So, in light of the 'extended' maintenence, I booted up Stor

[Kanore]

...and just finished Chapter 1. WTF? Credits? A 'next time on Phantasy Star Universe' scene? The opening song AGAIN?

>_>

I love how they turned this into an anime.

[KiteWolfwood]

Press enter, receive cut scene skip.

[JaiBlue]

http://sarcamrus.ytmnd.com/ dont stop me i'm ona roll.

[Randomness]

Good idea, time to blow apart Melvore.

[Auronp]

That was one of the coolest things about story mode. Its like a anime or something.

[ViciousXUSMC]

Yeah I liked it, cant be upset of them for actually doing somthing new. I do skip the opening movie every time but I liked the chapter preview and stuff.

[peenk]

I cant log in right now, gives me No. 038.
So servers are on maintaince again?
(I did not try to log in since yesterday evening so I do not know whats up atm and I didnt want to be "yet another thread" type so I ask here.)
Anyone know when it will be done or ? I cant seem to find more specific threads.

[Uyoku]

I love it. I love seeint hte Next Time on PSU thing. I like watching the opening now nad again. I'm on Ch 5 now. Man, is the server STILL down? I got hit with a Err 52 about noon or so EST time, now its stuck on Checking for Patch Files, I'm going to guess it is, despite it saying on the page that it's up. Man and I have Lv 3 luck today too, darn you ST, DARN YOU! lol

[Krltplps]

I loved the way they did it. I also though chapter 8 was amazing.
(That's also as far as I've been so far though)

[VanHalen]

i love story mode its so much fun and the way it acts like a anime show makes it pretty addictive and with the long behind missions and such. im on chapter 9 on it but i wish there were 20 chapters

[Long-Awaited]

Doesnt anyone like the opening song??

[T2]

no... not really... J Pop really annoy me http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[FenixStryk]

I found it awkward at first, but it's actually kinda funny and unique. I can sure as hell say I've never seen anything like it in any other game!

[VanHalen]

i love the opening song when i saw the trailers for this game and maybe cause i like J POP and J ROCK too

[Ryogen]

It's like watching an Esipode man. You should have kinda figured that out. Like a book. Chapter 1, Chapter 2. It'sl ike reopening it to another part of the story.

[KirinDave]

The music is not jpop or jrock. It's that hideous subgenre of opening theme music. Only it's way worse, it's easily the worst song I've ever heard in this genre. The lyrics are awkward even for engrish, the recording quality is awful.

The episodic formula is cool though. I liked the idea. Just the execution is audibly messed.

[GUN]

Well as all I've got till the 24th is story mode I have 2 say it's been pretty good so far, and also it will hone (blimey, hone, what a great English word, eh http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_smile.gif) my skills for online come the 24th http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

[HUnewearl_Meira]

I'm rather impressed by the format of story telling as well, and the only complaint I have is that you can save between chapters, but you can't exit the game between chapters. That would really be convenient.

[GUN]

Yups, I agree with Meira, the PSO way of being able to exit and save would have been better. And dare I say it, being able to have your own avatar do the story mode as well as online, now that would have been swell, but I guess you cannot have your cake and eat it, at least with Sonic Team.

[Squall179]

well considering Story mode featurws VA work, giving a female Newman for exampl, Eathans voice would be a bit off kilter

[Pure-chan]

I really liked Story mode! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

Like a lot of people, I had a hard time with the theme music at first, but it has grown on me since then. Also, breaking the game up into episodes actually made me want to play it that much more.

(the teaser/cliffhanger moments got me all curious) http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/cat.gif



For people that are past chapter 8: was anyone else as surprised as I was by the music in the ending credits??? Where did the Gosepel music come from? I thought it was neat, just really unexpected...

[GUN]

Quite so (Squall179), but with a bit of forethought I'm sure that could have been resolved. I just thought the PSO way of being able to level up yr chr offline then go online was rather nice...there may be commercial interests at play here, but still a shame in my books. If you'all out there think its good, then who am I to whine http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: GUN on 2006-11-17 15:00 ]</font>

[Sinue_v2]

I think the idea came to Sonic Team from all the people writing in (on both sides of the ocean) on weither or not there would be a Phantasy Star Online anime. Supposedly they were in talks at one time, but nothing came out of it. So when it came time to make a new game, lo and behold, they pick up on the idea and create it in anime format. In a way, it kind of mirrors Phantasy Star IV which used manga style panels to display cutscene cinematics (of the first really popular uses of it in the genre, I believe, since most games before that used scripted in-game sprites to convey the storyline).

I found the Anime styling of the offline mode neat - but what killed it for me was the music. After listening to that damned silly opening theme for almost a year and a half now (or whenever it was first released), it still hasn't grown on me. PS/PSO, to me, has always been about tragedy. Though there were their fair share of happy endings, they have usually been bitter-sweet at best, and tempered with tragedy. From the villianisation and uncertain fate of Rolf & party - to Sil'fer's tearful rememberance of the truth behind her and Break's past - there has always usually always been a terrible price to pay to make things come out right in the end. PSO's ending song "Can Still See the Light" summed up 15 years of PS tradition perfectly with lines such as...


Tell me please
How much we have to bleed
When we'll get the land of dream

and


Why can I still see the light
You're saved
Though you are now out of sight
Soon the dawn will come again
But what have I got?
What has it cost me?

Although there is nothing wrong with some generally cheerful and upbeat music. Whole new World was a hopeful song, which conveyed a sence of renewal and starting over in an attempt to do things right. The Ep II ending theme "World With Me" was also a bit upbeat, but tinged with undertones of threat and persevering through the acceptance of inevitable change. I didn't really care for the tone of "World with Me" in contrast to the game, personally, but at least it was catchy and fun to listen to.

PSU's theme song though... it's just way too much. It's far too upbeat and positive, believe in yourself and you can overcome anything bullshit. In a way, it spoiled the actual storyline for me because it set the mood that the game was going to be easy (which it was) and that everyone would overcome the obsticals together. The happy ending was there right from the beginning. Compair that to opening themes such as the somber opening theme to PSII, the threatening fast paced opening to End of the Millenieum, or even the cautious and hopeful but uncertain tone to PSO's opening song.

I hope I explained all of that clearly....

In short: Format = win, music = suxor.

[Raifen]

Are guys were looking at the music or the vocals here? The music is top notch Id say, the Drums are simple enough yet fir, the bass is really good and the not so used guitar is good in its spots. The vocals tho... well, you all know haha.

[Saigan]

Dang. Sinue beat me to it.

Yep, it makes sense that the series would evolve from a comic style story-telling into an episodic anime style.

[SoiFong]

I dunno .. the opening music seemed forced .. the singer didnt feel like she was INTO the song.. Usualy when you listen to a singer you can tell when they are hyped up about something .. I mean look at FFX-2... I know alot of people HATED that game, but how many got reved up by the goofy-pop music that was played, or the opening song for that matter? The gospel singer they hired for Magna Carta was good too ... Too bad the game was lackluster, but it got me to want to buy the game and check it out.

As for the greats: Suikioden III opening music still brings tears to my eyes whenever i play it... and dont get me started on Utada and her opening music for both Kingdom hearts. And lets not forget the saddest end song of all time (for me) at the end of Chrono Cross.

Personally I was annoyed with PSUs opening music, not because of its bubble gum, foamy texture. I was hoping for something more Epic and Grand ... I wasnt expecting a tear jerker, but I would have appreciated the singer making me BELIEVE she was hyped up for this. Read her interview sometime (the link is somewhere on the front of PSOW) she almost acted like ... "ummm Im doing this for the money... um.. okay weird lyrics.. um... whatever, dont play games.. um" ..

Sorry they should have gotten someone else to make the lyrics work.. even if "Starship Earth" has got to be the most silly lyric ever in a game to date. But oh well she got paid and is going back to singing about something she can feel and believe in. We get stuck with her annoying flavorless vocals.. thanx lady...


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: SoiFong on 2006-11-18 09:04 ]</font>