Lunar: The Silver Star returns on PSP
by JC Fletcher 
{ May 13th 2009 at 11:10AM } 
Siliconera cleverly speculated that this title would be the "enhanced remake of a classic PSOne RPG" that XSEED plans to announce in the near future. This game is well-known enough among PlayStation RPG lovers to be worth teasing.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
fwacce @ May 13th 2009 11:13AM
Too bad it isn't a port of the Sega CD version. I didn't like how they changed parts of the story on the PS version to make it more kid friendly.
Storm Eagle @ May 13th 2009 11:22AM
Amen to that. Though you could always track down a copy of Lunar Legend of the GBA. That was a remake of the Sega CD version.
McWeen @ May 13th 2009 11:27AM
What about it made it more kid friendly? There seemed to be lots of sexual innuendo in the PSX version to me.
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ May 13th 2009 2:08PM
One of the best rpgs ever. A wonderful cast and great villian. This and Earthbound made me love rpgs again. I'm getting misty just thinking about, Ghalleon, Dragon Master Dyne, and the Grindery...sniff.
MrBlank @ May 13th 2009 4:38PM
You can Play the original Sege CD verson an a custom firmware PSP with PicoDrive. The audio's a little bit off in cut scenes. Anyone know how to fix that?
shinhyesung11 @ May 14th 2009 2:18AM
This article states it is a remake of the Sega CD version....and it also has a more in-depth overview of the changes being made. If GamePro is right....sloppy work Joystiq sloppy work.
http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/210222/lunar-the-silver-star-gets-psp-remake/
Cosmo @ May 13th 2009 11:22AM
Will this use the extremely Americanized script from the Working Designs localization with lots of silly pop culture references of the PS1 version or a more original English script?
John Z @ May 13th 2009 11:45AM
It'll probably be a straight(er) re-translation. XSEED is a good localization house; I've talked with them in the past, and they really know what they're doing. They won't go into all-out Working Designs-level humor, but I'd be surprised if they didn't leave it at least a bit lighter in tone than we generally get for RPGs these days.
Lunar is one of my all-time favorite RPG series. It's a shame about Lunar Dragon Song, so when I heard about the PSP remake this morning, I was skeptical... until this news. I really have faith they'll be able to pull out a good translation that satisfies the purists and the folks who got into it because of WD's translation. (Yeah, I'm one of that category. It was a nice change of pace from the "doom and gloom, save the world but mope about it for three discs" that was just starting to get into style back then.)
McWeen @ May 13th 2009 11:29AM
I just played through this recently on my psp. I already own the original so I hope there are sizable additions to the game.
Ranelar @ May 13th 2009 11:37AM
Why do people have to claim they already own the original etc etc whenever they mention playing ROMs and ISOs. Everyone assumes you're a pirate anyway, and you probably are; if not in this game, then in other games/music/apps/whatever else.
McWeen @ May 13th 2009 11:43AM
I guess I should have just said I played it again recently then since I seem to have offended you. I said that I already have it because I do and I would like a real reason to purchase it again (unlike the GBA remake).
Jinsenken @ May 13th 2009 3:54PM
Why do people have to whine as if they are being in any way affected when someone mentions pirating?
Bradwart @ May 13th 2009 11:32AM
The SegaCD pwns all! lol j/k. How many people are going to go "SegaCD? What's that?" Don't even bother mentioning the 32X, which I also own and love.
Brad Mecoli @ May 13th 2009 11:34AM
wait, you own... AND love a 32X?
it's a witch! A WITCH!
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ May 13th 2009 2:10PM
Don't be snooty. Most people my age (28) are still trying to forget the 32X. Oh shit now you have me thinking about fmv games on the sega cd. WAY TO GO JERK NOSE!
Scuffles @ May 13th 2009 11:03PM
Yeah I remember my 32X ..... it core dumped on me when I was playing Wolfensten
Anyhow long story short I should never have to see something like that playing on a console system .... So my 32X had a quick conversation with a sledgehammer
Disturbingly enough I have a jaguar and love it ... yeah I dunno how that works either.
jkjudgex @ May 13th 2009 11:34AM
Lunar: TSS was one of the best RPGs of its time... and upon its release way back when for the Sega CD, was one of the ONLY RPGs with actual cell-animation and voice acting for a significant portion of the game.
The combat system was none too original, but, well executed enough to get the job done. The overall storyline, including one of the best villains ever in an RPG and some of the coolest plot twists... still to this day... remains memorable, while so many other numbered sequels of random other RPGs that I've played and beaten leave no overwhelmingly good memories.
To me, that is the test of quality for an RPG, especially an anime based one, since they are so very often copy/paste work in terms of story, art, and character.
I'm happy there's going to be a PSP version, but, copying the PS version is probably a bit of a mistake. If I were to do it, I would modernize the cultural references in Lunar:TSS, clean up the original animation and sound and release that with the PSP game, as the director's cut or something.
http://www.judgex.com/
Bradwart @ May 13th 2009 11:34AM
Also, I wonder if they're going to port Popful Mail, Vay, and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue to the PSP if this does well?
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ May 13th 2009 2:12PM
Vay is on iPhone/iPod touch. Not very user-friendly without D Pad. But it does have cutscenes and voice acting.
NaeemTHM @ May 13th 2009 11:37AM
OMG YES! I very stupidly sold my copies of SSSC and Eternal Blue (cocaine is a hell of a drug).
I hope they keep all the sweet animated cutscenes.
Nook @ May 13th 2009 11:42AM
so, they plan to go hard copy with this - even though it's the same game with some story/situational tweaks?
sounds great. there's far too much to choose from on PSN anyways.
/sarcasim
anyhoo - I've never played this and a fun RPG on the PSP sounds good, this doesn't have spikey hair and giant swords does it? seems my DS is getting all the RPG action lately.
Bradwart @ May 13th 2009 11:49AM
@Brad Mecoli
The 32X wasn't that bad...it just has a dearth of software caused by a lack of support. What was it, 39 games released in 1 year?
Really easy to collect for, though. It did add a whole lot of capability and power to a stock Genesis though...wish they'd do things like that today.
Shimrra @ May 13th 2009 11:55AM
Why would anyone play the same game again. I mean yeah there might be subtle changes to the original game but frak man just release a collection of the classic orginals then stop making remakes...This is why the PSP is fraking failing nothing new. I WANT ORIGINAL TITLES ON MY PSP. Come on Sony please.....
Reinard @ May 13th 2009 12:06PM
I know I sure as hell haven't played most of the original Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile, and Lunar games. I also know getting original copies of those games for a decent price is generally pretty difficult, let alone a working system to play them on.
But I wonder why they keep re-releasing these old classics. Hmm.
silverwolf761 @ May 13th 2009 12:00PM
Damn. I was hoping they'd release the PSX version on PSN so I could play it again on my PS3. Looks like they took a giant shit on that idea though
Sarge @ May 13th 2009 12:10PM
Well, as much as I'd like to say I'm stoked about this... I'm not. I've already played through much of the game twice (halfway through the PSX version, and finished the Sega CD version, not to mention dabbling with Lunar Legend for GBA), so playing this again is not very appealing. To be honest, I thought the PSX version had issues, especially as pertaining to encounters, and the fact that most cannot be evaded. I'd almost take random battles over that.
Anyway, it should help the PSP a bit, especially for those who haven't experienced it yet. I'll make sure to recommend it to my neighbors' kid, who for some reason still thinks Legend of Heroes is the greatest RPG ever (ah, the ignorance of youth).
Ghaleon @ May 13th 2009 12:11PM
GameArts wants people to buy the same game for a 4th time? I thought only Square went that low. This is retarded. How bout a new fucking Lunar already (the DS one was pretty not good, but I enjoyed it on the most base level of being in the Lunar universe again).
Baligouxji @ May 13th 2009 1:33PM
I'm in shock....
Now I have to buy a PSP, just in the hopes that this sells well enough to get a TRUE lunar sequel.
pliny5678 @ May 13th 2009 2:01PM
I have both collector's editions for the PS1. Never got around to playing Eternal Blue.
Haohmaru @ May 13th 2009 2:38PM
I can be a Dragonmaster again? Sweet! Hopefully the translation won't suck.
TX2 @ May 13th 2009 3:39PM
Lunar and Ys seem to be racing each other in a competition to get the most ports of a single game released.
TX2 @ May 13th 2009 3:39PM
Role Playing Game, anyway. (obviously they can't compete with tetris)
cafecito @ May 13th 2009 5:05PM
Just a port, huh. They should at least re-draw the sprites. Even the GBA had nicer, re-drawn battle sprites (In which Ramus actually looked like his character art).
I'm really liking the idea of reviving old classics, but just like Persona, they ain't giving us enough reasons to get them. PSP's got a HD screen right there, USE IT.
cafecito @ May 13th 2009 5:12PM
Scratch that. I just looked at the scans closer, and the graphics are totally new to me. They're even kinda isometric, which wasn't present in the PSX version I remember. Now I'm getting a little excited about this game.. :)
BTW, the map seems to be a "point a to point b" affair now, doesn't it? It even has a cursor. Why not walking through the map? I liked that.
John Z @ May 13th 2009 6:46PM
With no random encounters on the world map, there's no need to walk around. (They were removed for the Saturn port, I believe-- not by WD.) Though, honestly, I did like that, too-- it's just unnecessary now. In Eternal Blue, though, it should still be there because of the optional dungeons.
vhayste @ May 14th 2009 1:09AM
Nice! This is one of my most favorite titles for the PS! Its a wish come true :)
ecco6t9 @ May 13th 2009 7:04PM
Hopefully SCEA doesn't shoot this one down.
E @ May 13th 2009 7:24PM
:: sighs ::
Oh great: another PSP port of a PlayStation (or non-PlayStation) game that already exists... At least it's a port of Silver Star Story and should definitely be better than the laughable and absolutely terrible Lunar DS. Regarding the latter, what were they thinking?!??! LOL!
cafecito @ May 13th 2009 7:58PM
Joystiq was wrong to assume it was a port of the Playstation game. It doesn't look like the Playstation game at all.
Jacksons @ May 13th 2009 9:42PM
Not bad, I wouldn't mind having the sequel though. I have Silver Star on Sega CD, but never got around to getting eternal blue.
TM @ May 13th 2009 10:58PM
they could also just re-release the game on PSN instead of going through all that trouble....but not that I care either way......
Bradwart @ May 14th 2009 1:05AM
The 32X is a bit buggy. I want to get a Jaguar, but I'd rather buy a Wii to finish up this generation. If I found a decently priced Jag, I'd buy it. Attack of the Mutant Penguins FTW!
skinnyneo @ May 23rd 2009 11:33PM
I also had hoped that his would be a retelling of the Sega CD version but if you look at the scans you can tell this won't be a remake of the Sega CD story. The biggest giveaway is the picture of Luna on the boat. That right there is the revised Sega Saturn/PSX version. Plus the Japanese makes no reference as to what it is being based on, just that the graphics have been (not surprisingly) updated from the Mega Drive and Saturn versions.