Our round up of awesome Sega Genesis RPGs that have been fan-translated to English continues with two more awesome, futuristic RPGs.

Phantasy Star is one of the biggest franchises for RPGs on the Sega systems in the 90s. The two games we look at today are part of the series or directly influenced by it. In both cases, these are must-plays for the sci-fi RPG lover.

Star Odyssey

Star Odyssey may not be the prettiest game you’ve ever seen on a Sega system but it makes up for it with solid content. Although the game has a similar futuristic sci-fi RPG environment similar to Phantasy Star, it has its own unique story and flavor. Be warned; this game has one of the highest random battle encounter rates of any RPG from the era. You better love that aspect of the classic RPG experience to be able to get the most out of this game. Those who do will find a rewarding alternative-to-Phantasy-Star experience with a great plot.

Phantasy Star II Text Adventures

The Phantasy Star II Text Adventures are prequel/origin stories for the characters of Phantasy Star II. It’s a nice experience to play after playing the main game (or before) to see how each character came to be where they are at the start of Phantasy Star II. The cool dice-rolling effect when battling the bad guys is also pretty cool. These text-based games are surprisingly deep and the battle system is sufficiently complex to keep things interesting.

Next Rom Hack Round Up will feature some action/adventure RPGs that have been translated to english for your enjoyment.