MD/GENESIS RPGS the good, the bad, the truly awful

[mickyboy]

In your humble opinion, what are the best AND worst RPG's ever released on the MD/Genesis?

The only one I ever remember playing ( and enjoying ) was Sword of Vermillion. I wasn't much of an RPG fan first time around...I much preferred shoot 'em ups and beat 'em ups but I remember renting this from my local video shop and rather enjoying it.

I'm currently working my way through Shining Force II and have spent the best part of my weekend and now it seems, my week! on this beauty. Totally absorbing and even when my head has started to hurt due to playing it for nearly 10 hours non-stop...I still carry on.

Phantasy Star II is on its way to me as we speak but I've heard mixed reports about it, some praise it highly, some don't. I'll shall have to wait and see for myself if it's any good or not.

So, what other good ones should I look out for...I'd still like to get my hands on the original Phantasy Star but I'm not 100% sure if Sega ever released a MD version outside of Japan?

Might have to dust down my SMS and buy that version instead.

Anyway, recommendations please fellas

[garyfoo182]

Phantasy Star IV is excellent as is Story Of Thor

[gossi the dog]

I've just finished the GBA port of Shining Force. Awesome game!

[anagrama]

I'm not much of an RPG fan, but Soliel (aka Crusader of Centy/Ragnacenty) is a pretty fine Zelda rip-off. Landstalker is always rated highly aswell, but I've not played it myself.

Didn't like what little I sampled of Vermillion, Super Hydlide or Shining in the Darkness, but I have little patience for RPGs. Gimme a 10-minute arcade fix any day

MD Phantasy Star 1 was Japan only, and unless you speak the lingo you're best off with the SMS version. It's exactly the same since there's basically a mini-SMS convertor built into the MD cart.

[mezzanine]

MD Phantasy Star 1 was Japan only, and unless you speak the lingo you're best off with the SMS version. It's exactly the same since there's basically a mini-SMS convertor built into the MD cart.

I bought the MD version then got rid of it quickly after I wondered what the point of owning it was. It doesn't even have the FM sound of the original and what's the point of a re-release on a more powerful system if it's worse than the older one?

[mezzanine]

Phantasy Star II is on its way to me as we speak but I've heard mixed reports about it, some praise it highly, some don't. I'll shall have to wait and see for myself if it's any good or not.

I played it on the Dreamcast (with an emulator) some years back. It's great but insanely tough and you need a lot of patience for the maze like dungeons.

[strawdonkey]

Great:

Shining Force (not the GBA version, that's cack)
Shining Force II
Landstalker
Sword of Vermillion
Phantasy Star IV [appears to be better than the others]

Bad:

Phantasy Star II [why on earth can't you specify which monster to attack?]
Shining in the Darkness [Brief bit of "story" ('they have set us up the bomb!'... no, wait), buy equipment, go into dungeon, get killed. End up back at shrine, save, buy herbs, go into dungeon, get killed. End up back at shrine, save, buy herbs, discover what the angel feather is for, go into dungeon, warp out. Save, buy herbs, go into dungeon, warp out. Save, buy herbs, go into dungeon, and if you're lucky, at this point you might be a reasonable level (say, seven or eight). So, venture deeper, get to a certain point in the dungeon, stumble across a giant ****-off crab, get completely and utterly obliterated by it. End up back at the shrine. Buy a bigger sword. Go back into dungeon, get to crab having sustained virtually no damage on the way there, get obliterated. End up back at the shrine. Go back into dungeon, close battle against the crab, narrowly beat it... get a story-progressing item, warp out. Now level 9. Progress story. Form party. Other two members of party are both level 1. Go into dungeon. Watch them die horribly. Throw game out of window, shortly followed by complete Megadrive assembly. Breathe. Deeply.]

Have withheld judgement on Phantasy Star III as I never did find out how to get out of the first village.

There are more; I've forgotten them though. It's early and I'm also dim.

[Tirian]

Phantasy Star IV is superb.

Also, Buck Rodgers: Countdown to Doomsday is a cracking good RPG. You just need to give it the time of day, figure out the battle mechanics, and get off that first slightly dull scene. After that it's brilliant all the way.

Tirian

[wheelaa]

Landstalker rocks.
Traysia is jolly good fun.
Warsong isn't so much an rpg but an essential buy.
Shining in the Darkness isn't that hard
Buck Rogers looks like arse but plays perfectly.

[Duddyroar]

Another vote for Warsong/Langrisser here, but like Wheelaa says it's not really an RPG.

[Dogg Thang]

Yep, got to vote for Soleil here. It is a Zelda rip-off but what a Zelda rip-off! It oozes charm and just so enjoyable from start to finish. I have to admit that at the time I preferred it to any Zelda game.

[brokeback]

I would definately have to agree with phantasy star 4. It's one of the few RPG's I've played in recent years that really had me hooked from beggining to end. I loved the cut scenes- they work at least as well as the rendered movies you get in new RPG's.
Nice, long quest too.

[strawdonkey]

Also, Buck Rodgers: Countdown to Doomsday is a cracking good RPG.

Knew I'd forgotten one. Looks like arse and sounds like arse, but plays wonderfully and is bastard-hard in places.

[Big Seany]

All the good 'uns have been mentioned really; Wonderboy in Monster World is a cracking platformer with RPG elements. Other than that, it is probably best that you get a SNES for RPGs, dude.

[brokeback]

no, wait! wonder boy in monster world 6 has had a translation. its amazing too. I completed it. you play as a girl with green hair.