Lunar Remastered Collection

LUNAR Remastered Collection is a must-play for RPG fans and I am having an amazing time playing it.

The Lunar Remastered Collection is a window back to the mid-90s that modernizes the presentation without replacing the soul.

As a collection of two incredible games, the Lunar Remastered Collection is a faithful remaster. Don't let the retro look fool you; Lunar Remastered Collection is a relevant and excellent package.

To think that it has been over thirty years since Working Designs, one of the most iconic old school JRPG publishers, released the first Lunar to the masses. This was a game that took the world by storm, with its innovative combat mechanics and creative storytelling. Unfortunately, while we did see a sequel a couple of years later and various updated versions of the existing two games, the Lunar series has mostly gone into obscurity and become a cult classic. Thankfully, developer Game Arts and their parent company, GungHo Online Entertainment, want us to remember the good o’ days of JRPGs bac...

Readers, if you recognize my name, you probably know I love the heck out of classical, turn-based RPGs. I’m always happy in front of games like Dragon Quest, SaGa, Shin Megami Tensei, Final Fantasy, and other weird stuff that doesn’t have huge brand power. But if you asked me to name the quintessential RPG, the one that defines the genre in my mind, it’s gotta be Lunar. These games, especially their PlayStation remakes that were lovingly packaged in boxes full of goodies, were formative experiences for me at an age when I barely knew what things like anime and “role-playing games” were on a co...

The Lunar Remastered Collection is a fantastic way to experience these classic JRPGs, even if it feels dated at times, but it's a joy to play on the Steam Deck!

Dive into the enchanting worlds of LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete and LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue Complete! Tag along on Alex and Hiro's quests and challenge enemies like the Magic Emperor and God of Destruction to save the world from dire peril in two adventures set 1000 years apart from each other! PC version reviewed. Review copy provided by GungHo Online Entertainment for testing purposes.

If you’ve been looking for a way to play these games on modern consoles, then Lunar Remastered Collection is a godsend. The visuals are mostly preserved, the item management is better, and the voice acting is brand new. New players might be thrown by the simple plot and the retro combat, but the high-speed autobattles offer a convenient off-ramp. While they aren’t my favorite retro RPGs by any means, this collection is a great way to get ahold of them. If nothing else, the 90s anime vibes are downright immaculate.

The Lunar: Remastered Collection is a victim of its own faithfulness. While its upgraded visuals—the retro pixel art character sprites and environments and the hand-drawn cutscenes—are stunning, they only barely distract from an otherwise outdated RPG experience. Lunar’s stories and character might have felt fresh and original in the 1990s, but today, they come across as cliché and uninspired. There is fun to be had here, but there are plenty of other great modern RPGs, too. I have a hard time imagining anyone choosing to jump into the world of Lunar today if they don’t have pre-existing nosta...

The 1990s gave us some of the most celebrated Japanese RPGs of all time, and although the Lunar games are often overlooked in comparison to their contemporaries, they still encompass everything magical about that era.

The Lunar Remastered Collection respects the enhanced PS1 versions while also making a few tweaks to modernise parts of each game. While not all changes are entirely successful, and there are other aspects that haven’t aged particularly well, we can’t deny that Silver Star Story and Eternal Blue are bursting with charm and wit that many RPGs today lack. They might not revolutionise the genre, but if you’re looking for a good time and have a little patience, you can do far, far worse.

Lunar Remastered Collection is a mixed bag. On the one hand, both Lunar: The Silver Star and Eternal Blue have great characters, a charming narrative, and some beautiful visuals. Plus the new additions to the collection, such as voice acting, the ability to speed up battles, and improved visuals are much appreciated. However, the repetitive battles, overemphasis on grinding, constant random encounters, and absurd dialogue puzzles are enough to make you wonder why you aren't playing another RP...