Phantasy Star Online
Encyclopedia
Phantasy Star Online is an online multiplayer
action RPG
title, originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000, bundled with a demo
of Sonic Adventure 2
. Another edition, entitled Phantasy Star Online ver.2, was released for Dreamcast the following year. This version was also ported later on to Microsoft Windows
, but was only released in Asia
.
Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II was later released for the Nintendo GameCube
and Xbox
in 2002, featuring some added content. Consequently, Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution
was released for the GameCube in 2003 with a different gameplay formula. Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst, a port of the Xbox version, was released for Microsoft Windows
in 2004 through digital distribution
, featuring both Episode I and Episode II, and adding a new Episode IV, NPCs, quests, team system, and server-side saving system.
The Phantasy Star Online titles are a sub-series of Sega
's Phantasy Star series
of games that began in 1987. With the exception of Episode III, the PSO games themselves are hack and slash
role-playing game
s where the player slays monsters, levels up, buys new equipment, etc. The online Phantasy Stars differ from the previous games of the series
by offering a real-time – rather than turn-based – approach to combat, seamlessly integrating this with exploration and plot developments.
. Once the hunters defeat the dragon, they enter a series of caves which go below the Dome, filled with heavily mutated lifeforms. At the end of the caves, the hunters defeat "De Rol Le", a large mutant,that was infected by Dark Falz cells and by the scientists of Pioneer 1. "De Rol Le" escapes from the pioneer 1's lab by a sewer system into the rest of the world. "De Rol Le" is responsible for mutating the wildlife in the forests into the wildlife found in the caves by poisoning infecting the wildlife with its tentacles. At the end of the caves the hunters delve deeper into the planet, to an automated mining complex, which is filled with machines that attack the hunters on sight. After battling through the levels of the mine, the hunters defeat "Vol Opt", a sentinent Artificial Intelligence
that corrupted and took over the machines in the mines. At the end of the mines, the hunters find an entrance to the ruins of an ancient, living spaceship. Inside the spaceship, the hunters combat slightly demon
ic lifeforms. Throughout the entire game the hunters follow the story of Red Ring Rico, a hunter from Pioneer 1 that had followed the same path previously and left various messages of advice. Rico had found the source of the monsters that had destroyed the colony on Ragol, only to be devoured by Dark Falz, a godlike entity which the players defeat in the final battle of the episode, which was the end of the game's single-player mode in the original Dreamcast version.
Once the training is complete, the hunters are sent to the planet's surface with the task of finding the security terminals that grant access to the facility. The search is broken up into three stages: a seaside region, a mountain region, and a jungle region, in no particular order. Along the way, the hunters come across a number of data terminals, which contain details about the new enemy creatures that they are fighting as well as several entries by Heathcliff Flowen. A military commander from the Pioneer 1 colony, Heathcliff, was injured while fighting alongside Rico and had apparently become infected by the life form that had turned the local wildlife into monsters. Believing himself to be dying, he admitted his body to the custody of one Dr. Osto for research purposes.
Having deactivated the security terminals, the hunters finally manage to get inside and begin investigating the facility, which is home to its own automated security system as well as a new set of monsters. The investigation turns up more of Heathcliff's entries, including more details on the events that led to the colony's destruction. Rather than warning anybody about the hazard the life form posed, Dr. Osto used samples from Heathcliff's wound to create mutant creatures and other biological weapons, eventually merging Heathcliff's body with an artificial intelligence and allowing it to be consumed by the wound. The result became Olga Flow, the final monster encountered in the game.
There are three races in Phantasy Star Online: Human, Newman, and Android/CASTS.
In addition to the main story, players can also take Hunters' Guild sidequests, which explore the lives of Pioneer 2's citizens and further delve into the backstory of the game. The rewards for these sidequests include a payment of meseta for the job, the chance to explore the stories behind Pioneer 2's NPC residents, the opportunity to obtain special weapons that can't be found anywhere else (such as the God Hand and Soul Eater), and whatever weapons, experience, and meseta one can get while fighting on these missions.
In Phantasy Star Online, normal mode is available to play at four different difficulty levels. Normal is available from the start, while Hard, Very Hard and Ultimate become available once Dark Falz has been defeated on the previous difficulty. Ultimate mode, however, was not included in the Version 1 release of PSO on Dreamcast.
In Blue Burst, the game's main story is broken down into separate missions, accessed via a special desk in the Principals Office or Lab. Each area of the game is divided into three or four missions that must be completed for the story to progress. Items such as weapons and techniques are awarded after certain missions are completed. Other players are able to join the mission at any time, even if the mission is in progress or finished. The final mission in each area is a standard run through the level's areas to the boss battle, essentially 'clearing' the area and unlocking the next one.
mode. In this mode, players are permitted to attack each other. A team may play while being able to attack each other and monsters to fulfill their goals, or they may play one of several predefined sets of battle rules, including goals of meseta, points, or time limitations.
A number of gesture
s can be performed by holding down the Alt (alternate) key and pressing certain letter, number, or function keys. Holding down the Shift key at the same time allows players to perform the gestures of the opposite sex, but only while they are in any of the online lobby areas.
Communication between players is achieved via a combination of direct 2-line text entry, Symbol Chat, Word Select, and/or by keyboard (optional.) As PSO servers support international co-operative play, the Symbol Chat and Word Select features encourage players to attempt communication with others regardless of language
. Symbol Chat allows the player to define a collection of symbols within a speech bubble, in order to convey an emotion or simple instruction. These symbols can be used by the press of a key, or accessed via an in-game menu. Word Select acts as a limited phrasebook, allowing sentences to be constructed through a hierarchy of menus. Once complete, a sentence is automatically translated into the configured language of other nearby players, thus bridging the language gap encountered in cross-cultural multiplayer games.
Phantasy Star Online ver. 2 is a video game that was released for Dreamcast and PC
on July 6, 2001 in Japan
, on September 24, 2001 in North America
and on March 1, 2002 in Europe
. Official servers have since been taken offline.
and Xbox
in 2002. An online RPG, its focus is online gameplay with a strong offline storyline, offering diverse online and offline gameplay. Offline mode is available for single player and multiplayer. Multiplayer split-screen mode can be played with up to four players. Playing online on Xbox required an active Xbox Live
account. An Xbox Live
account saved onto the system was also required in order to play offline. However, it did not need to be active for offline play. Official servers have since been taken offline.
Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus is a video game released for the Nintendo GameCube
on November 27, 2003 in Japan
and on September 15, 2004 in North America
. This release was an upgrade to the previously released version on the Nintendo GameCube
. It added various quests to Offline Mode that were originally available exclusively to Online Mode, while also fixing certain bugs and exploits that could be used in the previous release, such as being able duplicate various items from one's inventory.
's 'The Greatest Games of Their Time' list, making it the highest ranking RPG on that list. It has an aggregrated score of 89.87% on the Gamerankings website. IGN
gave it a 9.3 out of 10, Eurogamer
a 9 and GameSpot
an 8.2, also out of 10. The game's graphics were praised, with IGN stating that "This is among the best games, visually, across all platforms. There's really nothing that compares to the visual quality of PSO." GameSpot stated: "The main draw of the game is the ability to get online, hook up with three other players in one of the game's many lobbies, and take on the planet Ragol as a team. Obviously, this is where the game shines." 1UP likened aspects of Phantasy Star Online to Diablo
, but described Phantasy Star Online as more of "a reinvention of an established PC adventure concept into something perfectly suited for the tastes and demands of console gamers."
and developer of the .hack
series, cited Phantasy Star Online as an influence for the MMORPG world of .hack. 1UP.com
ranked the game at #3 in its list of "15 Games Ahead of Their Time," due to its introduction of online gaming to consoles and for pushing console gamers "to dial up with the Dreamcast to play online and to experience a new style of play."
1UP also included Phantasy Star Online in their list of five "Essential Newcomers" of the decade, describing it as one of "five revolutionary new games" of the past 10 years, for its impact in taking "consoles online" and defining "small-scale multiplayer RPGs." It was the first console game to bring MMO
gaming to consoles on a smaller-scale, paving the way for larger-scale MMORPG
efforts such as Final Fantasy XI
. The small-scale template established by Phantasy Star Online was later copied by Capcom
's Monster Hunter
series, which in turn influenced every major Japanese RPG
franchise, including Dragon Quest
and Final Fantasy
. Phantasy Star Online also gave rise to "an entire pantheon of multiplayer dungeon crawl
ers that continue to dominate the Japanese sales charts." More generally, the game was responsible for making "both online gaming and the concept of fee-based services a reality for consoles," paving the way for the online gaming services later provided by all three of the seventh-generation consoles
.
2011 (Japan) TBA, (North America/Europe) 2011-2012 TBA
Recruitment Period : February 24, 2011 to (Thu) May 20th (Fri) 17:00
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
action RPG
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
title, originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000, bundled with a demo
Game demo
A game demo is a freely distributed demonstration or preview of an upcoming or recently released video game. Demos are typically released by the game's publisher to help consumers get a feel of the game before deciding whether to buy the full version....
of Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2 is a platform game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the Dreamcast video game console. It was released in North America on June 19, 2001 and in Japan on June 23, 2001 to mark the 10th anniversary of the release of the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. It is the sequel...
. Another edition, entitled Phantasy Star Online ver.2, was released for Dreamcast the following year. This version was also ported later on to Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, but was only released in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II was later released for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
in 2002, featuring some added content. Consequently, Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution
Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution
Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution is a video game released for the Nintendo GameCube. It has a card based play style, making it unique among games in the Phantasy Star Online series...
was released for the GameCube in 2003 with a different gameplay formula. Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst, a port of the Xbox version, was released for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
in 2004 through digital distribution
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
, featuring both Episode I and Episode II, and adding a new Episode IV, NPCs, quests, team system, and server-side saving system.
The Phantasy Star Online titles are a sub-series of Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
's Phantasy Star series
Phantasy Star
is the first installment in Sega's renowned series of the same name. It was released for the Sega Master System in Japan on December 20, 1987, and then in North America and Europe in 1988. It is considered one of the pioneers amongst console role-playing games, both for its advanced graphics...
of games that began in 1987. With the exception of Episode III, the PSO games themselves are hack and slash
Hack and slash
Hack and slash or hack and slay, abbreviated H&S or HnS, refers to a type of gameplay that emphasizes combat. "Hack and slash" was originally used to describe an aspect of pen-and-paper role-playing games , carrying over from there to MUDs, MMORPGs, and video games in general...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s where the player slays monsters, levels up, buys new equipment, etc. The online Phantasy Stars differ from the previous games of the series
Phantasy Star series
is a series of console role-playing video games and other supplementary media created by Sega. The original game debuted in 1987 on the Sega Master System with Phantasy Star, and continues into the present with Phantasy Star Universe, Sega's foray into the realm of MMORPGs...
by offering a real-time – rather than turn-based – approach to combat, seamlessly integrating this with exploration and plot developments.
Plot
Endless warring on the homeworld of Coral is so devastating to the environment, it becomes uninhabitable. The Alliance of Nations bands together to plan a mass exodus to another planet, eventually deciding on Ragol. They then construct and launch the first of the colonization vessels, Pioneer 1. Hearing favorable results, they follow it with a second vessel, Pioneer 2. When Pioneer 2 arrives, however, they witness an enormous explosion on Ragol's surface and find that the colony's entire population has apparently vanished.Episode 1
When the citizens on Pioneer 2 observe the explosion on Ragol, the Principal sends down a team of Hunters - the player characters - to the surface to investigate what happened. The investigation takes them through a forest, which is teeming with native animals (such as wolves), then to the base of the "Dome" that Pioneer 1's inhabitants lived in. Eventually, the hunters enter the dome and find a dragonDragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
. Once the hunters defeat the dragon, they enter a series of caves which go below the Dome, filled with heavily mutated lifeforms. At the end of the caves, the hunters defeat "De Rol Le", a large mutant,that was infected by Dark Falz cells and by the scientists of Pioneer 1. "De Rol Le" escapes from the pioneer 1's lab by a sewer system into the rest of the world. "De Rol Le" is responsible for mutating the wildlife in the forests into the wildlife found in the caves by poisoning infecting the wildlife with its tentacles. At the end of the caves the hunters delve deeper into the planet, to an automated mining complex, which is filled with machines that attack the hunters on sight. After battling through the levels of the mine, the hunters defeat "Vol Opt", a sentinent Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
that corrupted and took over the machines in the mines. At the end of the mines, the hunters find an entrance to the ruins of an ancient, living spaceship. Inside the spaceship, the hunters combat slightly demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
ic lifeforms. Throughout the entire game the hunters follow the story of Red Ring Rico, a hunter from Pioneer 1 that had followed the same path previously and left various messages of advice. Rico had found the source of the monsters that had destroyed the colony on Ragol, only to be devoured by Dark Falz, a godlike entity which the players defeat in the final battle of the episode, which was the end of the game's single-player mode in the original Dreamcast version.
Episode 2
Episode 2 takes place after the ancient spaceship is discovered. The Chief of the Government Lab of Pioneer 2 asks the hunters to go down to Ragol and investigate a secret laboratory that had recently been discovered on Gal Da Val Island. Before leaving on the mission, however, the player characters are required to complete a pair of training simulations. The first simulates a maze of ruins, the second a space station, and both stages feature enemies based on those seen in Episode 1.Once the training is complete, the hunters are sent to the planet's surface with the task of finding the security terminals that grant access to the facility. The search is broken up into three stages: a seaside region, a mountain region, and a jungle region, in no particular order. Along the way, the hunters come across a number of data terminals, which contain details about the new enemy creatures that they are fighting as well as several entries by Heathcliff Flowen. A military commander from the Pioneer 1 colony, Heathcliff, was injured while fighting alongside Rico and had apparently become infected by the life form that had turned the local wildlife into monsters. Believing himself to be dying, he admitted his body to the custody of one Dr. Osto for research purposes.
Having deactivated the security terminals, the hunters finally manage to get inside and begin investigating the facility, which is home to its own automated security system as well as a new set of monsters. The investigation turns up more of Heathcliff's entries, including more details on the events that led to the colony's destruction. Rather than warning anybody about the hazard the life form posed, Dr. Osto used samples from Heathcliff's wound to create mutant creatures and other biological weapons, eventually merging Heathcliff's body with an artificial intelligence and allowing it to be consumed by the wound. The result became Olga Flow, the final monster encountered in the game.
There are three races in Phantasy Star Online: Human, Newman, and Android/CASTS.
Gameplay
Players choose one of three jobs - Hunter, Ranger or Force. Hunters are adept with close-range weapons such as sabers, two-handed swords, dual daggers, halberds, and are more suited for up-close and personal confrontations. Rangers are best at ranged combat and excel with weapons such as pistols, rifles, shotguns, and machine guns. Forces are the magic class of the game and their skills are far-ranging, from physical and magical attacks on the field to support (strength and defense), magic, and healing for teammates.Offline mode
In Offline mode, players fight through a number of levels spread over four distinct areas. Each area has a boss at the end. The four areas are (in order) the forest, the caves, the mines, and the ruins. Upon defeating the final boss, Dark Falz, the credits roll and in some cases, an extra feature will be unlocked.In addition to the main story, players can also take Hunters' Guild sidequests, which explore the lives of Pioneer 2's citizens and further delve into the backstory of the game. The rewards for these sidequests include a payment of meseta for the job, the chance to explore the stories behind Pioneer 2's NPC residents, the opportunity to obtain special weapons that can't be found anywhere else (such as the God Hand and Soul Eater), and whatever weapons, experience, and meseta one can get while fighting on these missions.
In Phantasy Star Online, normal mode is available to play at four different difficulty levels. Normal is available from the start, while Hard, Very Hard and Ultimate become available once Dark Falz has been defeated on the previous difficulty. Ultimate mode, however, was not included in the Version 1 release of PSO on Dreamcast.
Online mode
For online gameplay, instead of having the final boss be defeated in order to select a higher difficulty, there is a specific minimum experience level required to join or create a game.In Blue Burst, the game's main story is broken down into separate missions, accessed via a special desk in the Principals Office or Lab. Each area of the game is divided into three or four missions that must be completed for the story to progress. Items such as weapons and techniques are awarded after certain missions are completed. Other players are able to join the mission at any time, even if the mission is in progress or finished. The final mission in each area is a standard run through the level's areas to the boss battle, essentially 'clearing' the area and unlocking the next one.
Challenge mode
Challenge mode sets all participants to a set level with set equipment at the beginning of each mission, lasting only until the end of the mission, and requires the team to reach a predefined goal in a series of specially designed levels that are modified versions of areas seen in normal mode. The aim is to complete the missions in the shortest time possible. New level objects can include laser barriers, buttons, and so on, and sometimes strategically placed enemies/types of enemies. If anyone on the team dies, then the challenge is immediately terminated and the team is returned to the Hunter's Guild, so teamwork is essential if the levels are to be completed successfully. Everyone starts with a 'Scape Doll' revival item in their inventory, enabling them to die once without consequence (the harder the stage, the more scape dolls one receives.) Once all stages have been completed, players are given a rank based on their total time, with "S rank" being the best. If they achieve this in online mode, players are awarded rare weapons which can be customized and named. Challenge mode is available for Episodes 1 and 2.Battle mode
This is a deathmatchDeathmatch (gaming)
Deathmatch or Player vs All is a widely-used gameplay mode integrated into many shooter and real-time strategy computer games...
mode. In this mode, players are permitted to attack each other. A team may play while being able to attack each other and monsters to fulfill their goals, or they may play one of several predefined sets of battle rules, including goals of meseta, points, or time limitations.
1-Player mode
1-Player mode allows Blue Burst players to play the offline mode online, complete with Episode I & II's side story quests. Two official 1-player quests are available for the Blue Burst-exclusive Episode 4.A number of gesture
Gesture
A gesture is a form of non-verbal communication in which visible bodily actions communicate particular messages, either in place of speech or together and in parallel with spoken words. Gestures include movement of the hands, face, or other parts of the body...
s can be performed by holding down the Alt (alternate) key and pressing certain letter, number, or function keys. Holding down the Shift key at the same time allows players to perform the gestures of the opposite sex, but only while they are in any of the online lobby areas.
Communication system
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
. Symbol Chat allows the player to define a collection of symbols within a speech bubble, in order to convey an emotion or simple instruction. These symbols can be used by the press of a key, or accessed via an in-game menu. Word Select acts as a limited phrasebook, allowing sentences to be constructed through a hierarchy of menus. Once complete, a sentence is automatically translated into the configured language of other nearby players, thus bridging the language gap encountered in cross-cultural multiplayer games.
Console versions
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
on July 6, 2001 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, on September 24, 2001 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and on March 1, 2002 in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Official servers have since been taken offline.
Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II
Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II is a video game released for the Nintendo GameCubeNintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
and Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
in 2002. An online RPG, its focus is online gameplay with a strong offline storyline, offering diverse online and offline gameplay. Offline mode is available for single player and multiplayer. Multiplayer split-screen mode can be played with up to four players. Playing online on Xbox required an active Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
account. An Xbox Live
Xbox Live
Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...
account saved onto the system was also required in order to play offline. However, it did not need to be active for offline play. Official servers have since been taken offline.
Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus is a video game released for the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
on November 27, 2003 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and on September 15, 2004 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. This release was an upgrade to the previously released version on the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
. It added various quests to Offline Mode that were originally available exclusively to Online Mode, while also fixing certain bugs and exploits that could be used in the previous release, such as being able duplicate various items from one's inventory.
Phantasy Star Online Episode IV
Episode IV was exclusively designed for PSO: Blue Burst and is only available on the Windows operating system. Episode IV features brand-new enemies, maps, and items, in addition to those included with previous episodes. The new maps include Crater Routes, Crater Interior, and Subterranean Desert. Like other Blue Burst episodes, the normal mode has a series of plot-driven missions to work through, as well as some exclusive Hunter's Guild quests.Version list
| Version | Platform | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Phantasy Star Online Network Trial Edition | Dreamcast | Q3 2000 (Japan) |
| Phantasy Star Online | Dreamcast | December 21, 2000 (Japan) January 29, 2001 (North America) February 23, 2001 (Europe) |
| Phantasy Star Online Ver. 2 | Dreamcast | June 6, 2001 (Japan) September 24, 2001 (North America) March 1, 2002 (Europe) |
| Phantasy Star Online Beta | Microsoft Windows | Q4 2001 (Japan) |
| Phantasy Star Online | Microsoft Windows | December 20, 2001 (Japan) 2002 (Asia) |
| Phantasy Star Online Demo | Microsoft Windows | December 20, 2001 (Japan) January 2002 (UK)1 |
| Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Trial Edition | Nintendo GameCube Nintendo GameCube The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia... |
May 2002 (Japan) |
| Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (ver 1.0) | Nintendo GameCube Nintendo GameCube The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia... |
September 12, 2002 (Japan)2 |
| Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (ver 1.1) | Nintendo GameCube Nintendo GameCube The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia... |
October 29, 2002 (North America) November 2002 (Japan)2March 7, 2003 (Europe) March 14, 2003 (Sweden) |
| Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II | Xbox Xbox The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console... |
Q1 2003 (Japan) April 15, 2003 (North America) May 23, 2003 (Europe) |
| Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution Trial Edition | Nintendo GameCube Nintendo GameCube The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia... |
June 24, 2003 (Japan) |
| Phantasy Star Online Episode III C.A.R.D. Revolution | Nintendo GameCube Nintendo GameCube The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia... |
November 27, 2003 (Japan) March 2, 2004 (North America) June 18, 2004 (Europe) 3 |
| Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus | Nintendo GameCube Nintendo GameCube The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia... |
27 November 2003 (Japan) 15 September 2004 (North America) |
| Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst Beta | Microsoft Windows | May 21, 2003 (Japan) May 10, 2004 (North America/Europe) |
| Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst | Microsoft Windows | July 15, 2004 (Japan) June 23, 2005 (North America/Europe) |
| Phantasy Star Online: Episode IV Beta 4 | Microsoft Windows | November 2004 (Japan) |
| Phantasy Star Online: Episode IV 4 | Microsoft Windows | Q1 2005 (Japan) |
| Phantasy Star Online 2 : 10 year anniversary4 | Microsoft Windows | 2011 (Japan) TBA, (North America/Europe) 2011-2012 TBA |
Reception
The game was number 21 on 1UP1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
's 'The Greatest Games of Their Time' list, making it the highest ranking RPG on that list. It has an aggregrated score of 89.87% on the Gamerankings website. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave it a 9.3 out of 10, Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
a 9 and GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
an 8.2, also out of 10. The game's graphics were praised, with IGN stating that "This is among the best games, visually, across all platforms. There's really nothing that compares to the visual quality of PSO." GameSpot stated: "The main draw of the game is the ability to get online, hook up with three other players in one of the game's many lobbies, and take on the planet Ragol as a team. Obviously, this is where the game shines." 1UP likened aspects of Phantasy Star Online to Diablo
Diablo (video game)
Diablo is a dark fantasy-themed action role-playing game developed by Blizzard North and released by Blizzard Entertainment on December 31, 1996....
, but described Phantasy Star Online as more of "a reinvention of an established PC adventure concept into something perfectly suited for the tastes and demands of console gamers."
Legacy
Hiroshi Matsuyama, president of CyberConnect2CyberConnect2
is a video game development studio mostly known for its work on the .hack series, along with a series of fighting games based on the Naruto franchise....
and developer of the .hack
.hack (video game series)
.hack is a series of single-player action role-playing games for the , developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Bandai. The four games are titled .hack//Infection, .hack//Mutation, .hack//Outbreak, and .hack//Quarantine...
series, cited Phantasy Star Online as an influence for the MMORPG world of .hack. 1UP.com
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
ranked the game at #3 in its list of "15 Games Ahead of Their Time," due to its introduction of online gaming to consoles and for pushing console gamers "to dial up with the Dreamcast to play online and to experience a new style of play."
1UP also included Phantasy Star Online in their list of five "Essential Newcomers" of the decade, describing it as one of "five revolutionary new games" of the past 10 years, for its impact in taking "consoles online" and defining "small-scale multiplayer RPGs." It was the first console game to bring MMO
Massively multiplayer online game
A massively multiplayer online game is a multiplayer video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously. By necessity, they are played on the Internet, and usually feature at least one persistent world. They are, however, not necessarily games played on...
gaming to consoles on a smaller-scale, paving the way for larger-scale MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
efforts such as Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI
, also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a MMORPG developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was released in Japan on Sony's PlayStation 2 on May 16, 2002, and was released for Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers in November 2002...
. The small-scale template established by Phantasy Star Online was later copied by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter
Monster Hunter is an action game for the PlayStation 2. The game was developed and published by Capcom. Monster Hunter was released in North America on September 21, 2004...
series, which in turn influenced every major Japanese RPG
History of Eastern role-playing video games
Eastern role-playing video games are role-playing video games developed in East Asia, specifically Japan, and, to a lesser extent, South Korea and China...
franchise, including Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest
, published as Dragon Warrior in North America until 2005,Due to the inconsistent usage by sources since Square Enix obtained the naming rights to Dragon Quest in North America. Dragon Quest has been used by sources to refer to games released solely under the Dragon Warrior titles...
and Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
. Phantasy Star Online also gave rise to "an entire pantheon of multiplayer dungeon crawl
Dungeon crawl
A dungeon crawl is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games in which heroes navigate a labyrinthine environment, battling various monsters, and looting any treasure they may find...
ers that continue to dominate the Japanese sales charts." More generally, the game was responsible for making "both online gaming and the concept of fee-based services a reality for consoles," paving the way for the online gaming services later provided by all three of the seventh-generation consoles
History of video game consoles (seventh generation)
In the history of video games, the seventh generation of consoles is the current generation , and includes consoles released since late by Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony...
.
Phantasy Star Online 2
- A sequel to Phantasy Star Online named Phantasy Star Online 2Phantasy Star Online 2Phantasy Star Online 2 is an upcoming game in the Phantasy Star series, published by Sega and due for release for Microsoft Windows in 2012.-Alpha Testing:...
is currently in development.
2011 (Japan) TBA, (North America/Europe) 2011-2012 TBA
- There is an Alpha test scheduled for Japan this summer.
Recruitment Period : February 24, 2011 to (Thu) May 20th (Fri) 17:00