One of the best games I've ever played! Certainly worth a look even today!
I first rented Phantasy Star II and was instantly addicted. It was hard and the dungeons were terrible without any help. I was then lucky enough to buy a used copy of the game. IT CAME WITH A STRATEGY GUIDE! I figure the developers conceded the fact that players would need it to play the game and even have a hope of beating it. The dungeons are hard enough to navigate and the guide was a blessing and it didn't ruin the gameplay at all. When I would get stuck, I would consult the guide.
The game still looks and sounds good to this day, especially for what it is. The combat system is good and there's a number of characters to choose from to include in your party.
If you still have a working Genesis and a copy of this game, have a blast! If you don't, then get an emulator! I'm not a purist, so I rather enjoy playing on an emulator. The frame skip function that speeds the game up drastically reduces combat time in the game and you can level like mad to prepare the very difficult final boss battle. At one point I thought I was ready and fought the boss but got wasted. Then I decided to max out and then it wasn't that bad. Prepare for one shocker of an ending.
I might have to go play this game now, as I feel a twinge of nostalgia coming on. This game is worth a look!