Lunar Remastered: 90s RPGs Charm, But Miss the Mark

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In the 1990s, we were treated to some of the most highly acclaimed Japanese Role-Playing Games ever made. While the Lunar series may not receive as much attention as other games from that period, they nonetheless capture all the enchantment that defined that era.

Refreshingly, the Lunar Remastered Collection serves as a delightful reintroduction. It combines Lunar: The Silver Star Story and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue into a single, handy set, featuring enhanced visuals with improved resolution, some modest quality-of-life upgrades, and an entirely new English voiceover.

As a devoted fan, I must say that despite the familiarity of their narrative arcs – heroes on a journey, powerful dragons, and the ever-growing darkness – these games continue to captivate me. There’s something truly enchanting about the tales they weave, making each adventure a unique experience.

The fully animated scenes, featuring a style reminiscent of 90s anime, have always added a strong narrative element to Lunar. These scenes remain visually appealing even today, but occasionally, the application of AI upscaling in the remaster can be noticeable and slightly detract from the original charm due to occasional irregular linework or patterns that don’t align with the intended design. However, most players might not pick up on these instances.

This transition opens up to a wider discussion on whether the Lunar games should receive a more satisfying outcome. To put it plainly, certain elements of this collection seem incomplete or hastily done. For instance, an enhancement has been made that allows you to increase the pace of turn-based combat by two or three times. This is advantageous as the initial Lunar game was somewhat tedious due to its slow-paced nature.

Despite the fact that combat encounters aren’t spontaneous, and level grinding can only be done in designated dungeons, beefing up your party still feels like a mundane task. One might ponder, why not incorporate additional features such as an optional experience booster? The appeal of these classic games doesn’t lie in re-experiencing their inherent monotony; it’s about immersing oneself in the atmosphere of a bygone era within the genre.

Due to the numerous instances where the games demand extensive level grinding just to have a fighting chance against certain bosses, it can be challenging not to think that the game’s progression could have been made smoother with additional refinements.

It’s unfortunate, but what hooks you is the captivating narrative and characters of Lunar. When you aren’t repetitively fighting the same monsters in the same dungeon, these role-playing games offer a well-structured pace that guides you through an intriguingly memorable fantasy realm.

2025 has seen advancements in many areas, but the battle system remains quite simple compared to others. It follows a traditional turn-based structure, offering limited excitement. However, the character sprites are still beautifully crafted. The strategy involved in arranging your party setup is relatively shallow, and in both games, combat doesn’t require much strategic thinking until later stages, where healing when HP is low becomes crucial.

After all that, nothing compares to the gradual pleasure of watching your character’s stats climb steadily. It might just be the reminiscence speaking, but there’s a simplicity about the traditional 90s JRPG that seems surprisingly invigorating in today’s world.

Another thing that brings a sense of nostalgia is the English localization of Lunar, with its 90s-style script that even references events from that era. It appears that the dialogue in this compilation has largely remained the same, although the voice acting has been entirely re-recorded (which we’re pleased to say, is well done across the board).

In a different phrasing, it could be said that some JRPG purists may have preferred a more authentic translation for the game’s revival, but there’s no questioning that the original script contributes significantly to creating an authentic 90s anime atmosphere. The localization team seemed to enjoy their work, and this playful, sometimes humorous tone they employed has become a defining characteristic of Lunar’s overall personality.

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2025-04-14 18:06