Japanese Mag Famitsu Reviews PSO Episode 1 & 2

[GhoStar]

Highly respected (and very popular) magazine Famitsu has reviewed Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 on the Nintendo Gamecube. Scores of 9, 9, 8, 9 were given, meaning it gets an overall 35/40 and a Famitsu Platinum grade (given to games scoring between 35 and 40 overall).

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: GhoStar on 2002-09-04 04:38 ]</font>

[Rune]

Very nice.

[TeamPhalanx]

Raw scores don't say much. What were the reasons for the high marks?

Unless there's a huge change in AI, I don't think I can give the game anything higher than an 8.

[GhoStar]

Well, raw scores do serve a purpose, in that they give an outline of how good the reviewer thought the game was. All summed up in a single number.

The issue isn't available until tommorow, and I got this off a Japanese news site.

I'll try and get someone to translate the text, but I doubt it'll go into much detail about stats and AI.

[Cube]

35/40 is an AMAZING Famitsu score. And im not surprised that the game scored well. The first game for DC scored around this as well.

What this probably does prove however is that the game is not a simple hash port, and is still highly enjoyable.

yay! http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

[l337_h4xOr]

The score is really meaningless. The Japaneese have a much different opinion of what is "good" then we here in the west do (unless you are one of thoes weiners that wishes you were japaneese and runs around saying "chan" and "arigato"). For instance the Highly aclaimed HALO (which recieved almost perfect scores here in the states) did not do well in the japaneese press, Simply because they are not fond of FPS games. Conversely in Japan Dating Sims and Derby games do VERY well in the press where they are laughed at here. The Fact that PSO E1&2 recieved good scores is with out a doubt a good sign but it is hardly a testament to how "good" the game is, or will be rather, to us. I remember hearing someone say that the original PSO got high scores in japan simply because it had a chat feature.

[omega3059]

On 2002-09-04 13:42, 1337_h4xOr wrote:
The score is really meaningless. The Japaneese have a much different opinion of what is "good" then we here in the west do (unless you are one of thoes weiners that wishes you were japaneese and runs around saying "chan" and "arigato"). For instance the Highly aclaimed HALO (which recieved almost perfect scores here in the states) did not do well in the japaneese press, Simply because they are not fond of FPS games. Conversely in Japan Dating Sims and Derby games do VERY well in the press where they are laughed at here. The Fact that PSO E1&2 recieved good scores is with out a doubt a good sign but it is hardly a testament to how "good" the game is, or will be rather, to us. I remember hearing someone say that the original PSO got high scores in japan simply because it had a chat feature.


true... but you forget that pso is not a FPS or a dating sim, it is an online rpg... which both the US and Japan like, so i think the reviews on pso r not meaningless...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: omega3059 on 2002-09-04 14:40 ]</font>

[l337_h4xOr]

yes but the reasons that it got good scores may not be reasons that you like. I am looking forward to it and plan on importing, all I am saying is that dont let Famitsu be your "be all end all".

[GhoStar]

Japan doesn't like First Person Shooters, so that's why Halo (and Xbox) performed so poorly at retail. And Halo received respectable scores. Famitsu gave it a 9, 7, 8, 9, which is very good.

Simply put, the Japanese prefer a game like PSO to Halo. And before someone comes in saying PSO E1 & 2 is rehash (which it isn't), who's to say the reviewers who reviewed this version had played the old games? I doubt that's mandatory in any way, so to them it could be a completely new experience, commendable on its own merits.

[Parn]

Like I said before, Famitsu gave the original PSO a high score because you could chat online with it on a console.

Famitsu, like many other magazines, have a quota to fill and they can only play each game so many hours before slapping in a score and moving on to the next title. They couldn't have possibly played the game long enough to give it a thorough and rightful scoring.

If you want the real meat, look no further than the internet. Magazines typically have a few numbers and a paragraph or two for their reviews... most sites have much, MUCH more detail to explain their scoring. They'll typically finish playing the game before passing judgement; the proper way to review a game.

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

On 2002-09-04 17:45, Parn wrote:
If you want the real meat, look no further than the internet. Magazines typically have a few numbers and a paragraph or two for their reviews... most sites have much, MUCH more detail to explain their scoring. They'll typically finish playing the game before passing judgement; the proper way to review a game.


Any site suggestions for these reviews? I don't know of any so any help is appreciated.

I usually stick to one magazine for their reviews but since recently obtaining four magazines in one month, I have seen drastic differences in scores for the same game.

This makes you have to judge which reviewer are you most like or which opinion based on experience do you respect more to consider the game's purchase, and this is hard to do.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: HAYABUSA-FMW- on 2002-09-04 18:00 ]</font>

[Parn]

At the moment, there are none.

The numbers from Famitsu are enough to be confident that the game isn't crap, but those numbers aren't enough to say "buy me" if I were your average gamer and never heard of PSO until now.

[Javier_Von_Fenrir]

Personally , the reviewer could've given PSO straight 0s I don't give a fuck. I don't let critic or reviewers decided what I'm going to buy or watch. I perfer to try things out for myself. Besides, everyone knows this PSO is going to kick fucking ass, with all the new features and official broadband support.

[l337_h4xOr]

On 2002-09-04 21:56, Javier_Von_Fenrir wrote:
Besides, everyone knows this PSO is going to kick fucking ass, with all the new features and official broadband support.

That is what people thought about Ver2 as well, it didn't live up to expectation though (challange was the only really good addition).

[TeamPhalanx]

Those expecting a whole new game will be disappointed, those that know that GC PSO is DC PSO with a some things added and changed here and there (but not much of a change, overall) won't be disappointed.

I mean, you hear/read people get all excited over new lobbies and stuff... Give me a break, they're lobbies!!!

Overall, it's safe to say that those that got sick of the DC versions will get sick of the GC version pretty fast, while those addicted to the DC version will once again find their addiction.

Overall, when compared to other online games (whether it be strategy, sims, FPS, rpg) PSO is really weak.

[Malkavian]

Overall, when compared to other online games (whether it be strategy, sims, FPS, rpg) PSO is really weak.


But pSO is a way superior game. You can find a game from year 96 and it had many stufff and was very complete, but the gameplay is outpassed

[GhoStar]

Despite it being a rather shallow, slash-fest, I'd still rank PSO (in its heyday) over any other online game I've played (PC or console). There's a certain atmosphere and touch to PSO which you just don't get with PC online gamers (who, sorry to say, are usually stuck up and cheat their asses of).

[TeamPhalanx]

Stuck up and cheat their asses off? You have gone online with PSO, right?

PSO isn't worthy to be in the presence of the best of the best such as Everquest, Diablo, Conter-Strike, etc.

[_xX_Frosty_Xx_]

I really don't care about the reviews. As long as I have the same experience as I did with the DreamCast version of PSO, I'll be alright.

[Wewt]

PC gamers are more stuck up, at least from what I've experienced.
I'm not too sure on the cheating though..

[Nash]

"Those expecting a whole new game will be disappointed, those that know that GC PSO is DC PSO with a some things added and changed here and there (but not much of a change, overall) won't be disappointed."

Erm, you have heard that GC PSO includes Episode II now haven't you? http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

It's twice as big as DC PSO, half of the game is totally new, with new levels & story. I wouldn't describe that as 'not much of a change overall' ...

As Yuji Naka said, it's basically a sequel.

[GhoStar]

Stuck up and cheat their asses off? You have gone online with PSO, right?
http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif Of course, but in my experience the good outweighed the bad. Or atleast with the people I chose to play with. I always saw PSO as more of an experience, mainly determined by the people you communicate/play with. Keeps it nice and simple, too.


PSO isn't worthy to be in the presence of the best of the best such as Everquest, Diablo, Conter-Strike, etc.
Well, there's that "stuck up" thing I was talking about... http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/anime2.gif

j/k

And yeah, I had a short stint with Diablo 2, and I tried Half Life out a while back. They were OK, but definitly not my thang. Pretty over-rated (by the PC community), if you want my opinion. Half Life especially. Then again there are very few PC games I can be bothered with.

I've never tried Everquest, but I've never heard that much positive feedback about it when enquiring...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: GhoStar on 2002-09-05 23:12 ]</font>

[Malkavian]

I played everquest for a month, the game has many stuff but is very bad done. PSO is way superior, and 100 times more fun.

[Wewt]

Visual lobby. This is what attracted people to PSO. PSO=fancy chatroom.

[GhoStar]

Visual lobby. This is what attracted people to PSO. PSO=fancy chatroom.
http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_lol.gif

You'd have a case for that argument, if it wasn't for people actually going through the lobbies to play in games.


It has not really changed much. More levels and a few tweaks does not change as much as you would think.
Cool, now show me where I can get this preview/BETA copy from you've been playing. Or the finished copy, which it sounds like you've been playing...

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: GhoStar on 2002-09-06 11:14 ]</font>

[l337_h4xOr]

On 2002-09-05 19:44, Nash wrote:
Erm, you have heard that GC PSO includes Episode II now haven't you? http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_wink.gif

It's twice as big as DC PSO, half of the game is totally new, with new levels & story. I wouldn't describe that as 'not much of a change overall' ...

As Yuji Naka said, it's basically a sequel.



It has not really changed much. More levels and a few tweaks does not change as much as you would think.