Lunar(SCD) Vs. Lunar(PS1)

[nectarsis]

While the subject is up what's everybody's thoughts on the PSP version

[Necromancer]

While the subject is up what's everybody's thoughts on the PSP version

I played a little of the FEKA ones back in the day, but the PSP one is the only one I've played through completely (just last year even).  I enjoyed it quite a bit.

[DragonmasterDan]

While the subject is up what's everybody's thoughts on the PSP version

It continues the story changes made in the various remakes and adds even more. It's not a bad game in and of itself, but I still prefer the experience of the Sega CD original.

[ParanoiaDragon]

While the subject is up what's everybody's thoughts on the PSP version

I enjoyed it a lot, but prefer the PS1 version most.  I'd really like them to do another actual sequel.  I bought a DS specifically for Dragon Song even though reviews gave it a mixed bag.  I still have yet to finish it.

[Arkhan]

I'm going to break this into 1 and 2 so I don't ramble like a goddamn hillbilly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOTH: If you took the FMVs from Saturn/PSX and put them into the Sega CD, I would prefer that, I think.   Lunar 1 on SCD barely even had FMVs.   It was pretty stupid.   Lots of barely moving shit, and then that scene at the end where Alex is like "LUNA!!!!1111".   

I also giggled at the stupid humor WD put in all of the games.  I was <= 13 when I played them all, so that factored into that.

Lunar1:
I much prefer the turn based overworld gameplay, and the shrines.  It had a very Ultimaesque feel to it with the grand scale conveyed moving around the Sega CD map.    They sort of lost that on the PSX.  You just walk from A to B.  No probrem.

Some of the tunes are also far, far better. on Sega CD.   

The first in-game tune for example, is super atmospheric.   PSX didn't have that.   Firing that game up for the first time and having that song gang bang my ear drums was f*cking magical.

That being said: I liked some of the tweaks of the PSX one.   The presentation especially.  The cutscenes were great, and the large portraits, and more detailed scenery. 

The added characters and stuff gave it more depth and world-building.  Especially the Vile Tribe aspect.   Having 2 more chicks made it more.... of a tribe.

The battle menus were more streamlined, and the art was obviously better.  They also expanded on some of the plot elements in nice ways.   You basically got to feel more of the world.   Especially with Dyne and some of the backstory.

I did not like the use of an Ocarina.   The harp was much cooler.  Ocarinas are too associated with Link at this point.  I would have preferred if they gave him a lute in the redo.   

I also did not like how your family / town wasn't kidnapped and chucked in a cave in the frontier. 

Overall, the remakes are great and do things justice

Even the goony ass GBA one was at least playable and fun.


Lunar2:
The same goes for the presentation updates on PSX.   Better hardware = better anime. 

However, Eternal Blue on Sega CD is basically the pinnacle of 16-bit RPGs, I think.   They ditched the magic level up thing on PSX, and that sucked.   

Eternal Blue has one of the best atmospheres of any RPG I have ever played.  The transition to the remakes was done well, and only really made things better.   I still miss the random encounters in the remake.  The dashy thing was a nice addon though.

Lunar 2 PSX's menu system, and combat was all pretty well done.   It just expanded on SSSC in the same way that EB expanded on TSS.

There was not anything really wrong with them on Sega CD, so they basically just "made it more gooder because".   

I have a lot of nostalgia feelies for all of these games.   I can't pick an absolute favorite.   It mostly leans towards EB for Sega CD, I think. 

Working Designs may have tarded it up sometimes, but they really did a pretty great job of presentation/packaging, and their voice acting cast was great back then.   Some of the acting quality in their Sega CD/PSX era shit was years ahead of the horsepiss we got in like, FFX.    Magic Knight Rayearth voice acting was pretty good. 

I do know that I don't like the PSP game very much.  The map transitions suck, and the new voice actors blow.    I am too used to Ghaleon's voice.   Losing John Truitt basically kills English Ghaleon, so bad.

Where the hell is Lunar 3.

Dragon Song doesn't count.   Shut up.

[SamIAm]

I happen to be playing Lunar 1 on Mega CD for the first time now. Never played the remakes, but I'm checking the PS1 soundtrack right now and...well...it's not bad.

Lunar 2, which I have played both versions of, is far cooler as the best Mega CD RPG and swan-song of its era than as a pretty throwback PS/SS game.

[Gypsy]

I can't think of a 16bit jrpg I liked more than Lunar EB, and I've played a lot of them especially when I was younger. Though mostly localized stuff only so I could easily be missing out on some Japanese only gems.

[DragonmasterDan]

I'm going to break this into 1 and 2 so I don't ramble like a goddamn hillbilly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOTH: If you took the FMVs from Saturn/PSX and put them into the Sega CD, I would prefer that, I think.   Lunar 1 on SCD barely even had FMVs.   It was pretty stupid.   Lots of barely moving shit, and then that scene at the end where Alex is like "LUNA!!!!1111".   

I also giggled at the stupid humor WD put in all of the games.  I was <= 13 when I played them all, so that factored into that.

Lunar1:
I much prefer the turn based overworld gameplay, and the shrines.  It had a very Ultimaesque feel to it with the grand scale conveyed moving around the Sega CD map.    They sort of lost that on the PSX.  You just walk from A to B.  No probrem.

Some of the tunes are also far, far better. on Sega CD.   

The first in-game tune for example, is super atmospheric.   PSX didn't have that.   Firing that game up for the first time and having that song gang bang my ear drums was f*cking magical.

That being said: I liked some of the tweaks of the PSX one.   The presentation especially.  The cutscenes were great, and the large portraits, and more detailed scenery. 

The added characters and stuff gave it more depth and world-building.  Especially the Vile Tribe aspect.   Having 2 more chicks made it more.... of a tribe.

The battle menus were more streamlined, and the art was obviously better.  They also expanded on some of the plot elements in nice ways.   You basically got to feel more of the world.   Especially with Dyne and some of the backstory.

I did not like the use of an Ocarina.   The harp was much cooler.  Ocarinas are too associated with Link at this point.  I would have preferred if they gave him a lute in the redo.   

I also did not like how your family / town wasn't kidnapped and chucked in a cave in the frontier. 

Overall, the remakes are great and do things justice

Even the goony ass GBA one was at least playable and fun.

Without getting into further spoilers I also dislike how certain things were revealed and hinted at in the remakes (this is partly due to the localization). I also dislike how certain plot holes occur because a character that stayed on the Island in the original comes with you in the remake. I also dislike how a certain characters motivations are changed fairly drastically because of other changes made to the plot involving sacrificing power to retrieve a baby compared to sealing off a black dragon.

Lunar2:
The same goes for the presentation updates on PSX.   Better hardware = better anime.

However, Eternal Blue on Sega CD is basically the pinnacle of 16-bit RPGs, I think.   They ditched the magic level up thing on PSX, and that sucked.   

Eternal Blue has one of the best atmospheres of any RPG I have ever played.  The transition to the remakes was done well, and only really made things better.   I still miss the random encounters in the remake.  The dashy thing was a nice addon though.

Lunar 2 PSX's menu system, and combat was all pretty well done.   It just expanded on SSSC in the same way that EB expanded on TSS.

There was not anything really wrong with them on Sega CD, so they basically just "made it more gooder because".   

I have a lot of nostalgia feelies for all of these games.   I can't pick an absolute favorite.   It mostly leans towards EB for Sega CD, I think.

Working Designs may have tarded it up sometimes, but they really did a pretty great job of presentation/packaging, and their voice acting cast was great back then.   Some of the acting quality in their Sega CD/PSX era shit was years ahead of the horsepiss we got in like, FFX.    Magic Knight Rayearth voice acting was pretty good. 

With Lunar 2 for Sega CD you had a level of tediousness that took away from the game a little bit which was "fixed" in the Saturn and Playstation remakes at the expense of overworld battles and elaborate dungeons. Instead of large labyrinth mazes to explore, you're left with very linear short dungeons to run through and you can even dash to avoid battles. This speeds up the gameplay but takes away a lot of the fun of exploring. One of the huge strengths of Lunar 2 for Sega CD was the sheer size of the map and dungeons. The adventure of finding treasure chests in far flung corners of the dungeon, finding areas that are not needed to complete the game but might have bonus items if you're willing to explore is completely absent in the remake.

I would have much rather had the dungeons/overworld remain the same with a lower encounter rate and re-balanced experience given to account for less battles to create a perfect version of the game but that's not what we received. So with Lunar 2, the remakes are less tedious with nicer graphics and sound. But cut out a few sections of story and a whole lot of exploration.

[Arkhan]

I do remember the mystic ruins and those goddamn teleport mirrors, and Zophar's Domain being particularly brutal in SegaCD one.

You had to go to the far corners of the domain to hit those boob switches.   The encounter rate made it a bit ughhh.


I can't think of how many times I'd get into a random battle in the ruins and forget which way I was going to go and use the wrong teleporter, lol.

[DragonmasterDan]

I can't think of how many times I'd get into a random battle in the ruins and forget which way I was going to go and use the wrong teleporter, lol.

That's why you get out graph paper and start making your own maps. If you see a corridor that you didn't go down, mark where the opening was and then back track in case there's treasure there.

[Arkhan]

I can't think of how many times I'd get into a random battle in the ruins and forget which way I was going to go and use the wrong teleporter, lol.

That's why you get out graph paper and start making your own maps. If you see a corridor that you didn't go down, mark where the opening was and then back track in case there's treasure there.

For some reason, I never make maps of JRPG maps.   I only do it for first person dungeon crawlers.

So, I do have maps of like, Shining in the Darkness and PS1, but no other ones.


I thought Lunar 2 had some cooler character development too.   Nall, Ghaleon, and Jean were all like "gotdayum".

Especially Jean.

She made puberty difficult.

lol

[DragonmasterDan]

For some reason, I never make maps of JRPG maps.   I only do it for first person dungeon crawlers.

So, I do have maps of like, Shining in the Darkness and PS1, but no other ones.


I thought Lunar 2 had some cooler character development too.   Nall, Ghaleon, and Jean were all like "gotdayum".

Especially Jean.

She made puberty difficult.

lol

I've been making maps for JRPG style games since Dragon Warrior (or Zelda 2 which is an action rpg but has that big overworld map and lots of paths through caves, etc).

With something like Lunar 2 on Sega CD they did a good job of making big dungeons with nice items sprinkled throughout to make exploring rewarding. There's definitely a good balance of reward vs time spent needed for a game to have large but fun dungeons to explore. With Lunar 2 the dungeon size itself wasn't what made it tedious, it was the encounter rate and the fact that you walk slowly.

[xelement5x]

Man, I just remember that f*cking Cave of Trials before you get into Vane. 

[Arkhan]

Man, I just remember that f*cking Cave of Trials before you get into Vane. 

lol that shit was brewtul.

For some reason, I never make maps of JRPG maps.   I only do it for first person dungeon crawlers.

So, I do have maps of like, Shining in the Darkness and PS1, but no other ones.


I thought Lunar 2 had some cooler character development too.   Nall, Ghaleon, and Jean were all like "gotdayum".

Especially Jean.

She made puberty difficult.

lol

I've been making maps for JRPG style games since Dragon Warrior (or Zelda 2 which is an action rpg but has that big overworld map and lots of paths through caves, etc).

With something like Lunar 2 on Sega CD they did a good job of making big dungeons with nice items sprinkled throughout to make exploring rewarding. There's definitely a good balance of reward vs time spent needed for a game to have large but fun dungeons to explore. With Lunar 2 the dungeon size itself wasn't what made it tedious, it was the encounter rate and the fact that you walk slowly.

I generally don't need maps unless the game is a first person maze.   The teleporter maze was only a pain in the tits because I kept forgetting where I was  coming from when the maps reloaded after battles.

They changed it to those slidey platforms in the remake.   I prefer the mirrors. 

[DragonmasterDan]

I generally don't need maps unless the game is a first person maze.   The teleporter maze was only a pain in the tits because I kept forgetting where I was  coming from when the maps reloaded after battles.

They changed it to those slidey platforms in the remake.   I prefer the mirrors. 

If I REALLY enjoy a game I can be OCD about opening every treasure chest and finding the best gear, items, etc. So I would make the maps in case I lost my way back tracking or if it's a game like Lunar EB because the dungeons are so enormous they were particularly handy.