Phantasy Star Online – Retro Review

Dreamcast

Phantasy Star Online is an revolutionary online RPG created by SonicTeam. Arguably the Dreamcast’s most influential title, it really set the standard for online multiplayer gaming on consoles. Being twenty-four years old, the game definitely lacks in some areas when compared to modern alternatives, but thanks to its simplicity and excellent design PSO still sets the bar to heights that even newer games fall short of.

_{^{Video provided by YouTube user GoldMetalSonic}}

I loved the aesthetics of PSO from the moment I saw the game’s artwork on a billboard within Sonic Adventure 2. Honestly, I don’t think any other video game managed to capture a sci-fi setting as flawlessly as this one. The characters, environments, and enemies are all elements that form the distinctive world of PSO.

However, I’d argue that the most impactful thing about PSO is its music. Even by today’s standards, it stands amongst my favorite video game soundtracks. Each song makes a statement, accurately conveying the many scenarios within the game.

This is perfectly reflected by the main theme, performed by LOREN and composed by Hideaki Kobayashi. Playing during the opening sequence, “A Whole New World” is more than just an excellent piece of music. Its hopeful lyrics and optimistic sound also serve as a metaphor for the spirit of discovery that drives PSO’s story. Initiating during the pioneer project the narrative sees humanity struggling to find a new home due to the imminent destruction of their planet.

Pulling ahead of its sister ship Pioneer II, Pioneer I sets out in search of a suitable location, eventually discovering the planet Ragol. After building a base and establishing communications with Pioneer II an earthquake shakes Ragol, causing Pioneer I to lose contact with those on the surface.

Unable to guarantee the planet is safe, the governor orders all to remain onboard, with the exception of highly trained hunters. Your Avatar will be amongst the search party, and will be tasked to explore Ragol to unearth the truth behind the disappearance of the citizens of Pioneer I. While the game bluntly delivers the general synopsis, deeper details of the narrative are told via holograms, which can be interacted with during gameplay.

At its core PSO is a dungeon crawler, which has you exploring levels, and slaying enemies. Combat itself is simple, but remains engaging thanks to combos requiring timed presses of the attack button. However, throwing out full combos can often leave you vulnerable, making performing individual attacks a viable strategy to maintain proper spacing and avoid being swarmed by enemy mobs.

As for Ragol itself, I feel like the stages are a mixed bag, but that their design is brilliant from an objective standpoint due to how perfectly they symbolize PSO’s theme of corruption. For example, The forest is easily my favorite stage thanks to how beautifully it showcases how lush and vibrant the planet appears to be. In comparison, the three remaining levels don’t evoke the same feeling and I think this was intentional.

Taking place underground, the later stages are darker and bleaker. The enemies appear less organic than those in the forest, looking more mutated, mechanical, or extraterrestrial the deeper you go. They accurately reflect the nature of Ragol, seemingly serene, while in reality, housing sinister secrets beneath its surface.

Like any loot-base game, gear is what gives PSO its longevity, specifically its weapons and an unique feature called Mags. Mags are little robot companions that act like a sort of digi-pet. You can feed it certain items to raise its stats, which in turn raises yours when you equip it.

This mechanic is essential in order to use the best weapons and armor. Truthfully, finding good armor is not nearly as thrilling as finding an effective weapon, especially rare ones. Every weapon is different on a gameplay level, with some having unique stats, and even elemental abilities.

However, not each type of weapon will be accessible to you. Your character’s class determines which ones you can wield. Though it sounds limiting, this gives each of the game’s nine builds variety, and a specific role in battle.

Whether you prefer specializing in damage, crowd control, or healing your allies, PSO has got you covered. With that being said, this unfortunately leads me into the game’s shortcomings. While, each build brings something special to the the table, most players will be unable to experience the teamwork aspect, due to being unable to form a squad.

Online multiplayer was crucial to PSO’s impact, and sadly the feature is no longer officially supported. Yes, there are other methods, such as connecting your Dreamcast to fan servers, but this can be intimidating to the average consumer. A simple remedy to this would be local-multiplayer, which strangely enough is not supported in this version.

Though revolutionary, the game is still a product of it’s time, with very limited character customization and controls which are clunky by modern standards. Even, the rare weapons may potentially turn some off. Living up to their namesake, rare loot is indeed “rare”, with some having lower than a one percent chance of being found.

This causes the gameplay loop to undeniably become a grind, but it is the healthiest one I’ve ever experienced. Any unwanted items you find can be sold for money, which can be spent on better gear or other materials that can level up you and your Mag. You may not leave a dungeon with what you want, but you’ll always at least leave with something useful.

Though it shows it’s age, PSO still holds its own even against current online games. Simplicity works in its favor, cutting out the excess fat and monotony seen in modern online RPGs. Rare loot definitely requires a grind, but the game still provides you with useful resources that prevent you from feeling like you wasted your time.

I highly recommend this game, even to those who don’t usually dabble in the retro category. Its reach throughout the industry can’t be understated, with even franchises such as Monster Hunter carrying a little bit of PSO in its DNA. Across all of its iterations, Phantasy Star Online provided me with some of my favorite experiences with video games and easily stands amongst the best that I’ve ever played.