Lunar: Silver Star Harmony Review (PsP)

Developer(s) Game ArtsStudio Alex

Publisher(s) JP Game

ArtsNA Working DesignsArtist(s) Toshiyuki Kubooka

Composer(s) Noriyuki IwadareHiroshi FujiokaIsao MizoguchiYoshiaki Kubodera

Series Lunar

Platform(s) Sega CD, PlayStation Portable

Release date(s) Sega CDJP June 26, 1992NA December 1, 1993PSPJP November 12, 2009NA March 2, 2010

Genre(s) Console role-playing gameMode(s) Single-player

Rating(s) VRC: MA-13ESRB: T

Media 1 CD-ROM (Sega CD), UMD (PSP)

Input methods 3-button Genesis controller

Lunar: Silver Star Harmony

As reported by GamePro, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony is a remake of the Sega CD version, which is currently set for release on the PSP in Japan and North America. The game was featured in a recent copy of the Japanese game magazine Famitsu, with a two-page spread highlighting some of the upgrades the game will feature. Along with a new isometric view, the game will also feature a hand-drawn style for the characters and backgrounds, a talking lead character (Alex), as well as new music and an expanded story. On May 29, 2009, Xseed Games announced Lunar: Silver Star Harmony for North America; originally set to be released on February 12, 2010, the game was later delayed until Feb. 23, then March 2. At release, a limited edition of the game will also be available, including a soundtrack CD and full set of bromides featuring the female characters.

Epic struggles involving dragons, wizards, demons, and warriors never really get old, do they? The first entry in the Lunar series--a game that blended all of the aforementioned elements deliciously--has seen a lot of love during the past few decades. After making its grand debut on Sega CD in the early '90s, it quickly grew to become one of the top-selling games for the system. It's already been remade a handful of times for different consoles since then, but many years have passed since we last had a chance to take up a mighty blade and chase down the magic emperor while striving to become a world-renowned dragonmaster. Game Arts and XSeed saw fit to change that by lavishing the original adventure with cartloads of TLC. Indeed, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony on the PSP is the remake to top all Lunar remakes.

Trimming shrubbery takes on a whole new meaning with this unusual bestiary.

At this point, Lunar's tale has been told many times and in slightly different ways. It follows a young boy named Alex who dreams of some day becoming a great and noble warrior like his legendary idol dragonmaster Dyne, who mysteriously vanished years prior. In his absence, a growing darkness has spread and begun to flourish. It's in this uncertain time that the naive Alex gathers a gaggle of companions and sets out on a carefree adventure-seeking excursion beyond the safe confines of their local village. Marching right into the path of danger, they soon find themselves faced with keeping the world from falling into evil hands. Silver Star Harmony is faithful to the original excellent narrative while also offering additional scenes and interactions that shed more light on the story, as well as the relationships that develop between characters. A new prologue sequence that provides important backstory is one of many bonus scenes scattered throughout the game. If you're a newcomer, these vignettes definitely help round out the tale nicely, but series fans will really appreciate the expanded plot.

Anyone who played any of the previous versions will be blown away by how much the new graphical makeover improves the experience. While you'll still find the same anime cutscenes from past remakes carried over, all of the game's visuals are completely redone with crisp hand-drawn 2D artwork. The new isometric town designs are particularly slick. Your party members and the myriad opponents they face are all infused with lively animations that give them a life of their own. The many different enemies you bump into are strikingly designed and unusually creative. You go up against everything from furry elf-yetis with pointy ears and blobs of translucent slime that contain a bug-eyed fish creature inside to tentacle-adorned mermaid beasts that vomit poisonous purple goop out of their dual-purpose mouth/eye sockets. The game's bestiary remains one of the weirdest around.