Quick Look: Phantasy Star Online 2 Beta

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@Mangachaos said:

This looks prettty awesome being the "real" second PSO game. Oddly enough the "part 2" one for the DC and GC wasn´t really the second game.

I think I´ll enjoy this one when it gets released if it does. It seems pretty interesting alright. Well, any former PSO player know what I mean anyways... PSO rocked back in the days after all. It wasn´t about graphic but more about story and how you proceeded and made quests.

Btw, that reminds me... anyone stil remember that annoying quest where there´s this USELESS AI you have to protect? Let´s hope THAT never shows up again...D:

there are protection code missions within a quest but basically a helicopter has crashed and you have to protect it from a few waves of enemies....unless randomly a miniboss finds its way to you. Then you can crossover code into any number of missions and get some ridiculously hectic stuff happening. Its fun when that happens though.

@the_r0n1n_named_47: PS vita, iOS, android and PC

@RurouniGeo said:

@the_r0n1n_named_47: PS vita, iOS, android and PC

I still wonder how ccould they get PSO2 work on touch screens without keyboard and buttons...

Thanks guys! I totally forgot this was (hopefully) on its way to us. I'm extremely excited to play PSO again. I hope its released on Xbox though. Man it looks good! PSU was NOT cool.

Wow. Jeff really has put a lot of time into this QL and really digs PSO. Nice.

why do u hate japan games, giant bom...?

So good.

THIS GAME LOOKS PRETTY FRESH

@sate2801: Probably just going to be a mag feeding thing with maybe some shop stuff.

@Vasta_Narada: *fist pumps* :D

It would seem Brad forgot about Valkyria Chronicles III, Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Pandora's Tower.

Fuck yeah man. This is the proper follow up to the DC/GC PSO that all us ex-addicts have been waiting for. Love how Jeff is droppin' some of that old lingo and knowledge concerning mates, mags, grinders and the different classes in the original. He has a pretty good recollection of that game. Love all the improvements to the systems and weird that androids can cast now if that's true...

Think I might even have to try and get in on this beta. This QL has gotten me super pumped.

So, is this like one of those "mmo" things weird people used to play like five years ago?

@bunnymud said:

Is it me or if this were any other F2PMMO they would be saying how common it is?

Just asking

Just you.

This looks so much like PSO, and as a old PSO player that still have both V1 and 2 for Dreamcast. Sega need to make this available on Xbox 360... Dammit!

Also i really enjoyed the quicklook Jeff, great to know that you were a fellow PSO player back in the days!

I am excited for this game. The robots remind me of metabots.

This looks fantastic. If it ever gets translated (and if I ever get a good PC), I'll definitely get this.

"u mad"...Oh God.

This game looks like a lot of fun, I would definitely play it if they make it available on the 360.

No PSO 2 TNT tonight, bitches - server's down for 20+ hour maintenance.

Japanese MMOs? Nope!

Hope this comes out in English. I played the shit out of PSO on Dreamcast. I was even playing it 1 year after the dreamcast was dead. This just looks like that game and I want to play it now

I have question for anyone who's played the first PSO. I found everything I saw in this Quick Look interesting however, I have never liked an MMO before. So, is this a game I could enjoy? Could I solo quests if I don't feel like being around people and still have fun?

The ignorance in the comments alone is staggering.

OK i have seen enough people call phantasy star online a MMO i cant fucking take it anymore.

Phantasy star online/universe is not a fucking MMO never has been and it still is not.

I mean it is obvious the people calling it a MMO have never played REAL MMOS for more than 2 minutes since they cant even identify what a MMO is correct..

that is like calling daiblo 1 2 and 3 MMOs or the multiplayer of Neverwinter nights 2 a MMO or anything else like that.

there is no interconnected persistent worlds, you are limted per block per number of players even on the same server and they are set up as chatrooms.

THe block and lobys are nothing more than interconnected chat rooms where you can looby up to play the single player game each game started is its own 4 player version of the offline mode and it is still that way in pso 2 even if it is online all the time.

That is why you go to counter to "create games" every time somebody does that you are creating your own version of that game that is the same as the server browser in Ut2004 or quake or anything else you are joining that game in progress it is seprate from the game world.

the only thing with pso2 is you get to randomly see other people single player games show up sometimes not everybodys on the server.

Everquest and final fantasy 11 totaly MMOS the worlds are interconnected and everplayer is on the same server network and every single one effects the game world that is a MMO.

PSO and daiblo are hack and slash dungeon crawler RPGS that have multiplayer not MMOS.

PlanetSide 1 and 2 Terra starwars MMos 100% MMOS they do the exact same thing as all other MMOS,

@GTCknight: It's not really an MMO, so yeah. There's still a pretty good chance you'll enjoy it, regardless of your opinion of other MMOs.

@psoplayer: Thanks, Do i need a high-end PC or will a low end be fine. Also how do you get in to the beta.

@GTCknight: I have no idea what the system requirements are. As for actually playing, these guys have what you need: http://bumped.org/psublog/pso2-guide-list/

I loved PSO so much on the Dreamcast. Really hope this gets translated to English.

@Shtinky said:

No PSO 2 TNT tonight, bitches - server's down for 20+ hour maintenance.

Damn, really? I was kind of looking forward to that in a weird way.

@Cubical: Never put PSO and PSU in the same sentence. And even if people says MMO combined with PSO, why care? No one cared 10 years ago... And no one cares now... Well besides you.

MMO is just an easy description, instead of saying ORPG

I had a Dreamcast but never had a chance to play this. Looks awesome. I found these videos on YouTube and thought it was cool how similar this sequel is to the original.

For a guy who doesn't like weird Japanese stuff, Jeff sure does like weird Japanese stuff.

But are there De Ragans?

@Enigma777 said:

@bunnymud said:

Is it me or if this were any other F2PMMO they would be saying how common it is?

Just asking

Just you.

Yeah, they would be saying this is worse than common. They would be saying this is total garbage because it's Japanese, and to Giant Bomb, Japanese = badly designed.

As much as I'd love to play this beta, I just don't have the time or will to go through all that Japanese. Here's hoping we get something stateside eventually

This actually looks good, I'd want to try this out. For all of Jeff's talk about Phantasy Star anything, I can see the appeal. I hope this gets localized here and to consoles as well. I'm afraid a good PC is out of the question for me right now, sadly.

Ferr sighted! He's not dead!

@Xymox: press in R3 to go into aim over the shoulder mode. You can customize you controls to however you want though, I just didn't do it because of the language barrier and use the standard layout right now.

@CaLe: its not an mmo in the way WoW is, its a dungeon crawler like Diablo where you and a party go into instanced dungeons and kill stuff and get loot.

@VariantX said:

@Xymox: press in R3 to go into aim over the shoulder mode. You can customize you controls to however you want though, I just didn't do it because of the language barrier and use the standard layout right now.

Dude, thanks. :)

Still waitin' on the servers to get back up and I'll try it out. And yeah, I feel the same way.

@GTCknight said:

I have question for anyone who's played the first PSO. I found everything I saw in this Quick Look interesting however, I have never liked an MMO before. So, is this a game I could enjoy? Could I solo quests if I don't feel like being around people and still have fun?

It's not an MMO. It's more akin to Diablo. Would you like to play Diablo in space?

My brother was really into PSO1. I played it some, but typically, we didn't mix well. He was too high level and rushed too much, so I felt like I was getting dragged along.

If you're concerned about this game, try out the open beta. But judging from the Quick Look, you can solo without much issue. You can get some AI companions to help out - similar to in games like Guild Wars, but I'd guess that it's not typically required.

Years ago I was hoping a new PSO would come out for me to play in the modern era and isn't card battle weirdness. Never played the original but I've seen hella videos and Jeff's enthusiasm is infectious. Helps that this game hits all the right notes both in terms of PSO and Japanese game design/aesthetics. Maaaaaaan I really want to play this.

@CannibalFerox: Oh MAN. That is a blast from the past. I do hope this gets a Western release.

 God damn it, shoulda shown the character creation guys.  
 
But I guess it's nice to see a giantbomb staff member that is actually psyched about a 'Japanese-ass'  Japanese video game for once. 

Oh no I would play the shit outta this...

Do I detect accents? That's a rarity.

This game looks pretty neat!

THAT SPACESTATION IS NOTHING COMPARED TO VANQUISH Vanquish MMO make it happen.

I need this to come out over here. But I will not play it on PC. Bring it to consoles, Sega. If you only bring this to Wii U (judging by how you brought PSO 1, 2 and 3 to Gamecube, which is how I played them - that's right, I have a Gamecube Broadband modem adapter), I will buy a Wii U just to play PSO2.

Jeff, Brad, thanks for this Quick Look!

Man, it's about time Sega made a worthy sequel to PSO. Phantasy Star Portable played pretty well on PSP, but who honestly is playing a handheld game online with a community? THIS is the kind of big-budget effort Sega needed to put in. Love the updates and refinements too; jumping means the level designs are more interesting now, and the "Elite Beat Agents" style circle visual is great for teaching the rhythm based combat. Beyond that, everything I love about PSO is retained, it seems. Even the beautiful, unique music.

I NEED this game to come out over here.