PSO

SEGA Talk Podcast #32: Phantasy Star Online (2000)

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Renew your Hunter License because Barry and George are returning to Ragol to discuss Phantasy Star Online! On this episode we share our memories of playing the game as it released and new versions rolled out, the unique gameplay and chat functions and the future of the franchise.

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SEGA Dreamcast Nintendo 3DS theme brings the nostalgia with the Phantasy Star Online lobby theme

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Screen Shot 2016-02-19 at 11.29.01 AM

If you haven’t been following us on the social networks, earlier this week we shared that more SEGA themes are heading to the Nintendo 3DS for those in the west. Yesterday, Americans received a SEGA Dreamcast theme for $1.99 while today Europeans receive Dreamcast, Saturn and Hi-Tech (arcade) themes. Saturn and Hi-Tech had already released in America some time ago, so no surprises there, but what was surprising was that aside from the expected regional tweaks to the Dreamcast theme (blue swirl in Europe, different packaging designs on the top screen) there was also another change to the original Japanese Dreamcast 3DS theme. While the Japanese theme had some happy background music that I can’t quite place from the Dream Passport internet application, the western theme has the incredibly iconic Phantasy Star Online lobby music.

It may sound like I’m fanboying out over this, and I probably am, but man does the inclusion of that music make this theme a must own for any Dreamcast owner who has fond memories of 2am PSO play sessions. Not only did this music ensure that you have properly connected your console to the internet, but it was also the beginning of the adventure. Picture chat with your friends, pretend to be a Japanese girl, trade some guild cards, form a team, and hit the forest of Ragol for some rare blue Al Rappys. After the break, check out the theme in action and if you like it download it yourself. It’s well worth it.

Continue Reading ➜

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First PSO2 Update Trailer & Info

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The first major update to PSO2 titled ‘Wake Up Big Machines: Update Number 1’ is already close to release! Update Number 1 will include ‘The Underground Mine’ a new adventure field, clothes, new enemies, two new bosses, new quests, interrupt events and client orders and will release on July 18th.

Personally I hope all of this content is already included in the default English release of PSO2. That way the base game has more content from day one and we won’t already be months behind the Japanese.

Make sure to check out that trailer, it’s awesome!

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Phantasy Star Online 2 – Closed Beta Trailer & Info

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A clearer video of the Dengeki Event video has been uploaded to the internet, titled “PSO2 Closed Beta New Elements.” The trailer details some of the new features players will come across in the closed beta. Mags baby!

Closed Beta Features

  • Now the lobby from the Alpha Test has expanded into two areas. There’s a Gate area and Shop area, with some new facilities like the Medical Center.
  • New weapon category, Partisans that has a “twirl” move which can fill up the “gear gauge.” It’s quicker than the sword and can hit surrounding enemies.
  • Launchers, it is heavier than the assault rifle, so you can’t move and shoot at the same time. Its projectiles can give explosive damage.
  • Talis (Cards), like a shooting weapon, you can just throw it to give damage. Or, you can throw it and cast technics off of it.
  • Mags, an artificial life form that grows up when you feed it items. It can attack enemies directly if it becomes a “Striking” type Mag. If it is a “Range” type mag, it can shoot from a distance from the player’s position. It can offer support to the player too. With an item called a “device”, actions can be added by specific conditions.
    Photon Blasts, by filling the blast gauge, mags can transform into a mythical beast and fight alongside with the player.

    Phantasy Star Online 2′s second Media Briefing will take place on Monday March 26th, 2012 @ 13:30 JST. It will feature infomation about the closed beta, billing infomation, future development schedule and new game information.

    Source: http://bumped.org/psublog/

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Phantasy Star Online 2 – New Lobby, Mags and Weapons

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Check out this new video presentation from the Dengeki Festival.
In it Sakai-san demonstrates lots of great new additions to the PSO2 formula, including the return of some pretty cool Mags!

I cannot wait to get my paws on this game, I’ve been waiting for a true sequal to PSO for a decade now, this looks like it’ll be the one!

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Phantasy Star Online 2 Media Briefing – Fan Subbed!

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[Part 1]

I’m sure any avid PSO fan remembers that not so long ago there was a media briefing in Japan for Phantasy Star Online 2, given by the games producer ‘Dragon Sakai’ (Satoshi Sakai). The problem with Japanese media briefings is that, well, they’re in Japanese, a made up language that nobody really understands, similar to talking in tongues.

Thankfully fans exist and so the fan dub was born and so at long last we can present the entire Media Briefing subbed in English. The briefing was translated by Jeremiah Bourque while Ian R. Justman and Velocity7 who did the audio editing, and subtitling, so give them all a round of applause!

Hit the jump for part 2 and part 3 of the briefing!

Continue Reading ➜

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Phantasy Star Online 2 – News This Weekend!

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This weekend some kind of information regarding the long awaited Phantasy Star Online 2 will be revealed! This reveal will take place at the ‘Thanks Festa’ (Japan) on 4/24/2011 JST.

You can watch the Festa live along with the Infinity Grand Prix on Nico Nico, a Japanese website similar to YouTube. (Provided that premium members don’t nab your seat first.)

I will be watching with bated breath, I don’t care if they only show a photo of a Japanese man enjoying PSO2 from afar, I’m far to excited about this game! BRING ON THE WEEKEND!

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Phantasy Star Online:Blue Burst Ends in Japan. However…

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After 6 years, the Japanese Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst servers are going down for the last time. This isn’t just the end of PSO:BB this marks the end of a decade of Phantasy Star Online. The Japanese PSO:BB server was the last, official running server in the legacy of Phantasy Star Online, truly the end of an era.

Here is how the last few months of PSO:BB will play out;
-November 29: Hunters License sales and usage of all special access codes halted.
-November 30 – December 27: Free access to the game servers. December 14
-December 27: Special bonuses applied (rare drops x10, rare enemies x5, EXP x2).
-December 27: Servers go offline at 4:00p.m. JST.

Sad news indeed, but every cloud has a silver lining! In this case, Phantasy Star Online 2!

Posted by EspioKaos of PSOWorld, their resident translator of Japanese,
But fear not, you enduring Hunters of Ragol! In that same announcement, SonicTeam mentions that they are in discussions to grant access to a Phantasy Star Online 2 “user participation test” (among other things) to Japanese PSOBB subscribers at a later time. No further details are known at the moment, but stay tuned. We’ll be posting more information as it surfaces!

So if you want to beta test Phantasy Star Online 2, I suggest signing up to the Japanese PSO:BB for its final swan song.

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SoJ Renews Phantasy Star Online 2 Domain

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Seems Valkyria Chronicles 3 isn’t the only potential sequel SEGA has registered a domain for. According to PSO World, Sega of Japan has also registered PSO2.jp.

While this has only been recently reported, it seems this is actually old news. I past the domain’s whois entry by my good pal Kichigai, the girl who, along with her mother, helped translate NiGHTSintoDreams.com’s Yuji Naka interview. It seems the domain was first registered last year; meaning that this isn’t a simple renewal of a URL SEGA has had for years. With strong hints from SEGA that they are planning something for classic game’s tenth anniversary, might we be seeing a sequel announced at some point in the future?

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