"Sonic Team Deals out PSO: Episode III"

The latest Episode of the Phantasy Star Online series is exceptionally different to its predecessors. Whilst the first two Episodes opted for the simplistic "beat up everything and anything" approach, Phantasy Star Online: Episode III gives a more in-depth strategy gameplay, that whilst many may be upset about, still proves to be an entertaining and enjoyable game for those interested in something new and potentially very different.

Gameplay:

As is noticeable from the mere outset of playing the game, it is clear that Episode III is not in the slightest bit similar to Episode I & II. The premise is that instead of the hack-and-slash environments of the prior installments of the Online saga, you are forced into battle in strategic environments in a turn based fighting style, rather than the RPG nature. The main source of...anything comes through the Cards.

Before diving head first into a large pile of Card mumbo-jumbo, you need to realise that this isn't Episode I & II. At all. Rather than just go trouncing around on Ragol and tearing apart anything that moves, you go down to the planet's surface on mission based Quests (which all seemingly result in you fighting an enemy in a Card fight, coincidently). Also, the character you make at the start of the game is, for the most part, useless when it comes to actual game play; you have a designated selection of which characters you can use on Quests, all with their own personality and bonuses that set them apart from each other. Essentially, you get the choice of going either Heroside or Darkside (this choice is in no way permanent), and then you go into battle for the respective side you chose and against the alternate side.

Going down the path of Heroside allows you to take your team into battle wielding a wide array of swords, guns and canes. However, choosing the Darkside track will lead you into using creatures that many will recognise from the prior PSO Episodes.

The Cards all represent either a Creature, a Weapon, an Action or an Assist Power, but once used, the Card itself does little but represent a specified object on the stage. But, before you can just go nuts and toss every single Card in your deck onto the stage, you need to plan first. As you can't use excessive amounts of weaponry and creatures simultaneously, would you rather drop one or two powerful enemies, or sit back and let loose a swarm of weak enemies? Should you equip that giant chainsaw-esque sword, or opt for several average daggers? This is where it becomes difficult. You have to organise battles before just charging off full speed into one; such as reading the rules (which vary between battles; some have considerably different rules to the average rule set) and planning an appropriate deck to deal with your enemy. Against human opponents, this is almost necessary for you to stand a chance in battle; without a well-constructed deck planned, you're planning to lose the match.

I won't even bother delving into the mechanics behind the dice, attacks and defenses though, as when I read about them, I felt even more confused. In this case, it is best to try the game and see for yourself before you read yourself stupid on things that won't make sense to you. Even the in game Tutorial makes little sense from the out set to new players, but given a few battles, it will seem both obvious and useless to you. It is there though, which is nice in its intentions, but probably not entirely necessary for the most part.

(If you don't like TCG style games, don't fret; this isn't the same thing in the slightest. Episode III is more similar to a strategic styled board game.)

Story:

A noticeable Plot step-up from Episode I & II; Episode III provides a more detailed and enjoyable story to follow. However, like Episode I & II, you'll need to actually seek out the plot by talking through the various characters before going into battle. The plot is more based around the citizens of Pioneer 2, rather than the mysteries of Ragol in this venture, focusing specifically upon the 24 central characters, who are divided into either Heroside (the "goodies") and Darkside (the "baddies"), making it 12 per team. Each character (with maybe one exception) has his or her own plot arc and character development, some more interesting than others.

The overlying plot remains in the same relative stance though as Episode I & II; Pioneer 2 (a large space ship for those not acquainted with the PSO plot) is still hovering over the planet Ragol in space, patiently awaiting the day it can colonize the planet. This is where the Heroside and Darkside come into play; the Hunters of the Heroside want to colonize the planet and help the government on board Pioneer 2, but the Arkz from the Darkside do not agree with the intentions of the government, and so there is a great conflict between the two opposing sides. Admittedly though, the plot itself can really only be fully appreciated though to those who bothered discovering it in Episode I & II due to references to elements of plot that those unfamiliar with the PSO story will not understand.

Additionally, Episode III has fantastic story board style sections wherein more plot and character development is revealed, but, in order to see these, you need to use specific characters in certain Quests. They are drawn in an anime style with animated sections in some and being generally all around entertaining.

Graphics:

Nice-ish, but much of everything (if not all) is identical to the same graphics of Episode I & II, and whilst this doesn't make the game unplayable, it does make the game look a tad haphazardly tossed together what with the laziness and all. For instance, the character models used for the main characters can be replicated exactly the same in both games with no noticeable physical difference.

The detail put into the Story Board scenes and the Cards are all very well done and not just some standard affair as seen with the remainder of the graphic efforts. Each Card and Story Board has a great style to them that the artists behind the game captured brilliantly.

Sound:

Very good; all the tracks are nice to listen to without becoming incessantly awful. For those who are worried; there is no Caves Remix Track from Episode I & II, so you won't have to be bored out of your skull AGAIN. Annoyingly, there is no Music/Sound Test available offline; however, if you are lucky enough to be able to go Online, there is a Jukebox Feature which you can use to play songs from the game. Still, the option would have been nice offline. The great tracks are all on par with the better pieces from Episode I & II and are all mostly orchestral or chaotic in their nature depending on the environment.

The "voice acting" (using the words VERY loosely) is humorously boring, providing a steady back ground drawl through the battles, such as "Dice", "Move", "Act" etc etc etc. There really wasn't much choice though for them to provide a good commentator style voice, as some enthusiastic guy probably would have been aggravating to listen to after a single bout. However, the guy they did hire probably could cure insomnia.

Play Time/Replayability:

The time span of Episode III is seemingly infinite if you are Online or have a good set of friends who enjoy playing the game. Just find a Tournament and bang, you have yourself a few hours instantly purged from your life. The standard battle lasts anywhere between 5 and 30 minutes.

However, if you are Offline and can only play Single Player Mode, completing both Heroside and Darkside Modes should take around 50 hours all up; wanting to go back and complete the additional Quest routes you missed and going back to see more plot scenes will require further replays. Very rarely though will two battles feel the same as you are largely dictated in what you are doing by what you are dealt and what you have gotten.

Buy:

If you enjoy strategy style games that require some thought, then Episode III would be a good game for you. If you are only buying this because you think that for some obscure reason I have been lying about the extreme difference between Episode I & II, then I must insist you STOP. This is NOTHING like the hack-and-slash affair of the first PSO games; it is more thought based and requires a lot more patience to play. So, if that sounds like your kind of thing, then you should go out and buy.

(You cannot rent the PSO titles from what I understand due to the legality of using them; it's either go or no-go)

Overall:

Gameplay: 9/10
- Very in-depth process involved in any battle.
- Good level of strategy for those wanting to test their mental prowess.

Story: 8/10
- Not your usual extensive plot you'd expect from an RPG, but a great change from PSO: Ep I & II.
- Pretty decent-ish plot anyway.

Graphics: 6/10
- Hello Dreamcast. Oh wait, you're a NEW title. Funny that.
- Story Boards and Cards look great.

Music: 8/10
- Great back ground music.
- Snore-inducing referee guy. Forget sedatives, this guy takes the cake.

Play Time/Replayability: 10/10 for Multiplayer, 8/10 for Single Player
- 50 hours minimum is extensive for any game.
- Multiplayer does tend to shine brighter in terms of game play.

Overall: 8/10
- Great game for those interested in a change of pace.
- Big step up in terms of single player mode with the plot advancement.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/06/04