"Better than Yu-Gi-Oh!"

Let's get this straight: Phantasy Star Online is a great game, offline or online. With the first two episodes, offline was decent, while online was awesome (or so I've heard, I never got to play it online). With episode III though, offline provides a satisfying experience. If you want to be a part of the Phantasy Star franchise, but can't get online, buy III, since it provides a much more complete feeling.

The story of PSO, is, how should I say this, forgettable. Seriously, I can't remember much of the details at all. Anyway, two factions are fighting for control over a planet. I think, anyway. Err, just forget the story, alright? Let's just say that there are plot twists and still cutscenes with anime artwork.

Before I forget it, let's talk about gameplay. Remember episode I & II? Forget it. The gameplay has been completely overhauled, but still manages to keep the feel of the old gameplay. The focus, of course, is cards. Relax, it's not like people just run around playing card games, rather the cards you use determine what your character does on the playing field. There are two types of battlers: Hunters and Arkz. The Hunters fight using weapons, while the Arkz summon monsters to attack instead. Each turn has five phases: Dice, Set, Move, Attack, and Draw. At the start of the Dice phase, two dice are rolled. The higher number becomes your attack points, and the lower becomes your defense points. During set phase, you play some of the cards in your hand. Each card has a point value, and can only be played if your attack points are equal to or higher than that number. During this phase, hunters equip weapons, Mags, and shields, while Arkz summon creatures. Also during this phase you can set Assist cards, which affect the whole field. Next is move phase, I'm sure you can figure out what to do there, then it's attack phase. You need attack points to attack, but also to play cards that affect your attack range and power. Then it's the Draw phase, where you discard and pick up new cards from your deck. There is no "decking" in this game, so get used to it. Then your opponent takes his/her turn, and it repeats until someone has been killed. There is quite a lot to the game, and can't all be explained in an online review. Building decks can be fun, but it's also a lot of work. Playing on the field with a friend, however, is tons of fun. If you are a fan of strategy, this is your kind of game. You WILL get hooked.

If you are looking for cool, updated graphics, sorry. The characters and models look EXACTLY like they did in episode I & II, so weep now if you must. This game, though, has STYLE. The cut-scenes, while still, are very well drawn and have a certain flair to them that fits the mood of PSO very well.

Now for the sound. All the effects of episode I & II are here, as well as the sounds of managing your cards, swords slashing, and monster growls. The music, however, is one of this game's better features. There are remixes of the tunes in I & II, as well as several brand-new ones. The music is GREAT! It is really well composed and fits the mood of the battle. My personal favorite song, Tower of Caelum, starts out while with little happening, but soon after the first turns have begun, the music gets louder and louder, and really sets a mood for battle. You gotta love it.

This game will last you a LONG time if you want to play it to the max. There are hundreds of cards to collect, and your character can go up to level 999 (this is merely a rank, your level does not affect your power on the field). Considering I play 32 hours, and I'm at level 16, you can tell it will take a long time to get that high. I never played this game online, but I'm sure it's fun as heck. If you are a fan of strategy games, go and get this. If you love PSO, buy this. If you want this game, go buy it. You will love it.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/17/04