Linked713 played Phantasy Star Portable

Nice. Seeing your status updates about this game is making me want to play through again. Shame I'd have to go through story mode again to unlock the free missions.

If my Japanese was any good I'd still be playing the second game.

oh you tell me.

Sucks I have to wait for PSP2 knowing that we will nbe able to import out char but none of our stats levels and items will be imported.. only character model.

Almost seems not worth it when the character creation options are so much cooler in PSP2.

You know.. Phantasy Star is one of the series I have yet to play.

I have heard about it--just never played it... o.o'

@KatrinaTheLamia If you have ad-hoc party then YES do it =) I find that hack-n-slash way better than MHFU but that is my opinion ;)

It's definitely much more accessible than Monster Hunter and to me more my kinda of setting/aesthetics (ie Easternised Sci-fi rather than medieval-esque hunter gatherer).
@KatrinaTheLamia I do believe you have a DS as well as a PSP, right? So you've got two options for trying out the series, there's Phantasy Star Zero on the DS (which is pretty much an update of the old Dreamcast PSO) and then there's Phantasy Star Portable on the PSP which is a great portable follow up version of Phantasy Star Universe.

Both should be pretty cheap so couldn't hurt to give it a go.

I believe Phantasy star portable is a better instalment than the DS one. Graphics feels less clumsy as well as the controls.

The Phantasy star Online Episode 1,2,3 (is there 4th on DS?) totally worth playing too. However, Universe instalment is deeper and more enjoyable.

I dunno--I would probably have to start actively looking for this game then. It has never been something I have seen while casually browsing for games.. o.o'

I mean--I think I may have seen one or two copies of this game around for systems I did not have. Maybe a few reviews on Tv... but nothing really beyond that...

o.o'

I honestly did not know there was a DS version. I really do not look for or play many PSP games. As well, my PSP tends to just gather dust most of the time. o.o'

PSP version > DS version. but your call, I just could not enjoy it on DS. if you're planing to get PSO series, get it on gamecube or PC (via torrent, not sold anymore on pc)

@Linked713 hmmm--well, it is mostly--I just really do not enjoy using the PSP. I mean, I have a few games for it--that are very enjoyable.. I just never really got into the PSP. There was nothing really to hold me to it. To tie me to it. Which is part of the reason I stopped buying games for it--because the games I did have... I really did not care to play.

I dunno, a few factors may have tied into this. Mostly that other people were constantly asking to play it (and considering where I was in my life, and where they were--I really had no reason to say "no" to them), the volume controls eventually busted (leaving it stuck on full blast), and the nub below the d-pad eventually lost its cover. It mostly serves as "some old thing that kicks around... I guess".

Which is the main reason why I do not really bother to buy games for it--it really does not interest me as far as systems go. I mean, it does not help that when I go into the section of the store its games are in, most of them are rereleases of PSOne games (many of them easily downloadable, sometimes for cheaper), game series that have never interested me, titles that have ports on every other bloody system out there, maybe one or two interesting titles (if I am lucky) and a large amount of UMD videos (which I never got why stores still stock those--does anybody with a brain buy those?).

-=-

As per getting it via Torrent... well, I would... if I knew of a client that did not act like complete and total ass. So far I have tried Azureas/Vuze, Bittornado, Deluge, Transmission, ktorrent, muTorrent, qbittorrent and rtorrent--I have yet to come up with something that has the requirements I desire and works at the same bloody time. Most usually end up with their user interface being horridly god awfully slow and unresponsive... that is... if it even starts up properly in the first place.

I mean, I have heard good things about muTorrent when ran on Windows--but I really have no clue how to run and operate Windows--or any of the proper maintenance. So I mostly don't, as I really do not desire to have a box full of spyware and viruses (which is what would result on the matter).

-=-

I dunno... Dreamcast, PSP and PC--you know, that may be why I have not played it... it has constantly targeted systems that I am either uninterested in (PSP), did not have (DC) or really do not have the resources to set up properly (PC).

@KatrinaTheLamia If you REALLY REALLY wanted to avoid playing Phantasy Star Universe on the PC or PSP the original is also on the 360, however, the PSP version is really a major improvement.

I have to agree with Linked though, the PSP version is the way to go and far greater than the DS version on many levels. They both have their own special charm.

As for torrenting software I've never been let down by uTorrent, which is incredibly lightweight, efficient and clean. How have you avoided Windows all this time? Plus, you're, if you don't mind me saying, super knowledgeable on so many subjects I'd have thought maintaining Windows would be so below you :p

P.S: I lived my Dreamcast was such an amazing console. But the Gamecube really did have the best Phantasy Star Online collection, especially with Episode 3 which was awesome.
@Linked713 Episode 4 was technically the PC version of Phantasy Star Online called Blue Burst :)

@Clidante well, part of the reason I am avoiding the version on the PSP--is well... it would very likely be a bad introduction... as the PSP really does not interest me.

I will check out the 360 version... o.o'

Well, how I avoid Windows was, well back in 2000/2001, my brother was on my computer--completely with no idea how to use it. He decided that "Valve's updater says to update Halflife". So he clicks okay (even though, I found it to be an excessively glitchy and buggy piece of software. Generally giving no reason not to just grab the patches seperately). It eventually gets to the point of "Valve's Updater needs updating!". Robin clicks to agree to an update. I complained, as at the time this occurred, updating am updater was a recipe for disaster. Robin then continues to use the box--and it starts to have issues running. He had about thirty to fourty IE windows open--most of them were windows that he was not looking at, did not care about any more or were just popups/popunders. He brings up Task Manager, and closes the programs that list themselves as "[Not Responding]". Which mostly included important system libraries. Rather than say, close a large amount of windows he really was not looking at, or really cared about.

So Windows crashes--while Valve's Updater was still updating itself.

It boots up--gives a message, "Windows has updated, resetting". Which was a normal thing to appear in boot... once in a blue moon after I installed something. It resets. This error message comes up again.

The system got into an infinite loop on start up.

We ended up doing everything we could to get Window to work on this box again. Nothing worked--about the most we could do, was get into MSDOS mode--with it refusing to switch over into its GUI. Be it 98 or 95.

I had been playing with Linux at the time, and decide to load that up onto the system.

Then, the next time I could afford hardware that could run the latest version of Windows was 2006/2007. By this time, I had been away from Windows too long to really make decent use of it.

It should be noted that the computer running Windows on it in 2006/2007, also went into "booting into an infinite loop" error.

I have since tried to install windows onto various systems myself. However, I have found that the OS installers for Linux and FreeBSD to involve a lot less crap to require the system to run smoothly.

My issues with Windows is, it went in one direction, and I went in another--I guess. I just get onto a Window Machine, and have to ask, "okay--what do I do next?"... or just install a mixture of KDE4, Cygwin, "And Linux" and FlyAKite OSX... kind of making me have to ask, "why the hell am I using Windows?"

@KatrinaTheLamia Fair enough. To be honest Windows based OSs is all I've ever known, and I'd feel the same way trying to use Linux as you would using Windows now.

As for Phantasy Star Universe. The 360 would actually be the most logical place to start with the series if you want to get into Phantasy Star Universe rather than Phantasy Star Online.

The PS2/360/PC version of Phantasy Star Universe is where that storyline starts, whereas Phantasy Star Portable is set some time after the events of Phantasy Star Universe.

If you do find yourself getting into the series though you might want to dust off that PSP and get cracking with it again as the Phantasy Star Universe franchise is be carried on exclusively on the PSP from this point on it'd seem as Phantasy Star Portable 2 was released in Japan on the PSP only a few months ago.

Besides, what kind of games are you into? Maybe I could recommend some PSP gems that might get you interested in it again. I mostly picked up my PSP after some of my students showed me the kind of games available whilst I was living in China last year and it blew me away. I already had a DS but there was just something alluring about portable and impressive 3D gaming on the go.

Also being in China, it came flashed as standard, which whilst being morally corrupt gave me a good chance to try out a broad range of games and such.

@Clidante well, so far, the only games that really seemed interesting are Monster Hunter, Phantasy Star and Final Fantasy Disgaea(sp?).

Games I have played and enjoyed are viewable on my GamerDNA profile: @KatrinaTheLamia (note that I do a "schewed" rating system, with most games getting two stars or three stars. Requiring the game to be really note worthy to get four... and five means digital crack). Also keep in mind what I put for reviews on the games and the play counts as well.

Though, my main issue with the PSP is well--I really cannot get into using it. I mean when I play the PSP is seems "bulky" and unuseable. Using it tends to feel like I am building Lego while wearing boxing gloves.

Then we go into the bad publicity the PSP GO! has gotten with the fact that most stores seem more than eager to recommend it for a gaming system (usually a combo that sends up a large amount of red lights in my mind).

I mean--it does not help that I really do not like where Sony is going--it seems way to similar to how Sega was going with its Saturn and Dreamcast. Yes, both were wonderful systems, with a few very great games. However, they handled their NA workings of those very horribly. I mean, PSP Go is Sega Nomad and PS3 is the Sega Saturn, from the looks of things... o.o'

Monster hunter and PSP are pretty much alike, only real difference is that you don't craft your goods, they drop. Some bosses can be a REAL pain to attempt alone.
@Clidante I know ep4 is in blue burst BUT I thought it made its way to the DS port. Oh well.

@Linked713 Nah, Phantasy Star Zero on the DS is a standalone series, so whilst it has the same oldschool hard mentality of PSO it's not actually a part of the PSO storyline.
@KatrinaTheLamia You've already hit on the must have games on PSP, Final Fantasy Dissidia is quite possibly one of my favourite Final Fantasy games as well as one of my favourite fighting games. There's a lot of depth and content in there.

Many traditional Eastern RPGs have also made their way onto the PSP, including the Star Ocean Series, Tales, Final Fantasy and Disgaea (sp? also :D)

You seem to be fond of 2D platforming games too, and the PSP has a good offering of solid platforming games including Loco Roco 1 & 2, Little Big Planet, Prinny - Can I Really Be The Hero and then some decent 3D ones too for good measure.

I don't want you to think I'm some Sony fanboy as I have equal fondness for my DS as my PSP just for different reasons. I think they're just great platforms for both casual and hardcore gaming. When a lot of next gen console releases and a majority of PC releases are about pushing out spectacular graphics and lacklustre gameplay, handhelds seem to offer the opposite.

Sure you can get games that are wonderfully stylised and graphically impressive for a handheld game they just seem to cram a lot more enjoyment and playability into them.

As for the PSP Go, I'd avoid them like the plague. They really haven't caught on over here in the UK and for good reason. Doing away with the UMD drive whilst being a great marketing idea for Sony, isn't really viable over here in the UK considering broadband over here is, on average, subpar and hampered by fair-use policies. I don't intend to "upgrade" to a PSP Go ever. My PSP 2000 will do me just fine :p

Ah, okay, @Clidante

Well, I really do not want to paint you as a Sony fanboy. As there is plenty of reasons to paint me as one of various fan girls out there (NDS, Linux, Pokemon, Retro Arcade games, the list could go on).

I kind of like the PS2, and once I get a memory card, I am probably going to play it a lot more often.

There is a good reason I compared PSP Go with Sega Nomad and PS3 with the Sega Saturn.

They were awesome systems the companies that owned them, completely mishandled them. Sega Saturn could have done a lot better, had the marketing department not completely bugger things up. I am getting the same general feelings with the PS3.

And the PSP Go, like the Sega Nomad /ha[sd]/ the potential to have /be(en)?/ a really awesome hand held... just a few things were missing.

I dunno--most of those titles I looked at and went, "why do I want to play it?". The Loco Pocos hit high on this list. I have seen those around, and pretty much looked over them without really getting any stop value on them.

I am a sony fanboi :P. My DSes (I have 4 >.>) are taking dust as I have done most good games on it =(. I used to be nintendo fanboi but I have sold my wii (what a freaking retard...). Used to participate to metroid prime hunters tournaments on much music (3rd place isnt that bad =S). Being a fanboi for me is one who primes his favourite console - not bashing on others. Those are called as...oles and they do not deserve the right to call themselves video gamers.

There is nothing wrong about being a fanboi, the only thing that is wrong is when you think others do not have the right to like other things than what you do like - and those literally made a bad reputation of what fanboys used to be.

Well, okay, @Linked713 , expect @Clidante had a few elements of this that detracted from his whole fanboyism:

* Willingness to present other systems to try it on. Just stating it is a better experience on the PSP (which there are some case that are better on certain consoles).
* Him flat out saying that he was not really always interested in it. He was shown it by somebody and he thought it was neat. This could indicate he is aware it may be a fad. And not something to swear fealty towards.
* Him also suggesting to avoid the PSP Go. That sort of move, generally would have fanboys launching their questioning on him on the matter. Trying to sell the PSP Go to him.

There are also a few other signs he is not a Sony fanboy that I have missed mentioning.

He really does not strike me as one (particularly with that Sonic avatar =P ). He mostly seems to be trying to suggest that Phantasy Star works best on the PSP. Which, I cannot really fault him on suggesting it would be better on that system.

Though, it looks like Phantasy Star Portable is a later episode in the series, and the 360 version may make getting into the universe easier. Since it is earlier and on a system I really have no issues with.

@KatrinaTheLamia I'm really eager to catch up on all the PS2 games I missed too, as it's a console that had some real gems. However I'm currently playing Final Fantasy XII on my PC with the use PCSX2 which is an awesome emulator if you have the juice to make the most of it.
@Linked713 Why the hell do you need 4 DSs? :D I worry about you sometimes.

@KatrinaTheLamia eff no. even sony fanbois such as myself would say get the eff away from that pspgo crap! I do prefer PS3 versions of games but I can tell when a port is better on 360 (bayonetta is most recent example) or PC (Fallout 3 is one example).

and if you REALLY want to have the best PSO experience, it's on gamecube you need to go! (Clidante, you must agree :P)
@Clidante
1) Bought it
2) Won it + autograph from the metroid tourney.
3) Bought DS Lite
4) Bought DSi

=D.

@KatrinaTheLamia Glad you see my reasoning as a logical and level headed although I always see it as my insane rambling :p

But yeah, if you want to get started comfortably with the Phantasy Star Universe series then the 360 will serve you well. If you find that you like it then Phantasy Star Portable will grant you a more personalised experience as well as carry on the story.

@KatrinaTheLamia One thing. PSU or PSP just don;t make any difference - either way the story line feels clumsy and 90% of the bla blaish are about "hey how are you today?" "how you feel" and "I was wondering how humans can be *insert non-sense CAST interpretations*"

After a while, I just skipped the whole story line =(



(sega at its best)


360 version might be good (never tried it :O), just don't expect to be able to play online with a lot of people (sega is planning on shutting it down soon - and make it free for a small period of time. They are mostly trying to port the whole thing on PSP O.o. I think it is a good idea cause PSO is a great hack n slash to play while on the road.)

oh and clearing one thing up.

PSU and PSP HAVE THE SAME EXACT LEVELS! only single player differs and few items PSP are playstationPortable exclusive..

@Linked713 I really miss the Gamecube Phantasy Star games. One redeeming factor of my Wii before I got rid of it was that it game a lot of my Gamecube games a second chance.

I imagine the 360 version of Phantasy Star Universe be be exactly the same as the PC version of (which I had) just without problems setting up controls :D I think though that the better graphics and full blown animated cutscenes really made the Phantasy Star Universe setting come to life and give it a good push start. If the story was presented almost entirely with still shots like it is on the PSP then it'd have been a little dull.

However, I can understand why they went with that presentation approach on the PSP (size restrictions and the fact that you play as your own personalised character rather than a set single character). Perhaps the only downside to the PSP versions if you've experienced the hi-def alternative.

But as you say, storyline is really in the background behind the addictive and fun gameplay (same as Monster Hunter I guess, which is devoid of story pretty much but has punishing yet additive gameplay), which is one reason that I've started playing Phantasy Star Portable 2 again in Japanese.

I wish I could understand japanese... >.> I'd play that game day and night.

I'm pretty excited about PSPo2. There were some issues I had with PSPo that I hope they address, but it's been so long since I've played that I don't remember what the issues I had even were... Heck, I might plug it back in just to find out.

I still play PSO Ep1&2 on the GC, so I really enjoy the world and gameplay. Hoping it's enjoyable! And very excited I can play on AdHoc as well!

@MonkeyConQueso if you want I have a shit load of A rank items to give on PSP. gimme a tell

@Linked713 I used to be really into all manor of geeky Japanese things and put a lot of time into studying the basics before I went to uni and just didn't have the time for it and forgot loads. Saying that though it's still pretty easy to navigate menus, sort gear and do all sorts in PSPo2 with minimal Japanese knowledge :D Heck, I can even point you in the direction of some great online resources for item and menu translations, complete with pictures.
@MonkeyConQueso You might be interested to know that Sega have thrown off the shackles of local multiplayer and the game supports full blown wifi multiplayer without the need for a PS3 and AdHoc Party, unless that's what you meant anyways :D Hopefully a feature that will win over many newcomers that want some decent PSP multiplayer without having to shell out on a PS3.

But yeah, the second one def marks a huge improvement from the first, just by giving a more "action" feel to the action RPG gameplay, with new additions such as active blocking and countering (with certain weapons), dodge rolling ala Monster Hunter, smarter faster enemies and all sorts of nice additions. They've even brought back Challenge Mode missions which for me was one of the most enjoyable sides of Episode 1 & 2 on the Gamecube.

I was trying to stay away from the game until an English version rolled out, but without even a release date in sight I couldn't help but dive in and explore the game world even with the language barrier.

@Clidante Full WiFi? I did not know that, actually! I went and grabbed the demo of the Japanese PSN, and then I've just been watching for a release date and not really reading up on anything about it.

The blocking was very Monster Hunter when I played the demo, and it worked alright. And the Challenge Mode sounds like it'll be a complete blast!

I'm just hoping that it comes out sometime this year, States side.

@MonkeyConQueso Well I live in the UK so I get an damn good shafting when it comes to release dates of games usually. Sometimes it's a few days, BUT if it's an EU version of the game rather than just an English PAL version then we usually have to wait a good couple of months for the game to be localised after the US version has hit.

Hopefully Sega get this game out in the States this year, I'll probably just wind up getting that one. Whenever it does land though it'll be worth the wait.

Still a lot about the game that gleefully surprises me even though I'm obsessively playing it. For instance, last night at the end of a free mission run there was a rainbow warp leading to '????'. Stepped in to find myself face to face with some new SEED form Dragon with the Ice Dragon Boss Battle Music straight out of PSO Episode 2 playing in the background. Was a great moment. One that would've been amplified if I was playing with peeps, especially old PSO vets :D

@Clidante That's gotta be a horrible wait for games released in Japan, then to the US, THEN to the EU >.<

WTH, that sounds awesome! See, I'm hoping they do good with those random encounters! PS0 on the DS has a couple of rare rooms, but they just aren't all that fun from what I've run in to, and what I've heard.

@MonkeyConQueso It's pretty sucky, but with as long as a US version is released quite promptly it's okay.

And yeah, that surprise boss battle (after I'd already finished a mini-boss fight) was pretty awesome. I'm going to be on the lookout for other cool things like that.

Oh, by the way, a heads up, multiplayer mode amps up the HP count and stats of all enemies regardless of how many people are playing. Found myself being killed horribly near instantly in the first room from a trio of Pal Sharks (yeah they're back with, and with a new diving attack). It seems that they've scaled mutlimode's difficulty assuming that you're playing with at least a couple of allies.

No more solo forest runs to get those initial levels up :D Guess it forces people to level up through story mode before tackling multiplayer.

were you with others? u sure you took the right thing? sounds stupid who would want to level in multiplayer if they are too strong / hard to kill for the exp they give?

No seriously. You still have the game right? Start a fresh character on PSPo2, go to multimode and take the first free missions (copy of the first Story mode mission) and take note of how long it'll take you to kill the first three Pal Sharks and how much they rape you in comparison to how you walk over them in story mode :D

I'm not the only one that's noticed it. I'm a regular lurker on the PSO World forum and many have stated that multimode is now scaled to be for exactly that - manageable with friends. Which makes sense to be honest as there's no point in having a multimode that's functions the same as doing free missions in solo/story mode.

Can't wait to play multimode alongside some like minded gamers :D

oh. I see... ugh. erm if you can find me some tutorials about psp2 and the whole jap/english thing I will follow.

ps: well I think the difficulty scaling thing is more about the block/dodge system than "you need friends".

We'll see. I've gathered enough Partner Cards from the story mode to have decent comrades tagging along, even if they're only bait. As long as the extra difficulty is offset by a better drop rate or slightly higher XP gain, then I'm all for it.

It'll just be a shock to those getting the game and jumping straight into multimode hoping to get a feel for the game or start out with friends.

You can ask me anything you don't get about the game, I might already have an answer for you.

For item and gear name translations (as well as shop items like the room decorations, check here out.

http://forum.psupedia.info/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=809

This place has translations for all the core elements and menus in the game, but run it through google translate to turn it from Spanish to English.

That should be more than enough to get you on our way :D

Also the forums at PSO World are very very resourceful.

okay... thanks... but... ugh... I will wait for US version or unofficial ENG hack.

@_@ Anyway I am really deep inside PSP right now ...

Lmao, fair enough, each to their own I guess :p