The GHZ Forum

The latest issue of Famitsu reveals new details about forthcoming online epic Phantasy Star Universe.

According to the magazine, players will be able to create a ‘virtual room’. In the online mode, up to five players can enter the room, which will remain online even after the owner has logged-off.

The room can be customised in a number of ways such as changing the wallpaper, purchasing objects for other players to interact with and even turning it into a shop.

Finding the items needed to make these changes, however, will require the player to explore the different planets in the game, especially as particular items can only be found on certain planets.

The magazine confirms that the Japanese PS2 version will be released on August 31 and will be priced slightly higher than average. No details are provided for the other platforms.

More information can be found at Gamespot

Kikizo have conducted an interview with PSU producer Takao Miyoshi, although like most Sonic Team interviews these days, it simply recycles press releases.

Miyoshi does touch on Naka's absence, claiming that it has not been much of a problem for PSU, as the game is in the final stages of development and so does not needed an executive producer.

What is an executive producer, anyway?

big_smile wrote:
The magazine confirms that the Japanese PS2 version will be released on August 31 and will be priced slightly higher than average.

Sega must be really confident that this game will sell a lot.

I got to spend a few shift playing PSU, and it's pretty decent. I never got a chance to play Story mode sadly, but what i did play was quite fun. It's PSO 2 basicly, and totally worth playing.

I also figured out that there is still a boob size option.

Is it true that you must play online in order to create your characters and play as a Cast,Beast and Newman?

and if you dont have an online connection with them, youre stuck playing story mode with that crappy main guy character?

So if you want to play with your character you have to pay?

--------------------------------

PSU THEME

http://synbios.net/games/PSU/misc/psutheme.mp3

You can make an offline only character and play in areas you've unlocked in single player. Sadly, there is no offline multiplayer. Apparently they were going to add it, but it just wouldn't fit on the ps2 disc.

Plorpus III wrote:You can make an offline only character and play in areas you've unlocked in single player. Sadly, there is no offline multiplayer. Apparently they were going to add it, but it just wouldn't fit on the ps2 disc.

YES! youve made my day! Now I can buy it without worries! although I might end up going online one day soon...I hope.

No multiplayer is a let down though, my brother and I used to tackle stuff together with PSO..oh well.

Indeed, there is an offline Extra mode which is unlocked on completion of the Story mode. Basicly your online mode, offline. It's a bit lonely, but it'll do.

That's okay. I spent all of my time in PSO offline, which, yeah, is completely contradictory to the premise of the game, and, yeah, resulted in boredom by Lv.35, but the game remains one of my favorites nonetheless.

So, needless to say, I'm earnestly appreciative of the single-player story mode, though I hope to actually take part in the online experience this time.

Well, the opinions are rolling in, and feedback seems to be overwhelmingly positive. Could this be a triumphant return to form for Sonic Team (however briefly)? How long has it been since their last good game? I guess it's been 5 years since the original PSO...

Well, If PSO was crack this new one is heroin?

It is indeed, accurate to refer to PSU as some kind of drug. Amusingly enough after playing PSU for the last two days, and the servers having gone down for emergency maintenance, I decided to take PSO for a run for ol' times sake. I promptly shut it off after about a minute of combat... it felt incredibly slow and boring.

Take that info as you will.

Hello. What is going on?

Have you bothered with the single player game at all yet?

I just played a bit of it. I can only pick up a few spoken Japanese words here and there, so I basically have almost no clue what's really being said. There's definitely a crapload of voice acting and JRPG style presentation. The episodic format makes me think of some kind of anime or cartoon series, where each chapter ends with a preview of the next, and each chapter starts with the traditional ridiculous Sonic Team token vocal theme accompanying an opening video.

For what it's worth, in my opinion, offline mode looks to be pretty damned awesome. I'm going to hold off playing much further since I'd rather experience it all in a language I can speak. I'll stick to the mindless hack-and-slash of online mode in the meantime.

Parn wrote:each chapter starts with the traditional ridiculous Sonic Team token vocal theme accompanying an opening video.

Oh hell yes.

I've been thinking about getting PSU for the 360 if I end up springing for the system. I won't be able to get at the online play (being stuck in a dialup nightmare stinks) but the promise of a nice and rich solo game is tempting. What's stopping me is that i'm not keen on the concept of an action RPG where enemies stand around while you slash/blast at them and attack you at a mind-numbing pace. This might be a duh question - I have almost no mileage with this kind of RPG, you see - but is the story mode considerably livelier than that?

This game looks promising.

So when does it come out in US? is it on October?

October 24th if Gamespot is to be believed.

Sorry for the silly picture post. I really am excited for this game. Have they finalized the US monthly fee yet?

I can't wait till it hits the UK shores, this game is quite close to giving me a hard-on, then again, it's been a while since I played an rpg.

Eh, I might look into the PC version if single player's better than sex. I wouldn't anticipate playing online much, though, unless the fee was VERY cheap.

For the record, by the by, I've never played <i>Phantasy Star Online</i>.

You've never played PSO? that might be a good thing or a bad thing.

For the record, by the by, I've never played Phantasy Star Online.

It's too late now. That was a "you had to be there" sort of thing. As much as I loved the 200 whatever hours I spent with it, I don't look back on it with any special fondness. Truth be told, I'm having a rather difficult time trying to be interested in this new one (though that is becoming par for the course).

We need to find you a girlfriend or something. You'd be surprised how interested you become in everything else on the planet after having a chick around for a month.