Preview: Phantasy Star Online 2 (PC)

Phantasy Star Online for the Dreamcast (and eventually the GameCube, Xbox, and PC) was the first network RPG for many people, especially as it was the first popular home console MMO type game. PSO even helped inspire games such as Final Fantasy XI and the .hack series. This legacy of PSO changed not only Phantasy Star franchise but also spawned the way to many games such as the a lack-luster PS2/Xbox360 game and some great portable outings. Finally, Sega decided to bring back the Phantasy Star franchise back to it's Dreamcast years with the Free2Play Phantasy Star Online 2.



Pew Pew!



Phantasy Star Online 2 opens up years after the event of Phantasy Star Online (I'm not sure if episode III is considered cannon, but it's mention of the enemies being known as the "Arks" and the "Ark Cash" PSO2 works off of could have a connection...) Sega mentions that PSO2 could of been PSU2 instead but they decided to bring back the original PSO storyline. I'm very glad it became PSO2 though - just the name itself will bring back players that were burned.

It's not to say that this game has nothing in common with PSU for that matter. PSO2 is actually a "Best of" game from the entire online series. Here is a preview of some of the game features I found while playing the Japanese release.

Original Characters are for Lame-asses!

From the awesome opening past the start menu to pick your server/ship and enter your SegaID/Password. Once past all of that hassle you are given the main menu options. For free you are allowed 1 character (Arks Cash required for more) and introduced to a very in depth character creator that puts previous Phantasy Star games to shame. After spending about 45minutes on the character creation screen I entered the game. (Last found out my originality was null and void as there was a red-headed version of me in the field during a quest..) If an original character is not to your desire, many players have recreated some of their favorite anime/video game characters to play as. Equipment in the game also helps personalize your character as there was some pretty awesome masks, bikinis, and a wedding dress you could buy with ArksCash. I didn't buy any Arks cash though as I am a poor boy form a poor family. (And the fact that SquareEnix takes their share already..)

If only I could use her English anime voice.

The new lobbies are separated into two areas - one is a town like area with shops and event areas such as the upcoming Miku concert while the other is more of a preparation area where you can obtain quests, change classes, or lobbies. I never played PSPortible online so I am unsure if PSO2's lobby is anything like it but they are a vast improvement from what I have seen previously. Accepting a quest or opening a field will place you in a "ready room" type area where you can buy medicines, sell extra items, or even take on another quest with your current group. To an MMO Standard there are many NPCs to talk to and accept quests from. Some of these quests even yield EXP, Meseta (In-game currency), and items. Lobby emotes are standard and can be used both on the field and in the lobby. Symbol Chat returns with epic upgrades allowing people to create some very original pictures. New to the series are comic-book like pop ups of your character's face that you can place into a normal chat sentence to show more expression during the game. After figuring out what you're going to do down on the planet you make a party and take the exit to a small ship that will take to you the planet below.



Still better looking the the Chinese 1:1 Gundam

Once on the ground you'll find that the forest has changed quite a bit. You'll be admiring the beauty of the area until some monsters jump out of the brushes to eat your face off. All of the monsters I've seen so far are updated versions of monsters from PSO (Rappies & the gibbon enemies) and PSU (Birds from PSP2 and Roly-Poly bastards) Unlike PSO and PSU you are able to button mash (or hold down the button) your attacks for quick combos. Even though you may button mash at first, you will find out that pacing and timing your attacks with a circle that closes in on your character will allow you to pull off higher tier damage. This really helps separate the people who play smart and the people who button mash. PSU's Photon Arts & Dashing has returned and could not be better as you can create a 3-hit combo with them. This opens up the ability to toggle regular attacks and photon arts into an original combo. (Example: NQ Hit - NQ - Photon Art. This let's the final attack hit for more damage.) New to the game play is the ability to jump. Jumping allows you to change your routes, attack monsters from above, or even air combo. Even the camera has improved from previous series, now giving you the choice to lock on to enemies ala Zelda, play third person over the shoulder angles allowing you to strife and attack, and finally the normal behind the player camera. Unsure if the 1st Person ranged camera has returned. I think get to play long enough. ;.; Maybe Kuno could give me some of his input there?

Must.. focus.. on fighting mobs. Not.. staring at Force..

Another interesting change in PSO2 is the drop system is exclusive to the player. EXP is also accounted for as long as you are nearby allowing you to still get EXP if you are recovering or buffing. Of course as always, the final blow will yield more EXP. Other players can also enter the same area a your group allowing up to 12 players in one area at once. Don't worry, they are not here to take your monsters as monsters will spawn in the plenty for everyone to battle. Kuno and I met a great FOcast during our second quest together as well as a handful of Japanese players. At one point we where all back to back fighting off ranks of wolf-like creatures. A great experience.

Unfortunately, this preview is cut short due to Sega changing their TOS policy for foreign players. It's not that players from other countries can't play anymore, we are just being watched as there were some nasty players on the foreign accounts ruining the game for others. Hopefully Sega will be able keep the bad players at bay with I.P. bans. If the Japanese release had this sort of problem with those naughty players, I worry about the US/EU releases. 

Great improvements to a series that needs to reclaim it's thrones in the MMO world. Being free2play with items you can buy will have this game rivaling most F2P MMOs. Sega, please oh please don't let me down on the US release. If you treat the US players the same way you treated us back in the old PSO days, my ass will be returning to the Japanese server. Full game review after the US release if I can get one out in between battling Rappies and meeting new friends!