Lunar Threads

Hi,

I'm completely new to the lunar series (only recently found out about them after replaying Grandia and looking for similarly awesome RPGs) and since I've never played any lunar game, I'm wondering where the best place to start is. Obviously I'll start with Silver Star Story, but which remake is the best? Sega CD (Lunar: The Silver Star), PS1 (Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete), GBA (Lunar Legend) or PSP (Lunar: Silver Star Harmony)? Thought this is probably the best place to ask.

Thanks,
ig

I would say either the original (Sega CD version) or the PSP remake.

The PSP remake has new scenarios that weren't present in the PSX and GBA remake. The GBA remake really isn't worth it other than collector's purposes to begin with.

The Sega CD version is my personal favorite out of all the versions of Lunar though. The Sega CD version has story differences that were changed in the PSX, GBA, and PSP remakes. The remakes are just as good as the original though.

I would recommend, over all, the PSP version. It is not only cheaper, easier to find, and has new scenarios, but it also helps support the future of the Lunar series.

Also, by the way, welcome to the Lunar Threads! ^_^

Welcome!

Yes, the original first (The Silver Star, for Sega CD). But that one's hard to come by (as is emulating the Sega CD for some platforms). The next-best, honestly, could very well be the latest PSP remake (Silver Star Harmony, for PSP). The Playstation remakes are pretty good, but the PSP one has nearly everything in the PSX versions plus a few more scenes. The GBA one (Lunar Legend, for GBA) really isn't worthwhile unless you're collecting, as Dark_Fairy said. KF

You can always play the shortest one, which would be Lunar Legend, then move on to the masterpiece of Lunar called Lunar: Eternal Blue (the Sega CD one)

...I'd get the PSP remake.

As seems to be the consensus, you should be looking for the Silver Star. But if you have trouble finding/playing Sega CD games, the PSP remake is where you want to be. Although really at some point you should play all of them.

Although I agree with everyone else that The Silver Star has some interesting features and story differences that would ultimately warrant a playthrough if you find that you like the series, I don't know that it's necessarily the best place to get your start nowadays as a newcomer. To be frank, I sometimes have difficulty motivating myself to play through it again over the newer versions because of all the grinding. The controls also feel a bit archaic because of the way that you just kind of "slip off" of NPCs when you walk into them. Plus, it feels a lot more aimless and disjointed at times, which I guess is okay, but I kind of prefer the strict location-to-location progression of the remakes since the game's emphasis is more on characters and story. Like, for example, in going back to The Silver Star from the perspective of the remakes, I find it kind of odd that Laike's just standing around in the woods that hold the lumberjack's axe and then randomly pops up in a cutscene with abrupt theme music if you choose to talk to him. I prefer the more scripted scenario that takes place in the Ghoto Woods because you actually start to form a connection with him instead of just thinking, "Okay, weird guy with beret standing in forest." So ... with that in mind, I'd actually probably suggest Silver Star Harmony. I like it the best out of all the remakes, and I think it's nicely streamlined to play to the strong suits of the series.

All the remakes are inferior to the originals.

Though, at least Lunar: Eternal Blue remained true to the story in its sequential remakes and just dicked out on animation and voice quality.

...and story elements.

Well, it also ruined Borgan's difficulty.

The EB remakes are still much more enjoyable than the SS remakes. ...still need to finish SSH...

I would avoid Lunar Legend at all costs, it doesn't portray Lunar the way you need to experience it.

The best remakes are the Complete Series on the PSX. By far they are more enjoyable. Don't bother playing the Sega CD versions because the graphics are so dated. Unless you're into that sort of thing, most of these people say Lunar on the Sega CD outta nostalgia.

Here are a few reasons I highly recommend the PSX versions:

1) Better writers/script
2) Better voice actors
3) Larger game (Lunar Silver Star Harmony is much smaller)
4) More difficult game
5) Bright awesome colors

Aaron wrote:most of these people say Lunar on the Sega CD outta nostalgia.

Here are a few reasons I highly recommend the PSX versions:

1) Better writers/script
2) Better voice actors
3) Larger game (Lunar Silver Star Harmony is much smaller)
4) More difficult game
5) Bright awesome colors

Aaron that is completely false, we all say that we like the SegaCD version the best because it tells the story the best. While the PX does have VA, and graphics going for it the story is inferior.

Aaron wrote:1) Better writers/script
2) Better voice actors

It should be pointed out that this is entirely subjective and that many prefer the SSH version in one or both respects.

Aaron wrote:3) Larger game (Lunar Silver Star Harmony is much smaller)

"Much" is kind of an exaggeration. The only major difference is the fact that you can wander around Silver Star Story's (completely empty, lifeless, and battle-free) world map. The towns and whatnot might be more compact in SSH, but that's only because they're in a more organic, isometric-appropriate arrangement. As far as I can recall, there's still pretty much always the same number of houses and NPCs, so I'm not really sure what's lost. If you're going for scale, the only game that is significantly larger in terms of world scope is The Silver Star.

Aaron wrote:5) Bright awesome colors

Eh, isn't SSH much more colorful than Silver Star Story? Or were you comparing to The Silver Star? Because yeah, I always thought The Silver Star was kind of dreary in terms of palette.

GhaleonOne wrote:Well, it also ruined Borgan's difficulty.

(Winces.) That was probably my biggest gripe with it. But they did enhance the Serak Palace portion, so I figure that (mostly) made up for it.

I agree on how much different the colors were in SSSC. Probably one of the best examples was Vane.

As for the original question, it's hard to say. I like the nostalgia factor of the Sega version, as well as the incredible dragon cave theme and other tracks. But it was also cool seeing the expansions to the story plots in SSSC, especially Luna coming along and Phacia. Lunar Legend is nice for on the go, not a starter, and I haven't tried Harmony yet. I guess my best advice is to give both TSS and SSSC a shot if you can.

Solana wrote:(Winces.) That was probably my biggest gripe with it. But they did enhance the Serak Palace portion, so I figure that (mostly) made up for it.

There were some cool additions in the EB remake. The changes to the Ronfar-Mauri content were almost all for the better. I liked the traps and sub-events on Taben's Peak too, but the singing to babies stuff was obnoxious.

I'll go so far as to say that Lunar: The Silver Star is, for better or worse, a stepchild. SSS/HSS take more pages out of EB's book than TSS's.

I'm nearing the end of SSH and I'm gonna go with this as the definitive Lunar yet.
At the very least, it did bring a little more to the table and balanced things out with the original graphically (they did restore Pao to their Sega CD settlements, did they not? seriously, I'm not entirely sure myself...).
If we're going by voice work, I'm currently split at the moment, but I'll get back to you on that one.

Yes, John Truitt was the ideal Ghaleon, but the new guy doesn't sound half-bad.
Not to mention this guy has one hell of a Magic Emperor voice...and the fact that the vocals match the appearance (recall the PSX version for a moment on that one).
I'll be back on that sometime in the future...

Alan_Geitz wrote:I'm nearing the end of SSH and I'm gonna go with this as the definitive Lunar yet.
At the very least, it did bring a little more to the table and balanced things out with the original graphically (they did restore Pao to their Sega CD settlements, did they not? seriously, I'm not entirely sure myself...).

Nope. Pao's original Sega CD style was a Central Asian / Mongolian nomad style. Pao in every version thereafter was modeled after a North American Plains / Sioux style. Personally, I thought the original style was more fitting, even if the latter is more familiar. KF

Um, there are yurts in SSH.

I'm glad they went back to yurts as well. The way the look of the Black Dragon Fortress was brought more in line with EB was great too. I'm not so happy about the changes to the Goddess Tower, though...

What struck me about the Black Dragon Fortress is that it reminded me of the TSS Black Dragon Cave, with the purple and sparkle.

Shiva Indis wrote:Um, there are yurts in SSH.

!?!?!
Ok my memory is playing tricks on me. I totally got SSH and SSS's layouts mixed.

Ok, disregard what I said. SSH does go back more similar to TSS's Mongolian Nomad style. KF