In I, the quartet of Alisa, Myau, Tylon, and Lutz appeared as your allies. Arriving at II, however, the party members are all new now, it being a millennium later, and the roster has increased to eight names in all, including the hero Eusis.
These eight warriors make a weak impression in the II game due to the intense character of Nei, but if you take a look at the settei, they at least came to vivid life in the individual personal dramas created for them.
Therefore, in this corner, rather than introducing the characters in the game, we'll introduce the eight party members as described in the previously-undisclosed settei text. We think you'll now be able to understand the fine details left untold in the game, and also that the developers' thoughts toward the game will be relayed. And perhaps through these settei it will be understood why the fourth game in the series came to be centered around the characters.
EUSIS
Male. Around 20-25 years old. Employed as an investigative agent for the Motabian government. 178 cm tall [about 5'10"]. Weighs 60 kg [abut 132 lbs.]. Born into a relatively wealthy family in Paseo.
When he was ten, Eusis rode along with his parents on the maiden voyage of a ship belonging to a corps that was exploring the planets of the sloar system. At that time, an accident befell the ship; Eusis miraculously, narrowly escaped, but his parents died. This event becomes the backdrop for the adventure. After this, Eusis was brought up in an orphanage.
Eusis has been assigned to his current position for two years. Since his character is influenced by the player's conduct, he has a normal, run-of-the-mill personality. But, in such times as when he is investigating the effects the evil creatures are having on the citizens' everyday lives or when he rescued the persecuted Nei, he holds a strong sense of justice.
He's a serious type of person, burning with a sense of duty, but he also has a careless, reckless side to him. He has a very frank persona upon which sarcasm is lost.
Occupational Characteristics & Special Abilities
In a social stratus similar to that of the business elite; not only smart, but a sportsman too. Unlike the other characters, he has no particularly deep knowledge of any specialized field. But he has an odd charm, and even the battle-hardened veteran Rudger has come to place his confidence in him.
Technique Acquisition & Technique Point Consumption
Lacks in specialized knowledge, but since he has received a wide range of training, he has a wide but shallow range of knowledge.
He has no attack-type (against enemy creatures) techniques. Leave those to Nei and the scholars.
Since he's received a little training in the use of enemy machines, one can assume he knows a bit about where and how they can be disabled. He knows emergency-measure medical techniques - just enough to get by, low-level antidote and medical techs. The others he knows are the "Ruura" and "Riremito" techs. [Note: I've never heard of these before and am presenting them in their straight katakana spellings. "Riremito" could be "Rimit", maybe, but "Ruura"? Perhaps these were cut techniques?]
He can use guns with a not-very-large recoil, swords, and the Nei series of weapons. Can equip most armor, except for special items.
(from the development settei text)
NEI
Female. One year, seven months old. Has no job. 160 cm tall [about 5'3"]. Weighs 43 kg [about 95 lbs.]. Born August 28th, AW 1283, a Virgo. Eyes are violet. Hair is red. Skin is a transparent-like white; lips are red. Her slightly-buck teeth are cute. Since her character must die along the journey, she can engender feelings of hopelessness and futility.
Born the product of genetic engineering research run amok.
A man-made girl created from a fusion of human and evil-creature cells through polymotabiaglycol. A husband-and-wife team of biologists (former teachers of Eusis), opposed to genetic experimentation, took pity on the infant Nei, seemingly just cast aside, and broke her out of the research lab. She is afterwards raised by the couple, but develops with abnormal rapidity (in a month, she grew as much as a normal human would in a year).
When she was four months old, her adoptive parents were gravely injured by a rioting, evil-creature-hating mob, and only Nei escaped with her life. Afterwards, she left to wander alone.
She was rescued by Eusis as she was about to be killed by an evil hunter (when she was ten months old). Eusis took her in and raised her as his little sister from then on. In what could be called a short time, perhaps because she was raised amidst the warm love of her adoptive parents and her adoptive brother Eusis, she is an intensely cheery girl on the surface, though she has a dark persona lurking beneath. In public, she becomes reserved, throwing her guard up, but she plays the baby to big brother Eusis and her comrades.
She can't shake her complex feelings toward the evil creatures, probably because she's half of their blood. But against those - even humans - who harm her adoptive brother Eusis or her allies, she is absolutely unforgiving.
She holds about the same amount of fondness (perhaps even more) for Rudger, who has a potential death wish, as she holds for her adoptive brother, maybe because Rudger smells similar to Eusis.
Though half-beast and half-human, she's a pretty person and smart too. She has lithe muscles. Using an iron claw or similar in close-range combat, she can rip her opponents to shreds. She seems to be a popular character among middle- and high-school and college students.
Occupational Characteristics & Special Abilities
There's no reason for Nei to have a job, but she has superb speed and fair attack power. And she can possess the same special abilities the evil creatures do.
Technique Acquisition & Technique Point Consumption
As she gains experience points, she can come to use the special abilities the enemy evil creatures possess. Can use weapons along the lines of iron claws. Cannot use armor. Cannot use special items.
(from the development settei text)
RUDGER STEINER
Male. 35 years old. Employed as a hunter. 190 cm tall [about 6'3"]. Weighs 85 kg [about 187 lbs.]. Born July 1st, AW 1249, a Gemini. Of German descent; modeled on Rutger Hauer (ref. Blade Runner, Hitcher). He has Commander Streiker of The Mysterious Flying Saucer UFO-type pale silver hair and blue eyes. [No, I don't know who "Commander Streiker" is and have never heard of The Mysterious Flying Saucer UFO.] His body is a mass of muscles, but he's not a macho-man type. He wears a long, ashen-gray coat. (He's a fan-service character for middle- and high-school and college students who know bitterness and despondence.)
Received training at the most elite educational institutions until he was twenty; after his parents died, he enlisted in the army. After enlistment, he married and fathered a daughter, but after his wife and daughter were killed by the evil creatures, he became a Hunter. ("Hunter" is a generic term for people who earn their wages being contracted by towns and individuals to do things like protecting towns from evil creatures or escorting travelers on their journeys.)
In terms of strength and spiritual power, Hunters run the gamut from fine to not-so-fine, but Rudger is one of the fine ones. He's a stoic, cool-headed man.
He should harbor complicated thoughts toward the evil creatures because they killed his family, but he never lets them show, always silently smiling. Once, he rescued a child single-handedly from the depths of a deep cave where evil creatures were nesting and made a name for himself as a Hunter; in his heart of hearts, however, he truly wanted to very soon make a mistake in hunting the evil creatures and die. He's a person who has the potential for suicide. That is the reason why, albeit unconsciously, he has a tendency to seek out dangerous jobs.
Occupational Characteristics & Special Abilities
Can use all military-type weapons, and his attack power, defensive power, hit points, and agility are well-balanced - and his level is high to boot.
Technique Acquisition & Technique Point Consumption
He basically does not learn new techniques. Can equip almost all weapons and armor. Cannot use very many items, though.
(from the development settei text)
ANNE SAGA
Female. 23 years old. Employed as a doctor. Born February 6th, AW 1261. 155 cm tall [about 5'1"]. Weighs 40 kg [about 88 lbs.]. Of Japanese descent. Has black hair and black eyes (ref. Fiorina of Haha o Tazunete Sanzenri [Three Thousand Leagues in Search of Mother, a '70's anime series; I might not be spelling the character's name right]). Her bobbed hairstyle betrays her youthfulness more than her practicality. A fan-service character for old-fashioned males who think that girls should be graceful.
Born into a normal family, came to lead a normal like. Through her own abilities and a fluke twist of fate, she followed the path of medicine. She is currently a female doctor who has just finished her internship. At first glance, she impresses one as mild and delicate, she is actually an independent and, at heart, strong girl. She will sacrifice herself to protect the party. It's a pity that she seems insular and dour, but that is the fact of the matter. Since she's a pretty girl, though, it's a pretty insularness and dourness. [Note: the word used here is "nekura", which means "dark-natured", "introverted", "dour", "glum", "moody", and "insular". I've selected the above two, but it really isn't clear which meaning the text intends.]
Occupational Characteristics & Special Abilities
She can replenish her allies' hit points using her own technique points. (She has the ability to heal wounds when she places her hands on them.)
Technique Acquisition & Technique Point Consumption
As her level gets higher and higher, her power to regenerate hit points increases. Of course, her technique point consumption also increases.
*replenish HP a little bit (one person only)
*replenish HP somewhat (one person only)
*replenish HP to the utmost (one person only)
*give half her hit points to an ally (one person only)
*give all her hit points to an ally (one person only)
*replenish HP to the utmost (all allies) (It is thought that she will learn these techiques in the above order as she levels up to this point.)
*cure poison (one person only)
*erect a barrier (all allies)
She seems to have other techniques as well.
She is good with mace-type weapons; she cannot equip heavy armor. She can use all medical-related items.
(from the development settei text)
HUEY REANE
Male. 20 years old. Employed as a scholar. Born January 11th, AW 1264; a Capricorn. 170 cm tall [about 5'7"]. Weighs 58 kg [about 128 lbs.]. Of Korean descent. Hair is black and long; eyes are also black.
Born of a head-zookeeper father and a botanist mother. Took a liking to animals and plants from early youth and studied them exhaustively as his specialty. After graduating from school, he could have enjoyed working in research at an agricultural complex; after the outbreak of the evil creatures, though, he began to work on behalf of the creatures who were preyed upon by the evil ones.
Because of his single-minded character, he often has trouble talking with others, and he's recently exhibited a touch of autism. Compared with Lutz's comrades, he can be communicative, but he is most at ease when talking to the small animals and flowering plants that live in his home. He does not wish to kill even evil creatures, but he will fight to protect good living things if there is no alternative.
He has a habit of walking with his head slightly bowed. His round glasses have won the giggles of some girls and the respect of a few. [Excuse me, but wouldn't the glasses thing make him look a bit like Tohoru Yoshida? Glasses, longish black hair - even the face on his "official" chara-design pic bears a slight resemblance to Yoshida's, IMO.]
Occupational Characteristics & Special Abilities
He can manipulate the movements of plants and animals and can use all medicinal compounds.
Technique Acquisition & Technique Point Consumption
[Note: many of the below techniques seem to be "cut" techs that never got out of development; others, existing techniques by their (of course) Japanese name. I'm unsure what romanization to go with on many of the names, so I've just included the name's straight katakana as my romanization. Another note of caution - not all the techs described below are named in the first place...]
*Doranku [could also be "Drunk", though I suppose that might require a long "a" sound]
Drives animals' consciousness mad and makes their attacks miss, making it easier to run away. (all enemies)
*Suspends the distribution of plant and animal attack power, halting movement. (one enemy)
*Genera
Hastens the aging of plants and animals. (one enemy)
*Nerubotto
Destroys animal nervous systems, causing instant death. (one enemy)
*Manipulates animal nervous systems, causing them to do what your companions wish. (one enemy)
*Destroys plants' and animals' cellular structure, blowing them apart. (all enemies)
*Enables conversation with animals.
(The above tehcniques will be learned gradually.)
In way of weapons, he can use guns that shoot drugs effective against plants. Cannot wear heavy armor, but can wear mantles that have strong defense against enemy poison. In way of items, can use all drugs usable against evil creatures.
(from the development settei text)
To supplement the settei text, we will say that the techniques ended up differently-named in the game. They are, after all, called "settei" (planning sheets). Also, the Huey in the game is not that defined a character. That is because, if you read his settei, he is a plant-loving, feminine character who's also extremely delicate, and so he ended up being grouped in with the girls like Nei and Shilka and made a weak impression. Distinctive female characters could be called a Phantasy Star hallmark. [??? They're saying, I take it, that since Huey was such a girly-man, he got mentally thrown in with the girl characters in the players' eyes, where he didn't stack up well due to PS2's strong female characters?]
AMIA AMIRSKI
Female. Age unknown - 19, more or less? Employed as a Counter-Hunter. 165 cm tall [about 5'5"]. Weighs 45 kg [about 99 lbs.]. Of Russian descent. Has silver hair [what is it with these people and silver hair?] and green eyes. Modeled on Nastassja Kinski. A bit dangerously proportioned. Fan-service character for middle- and high-school and college students who like anime.
Having lost both parents at an early age, she lives among the dregs of society. Upon the appearance of the evil creatures, she sets herself up as a Hunter, but most recently she turned into a Counter-Hunter.
There are many persons of evil nature among the Hunters; it happens frequently that a Hunter turns around and become the "boss" of a town they were "protecting" or turns into a bandit. Those employed to hunt those evil Hunters down are called Counter-Hunters. Both when she was a Hunter and when she became a Counter-Hunter, she is a girl who possesses slightly sadistic tendencies in the thrill of the chase. That is to say, she is not in the job for the money - she is a natural-born Hunter.
Occupational Characteristics & Special Abilities
Can use all close-range weapons - to great effect to boot. It's an instant-death attack, but the drawback is that if an enemy is resistant to this type of attack, she will receive a great deal of damage due to her relatively low defensive power and HP. In way of special abilities, she can explosively activate her body [hey, that's what it says. Is this a predecessor to Hahn's Astral skill?].
She can fight almost as a reflex action. And, moreover, her attack and defense power will rise to the highest values. [That's what it says, although it's contradictory to the above paragraph.]
Technique Acquisition & Technique Point Consumption
She does not learn any new techniques. Only her maximum TP will increase. As her TP, which can only be used in battle, increases, her attack power will rise along with it.
*Shifta
Raises one's battle level five levels in battle. ["Raises one's battle level five levels in battle." Ummm...that's what it - oh, the hell with it.] Expends 3 TP.
Can use all close-range weapons (sword, knife, shuriken, whip). Cannot use fairly heavy armor. No particular restrictions in regards to items.
(from the development settei text)
From looking at the settei, Amia can seem to be quite a cute character.
But because she was a soldier-type, many people left her out of the party. This was probably because, though she's a character with a fairly high degree of appeal if you look at the settei, she didn't end up making a strong impression [in the game], and in the actual in-game situation, players choose as comrades the guys they feel they can "use".
It was a similar situation with Kinds the junker, a character strong against robots and mecha-types; it is thought that since, depending on the circumstances, he ended up being "covered" by the levelled-up comrades who had been on the journey thus far, many people therefore left Kinds out of the party while adventuring. These things happened in regards to these two because the characters appeared at about the same time that the players were able to form a bond with the comrades who had already joined up during the progression of the adventure. One could call Amia and Kinds (who will be below) Johnny-come-lately characters.
KINDS JI AN
Male. 20 years old. Employed as a junker. Born March 20th, AW 1264, a Pisces. 180 cm tall [about 5'11"]. 70 kg [about 154 lbs.]. Of Argentinian descent. Has suntanned skin and black hair.
Still even now not having lost his runaway-type style, will fight to the death if not stopped. Has more wounds on his body than anyone else, but the experience earned from those wounds is regrettably small.
When he was little, he picked up discarded items at a junkyard.
During his compulsory education, he would often skip school and go hang around with runaways. Same as an engineer, he worked at a junkyard, but he displayed no interest in creating things, instead accumulating experience in destroying them He's an empty-headed and impulsive wild boy.
He had led a lifestyle unconcerned with such things as justice, but the outbreak of the evil creatures rekindled a sense of justice long (looooong) dormant within him. Having made no effort at anything like battle strategy or tactics, there have been many cases where he's realized that he's out of ammunition in battle, but also an equal number of time when he just continues battering the enemy with the butt of his empty rifle.
He feels a late-blooming affection for Nei, but since he is not useful during the first half of the journey and thus is not in the party much, feelings of unfulfillment simmer beneath the surface.
Occupational Characteristics & Special Abilities
He can destroy machines' internal framework as he wishes. He can also drive machines berserk and control their movement.
Technique Acquisition & Technique Point Consumption
[The same cautionary note for Huey's section concerning tech names applies here.]
*Forza ["foruza" in straight katakana]
Sends false impulses to machines' sensory systems, making their attacks miss and making it easy to run away. (same-type group)
*Okiza
Accelerates the deterioration of machine-types. (one enemy)
*Rimite
Stops movement of enemy robots. (one enemy)
*Purossedan [I'm guessing the intended name (whatever it is) is derived partially from "processor"?]
Destroys machines' semiconductors, stopping them. (one enemy)
*Conteru
Directly manipulating the enemy CPU, makes them do as the caster wishes.
*L. M. H Ad-Charge [The original katakana is "L. M. H adochaaji". I get the feeling this is a reference I'm missing; please e-mail me if you know.]
Makes enemy robots go insane and explode. (one enemy; has three levels)
*L. M. H Had-Charge ["L. M. H hadochaaji"; again...]
Causes enemy robots one after another to run amok. (all enemies; has three levels)
Can use electromagnetic wave weapons and weapons specially designed to destroy machines. Can use high-level items. Laser suits befit him
No particular restrictions in regard to items.
(from the development settei text)
Kinds's Misfortune
Though distinguished by his terrific strength against robots, the number of players who used him as a comrade was small. Because players were reluctant to drop comrades to whom they had become attached, Kinds ended up being excluded from the party.
If you look at the game settei, you see that Kinds's heart goes out to Nei. At about the time that Kinds came to play an active part in the proceesings, Nei lost her life in the battle with Neifirst.
And to think that, love having blossomed in such a short period of time between Kinds and Nei, that Nei would end up dead...... For Kinds, this would be the beginning of a tragedy, since he was planned out as an everyday human. Nei's child, like Nei herself, would age twelve years in one year's time. That is, in a mere five years' time, that child of Nei's would be 60, and in twenty-five years' time her own daughter would be 60, is a tragedy a bit beyond imagination.
This paradox is squared away a bit in the settei for IV.
SHILKA LEVINIA
Female. 21 years old. Employed ["employed"] as a female thief. 168 cm tall [about 5'6"]. Weighs 52 kg [about 115 lbs.]. Born June 21st, AW 1263, a Gemini. Of Irish descent. Has blonde hair and violet eyes. Always neatly primped wherever she is.
Raised in a well-to-do family that wants for nothing, having received the highest of education.
Thanks to her parents' bequest, she has spent her whole life playing away, but she continues to be a thief as a hobby. She is proudly non-political. She has a habit of slouching. She impresses people as a by-all-appearances haughty girl, but she truly is a passionate, warmhearted girl. The hot blood of heroism flows through her heart, but she's a shy girl and ashamed to admit it.
She's also a confused girl... "Rudger's stoicism, Eusis's cuteness, Huey's naïveté, Kinds's stupidity...I just looove everyone!" She'll say "I am Shilka of the wind!" and then suddenly not be there. "No one can catch me!" and "Freedom is sublime" are her favorite sayings, but she really is ensnared by such chivralic virtues as a sense of justice and compassion.
Occupational Characteristics & Special Abilities
She'll unexpectedly disappear from the party, unexpectedly returning the next day. When she does so, she'll have, for some reason, gained items or meseta.
Technique Acquisition & Technique Point Consumption
As she gains experience, the items she steals become more and more useful and the amount of money she steals increases. When she becomes extremely skillful, she'll also steal cutting-edge weapons from enemy robots. When she returns, her TP will be at zero, so beware.
Can equip up to stick-type weapons and can probably use about up to mantles insofar as armor. Can use items (mecha and healing items excluded).
(from the development settei text)