Phantasy Star II: Shilka’s Adventure is one of those old-school Genesis RPGs that somehow still holds up—if you can handle the grind. You start off as Shilka, this no-nonsense warrior with a vendetta, and the game wastes no time throwing you into its weird sci-fi world full of mutants, rogue androids, and political intrigue.

The combat’s turn-based but surprisingly snappy for its time, and the dungeons? Brutal. You’ll be drawing maps on graph paper unless you’ve got a guide handy. The story’s got that classic '80s anime vibe—dark conspiracies, tragic backstories, and a party that actually feels like they’ve got history together.

It’s not the prettiest by today’s standards, but the pixel art has charm, and the soundtrack slaps. Just be ready to grind a bit between story beats—this isn’t one of those RPGs that holds your hand. If you’re into retro games with some teeth, it’s worth digging up.