Lunar Remastered Collection Review

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In simpler terms, ‘aging well’ refers to something that improves or maintains its quality, relevance, or appeal over time. This term is often used in various contexts such as food, people’s looks, art, and even video games. For instance, when we say a wine ‘ages well’, it means it tastes better with age. Similarly, when we talk about a classic movie or game that still appeals to modern audiences, we can say it ‘aged well’. It’s all about standing the test of time and remaining valuable or interesting.

The Lunar Remastered Collection offers a second (or third) chance to revisit some classic games, as it updates and enhances two PlayStation remakes of Sega CD games from 1992 and 1994. Instead of overhauling the established feel of the beloved series, it subtly refines certain aspects without drastically altering its original charm. It seems to understand that some things can improve with age, even if they show signs of aging.

1992 saw the Japanese release of Lunar: The Silver Star, a game created by Game Arts. The following year, it was localized for North America by Working Designs. This role-playing adventure follows Alex, a budding hero from the village of Burg, accompanied by his friends Luna and Ramus, as they embark on a quest to emulate their idol, Dyne, a Dragonmaster. On this journey, Alex forms alliances with mages, a boisterous cleric, and even the unruly partner of said cleric – a bandit. As they progress, they begin to expose the malicious plans of an ancient hero, aimed at disrupting the balance of the world.

1,000 years following the initial tale, Lunar: Eternal Blue (the sequel) carried on the epic Lunar storyline by featuring Hiro, another aspiring hero, and his journey. This young adventurer’s narrative intertwines with Lucia, a woman sporting blue hair who claims to be from the celestial body known as the Blue Star. Their mission: to thwart Zophar, an ominous force determined to bring about worldwide destruction. Along their path, Hiro amasses a diverse band of companions, such as a former priest, a deadly dancer, and a covetous mage. The group is also accompanied by delightful throwbacks to characters and incidents from Silver Star.

In simpler terms, both games follow the classic style of role-playing games (RPGs) with turn-based battles and 2D pixel graphics. Unlike the original versions on Sega CD, these updated games do away with random encounters in dungeons and on the world map, instead having enemies visible on-screen in dungeons. The player journeys through towns and dungeons as the story progresses, upgrading equipment at set intervals. New combat moves and abilities are acquired at specific levels, and the party composition is controlled by the game’s narrative, not the player.

In battles, players will decide on actions for each participant, which are then carried out sequentially according to speed, skill type, and other relevant stats. Characters can attack with weapons, activate skills or spells, or employ items. Both games offer an automatic combat mode that provides a few pre-set instructions, such as telling a character not to use items or save MP for casting spells.

The games titled “Lunar: Silver Star Story” and “Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete,” originally successful on Sega CD, were remade for the Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, PSP, and mobile devices at different times from 1998 to 2009. While “Silver Star Story” is often seen as a timeless, nostalgic adventure, “Eternal Blue Complete” delves into more intricate themes, has a lengthier script, and boasts additional stunning anime cutscenes. “Silver Star Story” had further remakes, but “Eternal Blue Complete” was primarily confined to the original PlayStation for 25 years until its recent re-release in this collection. This reappearance is noteworthy and potentially justifies the purchase price, considering the game’s high esteem in the vintage gaming community.

In communities where Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs) thrive, it’s quite common to encounter enthusiasts of Lunar series. Many fans either proudly possess the exquisite collector’s editions of the PlayStation remakes or admire them behind glass at a vintage game store. These games are timeless classics for a reason. Although the initial two Lunar games are familiar, the news of this remaster project initially raised some doubts. After all, not every remaster receives the attention it deserves. Fortunately, Silver Star and Eternal Blue have been updated in ways that respect the original titles’ quality.

This version of Eternal Blue is undoubtedly the best, but it’s surprising that certain user-friendly improvements found in at least one other version of Silver Star Story, namely Silver Star Touch (the updated mobile version), are absent here. As Mikhail pointed out in his comparison, Silver Star Touch offers a multitude of options. While I find it more puzzling than annoying, having these options available in this version would be quite beneficial.

The enhancements to the game’s quality of life are certainly valuable, no doubt about it. Players can switch between three different speeds during battles, which noticeably reduces the length of random encounters – something I found problematic in the original games. Luckily, the fast-paced battle tunes don’t get hurried during combat, giving players a chance to truly appreciate the music and listen to the characters’ battle cries. Unfortunately, these speed settings can only be used during battles; however, the map layouts of dungeons and towns are compact enough that they rarely require them.

In the revamped versions of the games, an issue raised earlier about item management has been effectively addressed as well. Earlier, each character had a limited capacity for items and swapping items was tedious. To add insult to injury, a character needed to have an item in their personal inventory to use it during combat. In this new version, players can access a shared inventory, making it simpler to manage items and even utilize them during battles. For those who prefer the original system, they can adjust the settings accordingly. These refinements, though subtle, help to alleviate minor design annoyances, creating a more balanced gaming experience overall.

In the menu, there are several graphical options available, one of which adds a slight blur effect to the top and bottom of the screen. However, I didn’t find this effect particularly appealing, so I quickly disabled it. The sprite graphics remain as endearing as before, with few, if any, changes made to the characters and enemies in this remastered version. Even the smaller details, such as combat icons and font type and colors, are similar enough to evoke a sense of nostalgia. The original battle backgrounds have been kept intact, though they appear slightly stretched when viewed in Remastered mode. To be honest, I prefer the less-than-perfect approach of keeping the original graphics instead of replacing them with something generic.

I’m thrilled to find that Noriyuki Iwadare’s iconic PlayStation-era soundtracks have been beautifully restored, bringing back the nostalgia for those who weren’t fond of the arrangements in the PSP remake of Silver Star. The scripts have been refreshed, moving away from the anachronisms and pop culture references typical of Working Designs, but still retaining a witty and sassy tone. Both games are filled with humorous, off-the-cuff lines that will put a smile on your face without resorting to Bill Clinton jokes.

One reason these remastered games are so popular is that they don’t significantly alter the original recipe, which was perfected by GameArts in the 1990s when they developed the Saturn/PlayStation versions. These remasters have a striking resemblance to the graphics, sounds, and even fonts, that are deeply ingrained in the minds of many gamers. It seems strange to me that these classic modes are included since the updated version feels like a blend of old and new, offering a nostalgic experience while still catering to modern gaming needs. Adding SegaCD versions of the game would have been an overkill, although I’m sure some players will appreciate having it. Personally, I prefer enjoying the entire TV screen without any distractions.

These games are fantastic, lighthearted, and emblematic portrayals of anime-inspired fantasy JRPGs from the 1990s. Essentially, this collection is remarkable, and I’m thankful for the release of Eternal Blue after so long. Unfortunately, the limited features in the iOS version of Silver Star Story detract somewhat from the overall package. Nevertheless, it’s clear that there’s a lot of affection for the series, as evidenced by the attention to detail in preserving and slightly updating these games while staying true to the spirit of the PSX originals.

8

Tested variations: The PlayStation Lunar Remastered Collection can also be purchased on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, or PC systems.

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2025-04-14 17:26