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My History with the Phantasy Star Series.

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(I posted this in the hangout previously. I have fleshed it out a bit and posted it here for posterity.)


The Phantasy Star series was a huge part of my childhood. I spent countless hours playing PS 2, 3, and 4 in my youth. The characters and setting had a big impact on me growing up. Plus the fact that it's one of my father's favorite RPG series too has allowed us to really bond over the years.

I still remember the Christmas when my mother got my dad a Sega Genesis. He also received Phantasy Star III with it as well. Which was our first exposure to the series. I had never played an RPG of that size and scope. Going through three whole generations of characters. Finding out what you thought was just a planet, was really a gigantic space ship. Then finally facing the evil Dark Force and ultimately vanquishing him. My dad and I, having finally conquering that game in every which way. Had to find out more about the origins of the series. So my dad picked up Phantasy Star II at a local used game store.

Suffice to say, we were blown away. Having been used to the third one we were surprised at how different the previous one was. The enormous world, the unique Sci-fi setting. With just a bit of the med-evil thrown in for good measure. Swords and sorcery, cyborgs and machinery, I was floored. Not to mention the intense challenge, and my first exposure to a main character's permanent death. Which still saddens me to this day when I think about it. Then, just when I thought I had explored every inch of the world. I was surprised to find out there was a whole other world to explore. It took me over a year to finally finish it, since we never had the packed-in strategy guide. After that it was years until I played another Phantasy Star game...

Phantasy Star IV came out years later. Unfortunately at the time of it's release it was ~$100. Way more than a 12 year old boy could afford. So while I dreamt of playing it. It was well beyond my current grasp. That summer I decided to take part in the 1992 Blockbuster video game championship. I had competed in the previous year's competition. Unfortunately I only finished in the top ten. Long story short I won the '92 competition, and became the store champion for the Genesis. My award, was a years worth of free video game rentals. The first game I rented was of course Phantasy Star IV!

I loved the previous two games in the series, but nothing could prepare me for the epicness that was the fourth and final game in the series. Until then I had never experienced a game of that depth, both of setting and character. So many moments of excitement exploring many worlds and fighting many strange enemies and powerful bosses. Yet I also experienced tragedy yet again with another surprising permanent death of a main character. I played that game non-stop 12 hours a day for three days straight. Finally finishing it in the final hours of the third day. Eventually my dad picked it up used for fairly cheap and I subsequently beat it again, and again. Now my dad has given me our original copies of 2,3, and 4. Which I will always cherish as family heirlooms.

Suffice to say, the Phantasy Star series is very special to me and will always have a place in my heart.

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