Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (GCN)
Phantasy Star Online's finally gotten a sequel... and it's stunning.
By G | Nov. 15, 2002
94
Outstanding
The Lowdown: The first true sequel to Phantasy Star Online has
arrived, and it is grand.
Pros: Fun, satisfying gameplay, excellent interface, great graphics
and fantastic audio, lots of content, numerous new tweaks and
changes enhance experience.
Cons: Episode II starts weak, no official keyboard, monthly
fee might annoy some, not as good without other players.
Post Your Own Review
How the review scores work
Platform: GameCube
Game Type: Adventure / RPG
Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: Sega
Full Game Information
All Screenshots...
Compare Prices
Phantasy Star Online (GC)
Lowest current price: $47.70
Advertisement
Play where you want with the Logitech® Cordless Controller
for PlayStation®.
Learn moreSega's Phantasy Continues
Back in March of 2001, a little game called Phantasy Star Online
came along and knocked me on my butt. Luckily, I was within
reach of both a network-enabled Dreamcast and a TV, so I enjoyed
many hours adventuring in the world's first online console RPG.
The game was flat-out excellent; perhaps a bit similar in concept
to Diablo, but with an infinitely more appealing setting, much
better gameplay, and a host of other great innovations. It was
one of the year's most addicting games, online or otherwise,
and spawned a devoted Internet community the likes of which
most console games can only dream of. Now Sega's original trailblazer
is back for another go, with a whole episode's worth of new
content and a veritable ton of improvements and refinements.
In case you're not up on the (very cool) backstory, Phantasy
Star Online is the story of the human race's search for a new
home. Humanity sent out probes to search for new worlds once
it found out its planet was doomed. It was thus that the planet
Ragol was discovered, and the immense spaceship Pioneer-1 was
sent to investigate and colonize it. Seven years later, Pioneer-2
followed with the main wave of immigrants. However, just before
Pioneer-2 could establish contact, a giant explosion swept across
the planet and all signals from Pioneer-1 were lost. What tragedy
occurred on Ragol? What happened to the people of Pioneer-1?
And why does everyone have neon hair? Those are the questions
you'll strive to answer as you explore the lush, mysterious
planet with up to three of your fellow Hunters.
The Basics
PSO, as the kids call it, offers three main character types:
Hunter, Ranger and Force. That's melee fighter, gun wielder
and technique (magic) user, respectively. Each class has four
sub-classes, so there are 12 unique character types altogether,
up from nine on the Dreamcast. The character creation process
is a joy, with each sub-class having numerous outfits, hair
styles, faces and skin tones to choose from. You can even change
the proportions, to make your avatar fatter or skinnier. Once
you've settled on a class and look, it's time to choose your
name. That done, you're thrown into the commerical district
of Pioneer-2, ready to take on the world.
Advertisement
After a bit of shopping you'll eventually decide to transport
down to Ragol, where the true game begins. PSO uses a rather
unique real-time combat system that simultaneously emphasizes
both positioning and your character's numerical stats. Reflexes
aren't very important, but moving and attacking at the right
times and in the right ways can spell the difference between
success and a one-way trip to Pioneer-2's medical bay. Defeating
enemies brings precious experience, which lets your character
level-up and increase his or her stats. (The level cap is 200.)
While leveling is a large aspect of the game, the fighting and
adventuring that occur in the process are rewarding in their
own right. No matter what long-term goals you might have for
your character, most moments spent playing are enjoyable ones.
The Old and the New
Episode II gets very picturesque... eventually. As the title
implies, Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II is two games
in one. Episode I is the game you might be familiar with on
the Dreamcast, complete and uncut. This is where your character
should begin, building power through the episode's four realms.
Once you feel strong enough, you can proceed to the new Episode
II, which offers four additional areas to explore. Unfortunately,
Episode II gets off to a lame start with two rather boring VR
training areas that were previously glimpsed in the Dreamcast's
PSO Version 2. It also lacks Hunter's Guild quests, which greatly
reduces the episode's story / plot content. That said, it's
all uphill after the VR areas, with the stunning beach and seabed
levels rounding out the episode. Still, Episode II feels somewhat
threadbare compared to the content-packed Episode I.
Next: More Praise, I'm Afraid »
Page: 1 2
