Year:1995

Publisher:Working Designs

Developer:Game Arts

Platform:Sega CD

Lunar: Eternal Blue is the sequel to Lunar: The Silver Star. This is the original Sega CD version; this in itself makes it a reason to own the system. Set 1000 years after the conclusion of the original Lunar, Lunar 2 centers around the relationship between Lucia, who is sent down from the Blue Star to see Althena after witnessing a disturbing prophecy - the hands of Zophar squeezing the blood out of Lunar. This version differs substantially from the PlayStation version - some features were dropped in the PSX versions, others were enhanced, and still others were modified.

Hiro and his grandpa Gwyn witness something happen up at that ol' Blue Tower there yonder, so they set off to investigate. There, they meet Lucia - they then set off on a long and difficult quest to see Althena, adding several characters along the way.

The game itself introduces many unique concepts - you collect "magic points" (seperate from the characters' magic reserves) that are used for upgrading the character's magic and saving the game. Formation is also key in a battle - in the later stages of the game, for example, clustering the party around Lemina allows her to shield them all from harm. There's an AI option for the computer to automatically fight battles for you (don't do this)

Ruby can even hold your extra items for you - given that she is with you the entire game (with a few exceptions), this is a godsend.

Production is top-notch; from the true anime cutscenes (no CG renders), to the hilarious voice acting, Lunar: Eternal Blue has it all. Sadly, it's difficult to find nowadays - try EBay, as always, and get a copy of Gens if you want to play it

Lunar: Eternal Blue is unique in that it recieved a K-A rating from the ESRB (that's "E" in today's terms) despite the following:

  • Blood
  • Nudity
  • Swearing
  • References to alcohol
  • Ronfar

Victor Ireland, director of Working Designs, revealed how Eternal Blue recieved this rating in the Lunar 2 official strategy guide (page 200)

Shocking as it was, it was no real trick ... We sent them a video with what we thought were the most objectional scenes in Lunar ... and they sent us back a K-A rating. I guess the biggest shortcoming of the ratings system is that it doesn't take into account the mentality of the people on the ratings board. There are tons of double and triple entredes in Eternal Blue, and the ratings system simply isn't designed to take those into account. Besides, before you can rate the jokes, you have to get them. The ESRB didn't, and that's very good for us

The ESRB rated the re-release of Eternal Blue for the PSX "T", suggesting that they were awake this time around.

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