PS0 story appreciation thread!

[Flame]

Okay so I started playing this game again when PSO2 has maintenances to get my phantasy star fix. I've been replaying single player and I feel like the story really deserves some recognition. It might have to do with the stellar localization/translation but the characters are super likable and the situations, although full of sci-fi cliches, feel genuine and compelling. Coupled with a lovely score the game manages to deliver some really heart warming moments. (plus, the OGI "gattai" cutscene is phenomenal).

I understand basic japanese so I am able to follow most of the voice acted cutscenes in PSO2 and I have to say the characters don't hold a candle to PS0 at the moment (although most everything else is superior obviously). PS0's narrative also doesn't live up to the haunting atmosphere of PSO's yarn but as far as linear and character based stories go it's top notch. It's such a treat, especially since multiplayer online games are hardly ever successful in this area. Anyway, forgive my gushing.

As far as discussion goes, how to YOU feel PS0's story stacks up when compared to other phantasy star games? Did you enjoy it as much as I did?

-f

[Sinue_v2]

As far as discussion goes, how to YOU feel PS0's story stacks up when compared to other phantasy star games? Did you enjoy it as much as I did?

-f

Well, first off, if you're going to compare it to other PS games, then you're going to have to compare it to Phantasy Star II... and against that kind of competition, PSZero's plotline fails hard. I say plotline, because that's basically all PSII's story was - and in actual storyline (character development, dialog, narration, etc), PSZero doesn't have to try very hard to be better. I would also say PSII had the better atmosphere which perfectly accentuated the state of a faux utopian society unknowingly on the verge of collapse; the feeling of something not quite being right, and the slow peeking behind the curtain as the story progresses to reveal the oppressive forces orchestrating it's ultimate fate. PSII and PSO are very similar in atmosphere in that regard. So that's holding PSZero up to some very stiff competition. In comparison, PSZero's story takes place in a society that has already been destoryed, and the rediscovery of a very obvious and blatant threat that they face. This then begs the comparison to Phantasy Star IV, which was similarly a post-apocalyptic society. I didn't feel it was as good as PSIV's atmosphere or story either, largely because of the large amounts of modern animu dross infused into the soft-balled storyline.

In PSIV, you're presented with a world hanging on by it's fingertips as the environment continues to degrade, ancient automated systems run amok as they break down/deactivate, etc. Even as the heroes win the day, it's uncertain what future awaits the survivors. Again, like in PSO and PSII, there is no truly happy ending. While you do save the day, you sacrifice much to get there, and because of that - life for those around you will become harsher and more brutal. You are left with a bleak future, and only truly succeed in securing a brief glimmer of hope for better days to come. Going back to PSZero, the game ends with the environment on the rebound, the three races reunited as a "family", and an upbeat optimism that everything will be ok from here on out, and that as long as you all work together - there is nothing you can't accomplish.

But, even saying all of that, the storyline is still leagues better than PSU ever was, or could hope to be. In the end, PSZero's was kind of a middle-ground for me. The characters were cliche, but generally likable. The atmosphere was fairly light-hearted, but had some charm to it. The ending was satisfying, but not really moving or memorable. I very much agree with you that the localization job they did was wonderful, but overall I don't think it can compare to the original games. One thing they did much better than any of the following titles was the mixing of Western and Eastern culture and art into a new synthesis that felt compelling and unique. PSO didn't do this as well, but did a good job inventing it's own style and atmosphere that transcended the boundaries of generic animu tropes. PSU and PSZero, however, seem to abandon the cultivation of their own artistic identity and mythos, and instead borrow more heavily on popular anime trends and cliches.

[Atbar]

The only Phantasy Star games I have played through the entire story of is Phantasy Star Zero and Phantasy Star Portable 2. I have played bits and pieces of the Sega Genesis Phantasy Star games but not enough to give my thoughts on the story of those four games in comparison to PSZ.

With PSZ, I feel as though the story is okay at best despite some criticisms I can give for it but nothing too spectacular enough to make me want to sit through it after going through the whole story the first time. And if I dare make more than one character (and I have), then I am forced to go through the story again. At least I can fast forward through the text by holding down the X button and skip the cinema scenes to speed things along.

With PSP2, I didn't care for the story at all. Yeah, you can tell me it's more or less the same than the story of PSZ except the characters didn't appeal to me as much as they did in PSZ. It probably doesn't help I never played Phantasy Star Universe or the original Phantasy Star Portable so I can't gush over some of the reoccurring characters in the game either. I probably would've gotten more out of the story if I played through the story of Universe and Portable One, however, I don't plan on doing that anytime soon though just to get more out of the story of Portable 2.

[DoctorShanks]

It was okay. I enjoyed the story. I like stories, and I'm not sure whether or not it was after making many characters over and over is when I started to appreciate the storyline for all races. I don't really have much to say on this subject, but to be honest I've enjoyed the gameplay more than the story, but that's probably just me. Still, I give the story a good score, and it did make for a good prequel to PSO.