I came back to Lufia II after over 20 years with only fond memories. I'm one of the rare people (including the only person on the podcast) who played and mostly enjoyed the first Lufia game. I clamored for the sequel when it released, and I played it immediately when I got my little hands on the cartridge. I loved swapping controllers with my cousin in his basement and theorizing with him about the lore. While the puzzles were frustrating as a kid, the story and characters captured my heart, and I called it my favorite game for a few years.

I was a little trepidatious returning to Lufia II after so long. Would it hold up? Luckily, it mostly does, but not for the reasons I remember. I think the reason I truly loved it so much all those years ago — and the reason I know I do now — is the pacing. At the 2 hour mark, I had cleared 4 dungeons already. The puzzles were a lot less annoying now (guides really help) and they helped add fun and variety to the dungeons. The battles are snappy and have just enough customization to keep it interesting. Mired in the world of 60-100 hour RPGs in 2019, a fast-paced, 20-ish hour RPG is downright refreshing.

On top of that, Lufia II is forward thinking in a lot of ways that we don't often give it credit for. It's the first RPG I can remember that eschews random encounters, making them visible on the field, and gives you the tools and freedom to actually avoid those battles. There is a rich endgame, including the now legendary Ancient Cave. You can even find monsters and train them to help you in battle. There's so much to do here that replaying the game a few times is more than worth it.

Finally, while the story and characters don't hold a candle to the greats of that era, Lufia II still keeps it interesting with amusing characters (I'm looking at you, Dekar) and a truly touching love story that is both surprisingly mature and tragic.

Oh, and that ending. It gets me every time.

Lufia II is a game from my childhood that I always remembered very fondly and would suggest people play whenever a discussion about game recommendations came up. When I saw that it was in the list of possible Retro episodes I happily attached my name to it. Little did I realise that I in fact had not played Lufia II to completion in my childhood at all, and had only played the first half. If I had to speculate why I didn't finish it, I think I might have given up on a puzzle that required colour sight to finish, and as an undiagnosed colourblind child I assumed it was just too hard for me to complete. As for why I thought I had finished it, I think the fact I had seen the intro for Lufia I (which is the ending of Lufia II) merged with my memories of Lufia II and led me to believe I played it to completion. Whoops.

So, the question is, do I still think of Lufia II as fondly now that I've actually played it from start to finish? The short answer is yes! The longer answer is also yes but with more words.

As an adult I think most of my admiration of this game comes from how slick it is. It plays like a dream and has a UI that lets you access everything easily and quickly in battle and dungeons, a feature many modern day RPGs still struggle with! Not to mention timeless graphics and the absolutely endearing characters that just demand that you love them, which makes the ending ever so bittersweet. If I had to pick favourites it would be a toss up between Dekar and Selan — both for very different reasons. Where Dekar is delightfully irreverent and charmingly dense, Selan is considerate, strong and fiercely loyal, she is just as much of a hero as Maxim, the protagonist.

Lufia II wastes no time and squeezes a full RPG experience in just 25 or so hours, with more fun to be had at the casino or hunting dragon eggs. Not to mention the Ancient Cave which is a whole game in and of itself and has near infinite replay value. Yes, Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals has it all and it shall remain on my list of recommendations for many years to come.

To this day, Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals is my favorite RPG of all time. When I saw that Lufia II would be an upcoming Retro Encounter topic, I jumped at the opportunity to share my undying love for this RPG. Having played this game countless times since I was about eight years old, Lufia II has never become stale for me. Over the forty (if not more) times I have played this game, I always find excitement in the fantastic battle system, rage-induced moments in the Ancient Cave (damn you Asashins and Ninjas), challenging puzzles, and engaging story. For these aspects and multiple other reasons, Lufia II will always be my personal favorite RPG.

There are many reasons why Lufia II could never be a one and done RPG. Thanks to the unique puzzles like the Monster Race in the Ancient Tower and the World's Most Difficult Trick (a fan-made name for a puzzle in Dragon Mountain), challenge awaits. As you journey through vast towns and castles, there are friendly capsule monsters you can acquire! Just don't question how they evolve from their original form to the most bizarre monster evolutions I have ever seen (in a good way). The flow of the game helps define the seven main playable characters and makes their personalities seem human rather than artificial. Lufia II will surely inspire several emotions. Happiness, from defeating Gades and obtaining the Gades Blade on the first encounter (yes, it is possible). Sadness, from believing you lost one of your party members for good (Dekar, you are forever my favorite). Compassion, when you feel the love Maxim and Selan share (from their marriage, having a baby, battling together, and the bond they share). Joy, when you complete all one hundred floors on Ancient Cave (after all the bad RNG to the worst enemy encounters of all time). This is why I keep coming back to this game over and over again.

In short, Lufia II is a very well rounded RPG that still holds up to this day. While other installments of the series may not be as enticing to revisit (we don't talk about the DS Lufia game), I am always up for starting a new game of Lufia II. It never feels repetitive or old because I'm always fascinated, even as an adult, at how well the game has held up decades later. During the times I have played Lufia II, either when I streamed for RPGFan or on my personal Twitch channel, I often wondered who else has played this game. I feel my fellow gamers either know how wonderful it is, or they have not discovered this hidden gem. As a proud owner of a physical copy of Lufia II, I cherish the cartridge not for the financial value, but for being a personal treasure to me. If you can, please play Lufia II at least once. I promise you won't be disappointed!

P.S. Battle Music 3 is the best music in this game!