Premise:  In the distant Algol star system, on the planet Parma, the henchmen of the evil ruler Lassic have just brutally murdered a young rebel named Nero.  Alis, sister of Nero, takes it upon herself to avenge her brother's death and forever free the worlds of Algol from the tyranny of the man responsible for her brother's unjust death.

Comments:  Phantasy Star's contributions to the console RPG genre, especially in the United States, are manifold. With its retro-future world, in-depth character development, stunning graphics, and excellent gameplay, it's no wonder that this title (and the series) is revered by many as the greatest, most enjoyable RPG around. (Videogames.com)

Rating:  10

Variants:  The original Japanese release is for the Sega Mark III console (the direct ancestor of the SMS).  It is entirely in Japanese and features a wonderful FM music soundtrack that could be heard if one's Mark III console was equipped with the optional FM module.  There are two different versions of the SMS reissue - one in Japanese and one in English.  Both versions lack the FM soundtrack of the original Mark III release, since it is not supported by the console hardware.  Aside from these differences, all three versions are identical insofar as gameplay and graphics are concerned.

Sidebars:  Yuji Naka's Phantasy Star is today considered one of the groundbreaking RPGs in the whole of the genre.  Among its many firsts are the first RPG to feature 3D first-person graphics, the first RPG to feature a female lead character as its star (Alis), the first RPG to feature a fuzzy yet intelligent non-human sidekick (Myau), and the first console RPG to be released in the U.S. videogame market.  It was later re-released in all of its original 8-bit glory as a special limited edition MegaDrive cartridge in Japan to mark the system's fifth anniversary, and again in Japan in a straightfoward 32-bit port for Saturn as part of the Sega Ages: Phantasy Star Collection.  Sadly, none of these later re-releases were ever translated into English, so the only version of the game available to Western audiences is the SMS original.