Phantasy Star III is one of those weird, ambitious RPGs that sticks with you—not just because of the sci-fi meets fantasy world, but because your choices actually shape the story across generations. You start off with a pretty straightforward wedding scene (yeah, really), and then boom—suddenly you're playing as your kids, then their kids, depending on who you picked as your partner. It’s janky in that classic Genesis way, but there’s something cool about seeing how your decisions ripple through time.

The combat’s standard turn-based stuff, but the real draw is the scope. You’ll hop between floating castles, high-tech cities, and dungeons that feel like they go on forever. Some of the sprite work is surprisingly detailed for the era, especially the enemy designs. Just don’t expect the pacing of a modern RPG—this one makes you work for those story payoffs. If you’re into old-school adventures with big ideas, it’s worth digging into.