Customer Reviews

Phantasy Star Online

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Okay ladies and gents... I have a confession. I'm hooked. I'm truly addicated. I've tried counseling, I've tried exercise... Heck, I've even tried Skies of Arcadia. (Skies is a great game, don't get me wrong... a true masterpiece. Buy it now. But be sure to pick Phantasy Star up first, cuz it's simply amazing.) I'm not an avid RPG player. I love a deep storyline, but the major two problems I generally find with RPG's are that, a) the storyline is interesting, but you spend the entire game watching movies or reading pages-worth of dialogue, and b) the dialogue that there is on the screen is incredibly hokey. Grandia II, another excellent Dreamcast RPG, suffered (tho not unbearably) from the latter of these two complaints. Anyways, yes. Phantasy Star Online is a hack-and-slash game. You fight monsters, gain experience points, the whole kit-and-kaboodle. The battle system itself is not a turn-based combat system, it's a much more arcade-style (i actually find that i enjoy it much more.. imagine a Zelda-style RPG, and you've got the right picture.) But, for as sparse of a story as there is, the dialogue that there is in the game is well-written. And the gameplay more than makes up for the lack of a strong story. Trust me, you're gonna love playing this game. Also, for those of you who find yourself in need of a defined mission, there are mini-missions avaliable for play during the game. These are fun and sometimes downright silly. Sometimes these missions are tragic, as well. The diversity is well-planned by Sonic Team. The graphics are extremely sharp, wonderfully colored, and well-textured. They blew me away. The monster designs are all well-animated, and promote an outcry of "coolness!" The control is great, very easy... And the spells and weapons are lotsa fun. They're more collectable than Pokemon. ;) And then there's the online game. Which is the single most incredible online experience I've ever had. You join a party of players, from around the world, and help each other while you zap down to the planet to blast away some bad guys. You build up experience, chat, laugh, and cry. It's incredible fun, and the sense of teamwork in the midst of the sheer size of the enormous levels is INCREDIBLY fun. It's... amazing. You're gonna marvel at it. Keep your moon atomizers handy for your fallen teamates. (And for those of you who have the game, don't steal your buddy's weapons once he's died... that's totally uncool.) Have fun, guys. I hope you enjoy this game... It's truly a masterpiece. For those of you in search of more traditional-style RPG's, i highly recommend Skies of Arcadia or Grandia II, both of which are excellent. However, the advantages of gameplay and the entire online aspect within Phantasy Star Online are simply amazing. So grab your mallomars and a pillow, and blast the night away with your Saber, 'cuz it's gonna be a wild ride.

I bought this game thinking it would be average...but once I started playing..I couldn't stop! It's so much fun. The graphics are really good in my opinion. It has nice colors, lighting, and this game doesn't look like a washed outN64 game like the other reviewer said. The control is a little weird at first. You start walking for a couple of seconds and then you start running. You'll get used to it after a while.

Now..to the replay value. This game will really keep you busy for hours! There are many side quests from the Hunter's Guild to complete if you want to, or you can play through the end. The areas you explore are fantastic and you do get lost sometimes.

I thought the offline mode was great when I first played but when I went to play Online, it was even better. It's fun to be able to play and communicate with other people from around the world. I also like the way you can give each other info cards to other people so when you play later, you can locate the people you played with before to play with them again. It's great I believe this game is a masterpiece to behold. Sure, it's not a direct sequel to the Phantasy Star series and it's not your normal everyday RPG but, get it! The graphics are great, the replay value is high, and most of all...it's fun! You won't regret it.

Phantasy Star Online has been a long time coming. The series got its roots back on the SEGA Master Sysyem in the 80's. This newest installment brings back Youji Naka of Sonic Team, who worked on the original. Anyways, down to business...I'll try to keep this concise.

GRAPHICS-- Great character models and backgrounds, repetitive textures. Smooth character animation, repetitive enemy animation. Overall, so good that you don't notice the repitition.

SOUND-- The music stays out of the way for the most part, which is good because it's(you guessed it) repetitive. Sound effects are well done, with everything making the right noise at the right time.

GAMEPLAY-- One word: Addictive. After creating a character you choose between going online to unite and play with others around the world(hence the "online" part of the title) or playing offline by yourself. You can play straight throughthe game or undertake optional quests from the hunters guild. Either way(online or off; quest or not)you proceed to slay wave after wave of monsters to gain experince and meseta(the game's currency), as well as find new weapons and items and spells. That's it in a nutshell.

Despite some camera issues to boot, the game remains a truly revolutionary and exciting experience. Buy it, you won't be disappointed.

P.S. The game contains a demo of Sonic Adventure 2. The demo is almost as fun as the entire of the original Sonic Adventure.

This game is awesome! I have been lucky enough to get an import copy of this game and go online with it. This game has got everything you could want, online RPG goodness, great graphics and gameplay, and it's on the best console to date. Phantasy Star Online is an experience that cannot be missed. ...

Since buying the Dreamcast, it had never been played as much as my PC did until ''Sonic Team'' announced the production of a sequel to one or thee most popular Role Playing Games ever to hit the Sega system. Phantasy Star first was born and released on the Sega Master System, it's ability to use a three dimensional scenery as dungeons was astonishing for a 8 Bit System. Phantasy Star 2 was then released for the Sega Genesis (Megadrive) and was even better with it's addictive game play and graphics made it a huge hit for everyone. Phantasy Star 3 & 4 was repeated game play of the second of the series. Sonic Team has revived the saga and has released the long awaited and most anticipated game...Phantasy Star Online (PSO).

Meanwhile the game was being produced, I never paid much attention into enquiring what the game was like, graphics and game play wise so when I purchased the game, it wasn't what I was expecting. However once I played it, it definitely took a lot of shirt pulling to stop me playing the game (as well as the money it was costing me when playing online).

Graphics: Sets the game to a stereotypical futuristic movie with all the hovering ships in the background makes the game absolutely great to play and even just to sit and view each element that moves. Every element in the game is all 3D rendered which puts the systems graphics card into good use, the character you are able to create can be unique in ever perspective as a wide array of clothing, race and hairstyles are at your disposal. Despite such amazing graphics, expectations of the game's frame rate to slow down is not common thus giving the gamer freedom to play the game at constant smooth

Game play: PSO is played in a third person view (Like Diablo on the PC) which is what surprised me the most about the game. Not like it's predecessors of issuing commands to your characters to cast magic or attack, you control your characters movement and his/her ability to strike or cast a spell on your foe which is also aided by a automated targeting system aiding the user to pick his foe off. A numerous amount of spells (Techniques as they are called in the game) are collected throughout the game. User is able to set his controls as shortcuts for different spells/items/attacks. Lots of functions are there, it's a matter of setting it the way the user feels most comfortable.

Lasting Appeal

The lasting appeal really does depend on two factors;

RPG Addictiveness: If you are addicted to the game then you will play through the game in all difficulties like you are suppose to but in some cases, defeating the boss and completing the game is the end for some gamers but it would be a waste of £40 if you stopped their and didn't play all the way through.

Online Capability: This is the most important factor to the lasting appeal of the game. The Online side to PSO is merely and extension to the game which doesn't sound like much but believe me...it is!! The online community lets you communicate with other players all around the world and to also team up with 3 other players. Whilst playing with others, more enemies and more experience points are there for the taking. Playing with others increases the gamers life span for the game, though you are just doing a repetitive job online it is still a fun experience *Applause To Sonic Team for making it possible*.

Side Quest: This will also refer to the online capabilities of the game. Using the online features of the game, you are able to download quests. Doing this gives you an extra level to play through and a more challenging one not experienced on the features present within the game. With creators of quests, the game may become more challenging.

Rare Searching: Personally, I'm a hypocrite. Reason being is that I asked the question ''Why would I want to go searching for rare items?'' but I find myself now doing so. I spent much of my free time looking for rare items/weapons that I sometimes look at the clock to find it's well past my bedtime. Giving you a sense of satisfaction of finding a rare makes you a proud gamer. Rare Items are what they are....RARE. Some items that are under that title are time consummating to find e.g. you can spend 100 hours playing the game and still not find it whereas some are more fortunate to find it than others.

Cons; Keyboard: You will find yourself unable to become as able as other players in the game especially in online gaming due to not possessing a keyboard. The keyboard is a needed peripheral to the game in order to communicate. Although identical to a standard PC keyboard it has a different port which I feel is a way to make people go out and buy more Dreamcast accessories.

Memory Card: Most people have already got a memory card but the game is so good, you may want to create a second character to play with. Unfortunatly, the game will not allow you to save a second character onto the same memory card. A 1 megabyte memory card contains approximatly 255 pages (Page is it's unit of data). A saved game along with a main file takes up 40 pages of data but it won't allow you to save a second game and many find this frustrating and they go out and pay for another memory card.

Conclusion The game is very addictive. Possibly the best game for the Dreamcast as you will not find that you'll have spent more time on another RPG than you will on this one. So far, I'm into my 238th Hour of the game.....yes that's how addictive it is. You will be satisfied with the purchase of this game guarenteed. If you do not have a Dreamcast, buy one (second hand if your on a budget) and get Phantasy Star Online...trust me, you will not be the only one. Many people I know have done so and they don't regret it for a second.

I'd have gave the game a 5 out of 5 except the only part that brings the point down is the cons section...mainly the memory card section and the Keyboard, though you are bound to buy more games which need these peripherals anyway so it's no big loss unless you only plan on buying a selected amount of titles for the console.

Ok, im new at this sort of thing...Writing reviews. However, this game is one great title and is needed in a dreamcast gamers library. The online part is where this game really shines. Offline can get boring and you lose desire to play after a couple of hours.

Even though the language barrier is broken, some people still talk in Japanese, or french, Etc. That gets a little old, but Players are very easy to find

Graphics are well drawn, and the story line is decent. Advancement is hard and it takes a good while to level up your charcter.

A keyboard is a must with this game. I felt that this title was worth my price of 150.00 buying this system and with the price cut its even better.

I strongly recommend this game. Im sorry this wasnt no help to anyone, cause it wasnt well written. I do know this game is a must buy and you wont regret the 55.00 dollar price.

The servers on this game are CONSTATNLY busy with new and interesting people to meet, they constatnly are uploading more and more quests to play, some belive that there are only 3, well the fact is that you have to play them to ULOCK MORE!!!

and there are 4 stages with 3 parts to each, its a most EXCELLENT game, not an RPG though, but its not called PHANTASY STAR ROLE PLAYING, its PHANTASY STAR ONLINE which means it had a universe like an online playable game! AND IT IS GREAT! take it from a guy who'se played more than 300 hours +... this game will HOOK YOU, YOU WILL LOVE IT!!! I don't care what game type you like, but honestly, if you don't have an internet connection, this game is not for you, The bosses range from easy to hard but the entire game is like a learning experience, as you leevl up the difficulties get equally harder and you as you go along learn of new weapons and SLOWLY progress through the game, its very progressive, and once your at the top, thers STILL More to do, and with an upcomming sequel and a new Version, YOu willl see nothing but (i know this is imporper english) MORE BETTER STUFF! lol, sorry I just really recomend it, you also get customized chat symbgols and theres a GUILD CARD system that lets you keep track of all your freinds and you can do searches for them to find out EXACTLY where they are! DONT TRUST ANY OTHER PSO REVIEWS! this is one from an EXPERTED PLAYER

Oh and the classes are wondefully ballanced too! ^_^ JUST GET IT! GET IT NOW!!! NOW NOW NOW!!!

THIS IS THE GAME OF THE YEAR!!!!

This is one of the most gorgeous games for the Dreamcast, featuring amazing 3D environments and wonderfully imagined monsters. The problem is, it plays in many ways like a second rate Diablo. The same sort of game structure is there - go into dungeons, bang on stuff in real-time combat, and get better armor and weapons - but a little less polish than Blizzard's game. That said, the networking component of PSO shines far beyond Blizzard's vision, and the ability to find your friends very quickly means that you'll always have great company to play the game in. There are near-zero network problems, I've experienced very little lag over 56k modem. Also - the manual is awful, giving little instruction of how the game works and what you need to do to survive. Most of that info you'll get from talking from your online companions. Also - don't think about playing this game without an ISP and a keyboard. The offline version of the game is a bit mundane and not worth picking up - only when you start blasting with your friends does it really take off.

I've played Phantasy Star 2, 3, and 4, and quite frankly I was taken aback when I turned on this new game... 3D? Light Sourcing? Real-Time Combat? What the heck?!

Anyways, I gave it about an hour, and I was hooked! I've only played offline, but it's like playing Diablo up-close and personal. The stages I've seen look fantastic, and Sonic Team did a wonderful job on this, I reall do think anyone who gets it be they newbie or old-school fan will fall in love with this new and different sequel to one of the greatest RPGs ever made!

I have been playing this game for quite some time and its truly a classic already. This may not be the most perfect game out there, it may not have as much story as the previous phantasy star games, but it definately revolutionized on-line gaming.

I have only played a few other on-line games, but none of them got to me as this game did. Its simply amazing and addicting. I think of the game play more as a simulation than anything. Leveling up, beating stages, finding weapons and items seem more like a SimCity type of simulation. Not saying the games anything like SimCity, but its addictive simulation is.

At any rate, this game will provide hours of fun, if you keep in mind the Sonic Team did the work on this. So if your expecting your typical phantasy star plot and story, think again. I supposed sega used the Phantasy Star name to push this game, since it could easily be a series all its own. So go out and check it out, I wouldnt recommend it though, since you'll be glued to your dreamcast when you start playing.