Why play PSZ?

[Cracka_J]

As a potential purchase for me this christmas season, I'm just kinda curious what the whole draw of PSZ is.

I played PSO for a couple years, same with PSU, and I've been following this game for awhile now, and since it's out to the public today, I'm just kinda curious what the big draw is.

For me, just based on what I've seen, it's graphically inferior to every past incarnation. I really don't like the SD character designs either. I know graphics don't make the game, but it is a nice feature to keep your eyes hooked after those long hours - you are playing a VISUAL game after all.

Is the gameplay at all like PSO? It looks kinda close but not the same. This would probably be a huge selling point for me, cause I value the actual gameplay quite a bit more then any other aspect of the game.

Is the online awful? I've played Wii and DS games online before and it's part of the reason why I sold both systems. Online was always full of lag and really took away from games being enjoyable to play with friends across the country.

On top of all those questions, I really wanna know what separates this game out from me just wanting to continue playing PSOBB online for free? Is it just the "shiny new" factor as to why people are jumping on this game? Is everyone gonna bail after a month when they end up not liking certain aspects of the game?

Really asking cause this, like I said, would entail me buying a new DS. Lemme know what you guys think, especially since a lot of you will be picking it up today.

[Nai_Calus]

I honestly like the way it looks better than PSU, but that's a combination of aesthetics/shitty computer - I run PSU in 640x480 window mode close to the lowest settings possible(About all I could do would be to turn off post effects and maybe bump frameskip up), and I still lag sometimes and run a bit slow in parties(We all start running to the next room at the same time. I am not last at this point. When we get to the next room, I am). So PSU looks like crap and worse than PSO did, so I may be biased on it.

Also I give it kind of a pass on the graphics because lol DS, it's a handheld system and not one particularly designed with stunning 3D graphics in mind.

Aesthetics-wise, the look feels a lot more like PSO than PSU did, which does just fine by me. (PSO-style music changes help too.)

Combat is much like PSO's, though a bit more limited in some ways due to the palette limitations forced by the hardware - No quick menus for casting techs or instant weapon swap. You can get to equipment and items quickly, and if you're used to quickly changing armor from the menu in PSU it's like that when you have the game remember cursor position, but you can only cast techs from your palette. On the other hand, there's a dodge roll now, which is useful - Though it takes up a palette space. I would have preferred that it had been bound to a specific key combination, but what can you do.

I've only played online briefly, a four-player team via local connections and with HUnewearl_Meira over wireless a few times, and also with a random JP player.
I had some desync I noticed one of the times HUnl_Meira and I played together, but it was no worse than the PSO desync of old - I'm sure you remember it, the enemies are all next to you, but your teammate is fighting across the room with their damage numbers showing up on the enemies next to you. Funny-looking, but not really an issue.

Communication can be interesting - Wireless ad-hoc is limited to set word select, and playing with friends uses the touchscreen for visual chat with the stylus. Handwriting can be an issue, and with friends there does not seem to be a word select option, though you can set shortcuts.

It is shiny and new, but it's also a nice casual portable iteration of the same gameplay that's had me addicted for nearly seven years. It's a nice game to just pull out somewhere and toss off a quick quest while waiting for something. The story mode is engaging enough, if you care about such things. Game's had me hooked since I got it last Wednesday, so it would seem that I like it well enough. ;) Give it a shot, I say.

[Zarode]

They got the online right. Surprised me, considering poor ol' Squeenix couldn't get it right, haw.

It's good for an aRPG with online, not really done right for PSO's "successor." Kinda underwhelming, I guess. Ian pretty much summed up the most of it, though.

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

Not having the console already, yeah probably a bigger decision than just dropping another $35 that you hope will last you a while and be worth your time and money.

Especially considering the Holiday home console lineup into next year. I'm probably going to want both the Dead Rising and No More Heroes sequels, for some examples.

Do you have a bunch of PSO:BB friends migrating to this? Will they grind it quick and get burned out and slowly drop one by one back to whatever they want to play instead? Online play is free as well, but limited in (picto)chat respects if you don't exchange friend codes.

Sorta OCD, loot hungry or collecting types will probably spend quite some time with it. For me it might finally replace that Animal Crossing everyday staple of my DS PHAT.