Who here think's PSZ has a lot more depth than what it lets on?

[Akaimizu]

No. I wouldn't say that. Heck, some of us Japanese players learned new stuff *after* the US version came out. When it came to this game, not everything was revealed or understood while just the Japanese version was out.

But even then, this game did have some neat stuff, tucked away, that we had to discover along the way. But any good Phantasy Star online game does that. It has plenty of easy-access features that a player can jump in with, but more things to discover as they play. Not only that, other differences that come with playing online and with a different set of players on different maps. There are some interesting setups or traps, switches, etc. that don't show their heads until you eventually land the proper random setup of a particular location to see.

How chained PBs work is another thing I didn't know much about until the US version, as well. I got a recent PB that has a pretty good 2 chain bonus. What it does is put a good level of both buffs on your party members and both debuffs on the enemy. It's great to see them work together because it's like having a 4X damage modifier.

To the credit of this game, coming up with a true random map configuration, was an idea that works better than what one first sees. While initially, the building blocks of the random maps don't immediately impress; what you may run into when all parts come together, can be unique. It goes a long way to keeping things fresh, even if you run the same map locale over and over again.

[Hatrix]

I thought PSZ possibly took place after PSO when Sarisa was talking about a book she borrowed me about two hunters that saved the world. Maybe they where Rico & Flowen. She also mentions about slaying of dragons or whatever but its still kind of vague.

[TaciturnBadger]

Personally, I think this has quickly become one of the most in-depth and functionally impressive action/RPG's available for the DS today. My biggest complaint with the system on its whole was that the list of titles available all seemed largely "gimmicky," even some of the better ones (Phantom Hourglass is a perfect example). As far as how deep you want to go, I'm a firm believer that the entire Phantasy Star line goes as deep as you want it to. Sure, you can beat Normal and say you're done with it, but then you're missing out on some of the games finer aspects.

On the same token, I also believe that the games' nuances are left mostly out of the instruction manual. As a hardcore PSO/PSU player, sure, I can pick up the game and knock most of the idiosyncrasies out of the park just from experience. So the manual tells you how to feed a mag, sure -- but does it tell you what the different effects on combat and gameplay are, in a realistic setting? Or provide enough of an overview that giving a FOnewm's mag 57 Clear Sabres is a really, really fretarded idea? No. Of course, that all comes from experience.. which, sadly, can't be taught. For a complete noob to the series, it probably does have a steep learning curve. Immediately having said that.. any MMO with a die-hard following will all-but require enough depth to create a steep learning curve.

All that rambling aside..

..it's PSO I can take with me. I mean, I can punch Dark Falz while taking a dump at Burger King. How much @$$ does that kick?!?!

[Epically Leet]

Don't take dumps in public restrooms. When you least expect it, something'll come up from the toilet and bite you in the butt.

[TaciturnBadger]

I typically don't, it was mostly for illustrative purposes. I don't need a toilet booma trying to get a little too personal with my backside...

[GHNeko]

No. I wouldn't say that. Heck, some of us Japanese players learned new stuff *after* the US version came out. When it came to this game, not everything was revealed or understood while just the Japanese version was out.

Well, coming from my gaming roots. It applies to me, so I guess it's habitual me to apply it here. Hurr.

[Blood Raven]

Being a newbie to the series I must say I love this game. I bought it from reading what you all said but now having it makes it seem so much more complicated. I read a ton of stuff but even when you go through the game there is so much you don't think about till it's right in your face or after its gone and your like hey...wait a minute.

I do have to admit the little info packet they gave with the game simply didn't do much. However, I assume it is on purpose and they are trying to get people to buy the strategy guide (I am considering this). I do agree this is the best RPG out there for DS and it is more complicated then many MMORPG's I play. This was well worth the 35 dollars I spent.

[BIG OLAF]

i assumed prequal because the pioneers were fleeing a dying planet (and the planet in zero is sort of dying) and also they called the planet earth (not ragol) so i assumed it all happened after earth died and they moved on.

Do the side quest "Mother's Memories". Actually, I might as well tell you.

Spoiler!

The Earth of PSZ was called "Coral" before the Great Blank. If you remember correctly, the home planet that the people aboard the Pioneer ships fled was also called "Coral". As for them fleeing a "dying planet", that much is correct. The Coralians (I guess?) built Mother Trinity to help alleviate the environmental problems, but Dark Falz "infected" her, and she went berserk. Following this, most people went underground, but some boarded the Pioneers 1 & 2 to attempt and find a new, suitable planet for (eventually) everyone on Coral to escape to.

Needless to say, everyone got screwed, anyway.

[zetagear]

Don't take dumps in public restrooms. When you least expect it, something'll come up from the toilet and bit you in the butt.

zombieland hahaha

back @ topic

yes theres a lot of depth in psz its even a dating sim and a hentai game(OMG tentacles... pee...) XD

[Randomness]

Do the side quest "Mother's Memories". Actually, I might as well tell you.

Spoiler!

The Earth of PSZ was called "Coral" before the Great Blank. If you remember correctly, the home planet that the people aboard the Pioneer ships fled was also called "Coral". As for them fleeing a "dying planet", that much is correct. The Coralians (I guess?) built Mother Trinity to help alleviate the environmental problems, but Dark Falz "infected" her, and she went berserk. Following this, most people went underground, but some boarded the Pioneers 1 & 2 to attempt and find a new, suitable planet for (eventually) everyone on Coral to escape to.

Needless to say, everyone got screwed, anyway.

Response to spoilers:

Spoiler!

Actually, I'd argue that the Pioneer Project left before Mother Trinity went corrupt. Once she went berserk, she wiped the planet clean pretty fast... That, and it would make Falz's appearance coincide nicely between PSO and PS0. So... 200 years after Zero? This of course, assumes that the Pioneer ships can ignore special relativity (Which is what makes lightspeed an absolute speed barrier), though, given the times in the PSO Ep I intro, and the warp-gate-ish seal (that happens to be the title screen, photon blasts, etc as well), this is likely.

Mild spoilers:PS0 is probably 200ish years after PSO

PS0 could have done with less in-your-face plot points. PSO requires a decent amount of speculation to piece everything together.