PS1 REVIEWS: Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
For any game to be remade or rereleased, there must be a desire for the game from fans and love for it by the developers. That Lunar: Silver Star was both remade and rereleased several times is a testament to that love and desire. Originally released as Lunar: The Silver Star in 1992 for the ill-fated Sega CD, it had an expanded remake released for the Sega Saturn and PS1 in 1996 and 1998 as Lunar: Silver Star Story. Thanks to the suspicion of 2D art and JRPGs at the time, there were no plans to release the game in the West.
And that’s where Working Designs comes in, saving yet another Japanese JRPG from Western obscurity at the cost of an, ahem, unique localization effort. Regardless of what you think of the result, Working Designs release of Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete is the reason the game found many admirers in the Western world.
Thanks to this admiration, the game was released again, along with its sequel, Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete, as part of the Lunar Remastered Collection, which removes some of the “charm” of Working Designs localization for better or worse.
So, does this game warrant the extraordinary number of rereleases that it had as much as its developers, Game Arts, thought? While not a masterpiece by any stretch, I think that Lunar: SSSC is ultimately a charming romantic JRPG that is well worth playing.
#A19(S): Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete:-
Genre: JRPG.
Publisher: Kadokawa Shoten, Working Designs, GungHo (Remastered).
Developer: Game Arts, Ashibi Co. (Remastered).
The game begins with Alex, a young boy from a remote village, traveling with his childhood girlfriend Luna and the mercantile Ramus in search of adventure. Soon, he finds himself on the path of becoming a Dragonmaster in the service of the Goddess Althena, just as his idol, Dyne, did over 15 years in the past. In his adventures, Alex meets two other couples who make up the basis of the party: Jessica is the healer daughter of a rowdy lord who has a classic love-hate relationship with the bandit Kyle, and Nash is an arrogant magician-in-training who is helplessly in love with the heir apparent of the Magic Guild, Mia.
However, what starts simply as a story of attaining the status of a hero suddenly becomes about truly becoming one. The world of Lunar is threatened by a malignant force, and Luna is kidnapped by the villains as she seems to have a mysterious power that will help unleash that force.
 |
| Now that's a powerful attack |
The relationships between the characters serve as the cornerstone of the game’s story, which can be described as truly romantic. While you don’t spend much time with Luna, you do spend enough to buy into the romantic feelings between her and Alex. Inversely, you spend enough time with the two other couples for the game to sell their characterization. As such, beyond some unfortunate gestures (mostly from Kyle), the characters will manage to endear themselves to the player.
 |
| Especially Jessica |
So, in the end, while the story is indeed predictable and straightforward like many of the JRPGs of its era, it still manages to pack a punch thanks to its charming cast of characters.
"Luna is lost to you, Alex... Our world is lost... unless you can become the Dragonmaster"
Just like its traditional story, there is little that is innovative or unique about Lunar: SSSC’s combat or gameplay. It is a classic turn-based battle system with a five-member party. However, some additions, such as the auto-attack mode and visible enemies, thankfully speed up the combat and exploration. This is further enhanced in the Remastered Collection, which has a fast-forward button and massively improves the inventory management system of the first game.
This is not to say that a turn-based battle system can’t be fun, because that’s certainly not the case here. While regular enemies can mostly be left to the auto button, the boss battles are challenging and will require close monitoring.
 |
| Boss battles will need you to pay attention |
True, the strategy is relatively simple when compared to other JRPGs, but the snappy nature of battles and engaging boss battles at least ensures that it doesn’t get boring very fast.
"You have the power to protect your loved ones... and to destroy the evil of this world"
Outside of battle, there isn’t much to Lunar’s gameplay. Dungeons are relatively basic, with only a few having some interesting puzzles in them, and there are almost no side quests to write about. Indeed, the game is incredibly linear, with little reason to wander outside of the critical path.
In fact, the only side activity of any note is the collection of a few risqué images of the female cast of characters. These “bromides” were infamous for being easy to miss and obtuse to get in the original game, and that is only mildly improved in the remastered version.
 |
| There is a weird horniness to the game though |
At least, the world is filled to the brim with NPCs that give flavor to the game. It is always worth it to speak to every NPC in every city to get some story background or just some basic comic relief. Overall, the game’s NPCs are a major reason why the world of Lunar is so well-realized.
"The future isn't something to be told! It's something to be created"
It is ironic that one of the main reasons that worked against releasing this game in the West, its outdated use of 2D art and sprites, became one of the major reasons that it aged gracefully and still looks great today. That’s not to say that 2D sprites of Lunar: SSSC are exceptional in any way. While the sprites are solid, this in no way pushes the limit of what PS1 sprite graphics could look like, and it does not stack well against other masterful JRPGs of the time.
However, the game’s sprite work and 2D background weren’t what these games were known for. Instead, the games were known for their liberal use of full-fledged Anime cut-scenes in key story moments.
 |
| This could have been a scene in a 90s anime |
These scenes, along with some choice voice acting, did a lot to present Lunar: SSSC as an interactive Anime. Yet, despite these scenes still being great today, you are still spending the majority of your time with charming yet incredibly basic sprites and animations. That extends to the world design in both dungeons and the overworld. While everything looks quite nice, it cannot be said to fully utilize the increased power of the PS1.
What is never basic, though, is the game’s incredible soundtrack by Noriyuki Iwadare. This brilliant soundtrack, which effortlessly jumps from somber to cheerful tunes as the setting demands, easily points to the excellent work that Iwadare would do in the Ace Attorney series.
 |
| No you don't |
From the triumphant appeal of “Toward the Horizon” to the contemplative “Silver Light”, there is a music track that captures the mood of the moment. That doesn’t mean that the game’s best tracks are reserved for dramatic moments, since even dungeon tracks like “Mysterious Cave” are memorable on their own right.
In Conclusion:
Lunar: SSSC was never an innovative or essential JRPG. However, it has always represented the essence of what is good and enjoyable about the genre. It is a basic story of heroism and romance in a world of adventure, and it wears that sense of optimism as a badge of honor. This is the reason that, despite its simplicity, fans of the game continue to revere it years later, despite it objectively being inferior to other JRPGs of the same era.
Final: 8/10 (Recommended)
Don't you love a happy ending?
- Charming story and characters.
- A true culmination of JRPG themes
- Auto-Battles speed things up.
- 2D Art aged well.
- Brilliant soundtrack.
Cons:
- Rather basic turn-based battle system.
- Limited gameplay beyond battle.
- Linear dungeons and few customization options.
- Basic 2D sprites.
Tips:
- In some dungeons, you will need to lure enemies to charge obstacles.
- Buy the latest equipment in each new town you visit.
- You will get enough resources and money, so don't be cheap with your items.
- Utilize the auto-battle system and fast-forward option to speed things up.
 |
| This is a game with a lot of optimism |
Series:
For those reading one of my PS1 review blogs for the first time, here is the basic concept: I already reviewed both major Generation 4 consoles and am now reviewing Generation 5 consoles. I already finished reviewing the Sega Saturn, so I am now reviewing the PS1. In these reviews, I take a top 100 games list and review the games that interest me in that list. This time, my review series is based on this list from Retro Sanctuary and other sources, since the PS1 can handle a list bigger than a top 100.
 |
| It's also a game with a lot of comedy |
Next Game:
That's why I know I am going to enjoy its direct follow-up, Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete, but will I like it more than the first game in the series?
Stay tuned to find out.
Comments
Post a Comment