Replaying the Lunar series again.

I was looking at these box sets the other day and decided that I wanted to give these 2 games another playthrough again. I am talking about the two remakes on the PS1 which were translated by Working Designs.

There are many reasons that contribute to why I love these games so much. Most people tend to hate on Working Designs localizations because of their American style. I personally love it, and I have found myself talking to every NPC in town and every animal or object in town, just because they all always have something funny or interesting to say. Hell, there was one NPC right outside the Magic city of Vane asking how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop. Talk to him again and he asks why M&MS melt in your mouth and not in your hand. ^^ Sometimes Working Designs can go a little too far though. I still love the main storyline now, but it seems a bit more cheesy then it was before. Probably because I was a lot younger when I originally played in 1998. Luna's boat song is still amazing and makes me wish they did more scenes like this in new RPGs. ; ;

I can't wait to finish this one and move on to Lunar 2. The game seemed like a mjaor improvement over the first. The story was better. It had another awesome cast of characters. The game was made much more difficult than the first (last boss is mean) and 15-30 hours longer. The battle themes were much better in this one as well. It was also neat being able to revisit locations from the original to see how they're doing 2000 years later. When I beat the game before, I never played the extra end game stuff after seeing the sad ending. CS told me its awesome and worth seeing the true ending, so I can take care of that my next playthrough.

Who else loved the lunar games and why? Do you prefer the original Sega CD versions to the remakes? We should get everyone to replay these games this summer. ^_^

Jam it back in, in the dark.

The only Sega CD Lunar I played was Eternal Blue, and I just remember all the changes WD making being for the better.

EB on the SCD was hard to the point of melting your brain. Some of the boss fights in that game were beyond any sort of realistic or fun challenge. This is ESPECIALLY true for Borgan. Fuck that guy. And don't get me started on the points stuff.

But I agree with you, everything about EB is better than it SSS. Music, characters, story, length. You name it, EB had improved on it. And yeah, it's a shame you didn't do the epilogue before. The regular ending is good, but the true ending wraps things up so well and is just something worth seeing. There is a fair bit of content in that too, and the Star Dragon has a fucking AWESOME bit of music. <3

I need to actually purchase SSSC though. I don't own it. ;_;

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I only have Lunar 2: EB for PSX. It's fun nostagic game to play with cute sprites. The turn based battles give a nice slower change of pace just for you to enjoy the battle instead of getting all caught up with speed. I haven't played the original sega versions, but I'm more than happy with the PSX versions. Also, I saw a used copy of Lunar 1: SSSC for $30 (game with jewel case but no instructions and no special stuff), so I hesitated and didn't pick it up, damn damn damn.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lunar-Silver-Sta...QQcmdZViewItem

Wow. This must be that fan version that came out. The CD art is totally different, and it has a normal sized manual. =O

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Interestingly, the copy I saw on sale at EB games had the sword cover art instead of the collage. Unless perhaps they lost the proper jewel case cover and used the instruction book as the cover. >_>

I was speaking idiomatically.

I love the Lunar games. I've played the first one so many times but my brother lost the first disc of Lunar 2 so I've only played it once through. I liked the first one better, I'm not sure why. It had a certain je ne sais quoi quality to it. The boat song is one of the best movies but I think the one with Kyle in drag is my favourite. I still haven't been able to find all the bromides

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by Miles

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lunar-Silver-Sta...QQcmdZViewItem

Wow. This must be that fan version that came out. The CD art is totally different, and it has a normal sized manual. =O

Yeah, that's the limited reprint that was released after demand for it became high enough.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Miles

Sometimes Working Designs can go a little too far though.

How do you mean that?

Nall had a pretty stupid voice, though. I imagined her (him?) to sound like Tom Waits, but then she actually starts speaking and sounds like a five year old girl. I was nonplussed.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

It's a masturbation joke, Aard. Choke the chicken. It's rather subtle though, and a lot of people miss it. So 'eh.

Nall was a tiny baby

Spoiler:

dragon

though, so his voice sort of makes sense considering how small he is. Like a cartoon character. I think it suits him fine.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Silver Star Story and Eternal Blue (PSX) were two of the first non-Square RPGs I played and I loved them. I haven't played the latest iteration on DS yet. Those games, though, were magical. I never played the Sega CD versions. I loved the games, but it's been so long since I've played it. It may be worth it for me to replay them again at some point. Also, I only have CD-R copies of it. I feel I should try to get the originals at some point too.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8374%26fvi%3D1

God I suck. ;___;

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

BWAHAHAH ;D I still have the full box and EVERYTHING to Lunar SSS & EB for the Sega CD as well as the original box collections of SSSC & EBC for PS1.

The originals were still quite nice. The PS1 version changed...

Spoiler:

Ghaleon's main motive. In Complete, he was just evil. In the Sega CD version, he never knew Dyne was still alive and went insane after learning he died.

They were originally supposed to be quite close friends. Sega CD? Loses his best pal and goes nuts. PS1? He's evil. And was jealous of Dyne becoming Dragonmaster, if I recall right. Quite a change in character which I didn't approve of.

Also, in the Sega CD version, he KILLED the dragons. He didn't enslave them for power. Originally, Althena powered the Grindery alone.

Lunar 2 originally had Experience Points for Levels and Magic Points for skills and what-not. You pool Magic Points into one big amount and it is subtracted as you upgraded/learnt knew skills. Also used a little bit of it to save. But I believe you could save anywhere and didn't need a save point. Just magic points.

How ya doing, buddy?

Well I have the full EB as well, the reason that's so expensive (and why I bought a second copy) is because it's signed by Mr. Ireland.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I felt the first one was far better than the second. I still cry at the ending to the first game. It's so beautiful how much Alex loves Luna. *is a softy*

The best masturbation joke was in the cave with Kyle XD

*lights go out*
Kyle: "Ah I'm blind! I didn't think that myth was true!"
Mia: "What myth?"
Nash: "You don't want to know..."

I didn't like Lucia at all, hence why I don't care for Eternal Blue. I had no emotional attachment to her at all.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Colonel Skills

Well I have the full EB as well, the reason that's so expensive is because it's signed by Mr. Ireland.

o shit~

Pictures don't show the autograph Hmm

FELIPE NO

Because he hasn't signed it yet. It's up to you if you want him to sign it or not.

Why would anyone want a copy that wasn't signed is beyond me though.

And yes, before you mention it, I confirmed it was him. I asked him for proof and he sent me an email from his working designs account.

I will take pictures when it gets here.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Lucia's pendant is really fricken heavy. But damn the thing is cool to wear. Though the original band was really cheap, so go get yourself a cool "gold-by-the-inch" chain (if you know somebody from Hawaii, there are stores that make this) and have it attached to the pendant.

Now THAT is ultra cool. ^^

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Hold on.

You wore it?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I liked the first one better as well, but they were both probably my second and third favorite PSX games of all time (right after Final Fantasy Tactics). I still have the full sets of both versions (well, technically they're my sister's), but I haven't played either of them in a long while (nor have I ever played the original Sega CD versions). I know I played both of them at least twice back in the PSX days, though.

But yeah, I liked the first game better, mainly because I felt that the characters and story were better than in the second game. The only main characters that I really liked in the second game were Ronfar and Leo (especially when he was Mystere), but that's not to say that the game's characters and story overall weren't good.

Gameplay-wise though, Lunar 2 probably was a little bit better. However, they both have one feature that I fucking love, and one that more RPGs should have: the ability to use two controllers. I play most RPGs with my sister, so it's a hassle to have to switch the controller back and forth every time. But this game rocked for letting you be able to use both controllers to play the game, meaning no need to keep switching off.

I doubt I'll be playing these games anytime soon, but I probably will sometime in the future. They're both great games, and everyone should play them at least once.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Colonel Skills

It's a masturbation joke, Aard. Choke the chicken. It's rather subtle though, and a lot of people miss it. So 'eh.

Well...! If that's not awesome, then I just don't know what else to call it. I didn't even know that expression.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Colonel Skills

Hold on.

You wore it?

I have come down from the Blue Star to decimate your ass.

Translation: Yes. I am wearing it right now as a matter of fact. I'm a sucker for VG necklaces. It gets attention. Of course, given the size of it...

I was speaking idiomatically.

Sir VG is wearing the pendant from the Lunar: EB box set. Heh. Heh heh.

Much <3 for the Lunar series, even if it hasn't aged too well. Silver Star Story Complete was a vast improvement over the original; I played the Sega CD original recently, and nostalgia did not serve me well there. Smart-assed Nall was awesome, though. They should never have homogenized him in the remake.

Too bad they couldn't reuse the old soundtrack, the one thing the Sega CD version has over the PSX remake. That may be the fault of a crappy port, though, as the remake was originally a Saturn game. I've heard a couple isolated exerpts, and the Saturn audio is way better; I suspect they were just using generic music drivers on the PSX version.

Eternal Blue still winds up better than the first game either way, though. I slightly prefer the original game (again, partly for soundtrack reasons), unbeatable Borgan aside, but the remake is so close it's a middling little difference. You need to play the first game for context, but you're really playing for the second game. My brother still likes to pull the Mystere routine with his paladin in Wow, it's hilarious.

If for nothing else, you have to love the games for John Truitt's performance as Ghaleon. I don't think anybody can ham it up and still sound genuinely sinister like he did.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Rei no Otaku

I felt the first one was far better than the second. I still cry at the ending to the first game. It's so beautiful how much Alex loves Luna. *is a softy*

The best masturbation joke was in the cave with Kyle XD

*lights go out*
Kyle: "Ah I'm blind! I didn't think that myth was true!"
Mia: "What myth?"
Nash: "You don't want to know..."

I didn't like Lucia at all, hence why I don't care for Eternal Blue. I had no emotional attachment to her at all.

IIRC, that went:

Kyle: AAAH! I'm blind! But I thought that was only a myth!
Nall: What are you talking about, Kyle? The entire cave went dark.
Jessica: Trust me, Nall, you DON'T want to know what he's talking about.

The games were full of innuendos like that. Some truly dropped my jaw.

"Have you tried our world-famous fudge? It tastes best when it's freshly packed!"

O_______________O
O_o
o_O

As soundtracks go, I liked the second better than the first as it had an overall darker and more mysterious tone (namely in areas like the first trip to the Blue Spire, and then the final dungeon). The whole game was quite a bit darker and more mature in its story and tone than the first.

The Lunar games were my favourite Playstation RPGs before I discovered Persona 2. It's odd, since they're so uber-tradtional and play so straight by old rules, but I think it's because they're traditional done oh-so-right. They may not have included any innovative systems/minigames/items/etc, but they took a formula that worked, amped up the production values to an insane level, and ran with it. I'll never sell my Lunar games. Ever. And when the discs no longer play nice with my consoles, I'll CloneCD them and play them on ePSXe till the cows come home.

*moo*

O SNAP.

FELIPE NO

I soo love SS and EB. I also have "magic school" but since i don't know japanese, i can't understand anything. What I like the most of both games are the voice acting. Specially Chad Letts's and John Truitt's voices.

Question: How many voice acted games from Working Desings have outtakes like this? Both Lunars, Magic Knight Rayearth....

Like 10 years ago (or so) I ripped the "Outakes" from Eternal Blue (PSX). I'll post them here if anyone is interested (don't expect VBR and stuff).
I found Chad Letts's (Hiro) and Jennifer Stigile's (Jean) outtakes to be sooo funny..

Download Outtakes


Ruby?, Ruby, RUBY DAMMIT!!, Ruby?...

PS: Lunn sounds soo gay...

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Lunar: The Silver Star on the SegaCD was my first console RPG ever, so it will always hold a special place in my mind, and it's why the PSX and SegaCD Lunar games are amonst my all time favorites.

I agree with Monkey King in that the soundtrack in the PSX version of SSSC didn't sound as good as the original the SegaCD version. I hated how many of my favorite songs weren't even remixed in SSSC, and instead had been completely re-done to the point where they sounded so much more generic. But it was still a great game to play since the story had changed so much from the original, it was like playing an entire new game with a cast of familar faces.

Lunar: EBC on the PSX was also MUCH more enjoyable than the SegaCD original. When folks tell you that Borgan in the SegaCD version was quite possibly harder than the final boss, they aren't kidding. Heck, in the SegaCD version Ruby even mentions after you beat the final boss's first form of how the fight was easier than Borgan! Was it just me, or were the enemies in the SegaCD version of EB always harder than your party's max level for an area?

I loved how they kept the original soundtrack, but spiced it up for EBC. I still enjoy listening to the soundtrack for EBC every now and then, especially the final battle music.

I still own both the SegaCD versions and the complete box sets of the PSX versions, and I'm glad I got them when I did since they're so hard to find now, and go for more than their MSRP was when they were originally released.

Jam it back in, in the dark.