Play Estpolis Denki II (Japan) Online

Game Overview

Lufia II is one of those SNES RPGs that somehow flew under the radar back in the day, which is a shame because it's got way more going for it than you'd expect. You play as Maxim, a monster hunter with a serious sword and an even more serious destiny—turns out he's the guy from the first game's ancient legend, which is a neat twist if you played that one.

The combat's your standard turn-based stuff, but with this weirdly satisfying puzzle element where you can push enemies around the battlefield. And the dungeons? They're packed with Zelda-style traps and brain teasers that actually make you stop and think. I remember getting stuck in that first pyramid for way too long before realizing I could move statues onto pressure plates.

What really sticks with me though are the characters—especially that smug jerk Dekar who somehow grows on you. The writing's got this dry humor that keeps things from feeling too heavy, even when you're fighting world-ending gods. It's aged better than most mid-90s RPGs, though the random encounters will test your patience after a while.