Phantasy Star I: Broodfest?

[PSP]

This is something I've been curious about, so I figured I'd ask here:<p>Do people really think PSI is some dark, broody game? If so, why?<p>I was always under the impression, from playing the original a few times, reading the japanese script translated into english, and so forth, that PSI had a dark atmosphere (which, I don't think is ruined in the remake) while the heroes are lighter. I mean, yes, Nero was killed and the people were repressed...but I never saw Alisa as a Hamlet-esque figure.<p>Now, PSII is almost the reverse with the heroes fighting against a power that the people actually *love*, inherantly making them seem a little dark, especially after Nei's death (who, apparently could be cloned before Rolf and Co. stopped the biomonster outbreak...but could no longer have such a thing done afterward). <p>I'm curious though, what are your thoughts?<p>-Corey

[Monocromatico]

I always though PS2 was the "Empire Strikes Back" of the series, leaving PS1 in a much lighter perspective. PS1 was a tense adventure, but never really got as dramatic as PS2.

[LaconianShot]

PSI has a dark overtone, though I wouldn't describe it as "brooding". The character's personalities (or perhaps lack thereof) seem to lighten the whole mood, from possibly brooding to just rather dark. <br>So there you have it. I believe that if the original designers had possessed the technology, they certainly would've made PSI more dark then it was. Additionally, though the original could be percieved as something that <i>could've</i> been darker, the remake seems to cast a lighter mood on the whole thing... almost childike.

[PSP]

<blockquote><i>Originally posted by LaconianShot</i>So there you have it. I believe that if the original designers had possessed the technology, they certainly would've made PSI more dark then it was. Additionally, though the original could be percieved as something that <i>could've</i> been darker, the remake seems to cast a lighter mood on the whole thing... almost childike.<br></blockquote><p>Eh, I disagree there. The remake, while making the characters seemingly lighter (by filling the blanks left by the original), is no lighter overall visually than PSI was. Yes, the music is different (as are all remixes), but serious pieces like Nero's death still have a melancholy tone to them. <p>I've said this before, and I'll say it again. No remake is ever perfect, in the end elements of both combined form the ideal version, more than likely.<p>I just find it amusing that people consider PSI to be dark, I mean I never really saw it that way (save for the overtones of oppression and so forth, which were far outshone by the tone of overcoming said injustices). <p>BTW, what is your basis for saying the developers would have made it darker? Was that stated in an interview?<p>-Corey

[Malakai]

I never considered PSI to have either a dark or brooding atmosphere about it, since the people don't have a doomsday perspective that the world is going to end or that some monster will destroy all humanity. It was more like a sorrowful mood for the situation of the poeple, and Nero's death introduced that mood quite well. From the characters I felt more of a hope than anything, although at first it was like a desparate hope. And perhaps the reason that I haven't played PSI more than a few times is for the very reason that the mood doesn't ever change during the game, making emotional connection with the RPG almost impossible and replay very dull.<p>PSII was incredible if you think about it - a group of 9 people and a small number of Espers going against the entire system! Since odds kept piling up against you the game intensity keeps picking up, and it's as if you have to beat the game as soon as possible before time runs out! PSII seemed a little darker because the people were all in darkness and ignorance, even on Palm until the moment it blew up. So for the first few times I played it, I felt a foreboding about it, as if I didn't beat it quickly enough all would be lost on Motavia and Dezolis as well.

[Saner2]

yeah PSII is the darkest of them all cause the heroes were branded criminals and even after destroying Mother Brain, Algo would undergo harsh living conditions in the future, <br>and the heroes got killed by the humans but Rolf used Megid to destroy everyone and Noah so they can't make another Mother Brain and rule Algo.

[ill-intent]

I've never really considered number 1 to be dark or brooding either. But the lighter humour stuff added in the remake does not go. Take into consideration, if your brother just died, and you found out that only man who could help you was turned to stone, would your first line to your only lead be: <br> ">giggle<, you are so cute! I'm Alis, what's your name?" (and that's what she says) <p> I know in the original, the dialogue isn't much deeper, but at least there wasn't tack-on anime schoolgirl-isms. I found, for a quest of justice and revenge, Alis giggled an awful lot in the remake. Had they kept it to the end, it would've made a nice sign that she's healing and getting closure from the journey, but......<p> It's not that people think the first game has to be dark, but there's a time for humour and there's a time for serious story. And a lot of us believe that the remake didn't take that concept to heart.

[LaconianShot]

<blockquote>BTW, what is your basis for saying the developers would have made it darker? Was that stated in an interview? </blockquote> <br>Eh, not at all. Perhaps I should've stated that differently. What I meant was that it's likely, from my point of view, that if the developers had posessed the technology to make it darker, that they would have. <p>Perhaps child-like as a little strong. However, even though I have not played the remake, it seems to me that they lightened the mood somewhat. What Ill-intent has just stated enforces that point.

[Saner2]

lol. well yeah the giggling sounds crazy but maybe Alis is teaching players to not take things too personally otherwise you might not succeed in getting revenge. <p>it's just a sign that she's upset about it but she wants the player to feel at home. ^_^

[Siren]

<blockquote><i>Originally posted by Malakai</i><br> It was more like a sorrowful mood for the situation of the poeple, and Nero's death introduced that mood quite well. From the characters I felt more of a hope than anything, although at first it was like a desparate hope.</blockquote> <p>I agree. Nero's death was our best tone setting element, and the start of the game mood over-shadowed the entire adventure. The desperate hope was always present, it was as if <i>We have to get stronger. If we're stronger, than we can get revenge.</i> Now, whether that was fabricated entirely from the fans perspective or whether the developers intended it is entirely irrelevant, as this was PSP's question about our perception of PSI.<p>As for PSII, I would definitely classify as brooding, but even more as tragic. A party of humans, lead by Rolf, <i>fighting an entire system that doesn't want to be saved</i>. They would always be hated for doing what they did, even though it was the right thing. An age of people, ignorant to the world, not even realising how close to death they were, still wanted Rolf elliminated. Even the end is not happy; the ignorant people were ripped away from what they thought was the perfect world, and have to become idependant.

[Lord Khyron]

Stella on Episode 3 says "Nyah" and it's kind of a laugh.<p>But her story isn't serious or happy go lucky.<p>As you see, You can have cheerfulness and be dark.<p>

[Malakai]

<blockquote> lol. well yeah the giggling sounds crazy but maybe Alis is teaching players to not take things too personally otherwise you might not succeed in getting revenge. <br>it's just a sign that she's upset about it but she wants the player to feel at home. ^_^<br></blockquote> <p>I don't think so. This is not what RPGs were made for. You RP so that you can connect with that character and become him/her as much as possible. You assume an identity and through that identity the game becomes personal to you.<p>And revenge is *all about* taking things personal.<p>Siren, that was beautifully said about PSII. That's one of the reasons that PSII remains on my top 5 RPGs of all time.

[Benoit]

<blockquote><i>Originally posted by Lord Khyron</i><p>Stella on Episode 3 says "Nyah" and it's kind of a laugh.<p>But her story isn't serious or happy go lucky.<p>As you see, You can have cheerfulness and be dark.<br></blockquote><br>Not when your brother just died and you're attempting to avenge him.<br>I don't see "Nyah" as a kind of laugh at all. It was just a irrelevant word that came up a lot in her dialogues.

[PSP]

<blockquote><i>Originally posted by Benoit</i><br>Not when your brother just died and you're attempting to avenge him.<br></blockquote><p>How would your remake go then, I wonder?<p>Alisa - "I'm Alisa, my brother is dead. Your name?"<br>Myau - "My--"<br>Alisa - "Let's go save Tyron and kill Lashiec. Now."<br>Myau - "...Uh, okay. This bottle--"<br>*Alisa is already walking towards the spaceport, Myau blinks and follows*<p>:P<p>-Corey

[Siren]

<blockquote>Siren, that was beautifully said about PSII. That's one of the reasons that PSII remains on my top 5 RPGs of all time.<br></blockquote> <p>Thank-you. I thought I was being a tad melodramatic, but I'm glad it got to someone.<p>[size=small][Edit by Siren on [TIME]1106877682[/TIME]][/size]