42. Oh man, this game takes me back. When I used to collect Game Pro magazines and the Sega CD was a big deal, I remember seeing all the promos and ads for this game and the awesome anime artwork. I was sad I couldn't really play it since I was just a kid. Fast-forward to 99, everyone is super excited for FFVIII to come out, and I picked up an obscure gaming magazine that had a neat article concerning first impressions of the Japanese version of the game. Except the cover article looked really familiar to me. Turned out Lunar got a remake and thanks to Working Designs (God rest their beautiful souls) was headed to the west for PlayStation. I finally had my chance to play a game that eluded me in my childhood.I honestly had a blast. In an era where game designers were trying to impress people with quirky designs or gorgeous 3D graphics, it was kind of nice to play something so unapologetic and old school. I'm not going to try and sell the gameplay here. It's turn base, each character has their own skills, and you have as much customization options as you do in FFIV. It's vanilla, non-offensive, and some may say it's boring. I feel it gets the job done.lunar.jpg0a34ab55-a7f5-4f11-bd14-1e0c9af99d13.jpg24354-lunar-silver-star-story-complete-playstation-screenshot-world.jpgThe plot itself also feels incredibly vanilla. Alex lives in a small backwoods village and dreams of following in the footsteps of his hero Dragonmaster Dyne who also was born in the town of Burg and his grave stand son a hill. Also dreaming of adventure and getting away from home is Ramus, the mayor's son, who is more interested in running a business than taking over his father's position as head of the town. Along with Nall, a talking flying cat creature Alex grew up with and his childhood friend Luna, a girl adopted by Alex's family with mysterious powers associated with her singing; the four visit the local cavern that holds Quark, one of Dyne's dragons, in hopes of finding a precious stone. Quark senses that Alex has great potential and with the gem in hand, the boys decide to head to Meriba to sell the gem and start their adventure with a reluctant Luna. On their way, they meet up with an adventurer named Laike who gives Alex advice on how to follow in Dyne's footsteps, and Nash, a top student of the Magic Guild on his way home.
54236-Lunar_Silver_Star_Story_Complete_(J)-10.png695090-lunar-silver-star-story-complete-playstation-screenshot-kyle.pnglunar2.pngIt's all typical RPG shenanigans with the party meeting and losing friends on the way, and meeting with the great heroes who fought alongside Dyne such as his close friend and a powerful sorcerer Ghaleon and Hell Mel the beast-man. The group soon discover that a sinister army from the outlands of Lunar, led by the sinister Magic Emperor, have their sights on taking over the world. Alex discovers his destiny, Luna learns about her past, obvious betrayals, a story about a new generation following in the footsteps of the old heroes, yada yada muda muda, you get the point. This game is not taking ideas from the big book of clichés, technically by historical definition, it is the book. So the plot isn't really going to throw any curveballs either. So what pray tell let this game get this far on the list?Mainly the characters, but I would also say the game also does the other elements well enough or at least in such an inoffensive way that it's easy to just give it a pass on it's perceived shortcomings. The battle system has no thrills, but it's still fun and rewarding. The plot has a "been there, done that" vibe, but it's so charming and colorful that you're never really going to mind. The cast is mostly stock tropes, but the characters are so warm, friendly, and well written that it's difficult not to fall in love with them. For a game released in the early days of the Golden Era of RPGs (90s to early 2000s) it holds up surprisingly well despite how much the genre has advanced. I mean, I love quiet and adventure seeking Alex, bossy Nall, charming Luna, arrogant Nash, boisterous Jessica, humble Mia, and goof ball Kyle, and that's just the core cast. The game is filled with wacky characters and there is almost an odd, Studio Ghibli vibe to the charm this game gives off that makes you feel nostalgic for good old fantasy. Another factor I love is the hilarious localization the game is given. Sometimes if descends into juvenile toilet humor, but it adds a fun flavor to a game that could easily be very generic otherwise. NPCs will say pop culture references, towns have unique dialect or weird backstories to make them feel a bit more interesting, and the game is very tongue in cheek about everything, which really works to give this lighthearted romp of an adventure the extra push to feel like something greater than it is. The game is also filled with new animated cutscenes by Studio GONZO of all places, which are gorgeous and filled with some of the game's best moments. The lone exception being the game's ending when Alex must face the final threat to Lunar which cannot be won through a battle but instead with a certain item Alex never let go of, and it's really touching to see. Lunar is pretty unique for me, it's one of the very few JRPGs that I appreciate for its simple adventure and fun cast of characters rather than some deep meaningful message or philosophical angle. It's a simple warm soup and piece of bread on a snowy evening, simple, but all you need to feel warm and peaceful as you watch the snow fall.