RPG Backtrack podcast

The RPG Backtrack podcast just did an episode about the Phantasy Star series. I downloaded it a minute ago but haven't listened yet....
http://www.rpgamer.com/backtrack/backtrack_archive.html

Thank you, I'm downloading it right now to listen to it at my job. Ever since the 1up podcast for Phantasy Star, I've been searching other podcast that dedicate 1 episode to the entire classic series.

edit: I'm around half of the show, and quite frankly it's kinda embarrassing. If you do a show about a subject in particular, at the very least, bring someone who knows something about it, or do some research. After 60 minutes, here's the overview:

-Phantasy Star 1: Never finished, too hard, don't remember much
-Phantasy Star 2: Never finished, too hard, don't remember much
-Phantasy Star 3: Man I hate this game even though I finished it
-Phantasy Star 4: This game is so hot...too bad I don't remember much of it.

compared to the excellent 1up retronauts special (where you could tell they knew what they were talking about), this one is kinda...meh...

PS: Wren from PSIII and from PSIV are not actually the same character *sigh*

EDIT2: last part is about some of the compilation and they kinda get this right (at least better than the cannon game)...but not totally. Finally we get forum users comments, and those are better IMHO than the actual staff comments about Phantasy Star.

That's too bad... I was really optimistic about it.

Aw, I was hopeful that it would be good. After reading that review, I don't think I'll take the time to listen to it. Oh well.

Thanks for sharing it with us, hugues!

Yeah, sorry it wasn't a better link but sometimes you take what you can get. On the podcast I've been doing I'd like to do a Phantasy Star episode but the other hosts aren't very familiar with the series. Maybe I should try to setup a special episode with some expert guests

I'd love to do it, but sadly, I'm more of a PSIV expert than anything else. I know some stuff about the other three games but never really got that far in the game. Not to mention, I'm not very social. >.>

But yeah, before my power went out I was listening to that podcast and it wasn't that great. But like you said, you gotta take what you can get.

xellos667 wrote:

edit: I'm around half of the show, and quite frankly it's kinda embarrassing. If you do a show about a subject in particular, at the very least, bring someone who knows something about it, or do some research.

<snip>

EDIT2: last part is about some of the compilation and they kinda get this right (at least better than the cannon game)...but not totally. Finally we get forum users comments, and those are better IMHO than the actual staff comments about Phantasy Star.

I just finished listening to it, and I agree with all of this, especially the part that I bolded. The lack of knowledge of these games was embarrassing.

I also took some notes of their comments while listening.

PSI:
-The female reviewer didn't seem to know the correct sequence of actions at the beginning of this game.
-She pronounces Alis "AY-liss."
-The reviewers agreed that the game does not hold up well over time.
-While the first-person dungeons were interesting, they were ultimately too confusing.
-They liked Alis as a protagonist.

PSII:
-It never felt like you were making any progress in the game.
-There was a lack of understanding of Nei's origins. One reviewer pronounced her name "Knee," and another described Neifirst as Nei's "clone" and "evil twin," and said she was "AI." (Note: I don't consider bioengineering AI.)
-You have to really love this game in order to put in the time for it.
-There was more grinding in PSII than FFI or DQIV.
-The story and characters were great.
-The sci-fi setting was unique for the time.
-Traveling back to Paseo to retrieve new characters was annoying. (My note: No, it's not. You teleport.)
-The fact that the characters had real jobs and that those jobs were useful for the game was interesting.

PSIII:
-Pronounced Rhys "Rice" and "Race" and "stupid name." (Note: Rhys is a Welsh name pronounced "Reese" for anyone who's wondering. It's often anglicized as "Reece.")
-The multi-generational system was a cool concept.
-The tech system was interesting.
-The battle music was atrocious.
-The game has good replay value due to the generational system.

PSIV:
-The reviewers agreed PSIV was the best of the series.
-The battle system was the most interesting.
-They loved the vehicles and the vehicle battles.
-The female reviewer loved Chaz and Rika; she thought Chaz was a lovable goof and Rika was interesting because she had to learn about humans and human emotions during the course of the journey.
-She also liked the teacher/pupil relationship between Alys and Chaz.
-The comic book-like cut scenes were great.
-There was more plot than any other game. (Note: Disagree. Not more plot, just more script.)
-The difficulty level was very balanced.
-The grinding was kept minimal.
-The reviewers like the side quests, but mistakenly thought that Tinkerbell's dog was a pig.
-They thought Wren was the same Wren from PSIII.
-The game has aged well.

Editing: I want to point out that xellos is right about the reviewers admitting they didn't complete the games except for III and IV. Even then, one reviewer admitted to only playing about an hour of PSIII. Another reviewer admits to giving up on PSI shortly after getting Noah into the party, the female reviewer says she quit PSII well before Climatrol, while another says he got to Dezo but quit shortly thereafter.

Let us know if you do a PS podcast, hugues. I'd love to listen to it!

yes I still want to say I'm very grateful for the link. Like I said, I'm always searching for new Phantasy Star podcast to listen while I'm at the job, and even if it's not so great, it did allowed me to pass some time. So if you find other, please post the links

And yes, I would like to hear podcast coming from people here...I would also take part to it...if it was not the fact that my native language is french, and that I would not be able to keep up a speedy conversation were it not in this language. I'm a good listener and writer...but when it comes to talk english, it takes me some time

xellos667 wrote:

yes I still want to say I'm very grateful for the link.

Agreed. I like listening to other views and opinions on the original games as well.

I'd be happy to help with any PS podcasts in whatever way I can.

I'd be totally up for doing a one-time Phantasy Star podcast sometime. I've been considering doing one on my site about all the unresolved questions in PSIII - something like a questions & theories show. Just a one-time thing (or two if it runs long). I'd be open to any other topic too of course.

On the retro game podcast I co-host we've been doing a series of interviews with people who run popular (and sometimes obscure) web sites. One with someone who runs a Phantasy Star site sure would be a good topic

If anyone's interested in either please PM me - I don't want to clutter the boards talking about it.