With the April 18 release date for Lunar Remastered Collection coming up, writer for Lunar: Silver Star Story and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue, Kei Shigema, has expressed his excitement about the classic RPGs being remastered. Speaking to GamesRadar, Shigema also showed some apprehension about Lunar Remastered Collection‘s success, since both of the games in the collection are quite old and may not suit the tastes of modern audiences.
“When I saw Grandia being remastered first, I thought, ‘That’s so nice. I’m jealous!’” said Shigema. For some context, Shigema also worked on the classic Grandia series, which was released back in 2019.
“I had been hoping for a Lunar remaster as well, so I was thrilled when it was announced,” said Shigema. “At the same time, I can’t help but wonder – will today’s players still enjoy a game from 30 years ago?”
Shigema also spoke about how simply watching a playthrough of classic games like Lunar: Silver Star Story wouldn’t quite be the same as actually playing them. While watching videos of someone else playing games can help a person understand some aspects of the title, to actually experience the game properly, they would have to play the game.
“Movies, novels, and manga can be enjoyed in their original form, but games require the hardware they were originally released on, making them far less accessible,” he explained. “While watching old playthrough videos can give you a general idea of what a game is like, as the question suggests, games are ultimately media that must be ‘experienced.”
“Nothing compares to picking up a controller and playing for yourself. That’s why this remaster is so exciting – it brings that experience back for a new generation. I hope that after playing Lunar, players will look up at the moon and think, ‘Ah… so that’s where my adventure took place.’”
Lunar Remastered Collection is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch in April. The title will be available digitally, as well as physically. Physical copies are only available in North America, however.
The game was announced all the way back in September 2024, and will include modern features like support for widescreen displays, HD animated cutscenes, and new English voice acting.
While there will be plenty of quality-of-life features in Lunar Remastered Collection, GungHo Online Entertainment has revealed through an FAQ that it there will be no option for players to change the difficulty of the classic RPGs. On the other hand, the games will allow players to play through the RPGs in Classic Mode, allowing them to experience the games with their original visuals. Players can also disable the blur effect that is otherwise present on the top and bottom edges of the screen.
The story of Lunar: Silver Star Story revolves around a young boy, Alex, who sets of on an adventure. Things quickly take a turn, however, when the Magic Emperor arrives. Lunar 2: Eternal Blue is a follow-up that takes place 1,000 years after its predecessor, and features a new protagonist named Hiro.
