Phantasy Star II

 Xbox 360
Phantasy Star II Image
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 11 Ratings

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  • Summary: [Xbox Live Arcade] Hailed as one of the greatest games of all time by fans and media alike, the role-playing game Phantasy Star II features an epic storyline and turn-based battles. Play as Rolf, Nei, Rudo, or several other characters as you navigate through the Algol Star System battling[Xbox Live Arcade] Hailed as one of the greatest games of all time by fans and media alike, the role-playing game Phantasy Star II features an epic storyline and turn-based battles. Play as Rolf, Nei, Rudo, or several other characters as you navigate through the Algol Star System battling the evil Dark Force. Build your characters, select the right weapons and armor, and battle the forces of evil through various missions as you find the right combination of characters to complete each objective. Experience the magic once again in this great sequel! [Sega]… Expand
  • Developer: Backbone Entertainment
  • Genre(s): Role-Playing, Console-style RPG, Console-style RPG, Japanese-Style
  • # of players: 1 Player
  • Cheats: On GameFAQs
  • Rating: E
  • More Details and Credits »

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 5
  3. Negative: 1 out of 5
  1. Eurogamer
    70
    One of the better examples of the early RPG genre, and a game of depth and longevity that really stands out alongside its platform and fighting peers. It's hard to imagine who'd want to grumble about a weighty adventure like this for such a low price.
  2. NZGamer
    70
    If you ever wished to play this classic game or would like to immerse yourself in a solid RPG and can handle a very simple graphical style, there's no reason not to grab this. It might be a little clunky compared to modern examples of the genre (and we're not talking just about the graphics here) but it's actually aged rather well.
  3. IGN
    70
    Pricing aside, Phantasy Star II is one of the truly classic role playing games of the 16 bit era. While it has some technical issues like the truncation of words and a less than elegant menu system it stands the test of time with its long and enjoyable story.
  4. Official Xbox Magazine
    65
    Sometimes it ends up feeling like a chore. [Oct 2009, p.77]
    All this publication's reviews
  5. X-ONE Magazine UK
    40
    The basic framework of the combat is acceptable, but really...nah. [Issue#48, p.99]
    All this publication's reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. CorazonAzul
    Jul 28, 2013
    6
    Major flaws put Phantasy Star II just shy of a great adventure, sticking to the formula of truly unique concepts but lacking basic elements.Major flaws put Phantasy Star II just shy of a great adventure, sticking to the formula of truly unique concepts but lacking basic elements. Use a guide and enjoy the soundtrack.… Expand
  2. Schnazy72
    May 20, 2015
    5
    Phantasy Star II is considered a marvel for its time. I personally am curious as to why. I say this because if I were to have purchased thisPhantasy Star II is considered a marvel for its time. I personally am curious as to why. I say this because if I were to have purchased this game back in 1989, I'm not sure I would have played another RPG again, or at least until much later. Don't get me wrong, from a design perspective this game did a lot of cool stuff. I had a lot of fun with the random encounters and leveling up my party. However, my issue is with the acclaimed “amazing story,” and the overall pacing for the game.

    I have no problem with getting most of the story through talking to all the townsfolk throughout each city. However, between that and the actual story telling through major events, you are left filling in the blanks as best as you can. It is like pulling teeth trying to get a good idea for the story. I understand that the hardware creates memory constraints for the developer, but compared to Final Fantasy II, (released a year before) shows that they could have done better with story telling. I couldn't finish the game because I got fed up with the pacing, but did finish reading the story online. Knowing the ending, I'm actually glad I didn't invest the time to finish this game, as it would have annoyed me to no end.

    The pacing is my second issue. Don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy a complex maze-dungeon. However, researching that most players finish the game with around 40 hours invested, it became clear that is because the dungeons were too long to attempt to try and figure out without the use of maps found online. The first dungeon took me 2-3 hours to complete, and the 2nd around the same time. I really do enjoy grinding levels out, however, the intent for the design became clear that they wanted you to spend (x) amount of time per dungeon. Even with the use of maps, it took a significant amount of time to work my way through.

    The game is definitely worth experiencing if you are curious how the RPG genre has evolved, but I personally would recommend PS 4, if you want a more story oriented game. I am going to try PS 3 next, to see if what kind of improvements they made. I only started this series as I have always loved PS4, and thought I'd try its predecessors. If you want to try this game, I'd recommend virtual console for 800 coins. At the time of this writing, a loose cartridge-only listing for this game is going for around $16 + S&H.    … Expand