Product Description

Phantasy Star Online is the first online-enabled title for the GameCube, and it's essentially two games in one. Episode I incorporates all the content and gameplay from the Dreamcast's original Phantasy Star Online (versions one and two), including challenge mode, the player-vs-player death match in battle mode, and Lobby Ball. All characters, levels and quests are included and are optimised for GameCube. Episode II is a new full-length adventure in which you'll face real-time combat with enemies that are more menacing, more fierce, and more powerful than any you've encountered before on Ragol. New levels, such as the mountain and beach stages, give you expanded areas of gameplay and deep, lush worlds to explore. You'll also be given all-new quests to complete, additional weapons to master, and plenty of other rare items to find. An upgraded character-creation mechanism gives you seemingly infinite customisation options, including choice of hair style, skin colour, clothing, face and even height and width.

To play online you'll need a modem adapter or broadband adapter (available separately); the first month's play is free and thereafter a monthly fee is charged. Play cooperatively with up to three friends across the world, or play lobby football with even more people. A universal translation system allows you to communicate with players worldwide--choose from a selection of pre-set phrases that will be automatically translated into the other players' own languages. Online players will also find exclusive missions plus special items and secrets not available offline.

The game also includes a new split-screen, four-player mode for intense offline gameplay. You can team up or compete with up to three of your hunter friends on the same console. Choose between Episode I and Episode II stages for intense multiplayer action in a variety of different modes.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8107 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Atari
• Released on: 2003-03-07
• Platform: GameCube

Amazon.co.uk Review
Pity the poor Dreamcast--it was playing host to online games while the PS2 was still a twinkle in Sony's eye, and its early demise took with it a host of seminal titles, not least of which was Phantasy Star Online. This new GameCube release is a conversion of the original Dreamcast PSO game combined with the later Version 2 semi-sequel and a bunch of exclusive extras.

For those unaware of the game, it's a fairly basic third-person shoot-'em-up, but with detailed RPG style stats for every character, weapon and object. PC gamers might recognise it as a kind of 3-D Diablo. Like many of the best multi-player games PSO is pretty dull in single-player mode and despite the huge number of missions the repetitive combat and lack of interaction with your environment does begin to grate.

Played online though, or via the GameCube's exclusive new four-player split screen mode, the game suddenly comes alive as you work together in a group covering each other's backs and stealing rare items when nobody's looking. The three very different character classes means that no one character can do everything and teamwork is an absolute necessity, not just a noble ideal. When online you get the added bonus that the game automatically translates set words and phrases so you can actually play and chat with people from other countries. However, although the online play is free for the first 30 days, a monthly fee is charged thereafter.

The only problem with the game is that the graphics are very 2000 and the repetitive gameplay can get a bit too much after extended play. It's a unique experience though and well worth trying out. --David Jenkins

Edge Magazine
"For those willing to invest in all of the paraphernalia required to experience it, PSO remains a beguiling prospect."

NGC Magazine
"An epic tale of crate-smashing, internet companionship, and fevered item collection. 90%."

Customer Reviews

Experience it now
Phantasy Star Online is one of THE essential experiences, not only because it is the first next-gen online game, but because of the sheer magic of playing with people around the world.

The game is a seemingly basic real-time roaming RPG which lets you create your own persona either as a Hunter (sword user), a Ranger (gunner) or a Force (mage) using a wide range of designs and styles in a rather Sims-like manner. Apart from that, it sounds fairly run-of-the-mill doesn't it? In one word yes; playing on your own is very tedious.

However, it's when you connect to Sega's online server when the game really kicks off. There is really nothing quite like meeting up with familiar faces in the online lobbies and tackling the game together, and then after beating a particularly gruelling boss, getting together to trade weapons and items.

Their have been a few up-turned noses at the sight of Episode 1, with the nasty amount of pop-up and graphical glitches. However, most of these are hangovers from the Dreamcast version. When you get to Episode 2 (which was created for the Gamecube version) the Shore and Jungle levels are quite breathtaking in both graphics and design.

I've given Phantasy Star Online five stars, but knock one star off if you can't get online with it, and then knock another one off if you don't have any dedicated friends to play offline with; it's not the same on your own.

Otherwise PSO is a game which no serious gamer should be without. Experience it.

Online excellence
At the time of writing this, I recently played a version of Phantasy Star Online, and it was the best online RPG game I have ever played. Not only is the feel of the game fantastic, but I'm sure anyone familiar to the online game world will appreciate this vastly.

The game is not just about online play, there is also a decent story mode. The story is not a particularly good one, but it's mainly added to give you a feel as to what you have to do in the online section, which is fantastic. You are given 12 different characters to choose from, three more than the Dreamcast version. These are sorted into three groups: Rangers, Hunters and Forces. They all have different abilites, so pick the one you feel most comfortable with.

When you're online, you have the ability to talk with many people all over the world, as you can choose to join Japanese, American, or of course European servers, so expect to chat with many different cultured people. Your job is basically to get to the end of the game, but while that sounds boring, you are allowed to team up with three of your mates and tackle the story together! This makes one fantastic game!

While I cannot put down exactly how addictive this game is in words, be prepared to see weeks of your life absorbed into this game.

There are a couple of negative points though, during the game there is slight popup, even more when you use a 56k, but this is unnoticeable, and a vast imporvement on other online games, as this game was designed to appeal to 56k users, bearing this connection in mind throughout. Also, Episode 1 hasn't got as great graphics as Episode 2, but they are still fairly decent.

Graphics aside, this title is definitely one for any Gamecube collection!

The Phantasy Unleashed
This is a much more improved Version of Phantsy Star Online on the Dreamcast. I know have both and i'm enjoying it for the second time. Since Dreamcast has died, PSO still lived on and made it to the GC. I think this is the perfect game for everyone. Youngsters can enjoy this very much and I don't think there is anyone that is too old to not play this game.

The game itself has an amazing online feature and this is the one thing that separates this game from the rest on the GC. The Online feature is very fast especially on broadband and it doesn't reduce the speed of gameplay enough to make a player annoyed. It hardly makes a difference.

The graphics are pretty good with big levels and lush scenery and the characters are great. Each character has a very own unique ability so every person playing has his/her own chance to create something very different from everyone else. You can choose different characters and their colour, their weapon and their own MAGS. I have never come across an identical character whilst being online so this is a chance to be a unique person on the internet gameplay.

I think the game is brilliant and combined with version 2 it's become even better and I recommend everyone to get this.