Latest News and Updates

An English version of the Phantasy Star Portable demo is now available at the Playstation Store! Players will be able to create a character, play through the first mission, and try out several missions in multi-mode. Also, a few PSP-exclusive weapons are available in the demo as rare drops. The demo is 272 MB and is rated E for everyone.

Credit goes to RisingSun for bringing us this news. You can share your impressions of the demo in this PSO-World forum thread.

SonicTeam updated their website for Japan's upcoming AOTI supplemental update with further details on some previously announced features. Here's a brief synopsis of the recent additions.

• The capacity of the common box will be increased to 100 items from the current limit of 32.
• The item delivery function available at select NPC vendors will be replaced with direct access to your common box from the vendor.
• A function will be added to partner cards to allow players to transport directly to another player's room from their card.
• The current list of online status indicators will be replaced with the ability to create your own indicators. Furthermore, your current online status will appear on your partner card.
• The optional billing additions known previously as "PSU Tickets" are now known as "GUARDIANS Cash."
• All PS2 users will have access to the system file upgrades offered by this update, but they will not receive visual upgrades for new items. However, new items will be available to PS2 users. These items will simply use existing in-game visuals, though the names, descriptions and stats will be unique.

For further details on these recent additions as well as to voice your thoughts and opinions on this upcoming update for the Japanese PC/PS2 servers, check out this thread at the forum!

According to GM Edward as well as the Japanese Xbox 360 site, there will be changes to the current event coming this Friday. These are as follows:

• Removal of World of Illusion ? (will be available again on February 20th)
• Addition of World of Illusion ? (available until February 26th)
• Addition of Thunderburst Duel (available until February 26th)
• Addition of Panther Blitz (available until February 26th)
• Addition of items to Crystal Central (available until February 26th)

There will also be a Casino rotation on this date (Berry/Sweet to Goth).

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Discussion is taking place here.

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Update: The English update page has been posted*here. *You can find more details about the new missions on this page.

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Update: Charged Puzzle has been updated with new areas.

According to this official blog post, Phantasy Star Portable is slated to appear March 3rd in the United States.* This date has appeared recently on a number of online retail sites, however this is the first mention by Sega themselves that they've narrowed down the date.

 

A discussion post is already up in our forums.* There is just one month to go until release!

A small bug which prevented the missions "Unsafe Passage" and "Fight for Food" from appearing correctly on certain universes was discovered on the PC/PS2 servers after coming back up from maintenance on January 23. In order to correct this problem, the two affected servers, Universe 1: Guide and Universe 2: Caelum, will be taken down for approximately one hour today, January 26, at 3:00p.m. PST. For the duration of this maintenance, those two servers will be inaccessible, but all others will remain online. The official announcement of this maintenance can be read here. Also, please remember that this maintenance has no effect on the Xbox 360 servers.

Update: Unfortunately, all PC/PS2 servers had to be taken down to fix the problem. However, all servers have since been restored and the affected missions work properly again.

A new section of the official Japanese Phantasy Star Universe site has opened revealing new details on the previously announced major update coming to the Japanese version of Ambition of the Illuminus. Slated to be released this spring for the Japanese PC/PS2 servers, this update will be in the form of a free-to-download patch. Considering this method of delivery, PC users will receive the full benefit of the patch, however PS2 players will only be able to take advantage of certain aspects of it. Here are some details on what to expect.

• Over 160 new items will be added in the way of weapons and clothes. We can expect to see many weapons carried over from Phantasy Star Portable.
• Various balance adjustments will be made to photon arts, GUARDIANS types, races and SUV weapons.
• Exact counter (just counter) will be modified so that the user is invulnerable while countering an attack.
• A point system will be implemented to allow characters that have reached the level cap to turn excess EXP into points which can be used to further upgrade their abilities.
• Common box functions will be further expanded.
• A lock function will be added to allow players to protect items that are near and dear to them so that they can't accidentally sell them to an NPC vendor.
• New varieties of missions will be added, such as some which will have restrictions based on (for example) GUARDIANS type.
• The billing system will be updated to include an optional "PSU Ticket" system. Basically, this will allow players to purchase "PSU Tickets" that can be used to gain access to even more in-game content such as exclusive missions and the ability to modify the element and attribute percent of weapons and line shields.

You can join in the discussion of this exciting information at the forum. Stay tuned, as we'll be bringing you further details on this future update as they arrive!

In early November, Sega announced a 40 game compilation pack called Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection that will include all four original Phantasy Star games and improved graphics. After the announcement was made, some users were left wondering whether the compilation would use the Japanese "Generations" updates or the original versions. It was revealed through screenshots released last week that the original versions will be used. The new screenshots also give a good idea of what to expect from the graphical improvements. Here is one thumbnail example:

Phantasy Star II Thumbnail

You can view the rest of the pictures in our screenshot gallery!

Starting on January 23rd, a new Carnival event will be available on the third floor of Guardian Colony in the area beside the Club. Known as the "Lightning Carnival" in Japan, this event will kick off with the release two new missions! The first mission is known as "Charged Puzzle" (C to S Rank). In it, players must collect plasma balls and use them to complete a picture puzzle. The picture you create will affect the outcome for the mission. In addition, players will be able to collect Zon Fragments and in this mission. These will be used in an upcoming item trade-in mission. The second mission is known as "World of Illusion" Alpha." This is a gauntlet type mission with special rules. Can your party make it to the end to collect the best rare items? Be sure to save up your Zon Fragments and Zonspheres so you can attempt this mission!

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More missions will be released as the event unfolds. You can share your thoughts in this forum thread.

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Update: According to the official Japanese 360 homepage, the Carnival will last for five weeks (ending on February 26th).

As additional compensation for the recent server rollbacks, players will be able to receive 10 silver coins per day from the Casino from January 23rd until February 6th. Players should take advantage of this opportunity to save up big-ticket items like the King's Chair.