Is Phantasy Star Online worth it?

[KenaiPhoenix]

Before fans of PSO kill me, let me elaborate:

PSO is a game remember reading about on Nintendo magazines (Im still impressed with the NGC keyboard controller), but never actually got a chance to play any version of it.

Until a couple of years ago when I give New Genesis a try and... well it didnt click with me. I tried other 2 times to get into PSO NG but, I dont know, the combat is not that appealing to me or the rest of the game loop.

The other day I thought it might be cool to maybe connect my Dreamcast or my Xbox (or even Wii) to PSO, but since I have already give it a try, I dont know if it is worth the hassle.

So dont get me wrong, Im not saying the games are bad, Im asking if you guys recommend give a go to the OG PSO, maybe just try PSO2 (that iirc it is inside NG), or maybe it is really not worth since New Genesis didnt click with me.

What do you guys recommend?

Thanks

 

[Don Patch]

Well, if it's the OG PSO you're talking about ,play it offline first to see if it's your thing.
It's a tad slow-goings by today's standards and a might jank to boot. But it can be fun now with the right mindset.
If you're thinking about going online, there's a PC version called BlueBurst which is still pretty active.
I know the DC can hop online with the nifty raspberry pi deal, but I can't speak for the game's activity level and you may need to burn a patched GDI/CDI to get it to connect.

 

[TruxtonTatsujin TruxtonTatsujin]

I'm not big into PSO but I remember a lot of PSO2 vanilla players also didn't like New Genesis, so might be worth giving the older games a go for a second chance at it.
I've also considered giving PSO1 on the Dreamcast a try, but since the online part is a big aspect of an MMO I might just play on the Blue Burst fan server on PC since it seems much more active than any of the console servers. Plus Blue Burst has extra content not on DC or other console versions.

 

[NeonKnights]

I've played Phantasy Star but not PSO. Is it worth trying the offline GameCube version? I know it's an MMO and I'd be missing out on some features but I have always wanted to check out PSO. Is the GameCube version somewhat comparable to the MMO gameplay wise?

 

[ZEGA ZONIC]

Ephinea PSOBB | Home

A Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst private server that recreates the classic PSOBB experience while adding new content and features.

ephinea.pioneer2.net

I'm in this one, but I haven't played in a while lol

 

[χKai]

No

There's nothing interesting or unique, it's a very bland game from start to finish.

 

[Don Patch]

No

There's nothing interesting or unique, it's a very bland game from start to finish.

While I disagree, respect the shit outta your no nonsense, straightforward answer.

 

[NotReallyHere]

It's absolutely worth a try! Provided you know what you're getting yourself into

It is a 25 -year-old game at this point. There is no voice acting or voice chat. There's also very little in the way of cutscenes. Dialogue is handled through word balloons that pop up over every character. And your inventory is limited to 30 different items (including your equipment) though you can have multiples of each that only take up the one single inventory slot.

However!

As someone who doesn't play these games for the story - but for the experience of soaking up a new world, setting, and characters - PSO scratches an itch in a way few games ever have. Customization is king with this one. You create a character from the start, and though the cosmetic options are very limited, you can still come up with some pretty unique designs. There's tons of sidequests, and while the main story is a bit of a drip - and getting XP is a total grind - there's plenty to keep you busy if you end up simply enjoying playing the game as it is.

The game's biggest hook was its multiplayer. You can play solo on Dreamcast or Gamecube, and both also offer online. The biggest perk of the Gamecube game is that it offers offline four-player split-screen simultaneous co-op! Which was the main way me and my buds would play back in the day. And we would play for hours on end. Each player can also pause the game and browse their menu screens independently of the others, as to not slow the gameplay down.

If you have any friends that might be interested in playing co-op with you, the Gamecube version is the way to go. Unfortunately, the Dreamcast has no local offline multiplayer.

There's also the MAG system - AKA, a virtual pet. Because 2000. Feeding and raising your MAG - and getting the combat benefits it offers you - is almost a game in and of, itself.

If you want to play on a Dreamcast, you will need a Serial Number and Access Key when you first boot the game. No problem - you can easily find them online. You will also need to dedicate an entire VMU to the game (!) so make sure you have an extra on hand!

On the Gamecube, if you're playing offline, all you need is the disc. No codes necessary. It's also a fairly compact save file that will fit on any standard Gamecube memory card.

One quick tip - Episode II is tough. You can try to play it from the jump, but you really need to level up your character a bit - and build an inventory of items - to give yourself a fighting chance.

As you can tell, I'm quite the fan of PSO. And with emulation these days, you have nothing to lose but time. Give it a try, and as long as you keep the frame of mind that you are playing a game that came out a quarter century ago, I think you'll be in for a nice time