior, who Alex hopes can rid their world of an evil sorcerer named Ghaleon.

In addition to improved graphics, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete contains new cinemas, radically altered scenes, more supporting characters and more verbal jousting between lead characters than the Sega CD version, making it well worth a look, even for gamers who completed the original.

Originally intended for release last year, Lunar's U.S. PlayStation release was delayed by Japanese developer Game Art's decision to rewrite the game's entire script. (Apparently, they were never completely happy with a few of the game's minor plot points.) Anime fans will be interested to learn Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete also has over 45 minutes of theater-quality animation, making it one of this year's must-play RPGs.

Lunar: The Silver Star for the Sega CD was one of the best 16-Bit RPGs ever released. Unfortunately, because so few people owned Sega CDs, it didn't quite get the publicity it deserved. Now the 32-Bit update which was originally planned for Saturn is coming to the PS courtesy of Working Designs, and it's looking hot.

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete features much-improved graphics and sounds over the original game, not to mention over 45 minutes of near-full-screen animation (it's two CDs now!). The video quality is much higher than that of the Saturn version (only released in japan), which had a larger border and poor compression. There are quite a few actual gameplay changes as well. Most noticeable is the fact that there are no longer monsters in the overworld, and in dungeons and other areas, you actually see the monsters on the screen before running into them. Battle sequences are more in tune to Lunar: Eternal Blue (the awesome Sega CD sequel), with smarter enemies and a better movement system that makes for more strategic battles.

The most intriguing part about Lunar SSS is in the story changes. Besides many areas being altered a bit (like ol' Black Rose St. in Meribia), some areas are now completely gone (the Lighthouse comes to mind), while new ones have surfaced as well. In the original, Luna stayed behind when Alex and co. got on the boat to Meribia--but this time, she actually comes with them, and from there things begin to branch out a bit differently, for an almost entirely new experience.

Working Designs is already hard at work on Lunar SSS, and expects to have the game on store shelves in August, just three months after the Japanese release. Check back next month when we go more in-depth on this potential blockbuster in our huge RPG blowout.

Those of you who are searching for a good RPG for the Sega CD, look no further. Lunar will be coming to the States compliments of Working Designs. The quest is an epic one, spanning many countries. Hideous monsters stalk the realm, killing countless people. It is up to you to get together a party of warriors to free the land from the ravaging evil.

Lunar is an above average RPG. And seeing how few RPGs there are, this one fits in nicely. The world is very similar to that of Phantasy Star, where medieval weapons are combined with futuristic items. Lunar pushes the Sega CD to the limits with its great expanse of land to explore. I'm ready, are you?

It's the first RPG for the Mega-CD-ROM and it's unlike any other to date! Take your party of 5 on a quest that is longer, harder and more involved than any you've ever tried! The intermissions feature huge characters, which animate as smooth as movie film. And all without the bothersome black screen during data access.

The battle scenes are very detailed, like those in Dragon Quest 5 and the sound...equal to if not better than the Turbo CD's!

One of the most popular role-piaying games of all-time is finally coming to the PlayStation! Lunar: The Silver Star Story is an updated version of the classic Sega CD game, Lunar: The Silver Star, featuring enhanced graphics, fresh character animations, and plenty of new plot twists throughout your quest for peace. The story centers around Alex, a young adventurer who dreams of becoming a Dragon Master. He and his friends must embarlcon a journey to stop the Magic Emperor from destroying the world.

As you encounter the game's enemies (many of whom are the same as in the Sega CD version, except for a few new ones), you'll fight them in typical turn-based battles. However, instead of walking around and suddenly appear on the screen, all enemies will be visible on an overhead map. This will not only help you know when you're about to fight, but also make it possible to avoid conflict if you're low on health. Lunar: The Silver Star Story could be one of the hottest RPGs of the year and should include enough new, entertaining gameplay to attract gamers who never played the Sega CD version, as well as veteran players from Lunar's early days.

The long-awaited sequel to the original Lunar serves up a huge quest that equals about three times the length of the original.The story takes a little longer to develop, but evolves into a carefully crafted tale that builds towards the ending. A great sequel, but Lunar: Eternal Blue can really stand on its own as a separate entity.