Overall score on pook's 100-point system (TM): 69, or just 7. Bundling Phantasy Star 1-3 on one GBA cart is what ultimately allows this cart to earn a respectable score. Take just one game out and we'd be talking 6 or lower.
-the breakdown-
Graphics (23/30, judged by era)- Had these games been built for the GBA, they'd rank fairly low. Once again, however, the sheer size of all three games combined creates an impressive amount to see, even if nothing is truly mindblowing.
Sound- FX/Voice (7/10) Totally respectable sound effects for the era.
Sound- Music (10/10) While none of the music takes advantage of the GBA's sound libraries, much of the music, particularly in PS2 is quite good and holds up even today. Toss in the primitive PS1 and the somewhat pleasant PS3 and you have a very long and varied soundtrack.
Gameplay- Length/Replay (15/15) While the games here rely on unnecessary padding in the forms of training, walk-a-thons, and getting you lost, even without these annoyances there is still a ton of playability and many hours that will be spent going through these games.
Gameplay- Story: (4/5) While none of the stories are particularly great, PS3 alone boosts this score considerably, as it uses a tree-based generational story system to mix things up.
Gameplay- Game Design (10/30)- While I reviewed the component games individually, being emulated/ports as they are of the Genesis and Master System originals, the sum of the parts in comparison to modern GBA offerings is a different story. While I was forgiving of, say, PS2s incredible amount of training and utterly impossible dungeons (without a map, anyway) when comparing it in light of its day and age, such annoyances were truly frustrating and bring down the rating for the game in the modern era. Ultimately, these games are museum pieces, and while parts of each are great fun, they all fail in many ways that would be unforgiveable today. Add in the fact that these games are on a portable system but are hardly portable-the save opportunities make it such that you often need a good hour to accomplish anything at all-and you have one problematic cartridge. Put it this way, if Phantasy Star 2 were released alone in this era, I would give it about a 5 here, though I rated it higher in the Genesis era.
Final Thoughts- Definitely read my reviews of PS2 and PS3 to see what you're getting into if you decide to buy this game. Ultimately, this cart is for fans of Phantasy Star, oldskool gamers, or the historically curious like myself. If you are a younger gamer who could care less and just want a great RPG, look elsewhere.
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