Thankfully quite a lot better than 2, but even this game's high points don't come close to (SEGA Ages) 1. Playing this via the PS2 Phantasy Star Collection is pretty much necessary, as it's still a grindy and slow game like 2. It's just less grindy and less slow, and its dungeons are less bad. The worlds are used pretty interestingly in this one (what with the various routes taking you to most of the same locales in different orders), and I enjoyed the twists as they came. This game really does make me wonder where 4 is going to go with all this, though. Guess I'll find out soon enough. Overall, though, this game is ambitious but doesn't try to overstep its boundaries too much.