PHANTASY STAR

 Sega's excellent PHANTASY STAR can't be compared to any other video game
currently available. It is, in fact, a sophisticated computer role-playing game,
complete with delightful animated graphics, lots of dungeons, a very
easy-to-learn menu system, and a compelling quest. There is not a single arcade
element in this game; no fast reflexes are required.

 The setting is the Algol planetary system in the Andromeda galaxy. The time is
outside our comprehension; here, the latest technological miracles (such laser
shields and light sabres) can be found side-by-side with chain mail and bronze
axes. Magical abilities are commonplace, and the denizens range from slime to
robot cops to evil demigods.

 King Lassic, once a kind and benevolent ruler, has turned to the Black Arts and
established a new regime of outrageous oppression. Naturally, some citizens
battle against the King's tyranny, and those who do are eliminated. As one of
these young rebels lay dying, he charges his sister, Alis, with continuing the
fight against Lassic. Out of her desire to avenge her dead brother, Alis picks
up the fight. She has only a little spare change and a single lead: Perhaps if
she can find Odin, a great warrior known to her brother, she'll stand a chance
to topple Lassic.

 Thus, the prologue ends and the game begins. You assume the role of Alis and
begin to wander the towns and wilderness of the three planets that fall under
Lassic's rule. Along the way, you enlist the help of three more characters,
Odin, Myau, and Noah -- all of whom have very different abilities: Myau is a
sentient cat creature with vicious attack power and cleric-like magic abilities.
Noah is a wizard with the greatest magical and least defensive strength. Alis is
the best warrior overall and knows a little magic herself; Odin's brute strength
is handy, but he cannot use magic. Finding these three compatriots is difficult
enough and requires a lot of exploration and problem-solving. But, even then,
the game has only just begun.

 In the course of the quest, you talk to scores of townspeople and shopkeepers,
bums, and even enemies. There are dozens of intricate, mappable dungeons, caves,
and towers. The 3-D dungeon views are so smoothly animated that the illusion of
first-person movement is better than any I've seen in a computer game. Although
the walls have little texture or variety, the use of color is excellent. There
are surprises in nearly every maze, lots of traps and pits, and a few hidden
doors.

 One double-edged aspect of the game is that certain puzzles cannot be completed
until the game allows you to complete them. For example, there's a very
peculiar-looking square in one of the towns. Examine it all you want; you won't
find anything at all. But once you find a character who explains that the square
hides a tunnel, you can then enter the tunnel. At times, this seems inconsistent
with your characters' purported abilities. But there are occasions when this
same technique makes sense.

 There's a huge amount of land to be covered in this "4-Mega" cartridge.
PHANTASY STAR offers greater depth than many popular computer role-playing
games; it's far more involving than QUESTRON II or BATTLETECH. Finishing the
game is liable to take weeks. The battery backup allows you to save and restore
up to five games. Supposedly, the battery is good for about five years and
apparently can be replaced fairly easily.

 The documentation is quite good and describes nearly every weapon, armor,
shield, and item you're likely to find. Combat and magic are menu-driven and
straightforward. The method of character development is very familiar: There are
magic and hit points, attack and defense ratings, and overall level ratings for
each character based on accumulated experience. Time does not pass between
commands; therefore, you can think about a particular attack situation as long
as you like before responding. The magic system is also familiar. There are 18
spells altogether, though about a third of them seem superfluous. The greater a
character's level, the more spells she or he learns, and the more reliable the
spells are.

 Because of the amount of memory and the battery backup, PHANTASY STAR is about
the most expensive video game cartridge to date. Mine cost $69.95; you're not
likely to find it much cheaper than that. Even so, PHANTASY STAR is worth the
price. It's exactly like playing a very good computer RPG from the comfort of
your couch, without the disk hassles. The animation is superior t most CRPGs;
the game moves along swiftly, but play keeps going a long time. The ending has a
delightfully fiendish twist; even the closing credits are more dynamic and
interesting than any I've ever seen on computer.

 I recommend PHANTASY STAR highly, especially to adults who own Sega systems and
are looking for something more complex and interesting than repetitive
arcade-style games.

 PHANTASY STAR is published by Sega of America and distributed by Tonka Corp.

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