Phantasy Star Zero (aka PSO 2 with your typical "cute" weeaboo characters)

[Guest Shadix]

So yeah, Screens surfaced the other day of the next installment in the Phantasy Star series, for DS this time.

Unlike PSU, it looks like they decided to go back to what made up PSO and working off of that. The original action pallette, HuMar\RaCast\FoNewearl type classes returns, etc.

With the PSO gameplay in hand, they are also doing a bit to innovate given the new system.

It appears as though chatting in this game is basically going to be like using pictochat!

Hopefully SEGA doesn't mess this up, because even if we ignore the "zomg PSO is back", they have something going that has the potential to FINALLY have an online DS game that properly utilizes the DS full capabilities without horrible limitations. Only time will tell (*watches Nintendo mess it all up*)

JP site: http://phantasystar.sega.jp/pszero/ (note the weeabooness and the return of real weapons, ala the original Phantasy Star games. I don't like the idea, but it at least it'll give a bit more room for weapon variety especially given the DS's low resolution.)

The original famitsu scans:

http://img197.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=32956_ps01_122_449lo.jpg

http://img139.imagevenue.com/aAfkjfp01fo1i-15579/loc999/32963_ps02_122_999lo.jpg

[TRD]

Yea I saw this while browsing PSOW, I'm getting it as soon as it hit the shelves. Loved PSO. I always had a feeling that SEGA would bring Phantasy Star to the DS when they're making one for the PSP (In which I'm saving up for.)

If they do it right, I'm sure online mode will be awesome on the DS, but I do hope they make a touchscreen keyboard too besides using pictures for chatting.

[Guest Shadix]

Yea I saw this while browsing PSOW, I'm getting it as soon as it hit the shelves. Loved PSO. I always had a feeling that SEGA would bring Phantasy Star to the DS when they're making one for the PSP (In which I'm saving up for.)

If they do it right, I'm sure online mode will be awesome on the DS, but I do hope they make a touchscreen keyboard too besides using pictures for chatting.

If it's like pictochat it should be integrated. Communication is still going to be tough though unless they integrate a smooth method for macro comments.

[shadowgoten]

I dunno, this looks neat as hell, but we all know nintendo will not let this have a straight up kickass online mode. They always gotta think about the kiddies and the titties they might see when they play with jackass pictochat penis drawers online.

I have a feeling it's just gonna be adhoc multiplayer, like always. BUT if it is like that we can always get that shit rolling with xlink Kai and tunnel the game online...that'd be badass.

[Guest Shadix]

I dunno, this looks neat as hell, but we all know nintendo will not let this have a straight up kickass online mode. They always gotta think about the kiddies and the titties they might see when they play with jackass pictochat penis drawers online.

I have a feeling it's just gonna be adhoc multiplayer, like always. BUT if it is like that we can always get that shit rolling with xlink Kai and tunnel the game online...that'd be badass.

I don't know though, if SEGA DOES do monthly fees, which implies they are hosting their own servers, they might just be able to get out of the Nintendo WiFi Connection's jurisdiction. (Then when it sells like hot cakes Nintendo will look and be like "oh shi.......")

We can all hope!

[shadowgoten]

I don't know though, if SEGA DOES do monthly fees, which implies they are hosting their own servers, they might just be able to get out of the Nintendo WiFi Connection's jurisdiction. (Then when it sells like hot cakes Nintendo will look and be like "oh shi.......")

We can all hope!

MMO ON MY DS? YUS PLZ

[TRD]

I don't know though, if SEGA DOES do monthly fees, which implies they are hosting their own servers, they might just be able to get out of the Nintendo WiFi Connection's jurisdiction.

Ugh, as awesome as that sounds, I would hate to pay another X bucks a month just to do online when I'm already paying for PSU. =\

If it's a reasonable price, then cool, otherwise meh.

[Eminence]

They should... charge you a monthly fee, but be able to choose if you want:

1.) Use of mic.

2.) Picto-Chat

3.) Ect.

Seriously... with the DS having a built-in mic, now is a great chance to actually use the damn thing.

[Guest Shadix]

Ugh, as awesome as that sounds, I would hate to pay another X bucks a month just to do online when I'm already paying for PSU. =\

If it's a reasonable price, then cool, otherwise meh.

I'm willing to pay the price to play an online game on my DS without being blindfolded.

[TRD]

Seriously... with the DS having a built-in mic, now is a great chance to actually use the damn thing.

IIRC, the DS microphone doesn't really work well, I remember using voice chat with Aerosol playing Pokemon Diamond / Pearl and I could barely hear him. =[

I'm willing to pay the price to play an online game on my DS without being blindfolded.

Same here, the thought of it is awesome. If they don't charge 10 bucks a month like they do for PSU, then I'm more then willing to pay.

[DimensionWarped]

If it is gay ass friend code-reliant, maybe it will at least let us play without applying mandatory fees.

[DragonXVI]

I'd at least hope they follow the same vein as Monster Hunter or FF:CC and allow free Online Play - after all, you're hardly playing an MMO worthy of subscription here, it's 4 player (Or however many you're allowed now) Streets of Rage.

And yeah, with Nintendo's history of online hilarity, I'd be hoping they actually pay YOU to use Wi-Fi.

[ila]

Right something that is clearly Japanese in origin and design is somehow weeaboo.

[Pheonix Gamma]

I have a sinking feeling this won't leave Japanland. PSO for PSP hasn't been announced anywhere else either, and that's been pretty popular.

EDIT: Hay Shadix, there's a difference between weaboo and cute animu. If it's already japanese, then the trollword doesn't work :V

[Steven M]

Thirded on the whole semantics thing.

[MaxSonic]

I freaked when I saw this. I'm with TRD, I'm buying it as soon as it hits the shelves. Now as for Nintendo's WiFi restrictions, I think PSO is could survive with the friend code restrictions. If you have a friend code, you have full pictochat communication, but if you don't you might be limited to the premade emoticons and phrases. I highly doubt SEGA will charge a monthly fee for a DS RPG.

[Guest Shadix]

http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/21760 Trailer released several days ago. Holy smokes the more details they reveal about this game the more awesome it seems.

From the looks of it it looks like it'll also have PAs, which is cool since PAs will work really well with the original PSO system. I just hope they don't get too hardcore with weapons classifications, rankings, and class stuff. haha

[shadowgoten]

Definitely digging the style of this game, did anyone else catch the mario and luigi 3 trailer too? Hoooly shit am I excited. Looks like nintendo is finally showing off their core gamer shit this month.

[TRD]

Wow, really shows off what the DS is capable of.

[Guest Shadix]

Wow, really shows off what the DS is capable of.

haha yeah, I'm so excited over this whole thing. I'm just crossing my fingers hoping there isn't some huge catch.

It looks freaking perfect right now though, like they listened to fans and know exactly what we want. I wasn't sure about the solid-state weapons at first, but it really helps add a lot of visual variety that was sadly absent in PSU, especially with the small resolution graphics.

That octopus boss looks pretty cool.

[ila]

Well the PSP version is finally getting a US release, so this one probably will get a release as well.

http://kotaku.com/index.php?refId=5064094

[TRD]

Sweetness! =D

From the PSOW website: In an interview with director Satoshi Sakai, conducted by 1Up.com, it was confirmed that the localized release of Phantasy Star Portable will not support the character upload feature that the Japanese version has. To clarify, this only means that you will not be able to transfer the likeness of your character (with some items, Meseta and a small jump on leveling) from AOTI to PSP.

I'm guessing this means that you either won't have all your money, gear, and levels when you transfer your character, or you won't have the feature period, which would be lame, I was looking forward to that feature the most, but whatever, fuck yea PSU on my PSP!

[DimensionWarped]

So yeah. PSO would be cool if they could just pick a game and stick with it. I think they would have been better off just overhauling PSO for this generation, update the graphics, fix up Episode 4, add a fifth episode, throw in a few new weapon classes, character classes, that shit, add in some new techs, and just generally make the game bigger. Hell, maybe even improve the combat a little.

Instead they just want to downscale it. PSU isn't as fun as PSO. I bet these silly portable games won't really be that great for it either.

PSO just doesn't gel well with the whole concept of portable games to me. When I'm playing PSO, I pretty much can't do anything else for at least an hour or two. Usually a lot longer. Just doesn't seem to fit with the whole issue of portables providing shorter intervals of entertainment to me.

[ila]

Sweetness! =D

I'm guessing this means that you either won't have all your money, gear, and levels when you transfer your character, or you won't have the feature period, which would be lame, I was looking forward to that feature the most, but whatever, fuck yea PSU on my PSP!

That also means your clothes as well, or anything else. And to be frank, I'm really disapointed by that.

[TRD]

Yea, after reading it again, they're not gonna include it in the U.S. version, which means we can't get the "exclusive" items and shit when you do upload your character.

I take back what I said, I was looking forward to that feature the most, now it's just meh. I'll probably still end up buying it, but really, not including a feature in which alot of people were looking forward to is a dick move. There should be no reason for it to be removed only in the US. =\

Maybe it'll let you upload your character from the PSP version to AOTI.