for four different endings. In the game the player plays three different generations of characters. Each generation there is a choice of who to marry. The player’s choice determines the next generation of the game. An intriguing idea, but the result was four different endings to one sub-par game.

Phantasy Star IV, released in 1994, is a return to the original games. Again, Yuji Naka and Rieko Kodama combine to design and program this game. After the failure of Phantasy Star III, Sega desperately wanted another quality game in the series to boost waning sales of Genesis games. Rieko Kodama herself attested to such in the Phantasy Star Compendium:

I was told by the company to make the RPG as soon as possible. They also asked me to try andbring together the original scenario writers, illustrators, and character designers…

Phantasy Star IV was quite a success. The game returned to the general storyline of the first two games and brought with it better designed graphics and a great story. Early in the game the female lead character dies leaving Chaz, an apprentice fighter, to continue the party’s quest. This is sad moment in the game. In order to advance the main character must die. Similar circumstances can be found in Final Fantasy games.

Sega released the newest installment in the series, Phantasy Star Online, for the Dreamcast in late 2000. Designed by Sonic Team (a group headed by Yuji Naka), Phantasy Star Online is the first console game designed to be played with people from across the world. In