Phantasy Star IV

Phantasy Star IV
File:Phantasy Star EotM box US.jpg U.S. box art
Developer(s)	Sega AM7
Publisher(s)	Sega
Platform(s)	Mega Drive/Genesis
Genre(s)	RPG
Mode(s)	Single-player

Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium (ファンタシースター 千年紀の終りに, Fantashī Sutā Sennenki no Owari ni) (also called Phantasy Star IV) is a traditional console role-playing game released in 1995 for the Sega Genesis. Part four of Sega's Phantasy Star series, Phantasy Star IV combines anime-style artwork, an in-depth storyline, and interplanetary exploration within an epic quest of good versus evil.

Gameplay

Phantasy Star IV is an archetypal console RPG in the spirit of the series, featuring the staples of exploration, NPC interaction, and turn-based combat. Building on its predecessors, it added a number of innovative features, such as pre-programmable combat manoeuvers called "Macros", combination attacks between two or more characters and manga-style panel illustrations for major cutscenes. Phantasy Star IV is also the first game in the series to have in-depth character interaction and development.

Story

Chaz and Alys explore the town of Piata

The long, long struggle of ancient times finally ended...

The victor sacrificed the vanquished to the heavens.

Four bells tolled. Four torches were lit.

And the world continued for thousands of years...

Phantasy Star IV takes place in the year AW 2284 (1,000 years after the events of Phantasy Star II). It is the story of Chaz Ashley, a young bounty hunter, who along with his friends and allies, unwittingly becomes the savior of the Algo solar system. The story takes place on the planet Motavia, which has suffered through dramatic climate changes over the past 1,000 years. After an event called the Great Collapse, much of the once-thriving ecosystem has been reduced to desert, and life has become difficult for the planet's inhabitants. To make matters worse, there has been a marked increase in the appearances of "biomonsters", strange and violent mutations of the normal plant and animal life.

Keeping these creatures under control is the job of "hunters" like Chaz and Alys, and it is during an investigation into an outbreak that the characters learn that the biomonster problem is related to the planet's ecological crisis. In truth, the planet is only reverting back to its natural desert state, which had been changed into an ecosystem more suited to human life by climate-changing technology thousands of years earlier. For reasons to be explained later, and relating back to the events of Phantasy Star II, this computer network suffers a system-wide malfunction, leading to the series of catastrophes throughout Algo.

Chaz and his allies connect the world's troubles to a man named Zio, whose aim seems to be nothing less than total annihilation - not only of Motavia but of the entire solar system. Their aim then becomes to defeat him in order to restore the computer systems maintaining Algo. However, it soon becomes clear that Zio is merely the vanguard to a much larger threat. Amidst great tragedy and struggle, Chaz and the others must eventually fight against an evil from time uncounted to restore peace to Algo once and for all.

Characters

Protagonists

• Chaz Ashley (Rudy Ashlay (ルディ・アシュレ, Rudi Ashure) in the Japanese version) — The main character of Phantasy Star IV. At the start of the game, he just became a full-fledged partner of Alys Brangwin, working out of the Guild in Aiedo. The two of them go to Piata to investigate a disturbance at the local academy, setting the game into motion. From his beginnings as an inexperienced hunter, Chaz wholly fulfills the role of the game's hero after persevering through many physical and emotional trials.
• Alys Brangwin (Laila Brangwen (ライラ・ブラングウェン, Raira Buranguwen) in the Japanese version) — Nicknamed the "Eight Stroke Warrior", Alys is one of the most skilled hunters on Motavia, top-ranked at the Hunter's Guild in Aiedo. She is renowned all throughout Motavia for her no-nonsense attitude and skillful use of twin slashers. She shares a veiled history with Rune Walsh, the specifics of which were never discussed. She took Chaz off the streets and took him on as her apprentice, mentoring him in the ways of life.
• Hahn Mahlay — Hahn is a young scientist studying under professor Holt at Piata Academy. He joins Chaz and Alys as they enter the Piata Basement to explore the monster outbreak reported by the Principal. After parting ways with the group following the events at Zio's castle, Hahn trains himself in combat and the use of techniques. By the end of the game, when he offers to join the team again to fight the Profound Darkness, he has developed into a capable warrior and technique user.
• Rune Walsh (Thray/Slay Walsh (スレイ・ウォルシュ, Surei Uorushu) in the Japanese version) — an enigmatic wizard who first joins the party in the city of Molcum, leaves the party a bit later and finally rejoins permanently. He and Alys share some shrouded history, but the specifics are unknown. He is one of the few people remaining in Algo with the ability to use real magic, as he demonstrates in clearing the heroes' path to Tonoe.
• Gryz (Pyke (パイク, Paiku) in the Japanese version) — a Motavian warrior seeking refuge in Tonoe after the death of his parents during Zio's attack on his hometown of Molcum. His goals in life are to protect his little sister Pana and to have revenge on Zio. He joins the heroes for that purpose, and participates in the final battle against the dark wizard.
• Rika (Fal (ファル, Faru) in the Japanese version) — the Numan child of the supercomputer Seed. She permanently joins the party after saving professor Holt. Seed created her to carry on his will after he self-destructs in order to cut off the flow of errant commands to the support network. It is after joining Chaz and the others that Rika first experiences the outside world. Her cheerful disposition belies her considerable combat abilities.
• Demi (Freyna (フレナ, Furena) in the Japanese version) — an android created by Wren to regulate the Nurvus support system. She is held prisoner by Zio during his scheme to disrupt the support systems of Algo. After being freed by Chaz and the others, she assists them throughout their adventures on Motavia, up until the final confrontation with Zio. Afterwards she has to interface directly with the Nurvus central computer in order to bring the system back online.
• Wren (Foren (フォーレン, Fōren) in the Japanese version) — the android custodian of the artificial satellite Zelan, where he meets and joins the party. He remains with them until the game's conclusion. Wren is quite knowledgeable and insightful, having been functioning for almost 1,000 years. He is a skilled wielder of various heavy firearms and serves as the team's spaceship pilot. Despite many similarities to Wren from Phantasy Star III, the two characters are unrelated (the PSIII Wren was named Searren in the Japanese version).
• Raja — a Dezolisian priest who forces his way into the party after the spaceship crash lands on his temple. He is an easy-going old man with a quirky sense of humor, who assists the heroes in their quests on Dezolis until he gets infected with a mysterious plague in Meese from which he doesn't fully recover until close to the end of the game.
• Kyra Tierney ((Shess Tierney (シェス・ティアニー, Shesu Tianii) in the Japanese version) — a young, tomboyish Esper girl who joins the party after being rescued from the Carnivorous Trees on Dezolis. She regards Chaz as a little brother, despite there only being a year between them.
• Seth (Siam in the Japanese version) — a travelling archaeologist who meets the party outside the Soldiers' Temple, where he offers his skills in the search for an ancient artifact called the Aeroprism.

Antagonists

• Zio — a dark wizard engaging in various acts of chaos and destruction. Zio is the game's first major antagonist. He has established a church to Dark Force in the town of Kadary, where he has many brainwashed followers. He was responsible for turning the citizens of Zema to stone in order to scare people away from Birth Valley and destroying the Motavian village of Molcum. His stated goal is the indiscriminate annihilation of all life forms in Algo.
• Lashiec — the former ruler of Parma, resurrected by unknown means, returns for revenge against the Esper Lutz, after a 2,000 year banishment.
• Dark Force — the recurring enemy of the Phantasy Star series, worshipped as a "god" by Zio, and at whose command he wreaks havoc across Motavia.

Minor characters

• Principal — head of the Piata Academy; hires Alys and Chaz to investigate a monster outbreak
• Grandfather Dorin — wise-cracking grandfather of Gryz and the patriarch of Tonoe
• Pana — younger sister of Gryz; fears for her brother's well-being as he seeks revenge for their parents
• Professor Holt — a teacher at the Piata Academy; disappears while investigating Birth Valley
• Seed — an AI responsible for the biosystems on Motavia
• Daughter — an AI originally intended to succeed Mother Brain
• Reipard La Shiec (Lassic) — The corrupt villain from the first Phantasy Star returns as a zombie serving the Profound Darkness
• Le Roof — custodian of the planet Rykros; informs the main characters of the genesis of Algol
• Elsydeon — a legendary sword containing the spirits of past protectors; through it Alis Landale speaks to Chaz and convinces him of the importance of his mission as a protector

Development history

Sega CD version

Originally, Phantasy Star IV was originally designed for the Sega CD system, and would have been vastly different from its final incarnation. This unreleased version was called Phantasy Star IV: The Return of Alis. Features like 3-D dungeons (such as those featured in the first Phantasy Star), full motion video cutscenes, voice acting, and much more were planned. Unfortunately, poor sales and lack of support for the Sega CD platform caused a change of plans midway through development. Most of these features were scrapped from the final design, the intended voice cast declined, and the end result was a Sega Genesis cartridge game that bore little resemblance to the original plans for the CD-ROM version which would have been at least 240 megabit.

Original releases

The game was released in Japan on the MegaDrive in December 1993, followed just over a year later by the Genesis version in the United States in February of 1995 and finally in Europe in December of 1995. However, Portuguese audiences would have to wait for a 2004 fan translation, as End of the Millennium became the first Phantasy Star title not to be officially translated to Portuguese by Tec Toy.

Naming

In Japan, the game had been named Phantasy Star - At the End of the Millennium., but in the American and European releases, the box read simply Phantasy Star IV. At the time, this was seen by the gaming press as an attempt to make it perceived as closer to the widely-praised Phantasy Star II, rather than the less well-received Phantasy Star III — although there are references to both titles during the story of the game. In spite of this, the title screen of all versions of the game reads Phantasy Star: The End of the Millennium. The combination of the titles is Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium, as seen in the Sega Genesis Collection compilation.

Marketing

The cover art for the American and European releases was done by Boris Vallejo. Its depiction of the characters bears little resemblance to the in-game visuals. This was a recurring trend in the American and European versions of Sega games, an attempt by Sega of America to better appeal to the aesthetic sensibilities of Western gamers, who at the time were mostly unfamiliar with the anime stylings of Japanese media.

Production errors

A now-known glitch in the game is that once a character has leveled to level 99 in the game, the characters stats in the game decrease as opposed to increase, which forced players to be cautious about leveling up their characters in the game. Upon the game's re-release on the Sega Genesis Collection, the compilation pokes fun at the glitch by warning players not to reach level 99 in the Hint section.

A bug occasionally occurs immediately following a boss battle in which a character leaves your party afterward. If the character who leaves was the only character to survive the fight, the moment after the battle ends you are issued a game over, despite winning. It occurs because the game designers do not give you a chance to access your menu or visit an inn (to restore your dead characters) after the fight ends and before the cutscene where the sole surviving character leaves.

The instruction manual for the American version states that there are 15 possible Combination Attacks. However, only 14 were ever discovered, and the manual is most likely wrong. Occasionally the "secret technique" Feeve - a useless technique accessible through hacking - is mistaken for the "lost 15th combo."

Ports and remakes

The game was ported as part of the Phantasy Star Collection for the Sega Saturn, released only in Japan. American and European gamers would have to wait for the The Sega Genesis Collection for the PlayStation 2 and PSP.

The Sega Ages project planned a remake of this game for the PlayStation 2 console, having revamped the first two games: Phantasy Star Generation 1 and Phantasy Star Generation 2. However, the Sega Ages website has recently confirmed that a port of Phantasy Star Collection for the Playstation 2 featuring all four of the original games is in production, leaving the previously announced remake in development limbo.

Although not an official port, a version of End of the Millennium entitled Wai Xing Zhan Shi (外星戰士 Wài Xīng Zhàn Shì, meaning "Outside/Foreign Star/Planet Fighting Soldier") was made for the Famicom. The game's opening credits state that it was copyrighted in 1996 and made by Waixing Computer & Technology Co. Ltd.

Reception

Phantasy Star: The End of the Millennium is almost universally praised by critics, whether established fans or newcomers to the series. It maintains a an 85% rating on the aggregate site Game Rankings, where it is also the fifth highest ranking game for the Sega Genesis. Despite its few detractors, who mostly cite the considerable decrease in difficulty relative to the other games, it is the predominant favorite amongst fans of the series. It is also considered by series purists to be the definitive end of the series, as future games bearing the Phantasy Star name such as Phantasy Star Online and Phantasy Star Universe have no direct relationship to the original games.

References and Homages

Phantasy Star IV makes a number of references to previous games. Some references are direct tie-ins to the overall plot, while others are so-called easter eggs placed into the game for the appreciation of series fans. There are also a number of references to other popular Sega franchises.

In the final dungeon, players may experience a random encounter with an enemy called "Prophallus", which is identical to Dark Falz (Dark Force) from the original Phantasy Star.

One of the young Musk Cats in Myau's cave brags about being able to get the top off a bottle. In the original Phantasy Star, Myau needed help getting the top off a bottle which contained a potion necessary to save his friend, Odin.

Sonic The Hedgehog is referenced in the game in a book titled Run, Hedgehog, Run! in Saya's Grammar School along with Ecco the Dolphin in the book titled A Day With Ecco. A reference to Golden Axe also appears.