Phantasy Star III and Destiny of an Emperor are very different games. One is a more traditional RPG, while the other has a little strategy to its gameplay that you won’t find in other games from this time. Both games are quite fun to play and can be challenging for different reasons.
There are a lot of differences between these two games. This is what makes this series fun for me, and also rather challenging. It is really cool to compare a Genesis game with an NES or SNES game.
Since these games were released on different console generations, I won’t be putting much weight into the graphical differences. Phantasy Star III looks much better than Destiny of an Emperor, but that doesn’t factor into which game is better. Each game has a charm to its graphics that I can enjoy without harping on it too much.
Game Descriptions/Overviews
These two games are very different in their setting and story. Both games have the benefit of something coming before them, so the development teams had source material to use. This helped with the world-building in both games.
Phantasy Star III is a science fantasy RPG. It takes place on a spaceship and picks up with the refugees who escaped the solar system from the second game. The story is told in three parts, and has the player eventually fight Dark Force, the big bad guy for the series.
Destiny of an Emperor is an alternate history story that is based on a manga adaptation of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel. The player takes control of Liu Bei’s army and tries to unify ancient China. It takes quite a few liberties with the source material, but it is a solid RPG.
These are brief overviews of both games. I’m not trying to retell each game’s story here, so I didn’t go in-depth on anything. Let’s go over the major differences between the two games.
Main Differences
While these games are both RPGs, they are quite different. The story, setting, and gameplay are all very different. I’m not going to get into the graphics because I just don’t think it is a fair comparison.
The stories are extremely different. Destiny of an Emperor follows historical events for better or worse. You have one clear goal, which is to unify China under a new Emperor. In Phantasy Star III, the story is told across three generations of heroes, and ends with a fight against the source of all evil.
These games have radically different settings as well. Phantasy Star III is more science fiction than fantasy. You’ll see more robots and technology in this game. Destiny of an Emperor is a low fantasy setting. Magic exists, but is mostly explained as military tactics. Your characters will be using swords and bows to fight.
There is a lot I could talk about with the gameplay. I’m going to save some of it for the next section. The big thing I want to mention here is that in Destiny on an Emperor, your enemies are armies that are led by a general. Occasionally, you can recruit enemy generals to your side. It is one of the best things about the gameplay.
Phantasy Star III is a more traditional console RPG when it comes to its gameplay. Destiny of an Emperor has more unique game mechanics. They have different takes on magic/technique systems, and Destiny of an Emperor has an auto-combat feature that is different from Phantasy Star III.
These are some of the major differences between these games. I’ll go into some more detail in the next section. Let’s look at the core mechanics of these two games.
Comparing Core Mechanics (Combat, Story, Visuals, etc)
These are both turn-based RPGs, but they have some differences in their core mechanics and the way they tell their stories. Their combat systems aren’t too different from each other, but the way they tell their stories is. Graphics won’t really play a factor in this.
Phantasy Star III uses comic book cutscenes as well as in game graphics. It is also told in three parts while building up to the final battle. Destiny of an Emperor uses in game graphics for its cut scenes, and is told differently. You do switch to a new generation of generals, but this is closer to what happened in the manga.
The magic systems are completely different. Phantasy Star III has a mix of magic and techniques that each use magic points. Destiny of an Emperor uses military tactics, which require that you have one general as a tactician, and all the characters pull from the same pool of magic points.
I’m sure there are some other minor differences that I could bring up here. These games are very different approaches to how an RPG could be set up. Destiny of an Emperor is such a unique game that there isn’t a good one-to-one comparison. Let’s get into what each game does better than the other.
What Does Phantasy Star III do Better?
There is a lot I could talk about here. Phantasy Star has the better story, the gameplay is what you should expect from a console RPG, and the way it tells its story is better. This is a more cinematic game, and I love the science fantasy setting.
The way that Phantasy Star III tells its story is much better than Destiny of an Emperor. Having it take place across three generations is a unique approach to telling a story. It also allows for more replayability as there are four possible endings.
I love that this game has comic book cut scenes. They work better than just having in game graphics. It is something that you don’t always see in retro RPGs, so when I see them, it makes me smile. This, along with the way this game tells its story, makes me really like this game.
The setting is something that I like a little more when I think about it. Phantasy Star III’s science fiction setting is very cool! I love that it takes place on a spaceship where the people who live there have created a mythical origin story about where they came from. It is a fun way to tie this game back into the series.
There are other things that I prefer in this game when compared to Destiny of an Emperor. They’re minor when I look at the big parts of the game, and come down to personal preference. The gameplay is easier in Phantasy Star III, and the final boss is less of a pain in the ass.
What Does Destiny of an Emperor do Better?
There isn’t too much that Destiny of an Emperor does better than Phantasy Star III. I think it is more unique than most RPGs. I love the recruitment mechanic in the game. It also has a setting that I find more interesting than most games, with more fantastical elements.
Destiny of an Emperor has a very fun mechanic where you can recruit enemy generals to your side. This helps you to fill out your party early on, and it takes enemies off the battlefield, which makes some battles easier. It is part of the game that really drew me to it when I was a kid.
I love the story and setting more than most RPGs. The Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history is very interesting to me, and this RPG is a fun take on those historical events. This is based on a manga, and I like this adaptation quite a bit.
Those are the things that I like about Destiny of an Emperor. They are the things that I think are better than Phantasy Star III. Let’s get into which is better and which I would rather play.
Which is Better Overall and Why?
When I compare these games as RPGs, I think that Phantasy Star III is the better game. I like the way it tells its story, and I like how easy it is. It also has multiple endings, which is a nice touch for a game like this.
Phantasy Star III has more of what you should expect from a console RPG. The story is very good, and it is told in a unique way. Having three generations of heroes is very cool, and it works quite well.
Having multiple endings is great. This ties into how the game tells its story, and it gives you more options to replay the game. It also offers some options for how you play the game, as each main character has slightly different abilities.
I also enjoy the way this game tells its story. I love the comic book cut scenes more than just having in game graphics. This is something that I love about the Phantasy Star games, and I’m glad that it was kept for the third game in the series.
I have a newfound appreciation for this game when compared to Destiny of an Emperor. Phantasy Star III is a fun game, and it is the better RPG. I also like science fiction stories more than fantasy, or in this case, alternate history.
Which Would I Rather Play?
As much as I’ve come to appreciate Phantasy Star III, I would rather play Destiny of an Emperor. I have more memories of playing this game, and it is more fun to me. There are so many little things that I love about this game.
I really like the story and setting of this game. The Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history is one of my favorite settings. Many of my favorite games take place there, and I really like this take on that story.
The gameplay in Destiny of an Emperor is so much fun. I love going on this grand adventure to find your party members and recruiting enemy generals along the way. This is one of my favorite games of all time.
I have so many fond memories of playing this game. It started with me playing it on an emulator, and continued with me trying to find a copy in the late 1990s. It reminds me of a time when I was still discovering new games that I had never heard of.
Destiny of an Emperor is one of my favorite games. That includes retro and indie games. It might not be for everyone, but I absolutely love it. This is the game that I would rather play if I were given a choice between these two games.
Conclusion
These are two interesting video games for me. One is a game that I have a lot of nostalgia for, and the other is a game that I have a newfound appreciation for. Destiny of an Emperor is one of my favorite games of all time, which makes it hard for me to compare games to it. Phantasy Star III is a good RPG that tells its story in a unique way.
I would rather go back and play Destiny of an Emperor. Phantasy Star III is the better game overall, but given the choice between these two games, I would choose Destiny of an Emperor. It is very close, but I’ll have to stick with the game that made a bigger impression on me.
Looking at these two games makes me think about a few things. Mainly, why I liked one game more than the other when I first played them. I didn’t like Phantasy Star III when I first played the game, and I fell in love with Destiny of an Emperor.
A lot of it had to do with how I felt about the fourth game in the Phantasy Star series. I played Phantasy Star IV first, and my friends and I got obsessed with it. It was a similar feeling when I played Destiny of an Emperor a few years later. I’m glad that I went back to Phantasy Star III, even if I still like Destiny of an Emperor more.
If you liked this post, please check out my other posts in my vs series. Here are some examples: Destiny of an Emperor vs Sweet Home or Phantasy Star II vs Phantasy Star III.