[Gregster2k]

I'm getting it. Are you? (PC/PS2) / action-RPG type / gamepad is a must / massive servers / $9.99 a month / 6 people per game team

http://www.phantasystaruniverse.com

I've been looking forward to this game for months now. It comes out tomorrow for the USA and next month for EU.

[Mefustae]

*Cough-shill-cough*

[Inquisitor]

I am actually planning on getting it. I loved the original (DC then GC then Xbox, though I only played it online on the GC).

It looks like they got away from the card battle, and back to their roots so to speak and then some, with a proper single player story mode, looking forward to this.

[Ulala]

Cool, is there a PC version? I kinda like the looks of it. I spent many an hour on Phantasy Star Online. 

[Inquisitor]

They are releasing on PC, PS2 and Xbox 360. Sadly however:

PS2 users and PC users will be sharing servers, so they'll be able to play with each other. Xbox 360 users will have to be on their own servers; we tried to make it really easy for Xbox 360 users by having everything available through Marketplace, but in order to do that, we were unable to allow cross-platform play with PC and PS2.

Which, I will admit, is very annoying.

[Colonol Dekker]

Console kids and PC game-vets, I believe the console sheer numbers, will annoy the hell out of PC pros and cause mass genocide towards the ●▲■x lovers........

[Inquisitor]

FFXI has been console and PC since release. You can't really tell the difference between the players.

And frankly, screw the PC users, my home theatre is better. Big screen, good sound, beer in my hand and wife at my side.

Anyway, that's a silly thing to say. Some console gamers aren't annoying 12 years olds.

[Ulala]

Haha, I don't have a console that could play it, so I might try the PC option. Has the PC verison been released in the US? I can't seem to make heads or tails of the site. 

[Inquisitor]

It looks like PS2 and PC are out, Xbox shipments are supposedly delayed until today.

[Tyrian]

Oooh, yay!  It's out!  I still play Phantasy Star:  The End of the Millennium.  I'm gonna go for the PC version, cause I don't play my consoles very often anymore.  How about you all?

EDIT:  http://www.phantasystaruniverse.com/charworld_seed.php

I was checking out the site and found this quote, first sentence under "Purifying the SEED":

Normal weapons are useless against the blewme.

That's an...interesting...statement...  Wonder how they got that out of the translation...?

[NGTM-1R]

I see the names are still unpronouncible.

[Unknown Target]

It'd be pretty sweet to have a massive PC vs PS2 war

[Ulala]

I believe I will have to go pick up a copy of this. Anyone know if the pc version has any sort of LAN ability?

[Inquisitor]

I picked up the Xbox version.

No LAN, this is an online game you have to pay a monthly for. They also don;t have split screen (the original PSO had split screen, which was neat).

There is also no PVP, so, no PC versus PS2

For you Xbox users, be aware: Do NOT sign up for an account through the Sega site before you buy the game.

Its all handled online on XBL. That was another unpleasant surprise.

My thoughts on the game so far:

The game itself is decent, so far. There were some glitches last night with the servers, probably related to launch, and some of the UI stuff is completelt counterintuitive, but the action is fast paced, and, surprisingly, the graphics are good (the screenshots dont seem to do them justice). The whole game has a bright, anime feel to it. Vivid colours, lots of contrasting colours, lots of over the top stuff.

There didn't seem to be an obvious way to choose a class, so I defaulted to a Hunter, but there are tons of character customization options, more than PSO, you can really craft a unique avatar. Sadly, I crafted one, then picked what I was guessing was going to be an unpopular clothing style, and much to my dismay, everyone was wearing the same shirt.

I have two complaints beyond my poor clothing choices:

-Targetting mobs wasn't entirely obvious (the first game it was over the top obvious).

-The guns seem to need to be fired from the First Person view, and you cannot move while in this view.

Otherwise, I enjoyed it. I think you have to play thru the first 3 missions to get access to the first planet, and the transition sequences between station and planet were cool (like I said there's of Xenosaga 1 vibe going on here with the look and feel). The combat, apart from the gun annoyance, is pretty fluid, although simple at the starter levels.

There has not been a huge variety of creatures in these initial missions, 3 basic types (little evil penguin-critters, big 4 legged, bullish looking things, and the standby mobs that have swords for arms from the earlier game), one "rare type" (a little chocobo looking critter) and one boss (who looks like the plant from Little Shop of Horrors or Halo 2). That makes the dungeon crawls a little repetitive. The Multiplayer missions seem to have some random map generation going on, so the layouts are linear-ish, but seem to change between visits.

Its a bright, visually different game. With Xbox Live headsets, its of fun. They clearly have stuff planned for the future (some of the shops in the starter city say "Coming soon" for instance). I'll have more feedback as I get deeper into it.

http://www.realworldbenchmarks.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10579#post10579

[Ulala]

No LAN, even on PC huh? Major bummer dude, could've had some fun coop play with that. 

[Inquisitor]

Yeah, they took offline multiplayer out in BB. I don't believe it ever had LAN play though.

Its ike Guild Wars, except it has a monthly fee.

Anyone else get it on the Xbox? I have been having a blast with it.

[Ulala]

Shame. Guess I won't be picking it up after all. I'm too poor for another monthly rate besides cell phone, insurance, gas, etc, etc... 

[Inquisitor]

Anyone else? I think this is a blast coop, very action-y.

[Gregster2k]

I have the PC and PS2 versions, so sadly, I won't be able to join you. ;-; By the way, there IS an offline freeform version of online mode, called Extra Mode. Play Story Mode enough and it will become unlocked. Honestly, I think comparing Guild Wars and Phantasy Star Universe is somewhat unfair. PSU seems to me to be moreso Sega's answer to Final Fantasy XI (6-man parties, Partner Machinery fill the same role as shopkeeper Moogles, etc).

My thoughts:
- You can change job at the Guardians Headquarters. Changing your profession requires a fee and it becomes more expensive as you level up.
- Don't pirate the game. The instruction manual is a must read. Plus, Sega really needs the money (they couldnt even afford to advertise PSU on TV; the only ads I see are for Final Fantasy XII)
- The 6 month plan is cheaper than the every month plan ($49.99 for 6 months is cheaper, that is).
- If you're playing on PC, buy yourself a gamepad.
- If on PS2 or XBox, buy yourself a keyboard.
- Do make use of the tutorial mission (My Room -> Partner Machinery -> Partner Machinery Functions -> Talk -> Play Tutorial).
- Diga (as a technique) is amazing in damage against most foes (taught to me by a guy calling himself Lil'Zael)
- Unlike the previous game, PSO -- you can now button-mash to do combos; you no longer need perfect timing. I love this. Now all I need is a turbo-fire controller.
- Firing guns is not required to be done in first person view; you can fire normally. Aiming is primarily done by strafing back and forth to match your firing with the position of your target. If you are a Ranger, strafe, and strafe often.
- Don't let the community sucker you into leveling too quickly. The game will become rapidly boring if you do. Take it slowly.
- Planet Neudaiz: Ohtoku City is easy to get lost in.
- Dying because you can't notice your own HP bar which is at the lower left of the screen becomes commonplace in this game.
- Pannons are cute.
- Sendillan "Plasma Horses" (as I call them) are exceptionally annoying at higher levels.
- Bow and arrows are fun.
- Razonde and Rafoie are FUN.
- Parum's Relics mission (the Sleeping Warriors) gives amazing numbers of mission points.
- Mission points and Photon Art levels are more important than character levels.

[Inquisitor]

Yeah, I figured out what I was doing wrong with the guns.

And, as an avid player of FFXI and a formerly avid GW player, it has more in common with the latter. ABout the only thing it has in common with the former are those elements you described and its japanese heritage.

I still love it, and even with the (extremely) limited launch content, I am enjoying it. They really need to get  that November patch out and get some more content. I play slow, and even *I* got to level 20 in a week and have seen at least the C versions of all the missions, and some B versions. The real draw is getting S-Rank and levelling though, so I personally don't mind much. I can see power gamers getting bored pretty quick.