Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution

"Yeah, it's a card game. And what?"

Ah yes, the Phantasy Star series. Perhaps best known for it's stellar rpgs which started on the master system, and ended on the genesis. After PSIV had come and gone, many believed that would be the end of Phantasy Star. However, with the announcement of the Dreamcast, we soon came to discover that yet another Phantasy Star game would be released, this time in the form of a multiplayer online rpg, which is where the rest of the fans of this series come from. Almost all fans, however, seem to view this game as the series' downfall, and look upon it with disgust. Which is the most foolish thing they could do.

First Impressions:
I'll admit. Just like most people who cringed upon hearing that PSO ep. III was to be a card game, I felt a little ripped off. Card games seem to be the "get rich quick!" schemes of many companies, and after the success of Yu-Gi-Oh!, can you really blame them? The thing that separates this game from the others, though, is that it really does blend the elements of PSO with a card battle system, a touch of tactics, and a lot of awesomeness quite effectively. So after popping this little gem into my system, all of my worries washed away. And with that, i'd like to point something out. Don't bash a game unless you actually play it, and with an open mind. If you go into anything, gameplaying or not, with a closed mind, you're going to hate it no matter what. So with a clean slate, let's break down why I think this game is so great.

Storyline:
One of the major complaints about the previous PSO installment, was the last of an indepth, fleshed out storyline ala PSI-IV. Most people weren't kind to the transition, and based the game heavily on it's storyline. It seems like Sega heard those cries, and created a wonderful storyline for this game which follows in the footsteps of Phantasy Star IV, with it's anime cutscenes to help deliver the message. While the storyline isn't something to rival the likes of Xenosaga, the storyline excels in it's presentation. You'll get it if you look for it. There is a lot of information to be had if you spend the time talking to your teammates, which in turn opens up more plot and missions. This is one of the main reasons why I like how the storyline is handled in this game. If you want storyline, you got it. If not, they don't shove it down your throat and force you to mash away on that A button just to skip it. And if you've searched out every cutscene and snippet of information, linking with Ep. I&II (in an online quest) gives you access to another quest which delves into the backgrounds of two of the story's main characters. A very interesting and welcome touch. Kudos to Sega for that move.

Gameplay:
Here's the part which I enjoy the most, and the part which every video game fan out there should appreciate. The gameplay. At it's core, it seems like just another card game, and yadda yadda. However, with two different play styles, and the addition of tactics style placement strategy, you've got one deep and challenging game.
First off, you can choose one of two groups (each with their own storyline to pursue). The Hunters, which are in essence the "good guys" of the game, and the Arks, who are the "bad guys" of the game. Yes, they're in quotes for a reason.
Now, the style of play that the Hunter's use is one that's very similar to the first two episodes of PSO. Hunters can equip weapons, shields, and mags just as before. Then the style for the Arkz resembles more of a Magic: The Gathering method. Each Ark can summon monsters for use in battle, and rather than have all the equipment right on the character, Arkz have to make better use of the terrain and map, which changes the gameplay quite drastically between the two sides.
Basically, you can create a deck with up to 30 cards, with up to 3 of any one card. There are a variety of different cards, such as the items which the hunters use, and the monsters that they Arkz can use. Just like in PSO I&II, there are limits and restrictions. FOrces (the magic users of the game), aren't able to equip giant swords for combat, and likewise, Androids aren't able to use magic or any Staves that the forces would use, and RAngers are capable of using the powerful guns exclusively, and so on. This requires players to really put thought into their decks to maximize efficiency. Also, the character that's chosen affects the deck as well. Some have bonuses like higher stats, or special techniques like the ability to heal creatures, or get a bonus in experience for every enemy killed.
Once your deck is created, the flow of the game goes as such:
Roll Dice: You roll the dice, and by default, the highest number goes to your "attack" pool, and the smaller one goes to your "defense" pool. Attack dice is your ability to set items/monsters, move, and attack. It's pretty much your action points. High rolls means you get to do more stuff. Low rolls means its time to play it safe.
Set: Equip your items, set your monsters on the field. There is an 8 point limit on this, so it keeps people from just equipping a ton of the strongest items in the game. So if you have four 2-point monsters, you can get them on the field, and thats all. But if you've got four 3-point monsters, you can only set two down, since that would add up to six on the point limit. Pretty simple, eh?
Move: Just as it sounds, you can move your character, which is important since it employs a Tactics style grid, as found in games such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem.
Action: This is where you can choose to attack with your equipment/monsters, cast spells, or use action cards, with a variety of uses, be it increase attack, paralyze, etc. When being attacked, you can defend with any defense cards you might have in your deck, if you have enough to use the card (as denoted by your defense roll)
It might seem a little confusing at first, but the game itself provides a pretty decent tutorial, and after playing it a few rounds, you'll get the hang of it in no time. I can't express how addicting this game is. A lot of people liked PSO for it's equally addicting play, where you'd run around killing thousands of monsters in hope for a level up or rare item. However, this is the kind of game that you'd want to play if you like a little thought in your game. Not to take away from PSO I&II, but in all honesty, you were pushing your attack button 3 times in a row for the most part. You won't get away with that in this game. It requires planning, thought, and the end result is something which is much more satisfying.
And obviously, since it is an online game, it adds a lot to this title. Most people enjoy this game for the offline content, but online is where it really shines. At any card game's heart, is the essence of competition. So once you develop a deck in offline mode (which is greatly recommended before going online), you can hop online to team up with friends to earn cards, or go against them. Sega has also set up a tournament system, which allows users to earn up money, which allows them to play music on an online jukebox, or to purchase cards. Also, the amount of money you have determines your ranking. So obviously someone who's won a lot of cash will be someone to look out for. All in all, it's about the competition, and the strategy that it provides.

Graphics:
Here comes the "bad" part of the game. Yeah, Sega recycled the graphics from I&II for the most part, and that makes the game look dated. However, there are new backgrounds to fight in, which is a plus, but often the game seems to be a little less enticing to look at due to it's shoddy animations. Mechguns will continue to fire even though they've already shot their bullets, and enemies will aim at different places at times. But, it's all a minor issue. Cutscene graphics are amazing, and definitely a treat to look at. Same thing goes for the graphics of the cards themselves. I believe that's what really gives PSO III it's personality. Most of the cards look great, although there a few that makes the characters look like they're anorexic, or otherwise just plain goofy. Minor gripe, tho.

Sound/Music:
Whee! One of my favorite parts of this game (and any game for that matter). The music itself is excellent. It's a mix of trance/techno, and actually goes well with the game. The music is really upbeat and heavy for a lot of maps (such as the Tower of Caelum or the Leukon Knight boss music), and often really relaxing and carefree for others. Sometimes the sound effects themselves, though, are a little off. I guess some of the poor sound effects go hand in hand with the poor animations. But! It gets the job done. Nicely, just not perfect. No real complaints from me.

Closing thoughts:
Hmm. I'd like to mention that this review isn't like my other ones... Im a bit tired while writing this, so normally i'd do a lot of screaming and yelling, and calling people who didn't like this game stupid. So i'm going to make up for my lack of doing that right here. =)
This is a GOOD game! Don't try knocking it unless you've played it. Seriously. I hated the concept at first UNTIL I PLAYED IT, and once I did, I was hooked. (Playing a game, then judging it? WHAT A CONCEPT!!!) This game single handledly got me to purchase a broadband adapter and hunter's license. After that, I picked up PSO I&II again. It's one of those games that grows with you, and keeps you playing. Unless you're one of those people who simply like to play a game just to get the ending credits, you should have no problem enjoying this game. Sure, it's a little slow, but that depends on how slow you are upstairs. If you're good, fights can be over in as little as a minute. But if two people are putting their all into it, and the luck factors in for both parties, it can last well up to an hour. Competition is what this game is all about. Oh yeah, and strategy. And thinking. And just plain out kicking ass. Buy this game, or i'll curse the next card you pick up into giving you a papercut.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/29/04