Quickie Review

[Fracture]

Hello. I've played both of the main PSU games for the PS2 and was online for about 2 weeks or so before I decided I didn't want to pay money to keep playing online. Been looking forward to a PSP version as I can play it wherever. Anyhow that's enough about me here's the review.

First off let me say this is so damn sweet. It took a little getting used to the Japanese control scheme layout (the O and X button functions are swapped) so once I got over that it was mostly like playing on the PS2. I say mostly because of the lack of a second analogue stick. They used the D-pad as a substitute but as the other stick only controlled looking it wasn't so bad.

The game plays VERY fluidly. I doubt the actual UMD version will run this smooth when it's finally released though as that damn drive is slow as heck at times. Hopefully they will front load a bunch of data to the Memory stick when you first install it, I hope anyways. As for the demo it ran smooth and FAST! Switching between zones was way faster than the PS2. Again that's likely to change on release.

I don't speak Japanese so I have no Idea what anyone was saying, or what options I Was selecting. The menus seem similar to how I remember them so I was able to just do things like assign skills to weapons easily. The story was interestingly presented through static shots of the characters blown up on your screen. They were displayed single when looking at you and side by side when talking to each other. I believe this actually is a totally new story as there was a character at one point I didn't recognize at all (I've not played chapter 3 online though so who knows there).

Game played the same as I remember it, locations were familiar at least in what I played and the boss battle was about the same too. Drops were not too spectacular as it is just the first couple levels. I didn't mess around with classes as I couldn't read the language.

As for modes, the story mode and multi mode both use the same character! So I started out in story mode, played through till the demo's end and then it gave me a screen that I can only guess is the release date screen. Afterwards I was able to go into multi mode and play that same character as much as I wanted in the limited amount of content there is.

Overall this was a great experience. When the Japanese version comes out I doubt I will buy it as I don't really want to be as lost as I was with an actual purchase, but if it looks like the US versions never gonna come out I might crack. I'm REALLY hoping they make a stateside version as right now I'm psyched about going back to the world of PSU on the go.

[Lonigan]

If we are lucky, we could see an English version announced just after the Japanese release, with a tentative date of several months later...

[Ken_Silver]

I agree. If you like PSU, then there is no reason why you should enjoy this game. I have played local wireless with my sister and we haven't stopped playing since. And we can't read a bit of Japanese! The character creation system is simplier than PSU online, but it works and you really don't notice it.

The story mode seems to have potiental too. The Red SEED stage was impressive to me. It shows that at the least, Alpha Systems knows how to make a plain stage more "menacing looking."

This game will be a must buy if we get it in the States and hopefully in Europe. But if we don't, it might be worth the import too... if you know someone who you can play with.

I give it a 8.5 out of a 10 for a PSP game.

[Dragwind]

I say if you enjoy the core game-play of PSU, there's a good chance you'll enjoy the PSP version.

[Rayokarna]

If you enjoyed PSO your gonna like this too.

[Kizeragi]

I say if you enjoy the core game-play of PSU, there's a good chance you'll enjoy the PSP version.

I agree with this. There'll be no updates, we start with everything on disk. Possibly downloadable missions/items later on. I'll be importing this even if a English version is announced. More people JP side, and JP voices are brilliant.

[Zantra]

It does seem like an almost perfect hybrid of PSO, and PSU.

I like it, so far.

[Fracture]

Did they actually say there would be no downloadable content or is that just stated because this is a "offline" game? That Monster hunter game seems to be getting a bit of DLC love.

[Weeaboolits]

I rather like it so far, I got a fun spear that looks like a sword.

[Kizeragi]

Did they actually say there would be no downloadable content or is that just stated because this is a "offline" game? That Monster hunter game seems to be getting a bit of DLC love.

And note that Monster Hunter was never meant to be online, and because of Xlink Kai, it is now.