Phantasy Star II – Nei’s Adventure is one of those classic Sega Genesis RPGs that somehow still holds up. You play as Nei, this half-human, half-animal hybrid with a tragic backstory, wandering through a sci-fi fantasy world that feels way ahead of its time. The pixel art is gorgeous, and the dungeons? Brutal. Like, bring-a-notepad-for-mapping brutal.

What I love is how the story actually makes you care—Nei’s not just some random hero. She’s got personal stakes, and the writing (for a 16-bit game) does a shockingly good job making her feel real. Combat’s your standard turn-based stuff, but the enemy designs are wild—some of these creatures look like they escaped from a prog-rock album cover.

Fair warning: it’s tough. Random encounters come fast, and if you’re not grinding a little, you’ll hit a wall. But that’s part of the charm. This isn’t some hand-holding modern RPG—it’s a relic from when games didn’t care if you got stuck. If you’re into old-school challenge with a surprisingly deep story, Nei’s Adventure is worth the frustration.