Phantasy Star Online

"Dreamcast's last big hurrah"

What a past few months Dreamcast owners have had. Having gone from undeniable highs (the phrase “ten feet tall and bulletproof” comes to mind here) to ultimately inevitable lows, the Dreamcast faithful don’t have a lot to cheer about these days, with Sega virtually abandoning the platform in favor of third-party development. However, this is not to say that there are no great Dreamcast games anymore. I mean, just look at the recent slew of RPGs that has invaded the console; prior to last November, the only notable RPGs on Dreamcast were the Evolution series (and even those games were mediocre). But not Dreamcast RPG fans have a good deal to be happy about. They have the technologically brilliant Shenmue (which I consider an adventure game, but a lot of people see it as an RPG), the entertaining yet predictable Grandia II, the ever so lovely Skies of Arcadia, and now the utterly breathtaking Phantasy Star Online. The console world’s first MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game), Sonic Team’s PSO is a revolution in virtually every sense of the word, and if the Dreamcast never gets another killer title before its final goodbye, that’s just fine with me.

Almost as soon as you turn the power on your Dreamcast, you’re treated to PSO’s underlying premise. You are a “hunter” on a massive space colony called Pioneer 2 and your mission is to explore the galaxy and find out what happened to the original Pioneer colony, which was sent to settle on the planet Ragol. As the ship approached the planet, there was a large explosion and the crew of the ship disappeared. Other than this, there really isn’t a whole lot to PSO’s story; in an effort to cater to the masses that would embark on this online journey, the developers at Sonic Team kept the storytelling to a bare minimum, because let’s face it, MMORPGs don’t exactly cater themselves to Final Fantasy-like epics very well. Still, considering that the console RPG emphasizes story, and the fact that Phantasy Star veterans are used to seeing epic sagas in their games, the lack of any stellar plot line or plot twists does prove mildly disappointing. The absence is understandable, though.

Where this game lacks in terms of storytelling, it more than makes up for in gameplay. PSO borrows largely from PC MMORPGs, such as EverQuest, Asheron’s Call, and Ultima Online. And in this breath, the game does a very nice job of creating a well balanced yet challenging world that begs to be explored for hours on end. In my hours with PSO, I’ve also noticed a similarity to the classic Diablo, only the emphasis this time is on leveling up and acquiring that oh-so-rare item that everyone who ever goes online with this game looks for. Still, anyone who considers themselves a seasoned veteran of MMORPGS on the PC will likely find PSO a little too simple for their tastes; it’s a general rule that PC RPGs (no matter what type they are) are more involving and difficult than console RPGs. Such is the case with PSO, but don’t worry; it’s not so simple that you’re not going to be challenged on a decent level.

PSO contains both an online game and an offline game. Both games are virtually identical to each other, and the offline game is ideal for introducing newcomers of the MMORPG to the style’s different mechanics and intricacies. Many see the offline mode as nothing more than as training mode, and in many ways they would be correct; the real meat of the game and the real enjoyment comes from embarking on your online quests. But the offline mode does prove quote addictive and it does serve a very solid purpose. If you’ve never played an MMORPG before (I’ll admit, PSO was my first), the mechanics can take some getting used to. So in a way, the offline mode is a Godsend. Plus, the offline mode can be good for gamers who can’t connect to the Internet via their Dreamcast for some reason (whether it be bad connection, lack of funds to pay for service, or what not). Offline mode works like this: you beam down from the main city area and travel through one of four dungeons deep within Ragol, clearing rooms full of hideous monsters and massive bosses all the while. Offline mode has three difficulty settings: Normal, Hard, and Very Hard. The difficulty setting you choose affects certain aspect of PSO’s play, such as the number of experience points you allocate, the value of any items you collect, and the speed and strength of your enemies. And in a bit of irony, considering the emphasis placed on online play, in order to “complete” PSO, you must beat the single-player, Very Hard mode. The only way to do this is to spend a significant number of hours online exploring and leveling up, because Very Hard mode is exactly what it says: Very Hard.

Online play is virtually the same as offline play; the three difficulty settings remain intact and the overall mechanics of play don’t change. The only difference in online mode is the emphasis placed on teamwork and communication, as you’re teamed up with other characters, piloted by other gamers worldwide. One of the best experiences you can have while playing PSO is to meet and interact with other gamers who come from all different walks of life. Prior to playing this game, I’d never met anyone from Japan or even Spain. However, I did meet a few people from those two places and with the exception of the occasional language barrier, we had a very good experience together. Since you’ll likely find yourself communicating a great deal while online, it’s advisable that you pick up a keyboard for your Dreamcast; typing messages with the controller is too tedious and frustrating to be anywhere near effective. There are certain built-in phrases that the Dreamcast system can translate into several different languages, and while the translation can be off from time to time, it does a great job of breaking through the language barrier and letting gamers from all over the world enjoy the PSO experience together. Also, it can be frustrating to be level 60 and stuck on a server with people that are level 20, but this game is all about patience and teamwork; in order to properly enjoy PSO, you need a good deal of patience and you’re gonna need to use a good bit of teamwork. If that’s not your thing, then either go play the offline mode or give Skies of Arcadia a try.

Still, all is not perfect is the world of Phantasy Star Online. Although the gameplay itself is magnificently executed and the game is a blast to play, there are occasional moments of lag and I was disconnected for no reason on occasion (if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear my server was linked to AOL somehow). Also, given this game’s online nature, a few things were sacrificed, such as a compelling, cohesive storyline and a more fulfilling offline, single-player mode (for all us RPG purists out there). I applaud Sonic Team for creating an online masterpiece, but not every Dreamcast is able to go online for one reason or another, so maybe strengthening the single-player game would have been a really good idea. Also, the game’s online nature doesn’t really allow for complex dungeon designs, and they do get tiresome after some time. Still, all these gripes are minor at best, and despite them, PSO is quite an experience.

Graphically, PSO may not be the best the Dreamcast has ever seen, but that’s not to say it isn’t a good-looking game. The environments, while they lack complexity, are very nice, sporting some nice textures and bright colors. The monsters and fighters alike are rendered well, with nary a polygon out of place. Animation is fluid and smooth (except for instances of lag), and overall this is a nice game to look at. Spell effects, while nowhere near the awe-inspiring nature of other RPGs, such as Final Fantasy or Chrono Cross, serve their purpose well and do well to show off the Dreamcast’s processing power.

So in the end, Phantasy Star Online is a marvelous achievement on the part of Sonic Team, showing their developers’ impressive talents and the team’s savvy gaming knowledge. The game’s little flaws do nothing to detract from the mind-blowing, addictive gameplay experience, and given that Dreamcast is now within its twilight hours, now is the time to savor the goodness that is online gaming. Also, given a free demo of Sonic Adventure 2 (which in itself kicks ass), this game is a very nice value for Dreamcast owners, and anyone that overlooks this revolutionary experience should have their head examined. The online revolution is in full swing; don’t miss out.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/02/01, Updated 04/02/01