Althena

is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts in association with Studio Alex for the Sega/Mega-CD, originally published by Game Arts and released in Japan in 1992. After a successful release, the game was translated and localized by Working Designs for release in North America the following year.

Designed as a "different kind of RPG", ''Lunar: The Silver Star'' made use of the up-and-coming CD-ROM format by featuring high quality audio, full motion video, and voice acting to narrate a fantasy story set in a magical world. The game centers on the exploits of Alex, a young boy from a small town who dreams of one day becoming a great hero like his idol, Dragonmaster Dyne. When a childish adventure later turns to discovering an ancient dragon, Alex and his friends must journey across the world to gather the necessary power to become the next Dragonmaster, and save the world in the process.

''Lunar: The Silver Star'' was critically and commercially successful, becoming the number one selling Mega-CD title in Japan and the second highest-selling Mega-CD title. As the first game in the ''Lunar'' series, it set the standard for other follow-up titles including the direct sequel '' Lunar: Eternal Blue'' in 1994. Since the game's original release, three enhanced remakes have been produced for various systems: '' Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete'' in 1996, '' Lunar Legend'' in 2002, and '' Lunar: Silver Star Harmony'' in 2009.

Gameplay

''Lunar: The Silver Star'' is a traditional, top-down role-playing video game featuring two-dimensional characters and environments. The player must navigate towns, fields, and harsh environments to complete story-based objectives that move the plot forward, as well as interact with non-player characters to expand the script and gain various rewards. Making use of the Sega CD's disc hardware capabilities, short video and audio interludes accompany the game's narrative, including full or quarter-screen animated images and CD-DA sound files. Players record their progress by saving to either the Sega CD's internal RAM, or a separately purchased RAM cartridge that fit into the accompanying Mega Drive/Genesis.

While traveling in the game's world, players randomly encounter enemy monsters that must be defeated or avoided to progress. Battle sequences utilize a turn-based approach, with the player and enemies acting in accordance with their "speed" rating. The player issues commands to each controlled character in their party, which are then carried out in sequence until the battle ends. While on the battlefield, players may choose to move their characters to attack the enemy, retreat into a corner, stand their ground, or flee the battle entirely, with characters only able to strike enemies if they are close enough to their target or use a ranged attack. Nall, a supporting character not directly involved in combat, is present throughout the game to analyze enemies before battles begin, gauging their relative strength to the player's group. Players may find weapons, equipment, and assorted items during gameplay that increase the effectiveness of characters in battle, such as causing more damage to opponents and increasing their stamina. Winning battles grant experience points that go towards making characters stronger and able to battle progressively more difficult enemies. Upon defeat, a player may choose to load a previous save file, or restart their game at an automatically saved checkpoint.

Plot

Setting

The game takes place in the fantasy land of Lunar, a small habitable world orbiting the massive, barren blue planet (known as the Blue Star), forming a loose parallel between the game's world and the Earth and its moon. Centuries before the start of the game, the Blue Star was rendered unlivable by years of war. The powerful and benevolent goddess Althena relocated humanity to the Silver Star, the world of Lunar, and entrusted four dragons to safeguard the elements of the new world. From this point on, those who would use the power of the dragons to serve the goddess and protect the world were known as "Dragonmasters", and no such Dragonmaster was more revered than Dyne, a legendary hero who defended the goddess and succumbed to an unknown fate. The stories surrounding Dyne's exploits would form the life model for a young boy named Alex, the game's protagonist and central character, who also aspires to become a Dragonmaster himself. Many of the locations of ''Lunar: The Silver Star'' were given a deliberate "northern" feel to present an environment that was cooler than the settings of most role-playing games, if only to allow the characters to wear more clothing. Many towns and locations were based on areas of Russia and Medieval Europe.

Characters

The characters of ''Lunar: The Silver Star'' were designed by anime and manga artist Toshiyuki Kubooka. The main characters include Alex and his companions, each of which have their own reasons for joining his quest:
* Alex - a 15-year-old boy from a small town with dreams of becoming an adventurer. Alex is a mostly silent protagonist, typical of a Japanese RPG.
* Nall - a small, winged creature resembling a white cat who has been with him since birth.
* Luna - Alex's childhood friend and love interest who has the unique ability to heal with music.
* Ramus - son of the town mayor who dreams of one day opening his own shop, and begins Alex's adventuring career by having him fetch a priceless diamond from a dragon's cave.
* Nash - a junior premier of the floating city of Vane, often prone to rash decisions and occasionally despair.
* Mia - another junior premier of Vane, though much more reserved than Nash.
* Kyle - a headstrong and womanizing bandit.
* Jessica - a tomboyish daughter of a famous hero who is training to be a priestess.

Major supporting characters include the three surviving members of the Four Heroes, a legendary band of adventurers who aided Dragonmaster Dyne in protecting the Goddess Althena years before the game's story, whose ranks include:
* "Deadly" Mel D'Alkirk, father of Jessica and mayor of the bustling city of Meribia. In the original Japanese version, it is said that he governs Meribia, although Working Designs' translation adds that he founded the city.
* Lemia Ausa, mother of Mia and head of Vane.
* Ghaleon, powerful sorcerer and teacher of Nash who becomes the primary antagonist

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