For years, I’ve been hoping for a remaster of Lunar: Silver Star Story and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue. I first played them on the Sega CD, got hooked, and then fell in love all over again when they hit PlayStation. The incredible soundtrack, the animated cutscenes, the unforgettable characters—it all stuck with me. Now, with the announcement of Lunar Remastered Collection coming in April, new details from GungHo Online Entertainment America have only made me more excited.
Classic Gameplay with Modern Convenience
A recent PlayStation Blog post gave insight into why the PlayStation versions were chosen as the base for this remaster. According to the developers, each version of Lunar had its own strengths, making the decision difficult. The Sega CD originals set the foundation, while the Saturn and PlayStation versions refined the gameplay and presentation. Ultimately, the team felt that the PlayStation versions best captured the series’ identity, balancing the expanded content, refined mechanics, and visual upgrades that defined Lunar for many fans.
They’ve also added some great quality-of-life updates, like an adjustable battle speed (available in both games), a unified inventory system for Lunar 1, and customizable AI settings for party members. This AI customization lets you fine-tune how characters behave in battle, giving you more control over combat flow. These should make battles smoother while keeping the original strategy intact.
If you prefer the old-school experience, there’s even a Classic Mode, which keeps the original PlayStation graphics and includes an optional CRT filter. Meanwhile, Remastered Mode enhances the UI, in-game effects, and aspect ratio to better fit modern displays while keeping the classic art style intact.
A New Voice Cast, New Music, New Artwork and Updated Cutscenes
One of the biggest changes is the brand-new English voice cast. This is always a controversial move for long-time fans. The developers say they focused on staying true to each character’s personality. To match the original Japanese releases, the new voice actresses for Luna and Lucia will perform the vocal songs. Each will sing their character’s theme.
Noriyuki Iwadare composed a brand-new song, “Looking up at TERRA.” It will play on the game selection screen. Considering how iconic Lunar’s soundtrack is, that alone is enough to get me hyped.
Visually, they’ve taken a careful approach. The animated cutscenes have been touched up rather than completely changed, keeping their original look but making them sharper for modern displays. Toshiyuki Kubooka, the original character designer, even created three new pieces of artwork for the collection. It’s great to see that so many of the original creators were involved.
April Can’t Come Soon Enough
This remaster is shaping up to be everything I’ve wanted. It keeps what made the originals so special while adding modern conveniences.
One more big surprise: Lunar Remastered Collection is coming to Europe for the first time. This marks the first official release of the Complete versions outside North America and Japan. European fans have relied on workarounds for years to play these classics. It’s great to see the series finally reaching a wider audience.
If you’ve never played Lunar before, this might be the best way to experience two of the best JRPGs ever made. And if you’re like me and have been waiting for years to revisit these adventures, April 18, 2025, can’t come soon enough.
What are you most excited for in Lunar Remastered Collection? Let me know in the comments!
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