PSU-PC/PS2: Online story missions

[chibiLegolas]

After going around with world tours to taste all the different missions out there, I've realized I haven't tried most of the online story missions yet.

Are they worth playing? They any fun?
I enjoyed Bruce's Dungeon and PSO's other various mission objectives. Sometimes you gotta escort npc's safely for example. And I remember one where you had to make a FOmarl work out by doing cave runs to get thinner for her wedding (I think).
Any of that here?

I've tried the 1st one to get my goggles and npc card. But I was forced to play single player as that. And IMO, PSU is only fun when you play with other ppl.

Do the later story missions allow me to bring friends along? If so, do they have to unlock THEIR story mission as well to get up to the one we can work together?

Any unique rewards in the later missions? More npc cards? etc.?

Thanks for any info.

[Hrith]

They're mostly fun.

7-1 is stupidly difficult to score S Rank on, and I'm boycotting them until they fix it >=/

[SabZero]

All the story missions feature you, and you can't bring any one else. I think it's an Ok payoff to being in the middle of the story unfolding!

I personally am enjoying the missions very much. You will get more NPC cards, and even the chance for unique items (like the Harrison battle fans)...

[panzer_unit]

I've been following the story missions as they come out. I find the crazier parts of the story and characters (well Laia at least, and Ethan's new outfit) kinda addictive.

They're always single-player.
The first few give partner cards. They all seem to drop a lot of elemental photons.

Mission objectives, enemy layout, etc are varied and always interesting... sometimes in a good way, sometimes as bad comedy. I remember one of them being a great place to train up grenades until Desert Goliath came along and was even better.