A classic role-playing game in every sense of the term, and a must-play for fans and newcomers alike.
The game picks up roughly where the original Phantasy Star left off. The Algo Star System enjoys a period of peace under the maintenance of a benevolent super-computer appropriately titled Mother Brain. But a recent rash of monster outbreaks calls that into question, and it's up to agent Rolf to assess the situation and get to the bottom of it. It all leads up to the game's shocking conclusion which I obviously won't spoil for you. The story itself is an interesting one that will keep your attention, and you'll be exploring a strange and lush world that might not be familiar to those who are used to traditional castles and dragon's dens.
The graphics are basic, but far from bland. Given the limitations of the Genesis hardware in addition to the fact that Phantasy Star was one of its earliest titles (it did come with a massive hint-book at the time of its release), the visuals are quite impressive. The battle system is, as mentioned earlier, the traditional turn-based lot similar to that of the Dragon Quest games. You'll run into a slew of interesting characters that will aid you in your quest, but in order to get them to help you, you have to return to your home and check to see if they had been knocking on your front door. It's somewhat annoying to do that every so often, but it doesn't necessarily aggravate the experience that much. As challenging as the game can be on the outset, Phantasy Star II rewards hard work and punishes anything less than a 100% effort on behalf of the player.
Overall, Phantasy Star II stands the test of time as one of Sega's valuable treasures, and a worthy addition to its storied franchise. The Phantasy Stars of today's generation may never return to its traditional roots, but the games that came before Online and Universe will continue to exist for anyone interested in its history, as well as the seasoned fan that longs for the good old days. You'd do well to download Phantasy Star II for your VC--whoever you are.