In the wake of the golden era of RPGs in the 1990s, it was inevitable that some series would simply fall by the wayside. Not everything could find enduring success like Final Fantasy or Shin Megami Tensei, and beloved RPG franchises simply vanished. One of the biggest casualties of the rush of RPGs was Lunar, a beloved franchise that flourished at first with imaginative games filled with wonderful characters but failed to adapt as audiences moved on. Now the first two Lunar games, a pair of the best RPGs ever made, are making a grand comeback in 2025 with the Lunar Remastered Collection.
Developed by GungHo Entertainment Online, the same company behind the Grandia HD Collection, the Lunar remaster includes Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete. Both games have been given a visual overhaul, along with updated sound, faster battles, and a host of other quality-of-life improvements. Interestingly, though, you’ll be able to choose the classic mode for anyone who wants that true original experience.
Seeing these two games come back, in the middle of a second renaissance for RPGs, is fascinating. Lunar was something of a pioneer for Japanese RPGs, as one of the first to gain widespread popularity in North America after its release on Sega CD in 1993. By today’s standards, these are classic RPGs in every sense of the word — tactical turn-base combat, an expansive world to explore, a wacky cast of characters, and gorgeous animated cutscenes. But what really makes Lunar unique is the way it blends adventurous fantasy with a charming love story.
In Lunar Silver Star, the story opens in the sleepy small town of Burg, where a boy named Alex dreams of going on grand adventures, just like the tales of Dragonmaster Dyne. As he sets out on an adventure Alex is joined by his childhood friends, including Luna who has the power to heal people with music. Luna and Alex’s relationship is a central part of the game’s narrative, and while it’s not the most complex storytelling out there, Lunar does a great job of showing both characters growing as people alongside each other, turning into adults and supporting each other. They’re the stars of the show, but Lunar also has some phenomenal party members — like the hotheaded mage Nash, who’s always eager to one-up Alex.
The first Lunar is heavy on fantasy, taking you through a world rich with lore, mystical creatures, and plenty of evildoers. Lunar Silver Star has had a couple of remakes over the years, but to this day nothing hits like that original version. That’s exactly what makes this remake so exciting — it feels like the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters in the way it retains the original aesthetic of the game but touches it up.
Of course, the second piece of the puzzle is Lunar 2, which takes place one thousand years after the first game. Lunar 2 made some drastic improvements to the battle system and overall gameplay, but still sports that blend of fantasy storytelling and romance.
This time around you play as a young man named Hiro, who encounters a visitor from another planet named Lucia, who insists on being taken to the ruler of his world. It’s a fun inversion of the childhood friends from the first game, giving a different flavor to the romance that plays out.
The Lunar franchise hasn’t had a new game since 2005, and there's been no good way to play Silver Star or Eternal Blue for almost a decade. These remasters aren’t just a chance to play two of the most important RPGs ever made, they’re also a way to ensure that they aren’t lost to history forever.
