Phantasy Star Universe

"Toot toot! Here comes the fun train! (Review of the online portion)"

Phantasy Star Universe: Photon Hyper Battle is an amazing game designed by the veteran Sonic Team. Six years ago they released Phantasy Star Online, revolutionizing the way online games are played. It may be hasty to say it so soon, but it looks like Yuji Naka and His Magic Band have done it again. Phantasy Star Universe is action packed. Players from around the world band together to fight evil monsters and steal their treasure. That is a winning formula as far as gameplay goes, and it shows.

Story 9/10

In the future, mankind uses laser swords to settle his disputes. Disputes with monsters, that is! Evil monsters intent on stealing happiness have invaded the universe, and it is up to the player and his friends to stop them. This epic tale spans several planets, and is a real treat. It is rumored that Yuji Naka was reading Johann Wolfgang von Goethe when he was penning this tale, and I believe it. The story in this game is the spiritual sequel to Faust, and I would go so far as to say it even exceeds that masterful work of literature. Yuji Naka really outdid himself here.

Graphics 10/10

Zowie! One look at these graphics will have you wondering just how Sonic Team is able to work such miracles. Everything is rendered in beautiful, loving detail. You can even see grass kicked up when you walk! Yikes! Some laser swords are red, and others are blue. I challenge you to find a game with better looking red and blue laser swords. All in all, Sonic Team did the best they could with the limited 3D modeling capability of eFrontier's Poser graphical design software, and it shows.

Sound 10/10

The sounds in Phantasy Star Universe: I'm a Plane are top notch. An amazing soundtrack full of bleeps and bloops sets the tone well when fighting evil terror monsters. Laser swords make tasteful whooshing sounds, while laser guns make zapping noises. How did Sonic Team capture those sounds when laser swords and laser guns do not really exist? That is how excellent those sound effects are. (By the way, if you do know, fire me off an electronic mail. Maybe Sonic Team has a prototype laser.)

Several tunes on the soundtrack were written with the aid of respected hip hop artist Frank Zappa before his death. Zappa was really at his best in composing these tracks, and I can't help but give the game top marks in the sound department.

Control 8/10

Phantasy Star Universe has simple, elegant controls. Players can choose to utilize either a keyboard or a USB controller. Playing with the keyboard is like operating a futuristic tank that has hundreds of buttons, and very challenging. Some might even go so far as to say frustrating. However, challenging oneself is the path to betterment, and I salute Yuji Naka for not easing up here.

Players using a USB controller have a much easier time. Actions can be mapped to all the face buttons, so all you have to do to swing a laser sword or fire a magical boulder (there is magic in this game) is tap your finger. Great work on the controls. The magic is derived from the power of lasers.

Replay Value 1/10

Any online game with a subscription ought to have great replay value. In this area, Sonic Team really went above and beyond the call of duty. There are three different planets, and a space station, each with at least a dozen missions and quests to be played with your friends. There is a treasure trove of rare laser swords to be had, either dropped outright from monsters or assembled from parts. Right on! You could play for a very long time and still have amazing items still not discovered.

That is the theory, anyway. At the time of this writing, Yuji Naka and Sonic Team have locked off more than ninety percent of the game's online content. There are less than a dozen missions, and no rare items to hunt for. You could accomplish everything there is to do online in less than a week.

There are promises of more content on the way, but the content of those patches and the date of their arrival is anyone's guess. This is a real disappointment, especially since at its core, Phantasy Star Universe: Vice City is a very fun game. (Seriously, laser magic? Amazing.)

Overall Score 3/10

When it comes down to it, Sonic Team dropped the ball with this release. All the amazing gameplay and story in the world does not cut it when there is only enough content to last a few days. Hopefully things will look up after Yuji Naka is released from prison, but for now, Phantasy Star Universe is just not worth it.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 11/13/06