1UP's Phantasy Star Zero Review [Archive]

cApNhOwDy

Nov 25, 2009, 03:15 AM

He seemingly forgot that Sega successfully took the original PSO formula that he loved so much, enhanced it, and fit it all into a portable game cartridge. That is an impressive technical feat. Who cares if the story mode is lame, incase noone has noticed there hasnt been a truly great Phantasy Star offline RPG since Phantasy Star IV. What makes you think they'd start now? The story mode we got was actually comical at times, it doesnt overstay it's welcome, and it's a good tutorial to ease the player into the incredibly deep and complex multiplayer portion of the game. Of course they had to put chat limitations in this game, otherwise the penis pictochat pictures would be all over the place. You KNOW that's true. As much as I dislike being censored in an online game, the friend's code system is done in the best interests of the player, and also helps in maintaining a tight-knit community of legitimate players. Is the game perfect? No, and they should have included "Goodbye", and some aspects of the controls and gameplay could obviously use tightening up. But I'd say that for their first time, with this third "type" of online Phantasy Star game (first being PSO, second being PSU, PSP didnt bring out anywhere near the significant new features that PS0 did), they did a DAMN good job considering that it's on the freaking Nintendo DS. They really pushed the hardware to it's limits. To give this game anything less than an A- would be a sin.

zetagear

Nov 25, 2009, 03:21 AM

PeterFCS

Nov 25, 2009, 03:25 AM

I think the review is pretty much ok, his points are valid.
"The dated feel" he critizises though is the stuff that keeps us die hard PSO-fans coming back for more.
Still loving the game after 25 hrs, I doubt the reviewer put more than 5 hrs into the game.
But at least it’s a review from a well known site, and it ain’t bad, so maybe it will attract some people to the game.

Zantra

Nov 25, 2009, 05:30 AM

People would still complain, if he gave it an A-...

Reviews are only opinions, take them with a grain of salt, play the game for yourself, and make your own conclusions.

pso_crash

Nov 25, 2009, 05:36 AM

Lets be fair. He pulled himself away from MW2 long enough to review the game. He was probably annoyed that he couldn't frag his little sister, and then grief her over voice chat, for 25 minutes.

Pietepiet

Nov 25, 2009, 06:27 AM

Oh no someone doesn't like the game I like! Maybe I should disregard his opinion because as a fan I'm obviously right!

koikaze

Nov 25, 2009, 08:15 AM

He isn't a douchebag. Please people, name calling is very immature. Grated, I don't agree on what a lot write in their reviews and that is why I take bits and pieces from more than one.

The net play is as smooth as can be with Nintendo's limitations. Graphically, they could have had more avatar customization. I actually liked the story mode of the game, but then again, I'm a PSO die hard. The author writes "I can't help but feel like this is the same game that I played in lieu of studying for Chemistry exams", if said game is one of your top 10 games of all time, then this is a GOOD thing. "Even with its myriad problems, I still enjoyed the several dozen hours I've poured into Phantasy Star Zero." So he is saying that he has at least played for 24 hours. Also, I really don't see the myriad of problems, unless the fact that Nintendo's WFC is set in place to "protect" children, then sure, Phantasy Star 0 has problems. Otherwise, I see PS0 as a simplified/remixed version of a groundbreaking game with tons of devoted fans that can now fit in the palm of your hands. B+ in my book. If they made the controls better (adding more pallets), added more avatar customization and allowed 5 character slots I would call it a solid A game.

OFF TOPIC:

Lets be fair. He pulled himself away from MW2 long enough to review the game.

I read "MW2" (Mech Warrior 2) and got excited. Oh what a great game....

Blood Raven

Nov 25, 2009, 08:41 AM

Well being completely new to the series and reading the review and the user reviews. He has a lot of valid points. I mean honestly their are parts of the game such as the story where it makes some sense but not completely. The Dungeon running especially ET can get a bit boring and gaining the best items is a major feat but it is requires you spend hours and hours getting the "prefect" rare. However I think he missed one major point...

THIS IS THE DS!!!

I am pretty sure the DS handicaps this game. I know it isn't like a psp but what do you expect. I actually nicknamed PS0, pocket mmorpg. If you like rpg's and spending hours training your character then this is probably one of the better rpg's on DS. Yes it has it's flaws but in terms of comparing to most games on portable systems, he was pretty accurate on the grade. Especially if you don't have a lot of Friend Codes and just doing random games on Wi-Fi. However, looking just at DS games it is really good and I would give it a B+ or A-. I would say that the online play is pretty amazing but it only really seems to work well if you have FC's.

Conclusion:
Not the best game of all time so if you don't have a DS don't buy the system for the game. If your looking for a DS game that is gonna keep you entertained for more then 10 hours (like most older ones...lol) and is a rpg it is well worth the money.

R315r4z0r

Nov 25, 2009, 11:49 AM

This review isn't really that bad. The only aspect that I disagree with him on is the "dated feel" that the PSO style brings. It's more of a refresher rather than a rehash.

However, I do agree that the controls and camera angles aren't really too great. Whenever I play it, I feel as if they should have added some sort of weapon "quick swap" like they had in PSO. (At least for the gamecube, anyway (you hold down L and press Y (I think...) and that gives you a little popup menu that lists a bunch of weapons you are holding and can quickly switch to. You could also flip through pages to use items if you liked.))

Other than that, however, It really isn't that bad. Although I do wish they had a bit more customization available... like proportions and body types... but it's a DS cartridge, so you really can't complain.

Anyway, if I reviewed it, I would give it a B, B- as well. That seems like a perfectly decent score for any game. But then again, I'm not a real high-maintenance kind of person... anything C+ and up for me is decent.

Ovada

Nov 25, 2009, 12:19 PM

The only review I actually listened to (By someone called "Gregory")

"First off I found the 1UP review to be lacking and very misleading. The most important issue being the online experience; the writer stated that he had a really hard time connecting to friends and worded it as the game's fault. I hope it wasn't intentional because I've not once had a problem connecting to my friend online (who happens to live a good 15+ hours away from myself). The same goes for my time spent with the import version almost a year ago, I hope the writer tested this game on multiple networks with the correct set-up because I've not experienced anything that he stated there and I was using the Nintendo USB WiFi Connector on a very unreliable home network.

Phantasy Star Zero has an almost completely different effect on me compared to the writer as well. This game has it's own distinct and unique feel, while taking the best parts of it's predecessor PSO and it's cousin PSU/PSP to make a game unlike anything on a handheld. I never find myself feeling like I am reliving my old memories from PSO, or wishing I WAS.

The additions to the controls, battle system, environments and stage set-ups, as well as the chat system and style all give PS0 a unique feeling that set's itself apart. At first the gameplay feels limiting, and at times frustrating but it only takes one dungeon to get the hang of it. Quick-Selecting with the shoulder buttons and Start feels just like PSO's similar action and gives me space for my action palette, but using a Force still requires me to make some tough decisions on what to have on my palette. One major addition I'd like would the ability to fire off techs through the menu, most notably S/D to free up space on my action palette.

The reviewer didn't accept the game on it's own merits, being on a handheld system. Instead he tried comparing it to a full blown console game with the grace of a robust control scheme granted by an actual controller. It's unfair to compare a console game from 2001 to a handheld game in 2009, how does PS0 stack up against handheld games of that time?

What SEGA did to make this game from both a visual and gameplay stand point, in addition to the clean and smooth online experience is beyond amazing and deserving of more credit. The amount of beauty they squeezed into the DS in each level along with some of the most melodic and encompassing music in the series to date captures me just like PSO did 10 years ago. Levels and enemy designs share an endearing amount of creativity that brings a smile to my face even after 60+ hours of playing."

Ovada

Nov 25, 2009, 12:25 PM

All I ask is maybe some downloadable content for the DSi, honestly.

Eclipse5632

Nov 25, 2009, 12:27 PM

The single-player campaign is trash and mind-numbing after four hours
Am I the only person who enjoyed story mode? :<

Akaimizu

Nov 25, 2009, 12:40 PM

Not just you. I liked it, too. Possibly because it seemed to be one of the better ones, for the online series. It wasn't deep or anything, but something enjoyable, easy to understand, and quick. The last being important because you didn't spend an hour or so doing a mission based on dialogue like PSU. The long time you spent was actually playing the game. So out of that 15+ hour playthrough, you could pretty much count the amount of time spent in dialogue in minutes.

Then again, Dungeon Crawlers tend to have less fans in review circles, these days. However, I think for some reason this gets compared to games on more powerful systems, while plenty of other DS titles don't get compared that way. They did at least put a small blurb that this makes one of the best of its kind on the system. IMO, it is the best of its kind on the system. No competition.

TaciturnBadger

Nov 25, 2009, 01:53 PM

The lack of media attention on PSZ is something that puzzled me to no end. I managed to snag a copy at a local store on launch day only by pure accident -- the clerk knows me and I'd been trying to get him to play PSO for quite some time. So, while I managed to get the store's ONLY copy on launch day, I still couldn't believe that none of the magazines I get even mentioned the fact that it was in production, had released in Japan, or even mentioned it whatsoever. Ahh, well.. what can ya do?

R315r4z0r

Nov 25, 2009, 02:12 PM

I haven't gotten through much of the story yet, as I've only just gotten the game. But from what I've seen so far, it's not that incredibly annoying cliche style mission that plagued PSU.

You know the ones I mean.

"The animals broke lose and are rampaging against civilians!"
"The machines have malfunctioned and are rampaging against civilians!"
"The faction has broken away and are rampaging against civilians!"

They do throw in some other mission types every now and again... but then it later on turns back into "they have gone crazy and are rampaging against civilians!"

From the few missions I've played so far, it's already better than PSU. :clown:

Kion

Nov 25, 2009, 02:39 PM

In Japan this game has already come and gone. They made a lot of copies here that ended up in the bargain bin pretty fast. Phantasy Star is really a console game, a cartridge doesn`t have enough space for customization and your staring at a small screen running through repetitive stages with graphics that are less than polished.
What I think really killed it is Nintendo`s horrible approach to online games. It would nice to be able to log on and play with anyone; instead there are friend codes and complete lack of lobbies or variations for people to play. It`s like making a hotel booking to play with anyone and for most people who can`t get online the story isn`t enough to make the game engaging enough to play beyond normal. I was bored to tears by the hentai game style anime conversations that i skipped through all of them, only ready a couple lines occasionally to confirm it wasn`t going anywhere.

It`s impressive for a DS game , but that`s also why it`s so lacking.

As for magazine reviews, those people are quantity over quality. They have to write something in a couple of days so they pretty much write their reviews on first impressions because for most things; they just don`t care. Over all articles are worthless because they`re either some reaction to a new promotion video, which with youtube you can watch directly now, or some rushed review of a new game. If your not sure about the review part, wait until it gets released and read several normal people`s review of it before you make the jump.

for me PSZ was okay, just okay. The thing i like most about PSo was that you uncovered the story by doing quests, it wasn`t handed to you like a steaming pile of poo on a platter. It really made me want to play to ultimate to see the final ending. That`s one formula they haven`t been able to reproduce (even though the game play has gotten better). For any fanboys who really enjoy PSZ, it`s probably still honey moon time and the excitement of getting your hands on a new game to wrap your hands around for christmas break, but are you sure you`re not convincing yourself you like this game?

Epically Leet

Nov 25, 2009, 02:45 PM

Intelligent post, Kion. *applauds*

I'm not saying I agree with any negativity you wrote about PSZ, but that was a great read.

TaciturnBadger

Nov 25, 2009, 02:51 PM

I don't think I'm convincing myself that I enjoy this game. Having a solid title for the DS is something that's been lacking for a long time, and the fact that it's a Phantasy Star title makes it that much better. Also, it's taking a step back to the PSO roots, which is something that Sonic Team has been needing to do for a long time. Personally, I'm happy to see my second-favorite video RPG series (next to Fallout) being pushed in the right direction. It's resurrected my addiction to PSO, which still manages to suck a great deal of my free time even after nearly a decade. Will PSZ have that kind of durability? Of course not. Will this provide a satisfying, hand-held addiction fix for a beloved series? Certainly. Did it take the DS to the absolute extremes of the systems' capability? No.

When all is said and done, however, the biggest factors for me are FUN FACTOR and REPLAY VALUE. In short, I fully enjoy the time that I spend on the game, and there's enough variety between the character classes and gameplay for me to want to take it through with all three classes. So, for me, yes, this was a good game. It's also a rare title for the DS that can't be completely obliterated and beaten to death within 10 hours of gameplay. So, no, I'm not bedazzled by a cart that says "Phantasy Star" on it. If you want to get brutal, it's a crappily thrown-together storyline, delivered in a fashion even a third grader wouldn't miss subtleties on, with piss-poor 8-second animations thrown in just so they can say "MOVIES" on the back of the box, plus repetitive gameplay of which all nuances can be learned within two rooms. But it's fun. And it stays fun. And I like it.

Which is more than I can say for other "repetitive hack 'n slash" games from the 'Cube. (See Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. See if you can stomach playing through that twice without contemplating console suicide.)

Epically Leet

Nov 25, 2009, 02:59 PM

Another intelligent post.

I like this place.

TaciturnBadger

Nov 25, 2009, 03:02 PM

Plus, I actually laughed out loud when Ogi started analyzing Sarisa's frontage. That hasn't happened in a game in a LONG time.

Epically Leet

Nov 25, 2009, 03:15 PM

Joke spoiler detected.

Initializing crying sequence...

Done.

:sad:

Akaimizu

Nov 25, 2009, 03:18 PM

To a certain degree, I think Phantasy Star Zero and Phantasy Star Portable 2 are doing to the portable platforms like Phantasy Star Online did for consoles. Finally bringing a good online multiplayer Dungeon Crawl gameplay to a new platform. Is it the best thing if you count all the platforms together? No. For me, this kind of stuff was a long time coming. I wanted games of its ilk to come out 5 years ago. Especially when it was super rare to have a console dungeon hacker with any decent online play at all. And even the PC got one rarely. That's how slow things got for my favorite genre.

I think being that the Dungeon Hack is my favorite genre has a lot to do with how well I enjoy one of those games; but I do know comparisons to others I've played, and what unique aspects they bring to the table. Some will say it's a repetitive genre, but I see it as constantly evolving subtle changes to gameplay that happen as you get your next big finds. It's the secret why I could put thousands of hours into the genre, and show no signs of quitting it altogether.

For me, on the portable platforms, I would say that Sonic Team pretty much just has themselves to compete with, particularly for involving infrastructure. Maybe Capcom will follow suit with their (quite impressive Monster Hunter series) and also rise to that occasion (even though I find their style of game unique, and different than your general hack and slash, which makes it more valuable, but also not a replacement for games that fit squarely in the genre).

I've played some pretty bad ones before, and to tell you the truth, almost everything else on the portable platform is neutered in comparison with a good console or PC hack and slash way more than Sonic Team's games. These actually seem like honest attempts to keep the gameplay and depth we loved from previous console attempts, and why they are held in high regard for me. PSP2 has the chance of being the best of the bunch, and if it does, it'll probably take forever before someone else steps in to beat it.

When Phantasy Star Online came out, the idea of a console playing a good action RPG online, with co-op and communication, was unheard of. And to this degree, Phantasy Star Zero is early enough to be considered that way for the DS. It's definitely the first with smooth free online play, even if it wasn't out the door first. PSP2 will definitely be like that for the PSP, as it seems nobody else seems to care to make infrastructure online games for the thing. (Or even making a Dungeon Crawler anywhere at all like previous decent ones that made it to consoles). And it's infinitely better than Untold Legends 1 and (especially 2), Dungeon Explorer, and several other attempts to put a Dungeon Hacker together. Practically none of them trying at all to do infrastructure. (Then again, PSZ beats most of those, too. Just from gameplay elements without even taking multiplayer into consideration.)

LouieW

Nov 25, 2009, 03:19 PM

While I think the reviewer makes some legitimate points about the game, I would put it more at an A-/B+ range if I actually had to grade it for some reason. Of course, everyone has different tastes so I can see where he is coming from a bit. There could have been more customization of characters, but I really do not see that as being much of an issue. For me the main point of the game was the gameplay which I think is generally good. I know the game has gotten some criticism for the difficulty of switching weapons and using items outside of the palette, but I have not found that to be too big of a problem for me. I think you get used to it over time and I think the weapon switching actually makes it somewhat more realistic (I realize that the game is not really going for realism though) since being able to constantly switch weapons and use items would not actually make sense in a practical context.

I thought the story mode was good enough. I liked it better than PSO's which I found a little lacking in that it was so hidden and not very connected. Having seven areas plus the tower also seemed like more than enough for a DS game and I have been impressed by the lack of repetitiveness in those areas so far. I have found that the rare monsters, arenas, pizza shop, and cake shop make going through those areas more fun than going through the same areas in PSO multiple times in a row.

Nostalgia could have influenced my opinions, but I think even if you take that into account PSZ is still objectively pretty good. I have only just started playing online and I have been enjoying it even with the limited chat options in free play so I think it could get even better. Obviously I can only speak to my experiences though.

TaciturnBadger

Nov 25, 2009, 03:26 PM

Ah, a series of intelligent comments and replies! Always happy to see thought-out responses and opposing viewpoints that don't devolve into a flame war.

cApNhOwDy

Nov 25, 2009, 05:59 PM

For any fanboys who really enjoy PSZ, it`s probably still honey moon time and the excitement of getting your hands on a new game to wrap your hands around for christmas break, but are you sure you`re not convincing yourself you like this game?

I understand what you're saying. I had the absolute same experience with PSU, trying to convince myself it was great simply because it's the new online Phantasy Star game that I had been waiting on for years. But with PS0, I'm absolutely positive that I love this game. It puts a smile on my face and I'm rapidly pressing the start button to get into the game as quickly as possible as soon as I flip the switch to power my DS on. It's a guilty timesink that I enjoy every minute of. I've been lending my JP copy to friends to let them demo it, and I definitely plan on asking for another copy of the game for Christmas so that I can have more character slots. I've already put 30+ hours onto one character and I cant wait to get as far with my Force and Ranger. I love playing online, I love the PSO-esque music, I love the timed combat, the dodge-roll, the lock-on and strafe features from PSU, the random level layout, I love the return of Mags, I love collecting the weapons that I havent found yet, and I love the titles system. But most importantly, I love the gameplay, which is infinitely better than PSU in every important way, which is amazing for a portable game. My only gripe is that you cant move while in the menu screen, but the way I've used it I've never really needed to.

Do I like it better than PSO? Nope, but it's damn-near the next closest best thing, and it's refreshing to have something new, and on-the-go to boot!

Stecks

Nov 25, 2009, 07:38 PM

I remember when I first realized this game was being released for the DS; by that, I meant seeing it in the corner of my vision in a small hut inside Gamestop. By that time, I had already planned on buying it due to my cryptic but pleasing experience with PSonline.

And now, I'm here.

Regarding the review, he seemed rather flaky to give any true 'review' of the game and acted 'preview'-ish with it all. A better way to put this is saying how he reminisced about his days of older PS games and then, as that small review of sorts started to unfold, he slapped a letter, some slurred words in the mix, and gave a great game a mediocre beating.

I personally do notice his points in the review but at the same time, everyone has too and accepted it. It's reflective points like that which make so-called 'reviews' terrible in the least. Besides, I don't think he put dozens of hours into the game, as I've reached only 24 hours by this post's placement and 'dozens' doesn't do the game justice.

In short, the review was too opinionated on his own ideas of what PS could have been. The game itself falls short at the steps but made a great leap abroad the case. PS0 deserves credit for where it's being bred from, should at least be acknowledged for a rather successful game pushing from PSonline, and be announced of its fun and originality.

Nuff said.

zetagear

Nov 26, 2009, 02:22 AM

Plus, I actually laughed out loud when Ogi started analyzing Sarisa's frontage. That hasn't happened in a game in a LONG time.

you havent seen the Sarisa Tentacles yet...

tbroflaro

Nov 26, 2009, 05:15 AM

I'm still puzzled by the lack of media attention this game is getting (as far as I can see at least). Hell, I have never even seen the game at any stores in my area (bought it online, even though I pass by stores daily). I thought that the point of the game was to draw in new players to the PSO experience, but it's relying mostly on word of mouth and the Nintendo Power review.

It stings a little that the only other review doesn't sound too positive, but B- is I guess not a very bad score. For a DS title that is able to pull off what this game does and that offers a free and enjoyable online experience, I think it deserves higher though.

There is a reason as to why it isn't getting a lot of news: Modern Warfare 2 and Left 4 dead 2. They are the reason. I believe leave that the review could have been better

Kion

Nov 26, 2009, 09:09 PM

you havent seen the Sarisa Tentacles yet...

Semi related...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjKKXzaqsOE

MinscTFA

Nov 26, 2009, 09:38 PM

Where's this bad review people were talking about? I read it. You know what? He made some valid points. PS0 has its flaws, even so he still enjoyed the game. How does that make him a douchebag?

Bearissoslow

Nov 26, 2009, 10:31 PM

Am I the only person who enjoyed story mode? :<

You can like the story, but calling it good, in objective terms, is just wrong; this is not a direct response to you but meh.

My main grief with PS0 is that it was shoving story down my throat constantly. I got no chance to just enjoy a single player campaign for what it was without Sarisa or x character impeding the gameplay with shallow "development" (if that's even the correct term for it :l) and useless diatribe. PSO was good at making a fascinating story for fans like us because it was sparse in details. A good majority of PSO quests were focused more as chores and errands, rather than being story-driven. I honestly would not have liked PSO's story as much if it had been given me three-five annoying follow-you-around-every-quest characters that were weak and constantly reiterated points like "WHERE IS RED RING RICO THIS IS RUINS WHAT IS POUMN WHAT IS RICO TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS A DARK FALZ OMG". Doing this only bashes the player in the head with points that are best left up to simple observation or reading. This type of story-telling method is only useful if you have a short attention span or just cannot read in between the lines (arguably, the lines at all, as well).

PSO did its story right in that it never forced you to care about it. You could play around fine offline and online without even encountering the story that much. Plus, it had a much better premise than PS0. PS0's story comes off as cliched and shallow; it's something that I could've found at a Japan Anime dumpster. It's not only anime in appearance, but it's also got the shallow "I'M SARISA I'M DEVELOPING LOVE FEELINGS FOR YOU EVEN THOUGH YOU NEVER TALK AND WE'VE BARELY KNOWN EACH OTHER LOL TENTACLE RAPE JOKES LOL", along with very bad plot-holes (i.e. thatoneperson's "GO ON WITHOUT ME" moment). Everyone falls into the same stereotype and archetype of bland unoriginality, and this game would've been trash if it had not retained the PSO element of online gameplay with friends.

Switching gears, PSO's premise was fantastic, and the execution was nearly flawless for what it was. Your character is a hunter, working his way through quests and monsters alike. The mayor wants you to find more information about Ragol and possibly what happened to his daughter, Red Ring Rico. Along the way through your murderfests on Ragol, you find messages from an unknown source, giving you introspections in on the Pioneer 1-Ragol catastrophe, and even hints for how to survive against the monsters. As you go on, you start to realize that the source is none-other-than Red Ring Rico herself, and that she might still be alive. As you go through more and more areas, you start to learn more of her inner-psyche, and the messages turn into a sort of diary. At times, Rico shows relatable human emotion, and something that would not be far or distant from what the player may be thinking. She even tries to uncover what the past of Ragol might be, pointing and alluding to many important ideas, thus avoiding the pitfall of being only a Navi-esque character guide. She even goes so far as to recognize the very small chance of her survival, but still decides that she must live for those who died and to stop the ultimate power within Ragol. Throughout the entirety of PSO, she becomes the main building and driving force for the plot, and turns the game into a "I can't put this book down" type of story. We, the audience, even feel compelled to sympathize with Rico, being all alone in a post-apocalyptic planet full of monsters and death. We even meet her during the last quest, only to realize that it was a figment of Dark Falz's doing. It is then that it is implicitly shown that Rico failed; she died and fell prey to Falz. Perhaps it was me, but this did get me. I didn't cry, but I did feel a sort of sorrow for her. It was even more bitter when you go against Falz, only to see that Rico's figure has been downright mimicked on this huge beast for the first and second forms. When you beat both forms, Falz merely tosses the body aside, the shell that it was. Beating Falz's third form is quite possibly one of the most satisfying moments of PSO, only to know that your character has released Rico from her Nightmare-fuel torment and can rest.

Wall of text aside, some of you probably see my point. While there wasn't much on the surface of PSO, the story was founded, fueled, and fphenomenal (:l I needed a f word) because of its subtext. It didn't explicitly spell anything out for you, and a lot of what I acknowledged and said about PSO had to be inferred or thought about, as opposed to PS0 blatantly screaming it towards the player. It's more effective to have someone draw a conclusion rather than you write it slowly on a green chalkboard seven times and then ask someone to say it in Spanish.

I think I'm done with my wall of text.

Bearissoslow

Nov 27, 2009, 02:19 AM

Crap. No one's going to read that, are they?

watashiwa

Nov 27, 2009, 02:42 AM

along with very bad plot-holes (i.e. thatoneperson's "GO ON WITHOUT ME" moment).
CHECKMATE, GUYS...

Eclipse5632

Nov 27, 2009, 02:50 AM

PS0's story comes off as cliched and shallow; it's something that I could've found at a Japan Anime dumpster.
Why does everyone associate anime with shallow characters/plot? I guess I just don't watch bad anime or something. Maybe that's your problem. Stop watching bad anime. :|

I dunno. I think I kinda liked the story mode because even though it was shallow, it knew it was shallow and didn't try to pretend it wasn't. An example of something that wasn't deep but pretended to be would be Kamen Rider Den-O, though I doubt anyone here has seen that. Don't get me wrong; I enjoy a deep and involving plot as much as the next person, but realistically every game/show/etc. can't have one and sometimes I do enjoy the corny "YEAH BELIEVE IN YOUR FRIENDS AND YOU'LL SUCCEED" kinda thing (refer to GaoGaiGar).

Also, stop making fun of Sarisa. ;_;

What am I trying to say? I dunno. Probably just that my opinion's different than yours. I'm not a huge PSOfag or anything, but I did enjoy it quite a bit when I was playing it for GC and found out about SCHT Hack last year. While I liked the plot of PSO a lot, I didn't really recall...any of it getting resolved. At all. Maybe it's because I only played through Normal and didn't finish Episode II. Which "last quest" are you talking about? I have no recollection of ever meeting Rico or ever hearing anything about Dark Falz being her until I read stuff about it online (keep in mind it's been...quite a few years since I went through the story quests). If it was just one of those read-between-the-lines things, then it would be understandable that I didn't get it because I am patently god-awful at seeing symbolism and figuring out stuff that...well, isn't explicitly stated.

...I should probably stop writing this post before it ends up longer than yours.

/ramble

jmanx

Nov 27, 2009, 03:48 AM

This review is accurate. If we weren't busy being butthurt (no offense but seriously), most of his points are valid within this review. The single-player campaign is trash and mind-numbing after four hours, and the online gets beaten with a cane for having no lobbies and FCs instead. It's all on target.

That would be nintendo's fault and if there was lobby you would probably have to pay for it... I was pretty amazed you were able to add random people in game in friend mode.

Kion

Nov 27, 2009, 04:25 AM

Crap. No one's going to read that, are they?

I read it. Very good points.

Why does everyone associate anime with shallow characters/plot? I guess I just don't watch bad anime or something. Maybe that's your problem. Stop watching bad anime. :|

I agree that there are a lot of good anime. Unfortunately for every good anime, there are a million completely worthless rip off derivatives. To put things in perspective; PSo was like Cowboy Bebop. PS0 is like Tsubasa Chronicles.

Akaimizu

Nov 27, 2009, 11:30 AM

I think PSO had a decent plot, but I think it also falters under the same issues plenty of JRPG players have for many Western RPGs. Sad thing is, half the western RPGs that people say have little in story, have TONS of great story and things that aren't shoved down your throat. They also may have a lot of backstory that is written, but not presented in direct text in the game. Loads of work went into them.

However, it also requires people to *read* them. And/or do a lot of the non-essential plot stuff to get more story out of it. In Planescape Torment alone, you get the depth of story and plot devices within the first hour of play that most JRPGs do after their entire 20-30hr game. But does it get celebrated for story? Not so much, because people have to read it, and do things that aren't necessarily forced in a linear story structure. This is where I realized that there's a huge audience within the JRPG fanbase, in which if the story isn't spoon-fed to them, it isn't story.

Not that I'm saying this one was great. Many SEGA plotlines are a bit contrived, though their early games came out when that kind of stuff was fresh. However, I consider it was simple fun, made easy for anybody to understand, and brief in its telling of it. Which was much appreciated after the more long-winded aspects of PSU. One in which the story plot is just as contrived and ripped from anime, but your held more hostage while they tell it to you. I tend to like my Dungeon Hackers to be a little more hands-off with their story telling. Let me get back to fighting, quickly, unless it's really important. PSO did that pretty well, but alas the lack of spoon-feeding (which I think can make a better quality story for me) seems to be lost on so many people that it's scary. As much as one can enjoy how PSO did it, there's so many JRPG fans that'll come right up and say it had no story. And for the exact same reasons why they would say that about certain Western RPGs that did have a lot of story devoted to them.

(Good example. Elder Scrolls games are known for having novels of storywork simply just to support the plot lines in their games. A good point that many folks dismissing the story in those games don't even know squat about the stories in those game because they simply ignored them. As one goes through the Shivering Isle expansion, the player can look at events in it, and remember events that happened before they went there only to learn a whole lot about how Daedric Princes work, a bit about what rules they follow, and the true level of significance of what it meant for that King (at the beginning of Oblivion) to die and move the Age forward to a new time. His death caused a cascade of a lot of events that are actually felt across several realms and planes of existence. Those dismissing the story don't even know that. Not to mention, what it meant for all kinds of key players. It's a pretty awesome feeling when you start to figure things out. To keep this from spanning multiple pages, I'm not going to even talk about the lower layers of story-telling in it.)

So to sum up. Most of the issues of a simple and anime-contrived story line are simply ST trying to cater to as wide of an audience, within the JRPG fandom, as possible. While I don't think there's an argument here, I've seen both sides of the story discussion argument for some time now. However, I had to get used to the idea that sometimes companies make compromises made to attract the larger audience.

Anime and lots of Japanese games are treated like popular music and movies of late. Every once in a while a studio goes out on a limb, allows somebody to truly be creative, and a fresh hit comes along. Then everybody else plays it safe, by copying everything that was successful in the past (or remaking the past with a new coat of paint) in trying to make a buck. Trends and fads get started, and it spills over to other forms of entertainment.

Kishiin

Nov 27, 2009, 02:04 PM

I also believe that ps0 is simply a different flavor of storytelling. Yes, some may fault it by forcing the story at a cut scene , sometimes after each room of monsters at times, but that goes with medium. Not every DS player is going to sit down for extended periods of time, searching high and low for the ins and outs of the story. Spurts of information and story/character development is handed in the same spoon of gameplay, so in short gaming sessions, we can get some leveling/hunting done, and learn a little more and more about our party members and world around us. Unfortunately for those who are able to play for a couple hours on end will feel that everything about the story was shoved down our throats! When compared to PSO, it is night and day, because a players comprehension of the story depends on how much THEY want to search out to discover, as it was well explained a few posts above me.

I think the important thing to remember is to know what Zero is in the first place. It compacts a lot of the good ideas of past entries in the series onto a smaller medium. It succeeds in many areas alone, but due to hardware limitations, some concepts/ideas may have been cut or shortened to fit. In the process we do have a new PS game to play after all, and there's always room for improvement.

Bearissoslow

Nov 27, 2009, 02:05 PM

Why does everyone associate anime with shallow characters/plot? I guess I just don't watch bad anime or something. Maybe that's your problem. Stop watching bad anime. :|

I dunno. I think I kinda liked the story mode because even though it was shallow, it knew it was shallow and didn't try to pretend it wasn't. An example of something that wasn't deep but pretended to be would be Kamen Rider Den-O, though I doubt anyone here has seen that. Don't get me wrong; I enjoy a deep and involving plot as much as the next person, but realistically every game/show/etc. can't have one and sometimes I do enjoy the corny "YEAH BELIEVE IN YOUR FRIENDS AND YOU'LL SUCCEED" kinda thing (refer to GaoGaiGar).

Also, stop making fun of Sarisa. ;_;

What am I trying to say? I dunno. Probably just that my opinion's different than yours. I'm not a huge PSOfag or anything, but I did enjoy it quite a bit when I was playing it for GC and found out about SCHT Hack last year. While I liked the plot of PSO a lot, I didn't really recall...any of it getting resolved. At all. Maybe it's because I only played through Normal and didn't finish Episode II. Which "last quest" are you talking about? I have no recollection of ever meeting Rico or ever hearing anything about Dark Falz being her until I read stuff about it online (keep in mind it's been...quite a few years since I went through the story quests). If it was just one of those read-between-the-lines things, then it would be understandable that I didn't get it because I am patently god-awful at seeing symbolism and figuring out stuff that...well, isn't explicitly stated.

...I should probably stop writing this post before it ends up longer than yours.

/ramble

The last quest I was referring to was "From the Depths". You meet her in the iconic large room in Ruins 2.

Aziel

Nov 27, 2009, 02:16 PM

The last quest I was referring to was "From the Depths". You meet her in the iconic large room in Ruins 2.
And here I was thinking you were talking about killing Falz with a hacked Dark weapon.

However, I'll just side with the whole "appealing to a larger audience," thing. I mean, come on, we got tentacle rape and loli in one shot--that's got to attract a certain group of people.

I don't really have a tactful way to implement this into my post, so I'll just say it. "GO ON WITHOUT ME"
God, what a horrible plot hole. Granted, it was nowhere near as terrible as the 534608484 plot holes that PSO had that users had to compensate for with their imaginations.

Eclipse5632

Nov 27, 2009, 03:29 PM

The last quest I was referring to was "From the Depths". You meet her in the iconic large room in Ruins 2.
Hm. Maybe I'll have to go back and replay that or something. Thanks.

Sinue_v2

Nov 27, 2009, 03:53 PM

You can like the story, but calling it good, in objective terms, is just wrong

Exaggeration for levity and parody aside, you know damned well that isn't true. "Good" and "Bad" are by definition subjective valuations. There is no empirical methodology for reviewing games or movies, and Roger Ebert has no grounds for calling Gene Shalit a "pseudo-reviewer" for deviating from that methodology, while insulting his hair cut as an affront to human dignity.

That being said, yes, I would have been very disappointed in PSZ's storyline were it a serious contender to the Phantasy Star mythos on home consoles. Handheld devices are a different market, designed for quick and on-the-go mobile gaming, and the DS specifically targeted to a much different demographic than PC/PS3/360/Wii. I think that's important to keep in mind when reviewing.

PSZ's storyline is rather weak, but... for what it is, what it's intended to be, what it's designed for... I found it irreverent, campy, and enjoyable. It touched upon some important storyline details for Phantasy Star Online's chronology, and it presented them in a clear and fairly linear manner in a context that expressed their importance. In comparison, PSO's storyline was delivered very non-linearly and required the player to scavenger hunt through alternate locked sequences in multiple largely non-associated side-quests in the single-player mode to a game which was designed for the online multiplayer. Some people really enjoyed this aspect, and it can really be seen as very clever considering Ep I's context as a kind of "detective story" to find out what happened to Pioneer I and Rico, while dually serving to keep heavy storyline narratives from infringing on the multiplayer hack & slash item hunt fun.

It could be seen as lazy and poor storytelling, because this also had the effect of creating a very fractured storyline with multiple plot-points interweaving, emerging in prominence - then being dropped as a loose end, and retcon corrections which shot the storyline off to new (and often nonsensical) directions at breakneck speeds. .... And if you missed certain sub-quest sub-plots, or a data pod, or other "story clues" - it became very confusing to keep track of just what the hell was going on. This is why, for those few who actually followed and discussed Phantasy Star Online's storyline, their conceptual understanding of the plot and storyline is typically inconsistent beyond the most basic story framework. That's not the case in Phantasy Star Zero where you are basically lead by the nose through a structured narrative with a consistent cast of characters, and major division in storyline events come though minor details and asides or translation inconsistencies.

Personally, I enjoyed the framework of Phantasy Star Online Ep I. It was clever without being cumbersome. It allowed the player to customize the story to their taste, much like their character appearance. It's atmosphere was very foreboding and tragic, despite a high-gloss laquer coat of bright colors and cartoonish anime convention. It resembled Phantasy Star II, in this regard, which was quite heavy and sophisticated in it's plot - though lacked the "meat on the bones" contextual narrative, dialog, and character development which Phantasy Star IV would introduce.

So... for me, like Eclipse5632, I really enjoyed Phantasy Star Zero's storyline mode as a side-story to PSO. I appreciate the return to the familiar structured narrative, found the characters to be enjoyable and non-grating, and I like the contextual information regarding PSO's mythos pre and post PSO in a way that takes off from - rather than rewrites - established chronology. Perhaps I'm also far less critical of handheld side-stories to Phantasy Star because I've actually played through Phantasy Star Gaiden and Phantasy Star Adventure for the GameGear.

Good god... given that kind of past history on handhelds, and with PSO's already fractured episodic storyline... it's not hard to really enjoy PSZ's storyline in the face of those kinds of expectations.

R315r4z0r

Nov 27, 2009, 07:44 PM

Hmm.. although there are some ideas in this thread that make sense. Like the game is basically decent, but not the best thing ever.

My only real decision about this game isn't necessarily that PSZ is good or bad, but rather, it's presentation (bar graphics), mechanics, and gameplay are better than PSU's.

joe_news

Nov 28, 2009, 02:55 AM

Harsh words, I love the game and played the first one for AGES. To each his own I guess...

Jinketsu

Nov 28, 2009, 09:56 AM

While I can agree with him on the PSO-based game play's 'dated' feel, we also have to remember that, while dated, it's been a long while since a game of its nature has been released. Some of us may not still play PSO (nor have for a long while), and may have missed the style of game play it's had to offer.

In an example, I know that when I played New Super Mario Bros. Wii, I had this severe nostalgic feeling that took me back to the 'dated' style of platformer, and wondered why they hadn't continued to release games like this (that weren't remakes, mind you).

It takes me into other mid-dated game play styles like Super Mario 64 or Banjo-Kazooie. Sure, we can remake the game, or port the game, or play a fan-based hacked version of the game... but that all leads to the point that we still enjoy the way it plays. Dated or not, I don't think reviewers need to focus so much on how 'new and fresh' a game is, but rather the ups and downs of the game, and how they felt when they played it.

I don't know. I guess I just don't feel that old-school game play is out-dated by any means. We all pick up our older games every once in a while and play through them again, no matter how many times we've done it before.

In my own opinion, the lack of some of the menu shortcuts in PS0 was a little disappointing, but then we don't have an extra d-pad to go around messing with those shortcut menus. I like it. Although it only makes me feel like they need to make a new PSO-type game for the newer systems. I wouldn't mind hack'n'slash-grinding my way to Lv200 again. :P

PSU didn't cut it for me. I liked the story, but couldn't stay intersted in online mode :(

sethliengod

Nov 28, 2009, 11:21 AM

I personally like the idea PSO being portable... but NOT for the DS that system is good for nothing but megaman . I have a DS just so everyone knows where I'm comming from . most of what that guy said is true , but I don't agree about PSO being "dated " it's still better than most of the crap on the shelves today . I have actually put away my PS3 , and went back to PSO . I think they should have stuck with the PSP

Bearissoslow

Nov 28, 2009, 06:21 PM

PSP is great!

... In theory. No online play and the fact that PSU is still up means that it's got little to no chance of being better than PSU as of now.

Lord of Pirates

Nov 29, 2009, 02:27 PM

This review is accurate. If we weren't busy being butthurt (no offense but seriously), most of his points are valid within this review. The single-player campaign is trash and mind-numbing after four hours, and the online gets beaten with a cane for having no lobbies and FCs instead. It's all on target.

The review is pretty bland. The DS isn't very powerful so I don't see how you're expecting a lobby? Don't bother saying no offense; it's pretty obvious you plan on offending someone when you say it.

Gunslinger-08

Nov 29, 2009, 02:52 PM

He did hit some good points, and when you think about it, there are things that could have been better about PSZ. I've played it and enjoyed it, but I think PSU will remain my main focus for the time being.

Don't be so offended by this guy. It's just a review, and the legitimate points he brought up can be used to make a better sequel, which is a path I hope Sega chooses to follow.

Gunslinger-08

Nov 29, 2009, 02:54 PM

*lol, double post*

Zufield

Nov 29, 2009, 05:03 PM

An example of something that wasn't deep but pretended to be would be Kamen Rider Den-O, though I doubt anyone here has seen that.
You misspelled "Kamen Rider Kiva". And possibly "Kamen Rider Faiz", as well. Well, Faiz is kinda iffy, but Kiva is a given. Maybe Decade as well, but that would be your fault as a viewer, since that series was clearly meant as fanwank material.

Niered

Nov 29, 2009, 06:09 PM

I think his score (B-) isn't terrible, I would have personally put it higher but thats opinion.

I think his review feels like a rushed, half-assed attempt at getting something out of the door for his editor, but thats why I steer clear of 1up in the first place. I would agree that random play's "one mission only" is pretty dumb, but this part:

From there you can venture out (alone or with up to three friends) into any of about seven randomized, monster-filled stages. Stop me if you've heard this one: Killing said monsters nets experience points and improved gear, eventually allowing you to tackle more dangerous prey and earn even better rewards, and so on.

...made me go "uwhaaaa-?". This seemed more like a jab at the genre, not so much the game.

But yeah, I'd agree with the OP, im less disheartened by the score, more so by the fact that it feels like this guy played the game for all of 20 minutes.

akumyodukai

Nov 30, 2009, 07:02 PM

That review was trash, though that isn't surprising considering it's 1-up reviewing a game on a Nintendo system. Problems conecting with his friends, requiring "rejiggering" of his router? Riiiight, sounds like someone's secure wireless connection at work had to be opened up by an intern. ;-)

Actually being an old PSO fan, I discovered on my first day of PSZ that holding the X button lets you use the L and R buttons to turn the camera left and right, similar to PSO. This makes the PSZ camera one of the best in ANY 3D DS game, IMO, let alone an average one. As a former editorialist/game reviewer myself, I'd guess this guy's professed love for the original PSO is little more than lip service. I wouldn't be surprsed if he merely played on a friend's dreamcast, and claims those few hours as a misspent youth.

Reviews may be opinions, but Reviewers for major media outlets should be experienced professionals. Considering the games staggering achievments on DS, 1-up's review of PSZ was anyting but professional.

EDIT:
P.S. For anyone who doesn't believe 1-up has a bias against Nintendo that is showing it's ugly face in the PSZ review, here's their review of PSP (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3173151&p=7), a review that's twice as long and gives a score of A-. Wow, how much more blatant can they get?

Kishiin

Nov 30, 2009, 08:40 PM

EDIT:
P.S. For anyone who doesn't believe 1-up has a bias against Nintendo that is showing it's ugly face in the PSZ review, here's their review of PSP (http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3173151&p=7), a review that's twice as long and gives a score of A-. Wow, how much more blatant can they get?

If Mielke were still regularly contributing to 1up, I'm willing to bet that he would have been the one to cover Zero as well. (fortunately) he's moved onto bigger and better things, so Quillen must have been the next in line, or some such. Im not so sure about the bias though, because Quillen's reviews are notorious for being short winded. Honestly who would hate the DS :x? /conspiracy theory thats pretty true

Clubbin

Dec 1, 2009, 02:01 AM

If Mielke were still regularly contributing to 1up, I'm willing to bet that he would have been the one to cover Zero as well. (fortunately) he's moved onto bigger and better things, so Quillen must have been the next in line, or some such. Im not so sure about the bias though, because Quillen's reviews are notorious for being short winded. Honestly who would hate the DS :x? /conspiracy theory thats pretty true

Hate the DS?! How can you hate such a lovable little hand held that has games such as EBA/Ouendan, TWEWY (The World Ends With You), Scribblenauts, the poke and the mons and the ah-ah-ah, and now Phantasy Star.

Anyway, on to what I think about the review. While some of the gripes are about on par with what I was thinking when I first picked up the game I don't think Mr. Quillen spent much time with the game. After the 6 1/2 hr hunt trying to find 3 copies of the game for myself and my 2 cousins it took me all of maybe 2 hours to get the feel for the "high-maintenance camera". I was always changing camera angles in PSO anyway so it's nothing new to have to tap the L button to realign the camera.

On the other hand, the lack of a quick cast option for you FO players out there is a bit of a kick in the face. So, I kinda agree with the "lousy user interface" if only for that one reason. Otherwise you have quick options to pull up gear and items just like in PSO. It's the same button type layout that PSO had and I still have it set up nearly the same (with the addition of the dodge roll taking the place of mates). Not being able to run around while in said options is a bit of a pain for gear swaps on boss fights but as a HUcast I don't really need to swap anything. XD

"I can't help but feel like this is the same game that I played in lieu of studying for Chemistry exams." That is NOT a bad thing though. I, for one, welcome our new alien overlor... er I welcome the throwback to the feel of PSO. I missed it, a lot.

As for the AI... yeah, that could use a little help. For someone like myself that spends a lot of time farming away on story mode looking for drops, the AI can get a bit annoying at times. I found the best use for them is to simply tell them "Safety first!" and let the monsters all group up on them. From there I can million rave my way to victory. :p

The forced picto-chat isn't all that great either... for guys like me that have doctor-ish handwriting that is.

Other than that it's PSO all over again... except now I have a job and can't really play as late as I would like >.> blasted responsibilities!

TL : DR version -
1) Impossible to hate DS
2) PSZ is a throwback to PSO and I for one love it.
3) The lack of shortcuts to spell casting is the only thing that makes me think "lousy UI"
4) The AI could use some help... and by some... I mean call the short bus.
5) Pictochat =/
6) Restated PSZ is like PSO... much rejoicing on this side.

Anyway, I'm sorry that ended up so long... I guess my sig is appropriate. I should thank my cousin for finding that. :)

Niered

Dec 1, 2009, 02:23 AM

But honestly, has any game done good AI controls in this genre on this platform?

In fact, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, if anything, does it WORSE.

jmanx

Dec 1, 2009, 03:48 AM

But honestly, has any game done good AI controls in this genre on this platform?

In fact, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, if anything, does it WORSE.

amen. IF yall want ffcc's keyboard hahahaha good luck with that wit lag.

Me I love picto chat so far this is my fav way of communicating now. But yea picto chat is user offensive depending who you are lol.

as for the story. I really enjoyed the selections, ogi, and sarisa. If you people were expecting a serious story yea ull be disappointed. But yea the selection choices are funny.

Kion

Dec 1, 2009, 09:27 AM

Hate the DS?! How can you hate such a lovable little hand held that has games such as EBA/Ouendan, TWEWY (The World Ends With You), Scribblenauts, the poke and the mons and the ah-ah-ah, and now Phantasy Star.

I really only enjoyed two games for DS, Disgaea (which is a ps2 remake), and legend of zelda.

Clubbin

Dec 1, 2009, 10:31 AM

amen. IF yall want ffcc's keyboard hahahaha good luck with that wit lag.

Me I love picto chat so far this is my fav way of communicating now. But yea picto chat is user offensive depending who you are lol.

as for the story. I really enjoyed the selections, ogi, and sarisa. If you people were expecting a serious story yea ull be disappointed. But yea the selection choices are funny.

I admit that I really did enjoy the selections during the story. I had a bit of fun with those. :)

You speak the truth many times over Niered, I didn't expect much of the AI so it's not like it really disappointed me. At least they provide themselves at somewhat competent meat shields... as no matter who it is they almost always just run into the group of mobs and start swinging/shooting.

pixelstar

Dec 1, 2009, 12:15 PM

amen. IF yall want ffcc's keyboard hahahaha good luck with that wit lag.

Me I love picto chat so far this is my fav way of communicating now. But yea picto chat is user offensive depending who you are lol.

as for the story. I really enjoyed the selections, ogi, and sarisa. If you people were expecting a serious story yea ull be disappointed. But yea the selection choices are funny.

I love pictochat, but it takes some time getting used to. Basically, the more you use it, the more comfortable you become with it. I still prefer typing, since it's much faster... but shortcuts help out a lot. It's also sometimes hard to read what people say. Because of this, I am truly thankful for the chat log feature : D

I also liked the story. It's not serious the entire time and there's some obvious plot holes, but it's at least very enjoyable which is more than I can say for most RPGs I've played in recent years (there's still some very good ones, but most of the time I find myself rolling my eyes and not continuing). Characters were fun and the setting was intriguing. I'm pleased ^^

Niered

Dec 1, 2009, 02:44 PM

I admit that I really did enjoy the selections during the story. I had a bit of fun with those. :)

You speak the truth many times over Niered, I didn't expect much of the AI so it's not like it really disappointed me. At least they provide themselves at somewhat competent meat shields... as no matter who it is they almost always just run into the group of mobs and start swinging/shooting.

Exactly. In FF:CC you were lucky if your NPC's were smart enough to actually attack an enemy, and they never bothered to use special attacks. At least the NPC's in PSZ feel like theyre trying. Sure, they have the intelligence of an autism victim, but at least they TRY.

In FF:CC it felt like the NPC's were purposefully out to fuck you over. Like standing just on the edge of a platform so you couldnt jump on it.

YamiKun817

Jan 11, 2010, 10:16 AM

Dude made the game sound like it's terrible but I don't think it's a bad game and the story is not too bad either.
A few things they should work on though is probably making more combos for weapons instead of the timed
1-2-3 combo cause it's kinda boring. Another thing too is they should make it a little more challenging. Not just
Enemy-wise but it should have different elements to it like puzzles from time to time as well. The
game should engage the player to things other than killing monsters and finding red keys.

pso_crash

Jan 11, 2010, 12:46 PM

lol, He is pissed that he was pulled away from MW 2 for an hour to review this game. He even hints to that in the last sentence of his review: "Just don't go in expecting a flawless -- or particularly modern -- experience." This game really runs on fan power anyways.

GantzDetainee

Jan 11, 2010, 01:06 PM

Its should be higher like an A or an A+.The story is not that bad, actually it made me laugh so hard when I saw the "I wish i had a popcorn" selection and Ogi's "cinematic transformation" even some of the side missions stories are really funny.Compared to its PSP counterpart,the a.i. are way better.The graphics are much to be desire but come on its on a damn ds but they really made it work well compared to most crappy games coming out on the said platform

Windancer

Jan 11, 2010, 03:06 PM

The guy is entitled to an oppinion however I read that exact same description in Nintendo Power when they reviewed it LOL although Nintendo Power gave the game a pretty stellar 8. His description btw is not exact just worded differently no real difference in the presentations. Just take it how you like them and dont worry about what someone thinks. I liked Beyond the Beyond on the ps1 and I haven't found anyone that liked that game LOL :wink:

Ice Sniper

Jan 11, 2010, 04:36 PM

Ya Nintendo Power always gives the game what it deserves though (mabye an 8.5-9 would have been nicer though :P) but at a bare minimum what it deserves.

I used to trust 1Up though, that trust is gone.

kirtblue

Jan 11, 2010, 10:23 PM

i personally never trust reviews from anyone i dont know
i am very happy with it and will most likely end up buying another copy
i only wished that they would have gave it a better review so it would end up in the hands of more players

majorgamer55

Jan 11, 2010, 10:38 PM

Suuuuperrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Douche.

FOmarRashidi

Jan 11, 2010, 10:49 PM

I remember that 1up review when I looked up reviews for Phantasy Star Zero last November when I first learned of its existence. That review didn't bother me that much because I have a tendency to look up multiple reviews of games I'm interested in playing but not sure if it will see any playtime past day one so I can receive a balanced perspective of what I'm getting into.

YamiKun817

Jan 15, 2010, 09:14 AM

It is strange though that I went to a GameStop and surprisingly enough I couldn't find a copy of the game.

Tizerak

Jan 15, 2010, 09:47 AM

We were looking for PSZ for a buddy of mine who lives near DC when I was up there and we went to a couple of GameStops and a Best Buy before we finally found ONE copy left, and the excuse from the other stores wasn't "we don't carry it" it was "we're sold out" >: )

It wouldn't be a good game if it didn't sell out!

StreetFighter2242

Jan 27, 2018, 05:02 AM

You can like the story, but calling it good, in objective terms, is just wrong; this is not a direct response to you but meh.

My main grief with PS0 is that it was shoving story down my throat constantly. I got no chance to just enjoy a single player campaign for what it was without Sarisa or x character impeding the gameplay with shallow "development" (if that's even the correct term for it :l) and useless diatribe. PSO was good at making a fascinating story for fans like us because it was sparse in details. A good majority of PSO quests were focused more as chores and errands, rather than being story-driven. I honestly would not have liked PSO's story as much if it had been given me three-five annoying follow-you-around-every-quest characters that were weak and constantly reiterated points like "WHERE IS RED RING RICO THIS IS RUINS WHAT IS POUMN WHAT IS RICO TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS A DARK FALZ OMG". Doing this only bashes the player in the head with points that are best left up to simple observation or reading. This type of story-telling method is only useful if you have a short attention span or just cannot read in between the lines (arguably, the lines at all, as well).

PSO did its story right in that it never forced you to care about it. You could play around fine offline and online without even encountering the story that much. Plus, it had a much better premise than PS0. PS0's story comes off as cliched and shallow; it's something that I could've found at a Japan Anime dumpster. It's not only anime in appearance, but it's also got the shallow "I'M SARISA I'M DEVELOPING LOVE FEELINGS FOR YOU EVEN THOUGH YOU NEVER TALK AND WE'VE BARELY KNOWN EACH OTHER LOL TENTACLE RAPE JOKES LOL", along with very bad plot-holes (i.e. thatoneperson's "GO ON WITHOUT ME" moment). Everyone falls into the same stereotype and archetype of bland unoriginality, and this game would've been trash if it had not retained the PSO element of online gameplay with friends.

Switching gears, PSO's premise was fantastic, and the execution was nearly flawless for what it was. Your character is a hunter, working his way through quests and monsters alike. The mayor wants you to find more information about Ragol and possibly what happened to his daughter, Red Ring Rico. Along the way through your murderfests on Ragol, you find messages from an unknown source, giving you introspections in on the Pioneer 1-Ragol catastrophe, and even hints for how to survive against the monsters. As you go on, you start to realize that the source is none-other-than Red Ring Rico herself, and that she might still be alive. As you go through more and more areas, you start to learn more of her inner-psyche, and the messages turn into a sort of diary. At times, Rico shows relatable human emotion, and something that would not be far or distant from what the player may be thinking. She even tries to uncover what the past of Ragol might be, pointing and alluding to many important ideas, thus avoiding the pitfall of being only a Navi-esque character guide. She even goes so far as to recognize the very small chance of her survival, but still decides that she must live for those who died and to stop the ultimate power within Ragol. Throughout the entirety of PSO, she becomes the main building and driving force for the plot, and turns the game into a "I can't put this book down" type of story. We, the audience, even feel compelled to sympathize with Rico, being all alone in a post-apocalyptic planet full of monsters and death. We even meet her during the last quest, only to realize that it was a figment of Dark Falz's doing. It is then that it is implicitly shown that Rico failed; she died and fell prey to Falz. Perhaps it was me, but this did get me. I didn't cry, but I did feel a sort of sorrow for her. It was even more bitter when you go against Falz, only to see that Rico's figure has been downright mimicked on this huge beast for the first and second forms. When you beat both forms, Falz merely tosses the body aside, the shell that it was. Beating Falz's third form is quite possibly one of the most satisfying moments of PSO, only to know that your character has released Rico from her Nightmare-fuel torment and can rest.

Wall of text aside, some of you probably see my point. While there wasn't much on the surface of PSO, the story was founded, fueled, and fphenomenal (:l I needed a f word) because of its subtext. It didn't explicitly spell anything out for you, and a lot of what I acknowledged and said about PSO had to be inferred or thought about, as opposed to PS0 blatantly screaming it towards the player. It's more effective to have someone draw a conclusion rather than you write it slowly on a green chalkboard seven times and then ask someone to say it in Spanish.

I think I'm done with my wall of text.
Gee. Thanks.