Can PSZ be played the same way I played PSO and PSU?

[Ichi1]

So I was looking for a fun new DS game since I have jury duty in early December and I want something to keep me busy as I sit in the jury room waiting to be called.
Due to my total ignorance, I thought PSZ was just a remake of the first Phantasy Star game. And I am not really looking for an old school style RPG.
As I browsed through DS rpgs looking for something, I decided to look into PSZ and read a few reviews that said it was like a true sequel to PSO.
Now that got me pretty excited.

But for the life of me, I could not figure out the gameplay based on the reviews.
They all mentioned a story mode, but that is not what I am looking for. I never played the single player game of PSU. It was all about online.

I am loking for a game I can play like I played PSO and PSU. Meaning, I want to run the same "missions" and area over and over. I love loot....red boxes got me very excited in PSO.

So can I play this game like that?
Go into an area or zone, fight my way to the end, kill a boss...all the while collecting the loot.
Also, I would most likely play solo....so if this style of game play is in PSZ, can I do it solo?

I am kind of excited right now and I hope to get the answers I am looking for. If so, I am stopping on the way home from work today and picking this bad boy up. The idea of starting a new PS character and leveling, leveling, leveling is awesome.

I greatly appreciate any info anyone can share.
And I might have some more questions later, but if memory serves, the PS community was always very helpful.

[Seth Astra]

Well, you have to play through the story first, pretty much, but you get to use your on char, unlike PSU (from my understanding) but it's only 1 run through each of the 7 areas. However, that's the first... Probably 10 hours or so... Then you get at least a hundred more of grinding for levels and loot. The multiplayer kinda sucks, but if you will only be soloing, it'll be fine. Note, though, that the level cap is only 100 in PSZ. Still takes plenty of time to get there, though.

[Ichi1]

Excellent news. Thank you very much.
I think I can handle a quick run through, plus it gets me into the different areas to check them out.

Are there enough slots on the cartridge to have a hunter, a force, and a ranger?
I like to try all three before I settle into my main.

And can you play offline?
I am not sure if I will be able to connect at the courthouse.

[Daak]

Yes you can ply offline which u should probably because its mostly dead online and yes again there are three slots so one ranger (my faf) one hunter and one Force and my opinion to the game ... I love it on of the bets DS games ever !!!

[Pirrip]

There are different modes of play:
Offline-You play through the story mode on Normal, then Hard, and then Super Hard missions. You can also explore the level areas in Normal, Hard, and Super Hard.

Online-You play online either searching for a party at random, or exchanging Friend Codes with other PSZero players to play through levels as a party(up to four players), or playing alone online. (online mode results in better droprates for when you are hunting for rares-the exception to that fact is the increased droprate in offline mode's Eternal Tower level)

Local Multiplayer-If someone else you meet personally has PSZero, you can play with them through an Ad-hoc network. One player hosts, and any other players join up.

It works very similarly to the old PSO except that there are three slots for characters, and an additional hunter classes that were not in PSO(The HUmarl, and the HUnewm).

This game has "Titles" to earn that work very much like achievements. For example, if you collect over 50% of all of a specific weapon category, you get a title. If you reach Lv. 100, you get a title. These titles also come with prizes. The titles are not particularly important to having fun in the game, but it's something new.

Like in PSO, enemy parts can be dropped and made into weapons. Weapons can be grinded and given elemental attributes.

It is very much like PSO, but it has a different aesthetic... Overall, I can tell you that I've spent more hours in PSZero than any other DS games I have... and I am a tactics game fanatic.

[Ichi1]

Thanks again for all the info.
Just picked the game up on my way home from work....gonna jump into very soon.

[leviayurashyguy]

solo is horrible. [SPOILER-box]it involves a story about some super computer trying to destroy the world with moon bunnies (A.K.A. Newmens but technically since they were recreated, they should be called NEWnewmens or Moonmen but i digress). Humans are on the verge of extinction and CAST are waking up randomly while the only thing they can remember is that they can take their heads off w/o dying. your job as a Hunter will involve taking quests to explore Coral, the planet, and ultimately save it "with your powers combined" and all that jazz.
[/SPOILER-box]
gameplay is standard, don't need to go into detail. they pulled over Photon Arts from PSU and added Dodge Roll action and character PP. even has Mags and Photon Blast! this would be great if your NPC allies weren't retarded and weak. most of solo will be picking up their slack and trying to keep them alive for a 4-way chain.

you have your PS sense "basic race and classes": Human, Newman, and CAST; Hunter, Ranger, and Force. you have a male and female version of each class, each race. Newman cannot be Ranger and CAST cannot be Force but everyone can be a Hunter. you can create a maximum of 3 different PC's, all of which can be played both online and offline and have a share storage

altho you won't have "free" wifi at the courthouse (i've had jury duty AND had to sit on a case), multiplayer makes this game as it has the best for a non-first party game on the DS. not only is it faster to clear dungeons with competent party members, you can also chat with Pictochat on your touchscreen. trading is also great if you're looking for loot that you aren't having luck with, but you have luck with everything else.

but playing solo is the only way to unlock higher difficulties offline and some titles require offline play. so its not completely unnecessary, just not one of the funner parts of the game

[HeartBreak301]

You could have at least spoilered the plot, lol.

[leviayurashyguy]

forgive me, i'm under the impression ppl don't care to be spoiled of crappy plot

[HeartBreak301]

You never know. And in all honesty, it wasn't THAT bad. It just takes a lot of bullshit to get to the good part.

[Pirrip]

If you get play this online at home, put your friend code into your forum user settings. It'll help you to get better drops playing online.

[Daak]

Hmm i nearly never play online but it is true tht u get better drops online ...

[Ichi1]

I have been playing for a few days now and I really enjoy the game.
It does remind me so much of PSO with a little PSU thrown in.

But the game is kicking my butt.
I always played force and hunter charatcers before, but in PSZ I can only find success as a ranger. The bosses are destroying me and my so-called teammates are pretty useless.

I am slowly building up my own characters though.

My main concern with trying to play online with others is the communication aspect. I had a terrible time trying to deal with chat on PSO and PSU. The thought of trying to manage it on my tiny DS is kind of intimidating. I always feel like a tool, especially considering I am new to PSZ and it seems like most the people still playing it online have been playing for awhile.

[Neo Flint]

Here's a few useful tips I can get you in terms of bosses:

I dunno if you figure this out already, but when fighting the dragon boss, target and hit its head as much as possible as you'll do more damage to it (this applies for the Paru's boss battle in which you target the giant drill but it's rather difficult to actually hit it unless it's spinning). Rangers have it pretty well if they're good at strapping but if you have a sword with the Over-end photon art, you'll do some major damage.

And here's a helpful guide when fighting the giant robot in Acra: http://www.pso-world.com/forums/showthread.php?t=171975

Do you have trouble with the final boss too? I'd get you some tips on it too but I'm afraid I'll spoil it for you. :-?

[Daak]

I did the cast story first and it was so much fun killoing tht octapus I killed him like 13 times and then when I went to the valley and met dragon I just coudent kill him I spend over a week trying til I finaly got him for me he is the most chalagine boss even the mother and vorg are nothing compared to him I still have trouble with him on hard and I am lv.69 ....

[Windancer]

Yes you can ply offline which u should probably because its mostly dead online and yes again there are three slots so one ranger (my faf) one hunter and one Force and my opinion to the game ... I love it on of the bets DS games ever !!!


Well if everyone who still played would all get together in 1 thread or group and organize it. It wouldnt be dead online. I still have a friends list that stays pretty busy some nights are better than others.

[Pirrip]

My main concern with trying to play online with others is the communication aspect. I had a terrible time trying to deal with chat on PSO and PSU. The thought of trying to manage it on my tiny DS is kind of intimidating. I always feel like a tool, especially considering I am new to PSZ and it seems like most the people still playing it online have been playing for awhile.

Whenever I play online with someone, I ask if they want to simultaneously join me on the free PSO World IRC Chat (tiny.cc/pso-world) so we could type to eachother without the drawing aspect.

[Ichi1]

Here's a few useful tips I can get you in terms of bosses:

I dunno if you figure this out already, but when fighting the dragon boss, target and hit its head as much as possible as you'll do more damage to it (this applies for the Paru's boss battle in which you target the giant drill but it's rather difficult to actually hit it unless it's spinning). Rangers have it pretty well if they're good at strapping but if you have a sword with the Over-end photon art, you'll do some major damage.

And here's a helpful guide when fighting the giant robot in Acra: http://www.pso-world.com/forums/showthread.php?t=171975

Do you have trouble with the final boss too? I'd get you some tips on it too but I'm afraid I'll spoil it for you. :-?

Wow....now I am embarrassed to admit that I am having some trouble with the bosses on the second missions.
Both the bosses on the second missions kicked my behind. The second time I fought the dragon and the octopus were just so frustrating.
I am leveling up my Ranger now. I think I will stick with him and see how it goes.
I think the next mission for him has the mutliple abominable snowmen boss. I can handle them.

[GUARDIANDNL]

Well if everyone who still played would all get together in 1 thread or group and organize it. It wouldnt be dead online. I still have a friends list that stays pretty busy some nights are better than others.

i´m wih you Windancer, tomorrow my copy will arrive to my home so i´ll post my FC to lpay with anyone here.

[killakeeps]

It'd be good to have a thread or have everyone go to the PSZ irc or something. I haven't had the chance to play too much but I'll be on tonight if anyone wants to play.