Hm. Maybe I'll have to go back and replay that or something. Thanks.Originally Posted by Bearissoslow
Hm. Maybe I'll have to go back and replay that or something. Thanks.
Exaggeration for levity and parody aside, you know damned well that isn't true. "Good" and "Bad" are by definition subjective valuations. There is no empirical methodology for reviewing games or movies, and Roger Ebert has no grounds for calling Gene Shalit a "pseudo-reviewer" for deviating from that methodology, while insulting his hair cut as an affront to human dignity.
That being said, yes, I would have been very disappointed in PSZ's storyline were it a serious contender to the Phantasy Star mythos on home consoles. Handheld devices are a different market, designed for quick and on-the-go mobile gaming, and the DS specifically targeted to a much different demographic than PC/PS3/360/Wii. I think that's important to keep in mind when reviewing.
PSZ's storyline is rather weak, but... for what it is, what it's intended to be, what it's designed for... I found it irreverent, campy, and enjoyable. It touched upon some important storyline details for Phantasy Star Online's chronology, and it presented them in a clear and fairly linear manner in a context that expressed their importance. In comparison, PSO's storyline was delivered very non-linearly and required the player to scavenger hunt through alternate locked sequences in multiple largely non-associated side-quests in the single-player mode to a game which was designed for the online multiplayer. Some people really enjoyed this aspect, and it can really be seen as very clever considering Ep I's context as a kind of "detective story" to find out what happened to Pioneer I and Rico, while dually serving to keep heavy storyline narratives from infringing on the multiplayer hack & slash item hunt fun.
It could be seen as lazy and poor storytelling, because this also had the effect of creating a very fractured storyline with multiple plot-points interweaving, emerging in prominence - then being dropped as a loose end, and retcon corrections which shot the storyline off to new (and often nonsensical) directions at breakneck speeds. .... And if you missed certain sub-quest sub-plots, or a data pod, or other "story clues" - it became very confusing to keep track of just what the hell was going on. This is why, for those few who actually followed and discussed Phantasy Star Online's storyline, their conceptual understanding of the plot and storyline is typically inconsistent beyond the most basic story framework. That's not the case in Phantasy Star Zero where you are basically lead by the nose through a structured narrative with a consistent cast of characters, and major division in storyline events come though minor details and asides or translation inconsistencies.
Personally, I enjoyed the framework of Phantasy Star Online Ep I. It was clever without being cumbersome. It allowed the player to customize the story to their taste, much like their character appearance. It's atmosphere was very foreboding and tragic, despite a high-gloss laquer coat of bright colors and cartoonish anime convention. It resembled Phantasy Star II, in this regard, which was quite heavy and sophisticated in it's plot - though lacked the "meat on the bones" contextual narrative, dialog, and character development which Phantasy Star IV would introduce.
So... for me, like Eclipse5632, I really enjoyed Phantasy Star Zero's storyline mode as a side-story to PSO. I appreciate the return to the familiar structured narrative, found the characters to be enjoyable and non-grating, and I like the contextual information regarding PSO's mythos pre and post PSO in a way that takes off from - rather than rewrites - established chronology. Perhaps I'm also far less critical of handheld side-stories to Phantasy Star because I've actually played through Phantasy Star Gaiden and Phantasy Star Adventure for the GameGear.
Good god... given that kind of past history on handhelds, and with PSO's already fractured episodic storyline... it's not hard to really enjoy PSZ's storyline in the face of those kinds of expectations.
Feed men, and then ask of them virtue!
Hmm.. although there are some ideas in this thread that make sense. Like the game is basically decent, but not the best thing ever.
My only real decision about this game isn't necessarily that PSZ is good or bad, but rather, it's presentation (bar graphics), mechanics, and gameplay are better than PSU's.
Harsh words, I love the game and played the first one for AGES. To each his own I guess...
While I can agree with him on the PSO-based game play's 'dated' feel, we also have to remember that, while dated, it's been a long while since a game of its nature has been released. Some of us may not still play PSO (nor have for a long while), and may have missed the style of game play it's had to offer.
In an example, I know that when I played New Super Mario Bros. Wii, I had this severe nostalgic feeling that took me back to the 'dated' style of platformer, and wondered why they hadn't continued to release games like this (that weren't remakes, mind you).
It takes me into other mid-dated game play styles like Super Mario 64 or Banjo-Kazooie. Sure, we can remake the game, or port the game, or play a fan-based hacked version of the game... but that all leads to the point that we still enjoy the way it plays. Dated or not, I don't think reviewers need to focus so much on how 'new and fresh' a game is, but rather the ups and downs of the game, and how they felt when they played it.
I don't know. I guess I just don't feel that old-school game play is out-dated by any means. We all pick up our older games every once in a while and play through them again, no matter how many times we've done it before.
In my own opinion, the lack of some of the menu shortcuts in PS0 was a little disappointing, but then we don't have an extra d-pad to go around messing with those shortcut menus. I like it. Although it only makes me feel like they need to make a new PSO-type game for the newer systems. I wouldn't mind hack'n'slash-grinding my way to Lv200 again. :P
PSU didn't cut it for me. I liked the story, but couldn't stay intersted in online mode
I personally like the idea PSO being portable... but NOT for the DS that system is good for nothing but megaman . I have a DS just so everyone knows where I'm comming from . most of what that guy said is true , but I don't agree about PSO being "dated " it's still better than most of the crap on the shelves today . I have actually put away my PS3 , and went back to PSO . I think they should have stuck with the PSP
PSP is great!
... In theory. No online play and the fact that PSU is still up means that it's got little to no chance of being better than PSU as of now.
The review is pretty bland. The DS isn't very powerful so I don't see how you're expecting a lobby? Don't bother saying no offense; it's pretty obvious you plan on offending someone when you say it.
He did hit some good points, and when you think about it, there are things that could have been better about PSZ. I've played it and enjoyed it, but I think PSU will remain my main focus for the time being.
Don't be so offended by this guy. It's just a review, and the legitimate points he brought up can be used to make a better sequel, which is a path I hope Sega chooses to follow.
Ship 2 - Gatz
*lol, double post*
Last edited by Gunslinger-08; Nov 29, 2009 at 10:01 PM.
Ship 2 - Gatz
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