Lunar SSH, not what I hoped…
I’ve been playing RPGs now since 1999 and it all started with Lunar Silver Star Story for Playstation 1. I have said this a thousand times, that it was my very first jrpg. And love at first sight, everything was so new to me and it felt great. I had a very hard time at that point in my life, I didn’t know if I wanted to continue living… It was bad, but Lunar SSSC changed that for a bit. I found the adventures that jrpg had to be most filling, at least filling a part if me that continued to cary on. So the Lunar series helped me with some of my problems, so it is indeed a very important game for me.
That is why I am mostly dissapointed with the PSP remake, that came out a couple of years ago. I think ut was also released on IOS fairly recently. I was sad from the start that Gaijin Works (used to be Working Designs) had nothing to do with this new English translation. It really missed all the good stuff, the new voiceactors are trrible in their roles. And I do like the voiceactors, very much so. But not for the characters or Lunar, I feel like they are missing their soul, or something like that.
The PSP version is too easy, I’ve never had any trouble getting through the game. And I did it fast to, it tiok me 22hours… Now this could just have been because the PS1 game was my first jrpg, but it took me 61hours to complete. And I was about 20-30levels higher than I was when facing the last boss in the Ps1 version and I still had problems with him. While I was around level 44 now and beat him with ease.
This can be me having gained more experience in the genre, but I was so dissapointed with the clear time and how easy the boss fell. Now I only feel sad, I do not like this remake. And now I am afraid to play the PS1 version again, I rather have my memory of it being the game I love, than it ending up dissapointing me.
Maybe I have outgrown the series, maybe its just a really crappy remake. Maybe the PS1 version is equally as bad? I honestly don’t want to think so and I don’t want to find out. I’ll keep the warm memory of the game untarnished and continue to love it like I used to. I’m not picking up the PSP version again at least.
Ahh… I really needed to clear my head from all these thoughts.
Well, it’s a shame that you feel this way and I understand. Being disappointed in a game that you used to love is really hard. I had sort of the same experience with Star Ocean the Second Story for PSP. I LOVE the original game, so much, but the remake has new character art that is so ugly and voices that are horrible. I tried to play it, but it didn’t stick. I too have been feeling a bit hesitant as to play the original for PS again, but I might.
So yes, it could just have been the bad remake. It could also be the fact that we are different people now than we were more than 10 years ago. It is scary, admittedly. And I don’t like to think like that either. But it could be one reason. On the other hand, some games I return to after many years always feel the same. Like Final Fantasy VII for example. It always feels like coming home to me. That was the first JRPG I ever played and perhaps I’ve been able to keep that loving feeling because there is yet a remake to be made.
Maybe I will try to play Star Ocean the Second Story again, just to see how I will get along. Maybe you will try the original game and see how you feel. Don’t be discouraged. Maybe you don’t play it again and just leave it as on of your best memories ever. After all, the importance of that game and what the experience meant to you can never be taken away, no matter how crappy a remake is.