Support NeoGAF

[1stStrike]

Hah, so I was right on with Ghaleon. That was... quite a transformation. I can only wonder where he hid all that armor

Really having fun with the game right now and enjoying the story and characters. Having 5 people in my party is great and finally getting more abilities to use is helping to spice up the combat a bit (though I'm so constricted by my MP that I have to be extremely careful when I use them).

Also, I'm sort of glad I bought the soap back on the ship... I got to the bath house and got that "special" cut scene. Needless to say, it was quite a surprise lol.

 

[idlethreats]

Ya, I would even say the PS1 games are difficult to a fault.

I used to think this, but after playing Lunar Legend and Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, I think the difficulty in SSSC is a blessing. Actually having to think and plan and prepare for battling my way through dungeons made it so much more interesting than the cakewalk portable versions.

That was a really special experience recording that particular song. Probably my all-time favorite, with the Cosmic Fantasy 2 closing song behind. Both were just great recording experiences for songs packed with emotional meaning.

We spent a LOT of time getting the intake of breath and the unsteady "is my" at the end *just right*. It had to communicate her uncertain state of mind perfectly.

Interesting. The intake of breath is my favorite part of that song. As much as I like XSEED's version as well, it always sounds just a bit off at the end w/o it.

 

[Esura]

Silver Star Harmony is considered easy? Don't think I ever want to play the PS1 version then.

 

[1stStrike]

I used to think this, but after playing Lunar Legend and Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, I think the difficulty in SSSC is a blessing. Actually having to think and plan and prepare for battling my way through dungeons made it so much more interesting than the cakewalk portable versions.

The only fault that I've seen so far is that, going into a fight blind, you never know what's going to happen. So, you think your party is good to go, and then you have a boss fight where only a single person is fighting or something (this just happened so it's the most recent example) and you don't have healing items on him and his mana is low... so you end up dying and having to repeat a section just because you didn't know that.

But, this is what a lot of games back then were like - lots of trial and error. Doesn't make it any less frustrating, but I'm thankful I can save anywhere in Lunar so at least I can make sure I save on a regular basis. I've not lost more than 10 or 15 minutes worth of progress yet thanks to this.

Silver Star Harmony is considered easy? Don't think I ever want to play the PS1 version then.

The PS1 version has a great story line so far and really memorable characters, so it's worth your time imo. It's definitely hard, though. And for some reason mages in this game (aside from Ghaleon when he was in my party) are weak as hell. They do practically no damage in comparison to the melee guys, which is an odd change.

 

[Bladenic]

Silver Star Harmony is considered easy? Don't think I ever want to play the PS1 version then.

You thought it was difficult? Only part that was semi difficult was the final boss. It's not the easiest game ever but it's not hard at all.

 

[Esura]

The PS1 version has a great story line so far and really memorable characters, so it's worth your time imo. It's definitely hard, though. And for some reason mages in this game (aside from Ghaleon when he was in my party) are weak as hell. They do practically no damage in comparison to the melee guys, which is an odd change.

I love the game (only played the PSP version though) but I don't know if I could handle an increase in difficulty of that PS1 version.

You thought it was difficult? Only part that was semi difficult was the final boss. It's not the easiest game ever but it's not hard at all.

Somewhat. Up there as one of my more difficult PSP RPGs I got. I remember getting destroyed by that one boss on the ship.

 

[Christopher]

Sorry there isn't a "party" to be late too anymore. It was signed, sealed, and delivered when Working Designs left the project. Had the PSP version had my voice actors, better difficulty, and the non gapping music/load time between screens we could talk.

Vic:

1.) Where's our PSN releases!?

2.) Alex puppets

 

[vireland]

Sorry there isn't a "party" to be late too anymore. It was signed, sealed, and delivered when Working Designs left the project. Had the PSP version had my voice actors, better difficulty, and the non gapping music/load time between screens we could talk.

Vic:

1.) Where's our PSN releases!?

2.) Alex puppets

1. Still working in it.

2. All that exist are the seven production prototypes. But that may be all that ever exist. Also, pictures of the Borgan puppet mold master were posted on one of the podcasts I did earlier in the year.

 

[vireland]

Interesting. The intake of breath is my favorite part of that song. As much as I like XSEED's version as well, it always sounds just a bit off at the end w/o it.

It's the difference between doing a slavish translation of the song and doing a proper localization of the song. Our version communicates everything you need to know about Luna's state of mind both in what she sings and the subtext provided by the *way* she sings. The other version is just a translation jammed into the same space with little musicality, no subtext, and no flow. The emotional impact is dulled in the translated version.

 

[TheLight]

Played the GBA version and I enjoyed it immensely.

 

[idlethreats]

Silver Star Harmony is considered easy? Don't think I ever want to play the PS1 version then.

It's definitely considered easy by Lunar vets. I don't remember there being any challenge in the PSP version, but SSSC might have scarred me so badly that anything not as hard as that game seems super easy by comparison! ;-)

But, this is what a lot of games back then were like - lots of trial and error. Doesn't make it any less frustrating, but I'm thankful I can save anywhere in Lunar so at least I can make sure I save on a regular basis. I've not lost more than 10 or 15 minutes worth of progress yet thanks to this.

I definitely cursed SSSC's difficulty more than once back in the day (

Spoiler

the Red Dragon Cave.../shudder

) but it made the game a lot more interesting than the subsequent versions have been.

 

[jeremy1456]

It's definitely considered easy by Lunar vets. I don't remember there being any challenge in the PSP version, but SSSC might have scarred me so badly that anything not as hard as that game seems super easy by comparison! ;-)

The only part of SSSC that's particularly difficult though is the final battle.

 

[1stStrike]

It's definitely considered easy by Lunar vets. I don't remember there being any challenge in the PSP version, but SSSC might have scarred me so badly that anything not as hard as that game seems super easy by comparison! ;-)


I definitely cursed SSSC's difficulty more than once back in the day (

Spoiler

the Red Dragon Cave.../shudder

) but it made the game a lot more interesting than the subsequent versions have been.

Heh, I'm just about up to that part - I imagine I'll be doing it within a few hours. Watching a movie atm and then I'm going to be picking up where I left off to get the

Spoiler

dragon wings back from the thieves guild

.

I've been playing Rogue Galaxy side-by-side with Lunar, but that's taken a back seat as while the combat system is better and more fun, everything else is complete garbage in comparison. While combat is important, I ultimately play RPG's because I want to immerse myself in the world. It's an experience, not a game. Lunar's nailed that pretty well so far, with the only limitations simply being that of the PS1 platform at the time.

 

[Christopher]

Vic can you put the puppets in production for all of your loyal fans for these years? Gallon needs someone else on the shelf to fight with....

 

[vireland]

Vic can you put the puppets in production for all of your loyal fans for these years? Gallon needs someone else on the shelf to fight with....

This would be fantastic, but it's too expensive to do "just because", and we'd have to get rights to do it which is already a pain for just the PSN LUNAR releases. I'd love to finish all of them - Alex, Borgan, and Lucia, but the reality is they will probably stay as they are.

 

[1stStrike]

So, I'm just about to go to the Frontier after playing for way too long yesterday. Based on the way everything sounds, I'm guessing I'm just about at the end of the game. Interesting twist there in the Black Dragon's cave. I should have expected it, but for some reason I didn't and it totally caught me by surprise.

Also didn't see the twist with the air ship coming. That was interesting.

I will say that the repetitive combat was beginning to wear on me a bit by the end of the Blue Dragon cave. I didn't bring a dragon fly with me here and I was forced to walk alllll the way back out, of which I got lost during the process and ended up fighting way more monsters than I wanted to. >_>

I'm hoping that when I tackle Lunar 2 the combat's been spiced up a little. I really just want a bit more variety in the monsters, dungeons and character abilities and I'm happy.

Oh, and the dragonmaster armor ended up being pretty so-so looking, imo. I was expecting something more. I don't think the cutscenes helped whenever you got a piece of the armor They always came across as pretty cheesy to me.

 

[Shahed]

Is Silver Star Harmony the only one I can get off PSN? Via ether the US or UK PSN Stores?

Never played a Lunar game before and always wanted to get into the series.

 

[RustyNails]

Aaaaaaaleeeex. O aaaaaaaaaaleeeeeeex

 

[vireland]

So, I'm just about to go to the Frontier after playing for way too long yesterday. Based on the way everything sounds, I'm guessing I'm just about at the end of the game. Interesting twist there in the Black Dragon's cave. I should have expected it, but for some reason I didn't and it totally caught me by surprise.

I always loved that scene when they come up over the ridge in the animation and the expanse of the desolate frontier is revealed. I remember when playing the Japanese SEGA CD version for the first time I thought I was almost done and then that happened and I realized I wasn't.

 

[vireland]

Is Silver Star Harmony the only one I can get off PSN? Via ether the US or UK PSN Stores?

Never played a Lunar game before and always wanted to get into the series.

Yeah, Harmony's it for now. We're still working to try and get the PS1 versions on PSN.

 

[tiggerkiddo]

Thankfully they can be had for a somewhat okay price (At least compared to other older games out there). I got my nearly complete copy of SSSC for like...30-40 bucks? I so wish I had brought a brand new copy when it first came out.

 

[heringer]

Is the iOS version based on the PSX version?

And how is the game in general? Holds up well?

 

[antitrop]

Is the iOS version based on the PSX version?

And how is the game in general? Holds up well?

I've played the iOS version. Don't bother.

The Sega CD and PS1 versions both hold up extraordinarily well.

 

[DidntKnowJack]

Is the iOS version based on the PSX version?

Yes and...no.

From the rpg fan review:

Lunar: Silver Star Story Touch is essentially a direct port of the PlayStation version. This means that the graphics are identical, the anime cutscenes are identical and the dialogue is from the famous Working Designs translation of the game. What is different is that SoMoGa decided to use the updated music from the PSP remake, which I think was a great decision. Unfortunately for Working Designs fans, SoMoGa also decided to use the voices from the PSP remake instead of the voice acting of the PlayStation game. This is either a good or bad thing, depending on whether you were a fan or not of the original voices. Apart from that, you get new touch controls for your inventory as well as the battle system. If you're a fan of Lunar, want to play the game again, and you own an iOS device, then at $6.99, this is a no-brainer. It's Lunar, and that's all you need to know if you're a fan.

 

[heringer]

I've played the iOS version. Don't bother.

The Sega CD and PS1 versions both hold up extraordinarily well.

Why?

 

[antitrop]

Why?

Because I just got a new iPhone 5 back in October and downloaded pretty much everything and anything that interested me to try it out.

EDIT: Oh, hahahahaha why is it bad, not why did I play it. Well, the controls are bad and experiencing a deep, long, (haw haw), narrative based RPG on a tiny phone screen is pretty lame.

 

[Christopher]

can't the fans release some kind of patch to fix the voices on the iOS version? The music is amazing, but the voices...oh my god.

 

[vireland]

can't the fans release some kind of patch to fix the voices on the iOS version? The music is amazing, but the voices...oh my god.

You're better off just not giving your money to the inferior versions. It does send a message that needs to be sent.

 

[heringer]

Because I just got a new iPhone 5 back in October and downloaded pretty much everything and anything that interested me to try it out.

EDIT: Oh, hahahahaha why is it bad, not why did I play it. Well, the controls are bad and experiencing a deep, long, (haw haw), narrative based RPG on a tiny phone screen is pretty lame.

Eh, controls aren't a problem to me. I'm used to game on touchscreen. I also have an iPad. Not that I have a problem playing RPG's on tiny screens. The best JRPG's last generation was on Nintendo DS.

 

[Lucent]

I found it strange how Nall

Spoiler

sounded so much like a girl (even the face gave off that impression) in the first game. And then in Eternal Blue, Nall ended up being a guy (was a guy in human form so yeah).

Not a big deal but just a little odd.

I'd love for there to be more Lunar games and for them to stay true to what made the first two so good. And preferably keep a 2D sprite appearance. I'd be more than okay with that. Unless of course the budget was big enough that they could do a really good 3D version of the art.

 

[Shahed]

Yeah, Harmony's it for now. We're still working to try and get the PS1 versions on PSN.

I know you might not be able to answer this, but is it a case you'd get both PS1 games or neither? Because as much as I'd want both, the second game would be my priority since there's at least a competent (if inferior) PSP version of the first game available

 

[vireland]

I know you might not be able to answer this, but is it a case you'd get both PS1 games or neither? Because as much as I'd want both, the second game would be my priority since there's at least a competent (if inferior) PSP version of the first game available

It will be both. I'm not going through this process two times.

 

[vireland]

I'd love for there to be more Lunar games and for them to stay true to what made the first two so good. And preferably keep a 2D sprite appearance. I'd be more than okay with that. Unless of course the budget was big enough that they could do a really good 3D version of the art.

Studio Alex was a large part of what made LUNAR special, and when Game Arts sued them out of existence in my mind LUNAR died that day. That's also why all the remakes have been less-than versions in my opinion. A huge chunk of the creative force is simply not there any more. That's why I hope for the best, but believe that the reality is that it will not ever be like it was.

 

[Mihos]

I recently played through this again myself. I get that song stuck in my head at random times.

 

[Shahed]

It will be both. I'm not going through this process two times.

Cool. Well whenever you finally manage to get it done, you've two purchases waiting here

 

[Jarnet87]

I don't remember SSSC being particularly hard at any one point. I think it's the type of old school RPG that you can beat with some grinding, but not a game that you have to grind like a maniac. On my first playthrough I didn't have much trouble until I got to the Goddess Tower and got destroyed by one of the sisters. A couple years later I went back for another playthrough and grinded a lot more and beat it with ease.

 

[Lucent]

Studio Alex was a large part of what made LUNAR special, and when Game Arts sued them out of existence in my mind LUNAR died that day. That's also why all the remakes have been less-than versions in my opinion. A huge chunk of the creative force is simply not there any more. That's why I hope for the best, but believe that the reality is that it will not ever be like it was.

That's very sad. I was disappointed in the GBA port of the first game and I heard that the DS game, Dragon Song, wasn't very good either. I haven't played the PSP version, but the art and graphics look nice.

The first two games on the PlayStation really felt like they had a soul. Whenever something happened, you felt something from it. And you wanted to talk to everyone, including the random NPCs. They always had something funny/interesting to say.

It always sucks when a series that was great is no longer in the hands of the people who made it great and start making you confused with the new games (like S-E and their FFXIII trilogy...).

This series and the first Grandia really felt like adventures. I definitely feel like the SNES and PlayStation had the best RPGs. PS2 and PS3 have good ones but not many have the character the older games do. Feel more like games that are just being made to be made.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Decent game, original is infinitely better. Better music, harder game, bigger dungeons, everything. More like 'Incomplete'.

 

[vireland]

Decent game, original is infinitely better. Better music, harder game, bigger dungeons, everything. More like 'Incomplete'.

There are things I really like and dislike about both the SEGA CD and the PS1 versions. The perfect version is an amalgam of both.

 

[Lumpy Onion]

Been playing this lately. Just got to the boss in the Meribia sewers and got destroyed a few times. Even after heading back to town for armor and supplies I still almost got wasted. I ended up with Luna and Ramus doing 10-20 DMG just shooting at it with my fingers crossed. The moment it died was pretty damn satisfying. But then I realized I had no wing to exit the dungeon, no magic, and had to get very lucky to even make it back out. This game is pretty damn hard. But that battle did force me to reposition my party, which is at least pushing me to try. The lack of stuff like this is why the PSP version disappointed me so much.

 

[Lucent]

Been playing this lately. Just got to the boss in the Meribia sewers and got destroyed a few times. Even after heading back to town for armor and supplies I still almost got wasted. I ended up with Luna and Ramus doing 10-20 DMG just shooting at it with my fingers crossed. The moment it died was pretty damn satisfying. But then I realized I had no wing to exit the dungeon, no magic, and had to get very lucky to even make it back out. This game is pretty damn hard. But that battle did force me to reposition my party, which is at least pushing me to try. The lack of stuff like this is why the PSP version disappointed me so much.

Yeah I remember having trouble with that thing when I went through it. It seemed like I was always just getting by with selling old equipment and getting new equipment. I'd be almost completely updated in weapons/armor, but my money would be drained. I don't think too many places needed grinding but I remember a lot of boss battles being close. I think I liked the balance of the game though. That GBA port was like the exact opposite of it.

 

[Tylahedras]

Playing it right now for the first time. Really fun game.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Yeah I remember having trouble with that thing when I went through it. It seemed like I was always just getting by with selling old equipment and getting new equipment. I'd be almost completely updated in weapons/armor, but my money would be drained. I don't think too many places needed grinding but I remember a lot of boss battles being close. I think I liked the balance of the game though. That GBA port was like the exact opposite of it.

In the original, you just had Alex and Ramus. Consider that for a moment.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

I don't know how I missed this thread but I adore this game. Fantastic writing, story and charachters. My adolescent self also had a huge crush on Luna. What a bitch I was.

 

[Zee-Row]

Blows my mind that the original Voice Actor for Alex was in the boy band O-Town.

 

[antone]

I had the Lunar Silver Star Story Collection and Arc the Lab Collection. Worth every penny. Great games indeed.

 

[ronito]

I broke down and bought the iOS version. I wasn't impressed. The localization wasn't WD's which meant it's inferior as well as the voice acting.

Also I found I largely don't have the patience anymore for the huge dungeons with fights that take a long time. I fell in love the story and characters but I largely don't have that much patience anymore. I've been spoiled.

 

[Lucent]

In the original, you just had Alex and Ramus. Consider that for a moment.

So you don't really have a healer backing you up. Yeah, that'd suck. =l

Almost want to hunt down a Sega Saturn and a copy of the game and compare them. Well, would need the PlayStation copy again, too. A "friend" of my brother's stole a bunch of my games years ago and I didn't get them all back.

 

[antitrop]

I don't know how I missed this thread but I adore this game. Fantastic writing, story and charachters. My adolescent self also had a huge crush on Luna. What a bitch I was.

I don't want to be friends with any kind of man that DID NOT have a crush on Luna as a kid.

 

[cj_iwakura]

^Sorry, I was firmly in Camp Mia.

So you don't really have a healer backing you up. Yeah, that'd suck. =l

Almost want to hunt down a Sega Saturn and a copy of the game and compare them. Well, would need the PlayStation copy again, too. A "friend" of my brother's stole a bunch of my games years ago and I didn't get them all back.

Well, you'd need a Sega CD. The Saturn version is basically the same as the PS1 version.


SCD's was the original, and they're night and day.