Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II

"Warning: This game is the most addictive game ever made"

Phantasy star online episode 1 and 2 is a port/sequel of the original Phantasy star online for the Sega dreamcast. The original game was the best reason to own a dreamcast ( besides Soul Calibur) and quite possibly the most addictive game ever created. PSO ep 1 & 2 is basically two games in one. Episode 1 is a port of the dreamcast game(s) and Episode 2 is an all new PSO experience for the Nintendo Gamecube complete with new weapons, mags, stages, monsters, and bosses. Plus the game has 3 new character types exclusive to PSO episode 1 & 2 (HUcaseal, RAmarl, and FOmar). Unlike the dc games, PSO episode 1 & 2 has an all new offline multiplayer mode that makes the game much more enjoyable offline, but its not a great substitute for online play. The first game was brilliant and this game is twice as nice and twice as addictive- be warned- this title may take over your life.

GAMEPLAY:
Phantasy Star Online is a real time [NOT turn based], online rpg. The game play is identical to the dreamcast games as well. The gameplay is combo driven, fast paced, and fun. When you first start the game you get to customize your own character. You can choose from 12 character types overall. With in those 12 character types there are 3 different races (android, newman, and human), and 3 different sub classes (Hunter, Ranger, and Force). Each races/class has there own strengths and weaknesses [ex. Humans have well balanced growth potential, androids are extremely powerful but can't use magic etc]. Once you pick your character you can fully customize them to your liking [hair style/color, costume, height, width, skin color etc]. Once you start the game your character starts at level 1 and throughout the game your character's abilities grow through experience (i.e. killing enemies). Each character also gets a mag; a little robotic buddy that aids you in combat in many ways. There are also many types of weapons in PSO and different classes have unique weapons that differentiate them. Also in the game, depending on the name you give your character, you are given a section id (9 total) that is unique to your character. Your section id is permanent and it affects what weapons you find in the game. The beauty of this system is that everyone who plays PSO has a wholly unique experience. The game is very big- it's basically two games in one. Episode 1 refers to the dreamcast games (complete with updated texture work) which were big to begin with. Episode 2 is a whole new adventure equally as big as Episode 1 complete with new monsters, weapons, stages etc. You can either choose to play online or offline. Offline play can at times be monotonous because PSO is basically zero story , 100 percent action. The game play offline is basically killing everything on screen and then collecting the treasure left behind from the monsters/ boxes. The monsters have poor artificial intelligence overall but for the most part they are challenging. The boss fights are extremely well done and the fights are a lot of fun. The complexity of the game depends on the character type you choose (ie. a newman force is a lot more complicated to play with than an android hunter). New to this version is a much-needed multiplayer mode. I have had a chance to play around with it and the two player mode is wonderful (besides more pop-up). Three or Four player is a completely different story. The screens are too small to see/understand what is going on. I recommend multi-play for 2 players only. The meat of the game play lies in the unique and wonderful online experience. Words can't describe how incredibly addicting this game is online. The only problem with online play is the price of admission. PSO requires a 56k modem or a BBA (both sell for $34.99 each) and a Hunters License ($8.95 a month- must pay with a credit/check card *visa/master card only*). Another important buy for online play is a keyboard. Unfortunately, a keyboard has not been released in the states. Sega assures us that one will be out by the end of the year though. If you just can't wait that long you can import one from Japan for a hefty price tag ($60 + ). Believe me, a keyboard is essential in a game like this. The benefits of online gaming are huge! Not only do you get to meet tons of new players from around the country, but Sega also adds new downloadable content every so often. Online you can play with parties up to 4 players. When you first start up you choose your ship/ block. From there you can chat in the lobbies , play soccer with friends (lobbies 14 and 15), or you can go adventuring. Its very easy to get in touch with friends online via lobbies, guild cards (business cards so to speak), and a neat tracking system. You can find your friends anytime, and warp right to them if you like. Its very well done. I recently signed up for a hunters license and the lobbies are hacker free. Online play also has zero load time with the BBA (the modem should also be nice)and is extremely easy to start up. I did notice some small lag the other night but its doesn't affect the game play too much. I don't know if it was my connection or my friends though.

score: 8

CONTROL:
The controls in the game are just like the dream cast games- basically perfect. You control your characters movement via the analog control stick. The A, B, Y, and X buttons are used for actions/chatting. The A, B, and X buttons are fully customizable. The start button and Z button are both used to bring up the game menu [note: you cannot PAUSE this game due to online play]. The c-stick and the d-pad are both used for selecting items and for presets (communication). The L button centers the camera behind your character. The game has a pretty decent camera- its effective. The camera is always centered behind your character (3rd person) but can be obscured by enemies /environments sometimes. The R button is used to switch commands and scroll through pages. The game has a nifty communication function as well (complete with a soft keyboard, symbol chat icons, and pre-made words/phrases). The pre-made phrases are used for communicating quickly with foreign players. All of the 500 + words are translated on the fly via the in game software[ translates in 5 languages]. The game also uses a nifty lock on system that automatic. Its not perfect, but its effective enough. Overall the game has very intuitive , solid controls.

score: 7

GRAPHICS:
The graphics are beautiful. First off, I’m surprised how well the original episode 1 stages still look ( don’t overlook them). Sega also added some neat new effects to episode 1 as well: Your character now has real-time lighting effects which is really impressive considering your character is completely customizable. The water effects have also been improved as well as spell effects. Besides those additions, it basically looks just as crisp and lush as the dc originals. Episode 2 is absolutely stunning minus the horrendous VR temple stage (the 1st stage in episode 2). The graphics are definitely next-generation. Your mouth will seriously drop when you see some of these new stages. The colors are bright and crisp with great texture work. The water effects are amazing and some of the new stages with blow you away (i.e. jungle and beach especially). The environments are bigger and the new monsters have more life and better animation/attack patterns. Overall the new stages fit in well with the PSO universe. The animation (episode 1 and 2) is seamless and very smooth. The bosses look better/bigger than ever! The frame-rate is great; well above 30fps. Pop- up seems much worse in the multiplayer- but it doesn’t detract from the game play too much. The online experience is exactly as smooth as the offline experience- it’s a pretty amazing site to see 4 players in the jungle beating up on 10 + enemies with all the beautiful graphics/ effects of the offline game intact. The downsides to the graphics is that is can have bad clipping. Overall the graphics are great- episode 2 has some of the best graphics on the system. *note* PSO does support progressive scan mode for hi-def TV’s. I’m sure it looks pretty amazing :)

score: 8

SOUND:
The sound is perfect. I seriously have no complaints here. The music is beautifully orchestrated and some tracks are beautiful. The end track in particular is awesome- and most of the music in episode 2 is well done. The sound effects are crisp and loud. The game has zero voice-work and the monsters sound pretty generic at times though. The game does support Dolby pro logic II as well . Very nice.

score: 10

REPLAY VALUE:
This game has the most replay value of any game on the market today. With the dc games which are less than half the size of this monster, I got over 1000 hrs out of this game. To get to level 200 (maximum level) it takes a very long time. Sega did a great job by allowing you to hold up to 4 chars. Per memory card this time around. Each character is a totally new experience. Offline play is much better this time around- even though It has little story and almost zero character interaction with NPCs. Online play is wonderful. Just as perfect as the dc games (with even more options). Its impossible to find everything in the game by yourself , so it makes online play that much more fun. Its fun to trade items/mags with friends- which can become an addiction in itself. The game has 3 main play modes (battle, challenge, and regular play) and 4 difficulty settings (normal, hard, v.hard, and ultimate). You can find some truly amazing friends online as well. That’s what this game is all about - communication and team work. Its refreshing to play a game with this much teamwork. Your party will really depend on you and this time around the character types are much better balanced. Online is expensive, but well worth it. Like I said earlier, this game can take over your life.
score: 10

OVERALL:
PSO is my favorite next generation game. I have put more hours into PSO than any other title to date- and I enjoyed every minute of it. Everyone deserves to check out this title- it’s a wonderful exclusive (for now) and the best online console title period. You will be sucked into the PSO world- and it won’t let go of you. If you owned/liked the dc titles please by all means go and pick this title up. For everyone else, make sure to take a chance on this game. It may seem expensive but give it a shot- it’s a classic title that should not be missed.

Overall score: 9.4

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/05/02, Updated 11/05/02