SEGA-CD Jrpg 1993

Lunar: The Silver Star

Reviewed by Marcus Webb & Elena Castillo · Updated June 2025

Game Arts' original Lunar on Sega CD — the game that established the franchise's beloved characters, Working Designs' most celebrated localization, and the animated FMV sequences that CD-ROM made possible. Lunar: The Silver Star follows Alex's journey to become a Dragonmaster with a party of memorable companions and one of JRPGs' most celebrated female leads in Lucia.

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💡 Lunar: The Silver Star — Key Facts

→ Lunar: The Silver Star was developed by Game Arts and published by Working Designs
→ Released in 1993 on SEGA-CD
→ Genre: Jrpg
→ We rate it 9/10 — an absolute classic
→ Part of the Lunar franchise
→ Game Arts' original Lunar on Sega CD — the game that established the franchise's beloved characters, Working Designs' most celebrated localization, and the animated FMV sequences that CD-ROM made possible. Lunar: The Silver Star follows Alex's journey to become a Dragonmaster with a party of memorable companions and one of JRPGs' most celebrated female leads in Lucia.

Overview

Lunar: The Silver Star arrived on Sega CD as proof of concept: this is what CD-ROM enables. Animated sequences for story moments. Full CD audio for the soundtrack. Voice acting for key scenes. Everything that cartridge hardware couldn’t do.

What the format surrounded was a JRPG with characters players actually cared about — which turned out to be more important than the technical showcase.

The Characters

Alex wants to be a Dragonmaster. Luna supports him. Nash talks too much. Mia is quietly capable. Kyle is the mercenary who isn’t as callous as he pretends. Jessica says what she thinks.

Working Designs’ localization gave these characters personality in English. Dialogue that could have been straightforward translation became character-defining — each party member’s speech patterns, humor, and reactions felt distinct. Players who spent 30+ hours with Lunar’s party remembered them specifically, not as roles but as people.

Luna’s arc — what she is, what happens to her, how the game resolves around her — is what Lunar remembered for decades after its technical novelty faded. The story worked because the relationship at its center was developed enough to make the stakes real.

The Animated Sequences

Studio DEEN created anime-style animated sequences for Lunar’s major story moments — the kind of production that VHS OVAs were delivering to anime fans simultaneously. On a gaming console, in 1993, these sequences were exceptional.

The Sega CD format made them possible. The sequences were stored on the disc and streamed during play. The visual quality exceeded anything the Sega CD could render in real-time. Watching the animated Lunar sequences on a TV in 1993 was an experience that no cartridge console could replicate.

Working Designs’ Reputation

Lunar made Working Designs’ reputation. The company’s subsequent Saturn work — Dragon Force, Magic Knight Rayearth, Albert Odyssey — built on the trust players placed in them after Lunar. When Working Designs published something, players paid attention because Lunar had taught them to.

That reputation was earned here. Lunar: The Silver Star, faithfully localized, with personality added that made Western players care about characters from a Japanese PC Engine game. That’s what Working Designs did best, and Lunar is where they did it first and best.

Our Review

Outstanding / 10

🎮

Gameplay

★★★★★

🎨

Graphics

★★★★★

🎵

Audio

★★★★★

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Replay

★★★★★

Gameplay

Lunar: The Silver Star is a traditional turn-based JRPG following Alex, a boy from Burg who idolizes the Dragonmaster Dyne, as he travels with companions including Luna (his childhood love), Nash, Mia, Kyle, and Jessica to collect Dragon Trials and claim the title of Dragonmaster. The Sega CD version uses CD audio for the full soundtrack and full anime-style animated sequences created by Studio DEEN for major story moments. Combat is standard turn-based with character abilities, magic, and enemy targeting. The game was remade as Silver Star Story Complete (PS1) with updated content and anime sequences.

Graphics

The original Sega CD visual presentation includes detailed sprite work and Working Designs' signature anime-style FMV sequences — animated scenes created specifically for the CD version that were a major showcase for the Sega CD format.

Audio

The CD audio soundtrack by Noriyuki Iwadare is one of the JRPG era's most beloved — accessible, melodic compositions with character themes and area music that players remember decades later. Voice acting for story scenes was included.

Replayability

The journey is the primary value — the characters, story, and music are what make Lunar worth returning to rather than mechanical replay motivation. Working Designs' localization personality rewards rereading dialogue.

Historical Significance

Lunar: The Silver Star (1992 PC Engine, 1993 Sega CD, 1993 Working Designs West) was Working Designs' breakthrough localization that established their reputation for character-rich JRPGs with personality-driven localization. The game's characters — particularly Luna's character arc — made it one of the most emotionally invested JRPG experiences of the era. Working Designs' localization added personality and humor to dialogue that translated the game's emotional beats effectively. The franchise continued with Lunar: Eternal Blue (Sega CD), Silver Star Story Complete (PS1), and multiple remakes.

✅ Pros

+ Noriyuki Iwadare's beloved soundtrack is exceptional
+ Working Designs' character-rich localization
+ Anime FMV sequences showcase Sega CD format capabilities
+ Memorable companion cast with distinct personalities
+ Foundational franchise that influenced JRPG storytelling

❌ Cons

- Traditional JRPG combat with limited mechanical depth
- Sega CD hardware required for original version
- PS1 Silver Star Story Complete is more feature-complete
- Some Working Designs localization anachronisms date the experience

Also Known As

Lunar Silver StarLunar: The Silver Star Sega CDルナザ・シルバースター

Lunar: The Silver Star FAQ

What is the difference between Lunar: The Silver Star (Sega CD) and Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (PS1)?

Lunar: The Silver Star (Sega CD, 1992-1993) is the original version, developed for the PC Engine and ported to Sega CD. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (PS1, 1996 Japan, 1999 West) is a significant remake with updated graphics, new story content, new animated sequences by different animation studios, revised gameplay, and new plot elements including a new character (Hiro/Ghaleon context). The PS1 version is longer, more polished, and considered by many the definitive version. The Sega CD original is more historically authentic and has its own character that fans of the original prefer. Working Designs localized both for the West.

Who are the main characters in Lunar: The Silver Star?

Lunar: The Silver Star follows Alex, a young boy from the village of Burg who dreams of becoming a Dragonmaster like the legendary Dyne. His companions include: Luna, his childhood friend and love interest whose true identity becomes the game's central mystery; Ramus, Alex's best friend; Nash, a student wizard; Mia, the shy daughter of a Vane magic guild leader; Kyle, a mercenary with a hidden depth; and Jessica, the daughter of a religious leader who becomes a healer. The game's villain is the Magic Emperor, whose identity and motives are gradually revealed. Luna's character arc is the game's emotional core.

Is Lunar: The Silver Star available on modern platforms?

Multiple Lunar versions are available through various platforms. Lunar: Silver Star Harmony (PSP, 2010) is a port of the PS1 Silver Star Story Complete with additional content. Working Designs' PS1 version (Silver Star Story Complete) is available through PlayStation Network. The original Sega CD version is accessible through original hardware and emulation. Lunar: Remastered Collection, announced for modern platforms, was expected to include multiple Lunar games. The franchise's accessibility has improved through digital re-releases.

What made Working Designs' localizations distinctive?

Working Designs, founded by Victor Ireland, was known for localizations that added personality beyond literal translation. Their localizations of Lunar, Popful Mail, Dragon Force, and other titles gave characters distinct voices, added humor, updated cultural references for Western audiences, and sometimes added dialogue that wasn't in the original Japanese scripts. Critics of this approach argued the additions weren't faithful; supporters argued the added personality made the games emotionally resonant for Western players. Working Designs' Lunar localizations are specifically celebrated for capturing the warmth and humor of the original while making characters feel distinct and memorable in English.