Phantasy Star Portable

That's right. The Phantasy Star series from Sega is now on the PSP.

The game is set between the end of Phantasy Star Universe, and the start of it's expansion PSU: Ambition of the Illuminus.

As some of you know, I'm a big fan of the Phantasy Star games since playing Phantasy Star Online v1 and v2 on the Dreamcast all those years ago, and have enjoyed playing the more recent games just as much.

The game's unique action RPG style, along with its hub like room layout instead of an open world is something that is either loved by players, or not quite understood and therefore hated. I'm very much the prior, liking the hug like arrangement of each area (or room) of the game levels. And the combat system, while taking some getting used to if you haven't played before, is fun.

The PSP version looks very much like the PS2 and Dreamcast versions, with a similar interface and style. And as with the previous games you can go online, meet other players in the orbiting space station central hub and then team up to go on missions down on the planet below.

I can't wait to play this one and see how well they have realised the game on the PSP.

My friend Chris is really into Phantasy Star Universe and he got a second hand PSP so that he could play Phantasy Star Portable.

I myself was curious about Phantasy Star Zero until I learned that it was mostly a grinding experience.

Have it, but haven't yet had a chance to play it.

Will have a good look at it this weekend.

I don't think Phantasy Star Zero on the DSi will do the series any justice. The DS is just too under powered. Not even up to the specs of the original Dreamcast version. Although the screenshots do shot that they have done a fairly good job of the visuals, and retained it in 3D.

As for Phantasy Star games being a grind. That isnt true. The problem is that unless you have played one you can't quite understand what they are, and just explaining about the series doesn't give you the experience. It is very hard to explain, but the series has a strange special feel about it. Yes, for the majority of the game you are taking missions and doing them in exactly the same levels each time (a bit like playing a Mario game I suppose), but the Phantasy Star games do something that you can't explain. They are great to play. And getting the chance to do the missions online with multiplayer parties takes the game up to a whole new level.

Phatasy Star Online on the Dreamcast is still the best online multiplayer game I've ever played. And Phantasy Star Universe is very close to matching it.

Harrison, I really would like it if you read my responses well.

I didn't say ALL Phantasy Stars are grinding games, I said that I discovered that Phantasy Star Zero is a grinding game.
There is a huge difference in both statements.

And I am quite familiar with the Phantasy Star games, but mostly the old Master System and Sega Megadrive games.

Umm... you obviously don't know them that well then! Since the first Dreamcast game, Phantasy Star Online, the design, structure, layout, combat system, concept, character ideas etc.. have all been near to identical in all version of Phantasy Star ever since. Universe plays exactly like PSOv2 on the DC, as does Portable. And while Zero is the only one I've not yet played, from the screenshots and videos of it that I've seen it is also identical. Therefore your statement about it being a grind is completely inaccurate. None of the PS games have ever been about grinding. Yes you have to replay the same game levels, but that isn't the same thing at all. It's more akin to doing the same in Mario 64 or Sunshine.

As I said before, I am more familiar with the four original games, none of the later games.

I keep wanting to play the original Phantasy Star games from the Megadrive era to see what they were like and where it all started. I really must when I get the chance.

Difficult to say as I have never played the new games, I guess it will feel more turn based like.
Rather than running around and performing various attacks you enter combat setup with your party in front of you and the enemies in the background.

Do you have a PS3?
There is a sega collection pack that contains PS2, 3, and 4 but not 1.

A shame that the Phantasy Star Generations projected wasn't continued or translated to English, a whole new generation of gamers could have discovered these games and at a nice price too.

I've got the originals via emulation, so getting hold of the games isn't a problem.

Did you know that it is still possible to play Phantasy Star Online v2 on the PC and Dreamcast? Some people developed a custom server that could be run on their own, so people could continue playing the game without the original Sega servers still being up. I did log in and play a couple of times on the custom servers a couple of years ago, but they only ever had 3 or 4 people logged in, so it wasn't very good.

Very different to the days on the Dreamcast when you logged into the game and there were hundreds of people on the mothership walking around and chatting. That was great. And it was free to play the game online in Europe too! Not like US and Japanese players, who had to buy a "hunting license" to play online.

You really should try one of the more recent versions of Phantasy Star Online to see what you think of them. However if you prefer turn based combat to real time then you might not like it as much, because the combat can be quite hack and slash, but with lock-on targetting and some tactics involved, plus the ability to bind abilities, moves and weapons to key combinations. And the level design and story is pretty good too.