So, how is PSO2 compared to PSO?

[ShaadeSilentpaw]

As an old PSO addict, i'm just wondering what people playing the JP PSO2 release think of the game when compared to the original PSO Ep 1/2/4.
Like many I've been waiting feverishly for a true sequel to PSO to feed that drop hunting addiction it gave me - I was disappointed with PSU (obviously) and never really got into PSZero on account of it being a tiny handheld thing - so i'm still waiting...and since it'll probably take me until the western release of PSO2 to navigate my way around a game awash with japanese characters, I have to ask;
Does PSO2 deliver?
Thanks =3

[Retehi]

Well all I can say is this one's better than PSU. . kind of.

[NoiseHERO]

Uhhhh...

It'll be the best game in the world for a few months.

Then you might hate it more than PSU......

It doesn't have PSO's depth or complete feel, and it kind of has PSU's customization and community aspects but... with a price, But the action is the best in the series by far.

Even if the weapon/class balance is terrible. No there's no PVP(yet that's a big YET looking at the content update roadmap I dunno it just looks like one of the chapters are PVP related.) But that's not what makes balance an issue... TL;DR: melee is gimped out the ass.

[Agitated_AT]

As a whole, it's a better game. But when u put both games in their contexts, as in looking at pso1 and at the time it came out putting it among the standards of then, compared to pso2 within this time and its standards. PSO1 wins hands down when it comes to that

Pso1 has aged quite a bit, but i still enjoy its "correctness" whenever i go back. The game in its core and how content is built around that core just feels right. Nothing feels like its slapped or thrown in without thought. That's what I like about it.

PSO2 however has a lot of that, but on the other hand it is expected that a game built with the benefits of todays modern technology, should play better(i mean we're 10 years ahead now anyway). But at the moment there's too much waste of potential and I hope they'll soon do something about that.

[eharima]

It will never live up to PSO so its best not to compare,
Just 'enjoy' the next installment of the series.

Inb4dodo

[Tcrusader51]

It's a really cool game. However, there are a lot of things they could of took out of PSU and improved for PSO2. For example, you really only get to be in the ARK ship. No other cities/bleaches/forests/casinos/etc to really hang out and reside in.

Speaking of casinos, there isn't really anything else to do besides combat missions in the game. No mini games or anything atm which kind of sucks.

Furthermore.. Some things from PSO were added in PSO2 which I feel should of been revamped into something different like the disc as skill up.

However for the bad, there are tons of good to make up for it with a lot of potential to improve. Combat is super fun. I like the team (guild) thing and how they can have their own room or HQ in which I hope they further improve. Though leveling can be a real grind, I love how there are plenty of quest that gives larges amount of exp. Customization is great though it can cost real money for some things. Skill tree and sub classes are a blast. There are just so much to talk about especially as far as for combat.

[Neith]

As an old PSO addict, i'm just wondering what people playing the JP PSO2 release think of the game when compared to the original PSO Ep 1/2/4.
Like many I've been waiting feverishly for a true sequel to PSO to feed that drop hunting addiction it gave me - I was disappointed with PSU (obviously) and never really got into PSZero on account of it being a tiny handheld thing - so i'm still waiting...and since it'll probably take me until the western release of PSO2 to navigate my way around a game awash with japanese characters, I have to ask;
Does PSO2 deliver?
Thanks =3

Don't come into PSO2 expecting a sequel to PSO. In my opinion it's PSO in name only, nothing else. Sure you get a few throwback weapons and so on from PSO, but (so far at least), there's no real connection to PSO aside from Falz being present as usual.

I've played since Alpha Test 2; the game is pretty good but does have inherent flaws. Combat is pretty fast paced and interesting, but unfortunately there isn't much in the way of balance currently. Ranger/Gunner are so overpowered that if you play a Hunter you'll spend most of the time watching enemies die around you. Yes, you still get experience from enemies that die nearby but when you see the kind of damage Ranger/Gunner can put out, it does seem a bit pointless playing Hunter sometimes.

Enemies are very easy currently as well; nothing really gives a challenge at this stage (possible exception of Darker's Den, but that never shows up). Bosses generally have 1-2 dangerous attacks, but once you've done them a few times you know when it's coming and how to avoid it (example being Quartz Dragon's screech before the rain of light round it).

Also remember that because the game is free to play, there is an extensive cash shop. Problem is that cosmetic things like outfits are in cash shop- you can buy them from player stores but at an extortionate rate (if your character happens to have the misfortune to be female). In addition to this, the clothes and other Arkz Cash items are largely gained through 'Arkz Scratch', which as the name suggests is a scratch card. This means it's completely random what you get, unlike other games where you can pay for exactly what you want.

Story I can't comment on much as I haven't played much of it and it's all in Japanese anyway.

It is a fun game, but at present it's suffering a bit from bad balancing and a lack of sizeable updates.

As for the language barrier, there is a patch to 'fix' that, but because of forum rules I can't say how to get it. I personally play it in Japanese and don't have a problem because most things have visual icons anyway. For the rest, I just learned katakana and hiragana.

For the record, I played GC and BB PSO for thousands of hours, so comparing it to PSO2 is impossible due to rose-tinted glasses. Nostalgia factor is a big thing, but generally I didn't find PSO2 as enjoyable as when I first played PSO. PSO feels very dated now though, so it's not a fair comparison.

[Xaelouse]

It's a far better game than PSO. However, it needs a few more things from PSO and Zero to make it one of the best games in awhile.

[Galax]

The only problem I have with PSO1 in comparison is...I can't go back and play PSO1 anymore. I actually can't. I can't keep interested for more than a few areas. Part of that is I grew up a bit, and my tastes DID change...but I still enjoy playing Phantasy Star in general. Just...not PSO1 so much anymore. PSO2 is...new. It certainly does feel like a cobbled job of PSO1 and PSU sometimes, but in the long run I'm happy with it.

Of course, coming in looking at it to be a sequel to either PSO or PSU will probably ruin it for you. My best advice is look at it to be what it is - PSO2.

[gigawuts]

If you're looking for hours of adventure going through content created by a person with the intent of it not being monotonous, this is not the game for you. The levels are pretty small and do not require you to kill even one thing to rush to the end. Almost all are randomly generated and the only gameplay that requires something approaching actual thought is gated behind an RNG with requirements to access that aren't even completely known because Sakai wants us to "figure it out."

A lot of it isn't fleshed out much. Rares are pretty much identical, varying only in model and damage value. Some are unique, but only with 5% extra this, or 12% extra that. Anything more is a static value, so pretty terrible, or a % chance to mitigate knockback or something. Any weapon with any good latent is substantially worse than the strongest item available - and I mean substantially.

Grinding is now pretty powerful, but on an RNG. Success is never assured. It's the business model. Hunting for a specific rare is more or less completely impossible.

Cosmetic items are in temporary monthly rotations. If you want an item that was only available 6 months ago be prepared to grind for another 6 months to buy it.

The core combat is pretty great. Class balance is awkward, with some clearly better at what they're meant to do than others, but if you're here to play a certain way you'll likely find a class meant just for that. Many players enjoy melee, myself included, but it has a whole lot of hurdles that ranged and techs don't.

Pretty much covers PSO2.

[DoubleZero]

Like everyone else, I can agree with the sentiment of this not being PSO with added extras. The combat is the most fun experience I've ever had with the game; in the old PSO days, the Caves put me to sleep, literally. The combat keeps things fast-paced and exciting, and is the best move forward the game has.

The most jarring difference between the two is how the classes play. It's an almost complete inversion of how PSO was; Hunters were for beginner classes and Forces were the 'for experienced players only' class.

Now that enemies have no inherent resistances/immunities to elements -- They only have weak points -- Forces are far and away the most devastating mob-murdering class. Rangers really shine at single-target damage with a few splash attacks, but they all dump on Hunter, who gets to be the new 'Expert Player' class. You have to be in the fray, blocking, dodging and counter-attacking, picking your strikes carefully. It's a lot of fun, but when FO and RA can nuke everything before you even get within range, it kind of diminishes the Hunter's role.

I came from Phantasy Star Portable 2, and I would have preferred a job system akin to that; Keep the point system for increasing your skills in each weapon (costing more points for out-of-class weapons, like HU using Rods), and earn those points through leveling up like you do on PSO2 (rather than increasing class levels on top of player level). The openness of that experience, coupled with Extend Code items to make -any- cool-looking weapon useful, made the transition to PSO2 rather... backward in that regard.

[Zyrusticae]

The combat is the most fun experience I've ever had with the game; in the old PSO days, the Caves put me to sleep, literally.
Haha, yes! PSO2 is such a ridiculous improvement in that regard.

I have nothing else to add; everyone else pretty much covered it.

[Dana]

Drop rates are dire in comparison. Game economy is a joke. Micro-transactions ruin gaming for me.

Gear>skill.

PSO2 is not nearly as good as PSO. People just think so because the technology has advanced enough to allow more.

I don't understand people QQing about class balance though. That was never 'balanced' in PSO. And QQing about content update. ... PSO has very VERY small content up-dates.

Just my opinions.

[Jim]

As an old PSO addict, i'm just wondering what people playing the JP PSO2 release think of the game when compared to the original PSO Ep 1/2/4.
Like many I've been waiting feverishly for a true sequel to PSO to feed that drop hunting addiction it gave me - I was disappointed with PSU (obviously) and never really got into PSZero on account of it being a tiny handheld thing - so i'm still waiting...

It's about as close to PSO as I could imagine a game nowadays getting. I mean, realistically, good sequels just don't get made; so I was stunned at how good a sequel PSO2 is. Is it the next-gen PSO game I've always dreamed of? Certainly not. But it gets better every day and I'm VERY thankful for it. Especially after whatever the hell PSU was supposed to be.


-it'll probably take me until the western release of PSO2 to navigate my way around a game awash with japanese characters-

Don't let the Japanese interface scare you because most of it patches to English very easily. If you're still feeling daunted, I run a team that helps out new players and educates them on all things PSO2. Naturally, you don't have to be a member to get help from us. If you need help installing the game, figuring out what to do, grinding, getting plugged into the community, whatever; feel free to PM me here or E-mail me at [email protected]

[SolRiver]

it is like playing pso ver1 in terms of content (online + offline vs online only + more content).

and you are waiting for the release of ver2 and hope ep2 get announce soon.

everything else... some pro some con, up to you. Can't satisfy everyone.

You will never have this "oh wow! So THIS is an online game!" moment EVER again in your life. Cherish that memory. You have to wait for your kids to re-live that moment for you.

Going by current trend, it can only get closer to the glorious day of pso ep2 and possibly surpassing it.
(above line does not include non-JP PSO2)

[FacelessRed]

As a PSO ep 1 & 2 addict from Game cube days (never played online) I love PSO2 in many ways. Hate it in a few.

The RNG kills it for me, but with story translated I'm getting back into it more seriously.

Complaints about RNG are valid.

I'd like to see some serious mob specific rares. and more equivilant weaponry, instead of updates giving 1 set of better than last time weapons. Just want more equivilant gear. That way I don't see 101 people running around in a lobby with the same weapons.

Somehow they nailed Caves. Put's me to sleep every damn time, the music sapps my life.

[Flame]

I stopped playing PSO2 about a month ago because it was just too depressing. From the drab environments to the way content is paced, the game is designed to eat up as much as your time as possible without actually rewarding you with much of anything. The only positive thing I'll say is that the developers have afforded players a number of combat options that allow for customization on a level never before seen in an online game.

Other than that, the music is crap, the art direction is uninspired, the environments are boring, the level design is nonexistent, and all the new content is randomized to the point where you're lucky if you even get to see some of the new stuff at all.

My advice to you OP, as someone who loves PSO1 dearly, is to stay the hell away from this game. It's toxic.

[Lumpen Thingy]

besides a few rng issues is a far better game than PS0 and PSU in just about every aspect

[thinktank001]

You will never have this "oh wow! So THIS is an online game!" moment EVER again in your life. Cherish that memory. You have to wait for your kids to re-live that moment for you.



IMO, you are mistaking that as being separate from the "New Game" feeling. I think they are one and the same, but the confusion comes from playing PSO offline. If you had started the game online they would be the exact same feeling.


All I ever hope for is a game gives you that "can't wait to log on again" feeling. In all honesty, I don't see PSO2 ever achieving that kind of status with their cash shop setup. Luckily, there is another ARPG that just went to open beta and looks very promising.

[ShinMaruku]

If I was to go tehcnical then this is a better game that PSO it has a few things holding it from being great but it's very good. If the RNG is dealt with properly and they get a proper shop this will be a great f2p contender.
Right now it's just too Japanese rng money grabber. Fix that and they make balance good it's golden.

[Flame]

All I ever hope for is a game gives you that "can't wait to log on again" feeling. In all honesty, I don't see PSO2 ever achieving that kind of status

Agreed 100%. This is all I ever ask for as well. PSO1 had no shortage of this desire but any time I logged into PSO2 it felt like an obligation. One of my Japanese friends says that on 2Ch they joke about this game by calling it "space community service" due to how much of a chore it is.

[charliewu]

This game is pretty good if your playing hunter or fighter. However if you play Ranger and Gunner... you will find this game as dull and easy as hell, require no skill to play. Either the developers need to give monsters more FAST range attack skill or adjust the classes.

[Chik'Tikka]

This game is pretty good if your playing hunter or fighter. However if you play Ranger and Gunner... you will find this game as dull and easy as hell, require no skill to play. Either the developers need to give monsters more FAST range attack skill or adjust the classes.

+^_^+ I like my Ra the way it is+^_^+ over the shoulder 3rd person manual aim for the win!!+^_^+

[Ezodagrom]

PSO1 had no shortage of this desire but any time I logged into PSO2 it felt like an obligation.
I've reached the "logging in feels like an obligation" feeling alot faster in PSO1 than even in PSU. I think at most I've spent like...150 hours in a single character, to me PSO1 starts feeling really dull after lvl 100 or so (in PSO2 I've already spent over 700 hours in my main character so far).

[Flame]

I've reached the "logging in feels like an obligation" feeling alot faster in PSO1 than even in PSU. I think at most I've spent like...150 hours in a single character, to me PSO1 starts feeling really dull after lvl 100 or so (in PSO2 I've already spent over 700 hours in my main character so far).

You've spent 700 hours in PSO2 because that's how long it takes to get to even lv 50. The entire experience is designed to suck time and money out of you. Lv. 100 in PSO used to be the end of the game(ver. 2 was an afterthought; an artificial extension of a finished product). It wasn't designed to be played indefinitely, just for many, many hours. In fact I would argue that the meat of PSO1 is from lv1 to lv 60 or so. That's where all the meaningful progression occurs. And if you're implying that PSU was more enjoyable than PSO1, then all that's really left for us to do is agree to disagree.

Perhaps our middle ground could be Phantasy Star Zero? I don't know if your icon is an indication of an affection for the game but if it is, that's something we definitely have in common.

[Ezodagrom]

You've spent 700 hours in PSO2 because that's how long it takes to get to even lv 50. The entire experience is designed to suck time and money out of you. Lv. 100 in PSO used to be the end of the game(ver. 2 was an afterthought; an artificial extension of a finished product). It wasn't designed to be played indefinitely, just for many, many hours. In fact I would argue that the meat of PSO1 is from lv1 to lv 60 or so. That's where all the meaningful progression occurs. And if you're implying that PSU was more enjoyable than PSO1, then all that's really left for us to do is agree to disagree.

Perhaps our middle ground could be Phantasy Star Zero? I don't know if your icon is an indication of an affection for the game but if it is, that's something we definitely have in common.
Actually I haven't even reached lvl 50 yet, I've been purposedly locked at lvl 40 so I could record hard mode videos without being overleveled.
One thing I can say, slowly SEGA is doing small things that overall are improving PSO2.
A recent change, they got rid of the different level requirements for different quests, basically all normal mode quests require lvl 1, all hard mode quests require lvl 20, all very hard quests require lvl 40 (the client orders to unlock areas are still there though). Another thing, apparently they're going to make it easier to reach lvl 30.
There's still alot of wasted potential in PSO2 though.

About PSU, while it was a really flawed game, in the long term I found it more enjoyable than PSO, I was able to enjoy PSU for longer periods of time than PSO. Even though I say this, I agree about the progression thing, the first time playing PSO was a whole lot more enjoyable than the first time playing PSU or even PSO2, but, once the progression is over, PSO didn't have much that made me come back to it, unlike PSU and now PSO2.

About PSZ, I only played it once through normal mode, unfortunately I don't have a DS, but the short time I played it, I enjoyed.

[Mio]

Pso2 is superior to PSO.
Pso has the nostalgia feel.

Even PSU was better than PSO.
(I'm one of the few that really liked PSU)

[EvilMag]

I liked PSU too. If anything I like PSU better than PSO2.

[Kion]

I think PSU's system was pretty good. I liked the my room system with being able to make weapons and manage a shop. It really made you feel like you were a guardian. Problem with that game was mostly implementation.

[Cyron Tanryoku]

I never played PSU and I played PSO insanely late
Good luck getting any real good opinion from me

[blace]

In PSO, it had the feel of depth and progression, whereas PSO2 has the community feel as its overall quality. The RNG, as people have noted, needs work.

Moving on to mob mentality, I can only compre this with another F2P title, Dragon Nest. In that game, enemies performed more maneuvers to catch players off guard, in PSO2 they all come at you, walk around a bit then attack. The AI in Dragon Nest required more strategizing as you can't charge in expecting to clear the area in a few hits, no they come at you in droves that require more than spamming your PAs or Techs.

The feel of the game isn't as engaging after a while, knowing that you will always be running through the same fields and having all manner of enemies doing the same thing.

[Rien]

In PSO, it had the feel of depth and progression, whereas PSO2 has the community feel as its overall quality. The RNG, as people have noted, needs work.

Moving on to mob mentality, I can only compre this with another F2P title, Dragon Nest. In that game, enemies performed more maneuvers to catch players off guard, in PSO2 they all come at you, walk around a bit then attack. The AI in Dragon Nest required more strategizing as you can't charge in expecting to clear the area in a few hits, no they come at you in droves that require more than spamming your PAs or Techs.

The feel of the game isn't as engaging after a while, knowing that you will always be running through the same fields and having all manner of enemies doing the same thing.

But at the same time in Dragon Nest you're given huge multiple enemy damage attacks to deal with all of them.

The biggest AoE we have is possibly Gizonde, because of the jumps it can do.

[blace]

But at the same time in Dragon Nest you're given huge multiple enemy damage attacks to deal with all of them.

The biggest AoE we have is possibly Gizonde, because of the jumps it can do.

Even then the AI was more challenging than what PSO2 has to offer. At least something to make us approach enemies differently instead of blasting everything. Even the machine enemies in desert and mines don't use more than the standard walk around and attack behavior. In Dragon Nest, enemies at least ran away from you after you killed off most of the group.

[Cyron Tanryoku]

...They did?
They felt like any ordinary mob to me..

Honestly the only part I found hard were the campships because..it kept eating my moons

[Zyrusticae]

I've reached the "logging in feels like an obligation" feeling alot faster in PSO1 than even in PSU. I think at most I've spent like...150 hours in a single character, to me PSO1 starts feeling really dull after lvl 100 or so (in PSO2 I've already spent over 700 hours in my main character so far).
Likewise. I spent a LOT more time on PSU and have logged just as many hours in PSO2 versus PSO1, where I pretty much finished normal difficulty, did a few runs for gear, and didn't bother coming back. There was far less to look forward to in that game than in PSO2; fewer rares, no outfits (NONE AT ALL), the only "new" stuff would have required a new disc purchase, the only real change with regards to difficulty was in ultimate mode which I never had the patience to reach...

I mean, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed PSO, especially for the atmosphere that is still not matched by PSO2 (and probably never will be because it's a deliberate design decision), but I will never understand the people that complain about PSO2 being repetitive when PSO1 was all about being repetitive.

[Rien]

Even then the AI was more challenging than what PSO2 has to offer. At least something to make us approach enemies differently instead of blasting everything. Even the machine enemies in desert and mines don't use more than the standard walk around and attack behavior. In Dragon Nest, enemies at least ran away from you after you killed off most of the group.

Things like shielded enemies?

There's the ga/gu-wondas.

[blace]

Things like shielded enemies?

There's the ga/gu-wondas.

I don't think they're intentionally blocking us besides that being their default stance.

I was talking about how some of the mobs in Dragon Nest would rush at you like the Hobgoblins and continue to assault you like the skeletons. Things like that that made it feel more worthwhile as they put up more of a fight than PSO2's mob.

[MetalDude]

The hook for PSO1 for me has largely been the variety of valuable special weapons and the far greater variety in quests, something PSO2 is missing. PSO2 has a longer lifetime simply because it's deliberately padded out progression that also has some level of use to it. Although if we don't get any major difficulty increases soon, it'll get into PSO1 territory as far as longterm goes.

[SolRiver]

There is something I want to make sure...

You guys are not down playing PSO1's RNG because you used duped and hacked items, right? (also those spread needle hucast entering room clearing every "fun")

I know I hated RNG since PSO1 as I played pure legit (self find all rare), so I don't get how no one mentioned that. (I am sure there are more hacks that made the game enjoyable, but I wouldn't know, didn't bother with those gameshark etc back then)

You know what? There need to be a "PSO1: bad memory thread" or something, I don't suppose I can post that in pso2 section?.

[The Walrus]

Never really had a problem with the RNG in EP1&2+ or BB tbh. It was fun to farm in that too. Since ya know it was actually possible

[Flame]

There is something I want to make sure...

You guys are not down playing PSO1's RNG because you used duped and hacked items, right? (also those spread needle hucast entering room clearing every "fun")

I know I hated RNG since PSO1 as I played pure legit (self find all rare), so I don't get how no one mentioned that. (I am sure there are more hacks that made the game enjoyable, but I wouldn't know, didn't bother with those gameshark etc back then)

You know what? There need to be a "PSO1: bad memory thread" or something, I don't suppose I can post that in pso2 section?.

I was a 100% legit player and I don't think a RNG had much of a presence at all in PSO1. If you're referring to the rate at which rare items/monsters occurred then I don't think the two are even comparable. Rares in PSO1 were something to hope for but they never were required for the enjoyment of the first 50 levels or so. Hell, most people just used a grinded yellow class weapon with %s and were fine with that.

[Ezodagrom]

I was a 100% legit player and I don't think a RNG had much of a presence at all in PSO1. If you're referring to the rate at which rare items/monsters occurred then I don't think the two are even comparable. Rares in PSO1 were something to hope for but they never were required for the enjoyment of the first 50 levels or so. Hell, most people just used a grinded yellow class weapon with %s and were fine with that.
It's not like rare weapons are actually required in PSO2 as well, a 6* weapon will do fine, and there's a few strong weapons for rather cheap in the player shops.

[SolRiver]

I remember going through section id rare drop list and rare monster spawn rate then run 300+ ep2 temple (offline) and not get an electro frame (or w/e it was) for my caseal.

Then my brother eventually got it for me on his 13th (same method) try or some BS. He was nice enough to give it to me.

You know what? Maybe biggest problem with pso2 is no easy access for trading for non-jp and non-payer. I would have remained angry about pso1 if it werent for my bro giving me that electro frame.

On pso2, I leveled to 50 with my crappy 3 star rod and 70ish t-atk mag... maybe because i was a force. Didn't upgrade until lv52 to an 8 star rod... Because I need it for TACO. It took like 5 sec to upgrade thx to shop list.

[blace]

I never played PSO online when I had it on GC, only time I played online was when we finally had an internet connection and that was used to play PSO:BB. That was short lived though.

I don't know about you, but I had at one time, printed out a 30 page drop list from this site. I used to get excited when a rare monster showed up, just for a chance of getting the one rare I really wanted. PSO2 lacks any rare creatures that feel worthwhile, and unlike PSO, I never really was able to farm for equipment I wanted.

[Zefirus]

PSO was definitely all about the rares for me. Played until around level 110ish on Gamecube (solo, because I was a kid and my mother didn't believe in using a credit card over the internet) and had some really nice stuff, even after having about three different memory card corruptions. Had a Chain Sawd with 25% hit. It died on the first corruption, along with my Delsaber Sword+Shield combo which was awesome in its own right. Also had a Sato mag on him that survived because my Ranger on a separate memory card currently had possession of it. I still have that Sato multiple corruptions later. I also have many memories of telepiping for a pal rappy or mil lily. Got a Sange, then realized I hated Katana animations. Piped for a couple of Hildetorrs and got a God/Battle. Then I started playing PSOBB and had all sorts of fun as I could finally do all those online only quests and the like.

It's pretty much the for this reason that I find PSO2 to not be as good as PSO. Most of my friends have a rare that they use a lot, but I can't really see that they're that much better than the common gear that I have. Really, other than looking fancy I can't tell much difference in the weapons at all.