Phantasy Star III: Generation of Doom (Sega Genesis)
Ever wonder what Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro and other popular magazines thought of your favorite 8-, 16- and 32-bit games? Now you can find out, thanks to Review Crew! This is the only show on the internet that is willing to go back in time to find out what old school critics thought of retro games at the time. Did they pan your favorite game? Did they love something terrible? Find out every week as Defunct Games presents Review Crew!
Few role-playing games are as epic as Phantasy Star III on the Sega Genesis. Spanning 100 years and three generations, Sega's 16-bit RPG was a big deal in 1991. But did the game live up to its lofty ambitions or simply confuse the critics. We turn to Electronic Gaming Monthly, Mega Play, GamePro, MegaTech and other old school magazines to find the answers.
(NOTE: Although we occasionally cut for length, no other edits are made to the review. Defunct Games does not change any of the wording, grammar or punctuation use. Also keep in mind that our score is the average of all critics at the time, not just the sample that is reprinted on this page. If you still have more questions, I recommend you check out the
Review Crew FAQ, where we address the review guidelines, converting scores, magazine covers and more.)
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY #22
"A definite winner! This amazing follow-up takes the proven Phantasy Star theme and expands it over the ages to include a changing storyline that twists and turns depending on the marriage that take place. Guide your characters to each of the different endings! Amazing!" -Ed
(9 out of 10)
MEGA PLAY (May 1991)
"Incredible! Easily the best Sega RPG yet. Plus no hint book! Serious players will love the extra long multi-world quest which spans generations! Multiple endings allow for experimentation." -Mike
(9 out of 10)
MEGATECH #1
"Another enormous role-playing game, but this one has far more depth and variety than its predecessor. It's by far the best RPG on the Megadrive, but the real bummer is that it costs a massive 60.00! Eeek!"
(89% out of 100%)
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY #22
"One of the best RPGs ever! Phantasy Star 3 blows away the previous games, although it isn't necessarily more challenging overall. The game throws a lot of new features like different generations who each will encounter their own quests to overcome. Awesome RPG!" -Martin
(8 out of 10)
GAMEPRO (August 1991)
"Fans of the series won't be disappointed with the latest epic adventure. The gorgeous 3-D graphics, including beautiful landscapes and wonderful animation, are enhanced by an above average sound track. Is this the best Phantasy Star adventure yet? The answer to this question is up to you! Will there be a Phantasy Star IV? Only Sega knows for sure but we're willing to bet 1,000 Mesetas that there will be." -Mald Marion
(4 out of 5)
MEGA PLAY (May 1991)
"Awesome!! PS3 is the best of the trilogy yet! Graphics will blow you away, and journeying to seven worlds takes a lifetime! I wish the battle scenes had more real action, however." -Dave
(8 out of 10)
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY #22
"PS3 is different from the first two quests in many ways, but the basic play hasn't changed much. You wander about, fighting different enemies, creating strong characters as you collect people and solve mysteries. A better-than-average RPG with nice graphics." -Steve
(7 out of 10)
REVIEW CREW AVERAGE: 82% -
With the addition of multiple generations and refined graphics, critics largely liked Phantasy Star III more than its predecessor. Mega Play called it "the best of the trilogy yet," while Electronic Gaming Monthly noted that it's "one of the best RPGs ever." Some complained about the game's high price, while others were happy
it didn't come with a hint book. GamePro liked the game enough to wonder if there would be a Phantasy Star IV. Spoiler alert: There was a Phantasy Star IV ... and we'll see what critics thought of it on Friday's episode of Review Crew.
ON WEDNESDAY'S EPISODE:
Oh hey, I kind of stepped on my own preview in that last paragraph. On Friday, we'll take a look at the final 16-bit Phantasy Star game. Were critics excited to have a new adventure, or did they complain about the cardboard box and $100 asking price? Find out this Friday when Review Crew tackles Phantasy Star IV: End of the Millennium.
Make sure and check out the
Review Crew archive for more old school reviews, and don't forget to tweet me
@DefunctGames to let me know what games you want to see next!
