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Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium is a traditional-style console role-playing game released in 1994 for the Mega Drive/Genesis. It was also released on the Sega Saturn Phantasy Star Collection version. Part four of SEGA's Phantasy Star series of games, Phantasy Star IV combines anime-style artwork, leveling characters, in-depth storyline, interplanetary travel, and a quest for the forces of good over evil.

Story

The long, long struggle of ancient times finally ended...
The victor sacrificed the vanquished to the heavens.
Four bells tolled. Four torches were lit.
And the world continued for thousands of years...

Phantasy Star IV, which takes place 1,000 years after the events of Phantasy Star II, is the final part of the series canon. It is the story of Chaz Ashley, a young bounty hunter, who along with his friends and allies, is unwittingly catapulted into the role of savior of the Algol solar system. The computer network which has worked to sustain Algol has gone into disarray, leading to a series of catastrophes throughout the system. An investigation of the problem leads Chaz and his allies into a confrontation with the dark wizard Zio, whose aim seems to be nothing less than total annihilation. Defeating Zio proves to only be the beginning, and amidst great tragedy and struggle, Chaz and the others must eventually fight against an evil from time uncounted to restore peace to Algol once and for all.

Gameplay

Phantasy Star IV is an archetypal RPG in the spirit of the series, featuring the staples of exploration, NPC interaction, and turn-based combat. Building on its predecessors, it added a number of innovative features such as pre-programmed battle sequences called "Macros", combination attacks between two or more characters, and comic-book style panel illustrations for major scenes. Phantasy Star IV is also the first game in the series to have in-depth character interaction and development. Despite its few detractors, who mostly cite the considerable decrease in difficulty relative to the other games, it is the predominant favorite amongst fans of the series.

Characters

See Main Article: Characters of Phantasy Star IV

Protagonists

  • Chaz Ashley - main character of Phantasy Star IV; a young bounty hunter and unlikely hero
  • Alys Brangwin - top-ranked bounty hunter working out of the Hunters' Guild in Aiedo; mentor to Chaz
  • Hahn Malay - a student of Piata Academy investigating the whereabouts of his missing professor
  • Rune Walsh - an enigmatic wizard; one of few remaining people in Algol who can use "real magic"
  • Gryz - a young Motavian warrior seeking revenge for the death of his parents
  • Rika - a Numan girl created by the artificial intelligence, Seed, to carry on its will
  • Demi - an Android girl created by Wren to oversee the Nurvus supercomputer
  • Wren - an Android acting as custodian to Zelan, central computer to the Algol support system
  • Raja - an easy-going Dezolisian priest known for his quirky sense of humor
  • Kyra Tierney - an Esper girl working to determine the cause of widespread illnesses across Dezolis

Antagonists

  • Zio - a dark wizard engaged in numerous acts of destruction across Motavia
  • Seth - an archaeologist who joins in the search for the legendary aeroprism but harbors a terrifying secret
  • Dark Force - a recurring incarnation of evil; projection of a certain entity's hate-filled spirit
  • Profound Darkness - god-like spirit life form from ancient times

See also

Phantasy Star series
Timeline of the Phantasy Star series
Characters of Phantasy Star IV

Trivia

  • Originally, Phantasy Star IV was being designed for the Sega CD, and was vastly different back in its early days. Features like 3D dungeons (like in the first Phantasy Star), anime cutscenes, full voices, and much more were planned. Unfortunately, due to poor sales and lack of good support on the Sega CD platform caused a change of plans midway through development. Most of the features were scrapped from the final design, and the end result is a cartridge game that bore little semblance to the original plans.
  • In the final dungeon you may run into PSI's Dark Falz as an ordinary monster.
  • Myau from PSI dwells in a cave in Dezolis, aparently he has gotten a long life due to the laerma nut.

External links

1994 computer and video games | Phantasy Star games | Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis games | Sega games

Phantasy Star IV | Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium".

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