- Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
- Release Date: Apr 15, 2003
Buy Now
| Buy on |
|
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
-
Play MagazineA marvelous game, and the fact that it's not really changed on the Xbox is irrelevant. [June 2003, p.67]
-
GameNowVoice chat makes this the best version of PSO by far. [July 2003, p.61]
-
Voice chatting during the game with people from all around the country, while hammering through the games dungeons and challenge modes, is an awesome experience.
-
By far the most enjoyable incarnation of the series, as the use of Microsoft's Xbox specific online service enhances the whole community idea thing.
-
The color usage is really stunning, with all of the neon lighting and exotic environments.
-
Electronic Gaming MonthlyVoice chat makes this, by far, the best version of an already amazing experience. [July 2003, p.116]
-
Official Xbox MagazineThere are hundreds of hours of gameplay to be mine from Sonic Team's gem, and at $39.99 with the first two months free, it's a bargain. [July 2003, p.76]
-
Through a couple of years and multiple revisions, Sonic Team has taken a game that was incredibly solid and enjoyable at its outset and polished and added to it; there is so much to do (although there's still not enough to see, a common complaint with PSO) that you'll have no difficulty signing on for marathon sessions.
-
Voice communication is what makes PSO addicting all over again, despite its lack of enhancements.
-
If you can get past the pay-per-month boundry, you'll find yourself enjoying one of the finest online experiences you can play.
-
Being able to actually tell someone what you’d like to trade for is so much easier than typing on a virtual keyboard, that it isn’t even comparable. That being said, the majority of PSO’s other aspects are primarily the same as they were in previous versions.
-
Phantasy Star Online is definitely not an Xbox Live gaming experience for everybody, although gamers who may be more adjusted to the traditional Final Fantasy-style RPG hit/miss combat system at the heart of PSO will enjoy it immensely.
-
Xbox Nation MagazineOne in the search of an online, cooperative console experience would be hard-pressed to find a more gratifying solution than this. [June-July 2003, p.84]
-
If you are looking for a true MMORPG and not a fan of "dungeon crawlers", PSO may not be for you. With that said, I detest dungeon drawlers and thrive on the complexity found in games like Ultima Online but still enjoyed my time with Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 immensely.
-
While it doesn’t look bad, what was good-looking on the Dreamcast is mediocre by Xbox standards. The controls are also unchanged.
-
Although it seems likely most people will end up playing the traditional modes, the additions are interesting, and voice chat is worth the price of admission on its own.
-
If you're completely new to the Phantasy Star Online experience and you're willing to pay the fees for online play, then you'll find an incredibly addictive game that will keep you glued to the TV for hours on end.
-
Game logic prevents creatures from leaving their area. This leads you to a re-occurring pattern of entering an area, shooting everything moving, until the creatures are next to you, then existing before they can hit you.
-
GMR MagazineFor newbies, this is still a great game, but for veterans of previous iterations, there's no reason to switch. [July 2003, p.75]
-
The ability to communicate vocally is hand over fist an improvement over the keyboard and icon based communication in the other versions of the game.
-
While Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 is a fantastic game in its own right, the fact that its takes such little advantage of the hardware it’s running on prevents us from being truly ecstatic.
-
As with all console versions of PSO, serious design flaws significantly detract from the game, namely poor enemy AI and sensory awareness, horrible targeting, and a thin plot.
Awards & Rankings
|
34
|
|
|
42
|
#42 Most Discussed Xbox Game of 2003
|
User score distribution:
-
Positive: 27 out of 33
-
Mixed: 1 out of 33
-
Negative: 5 out of 33
-
Jun 20, 2015
-
SheltonA.Jan 24, 2007I love this game can't get any better thanks Sega and Microsoft for their hard work send me any facts about more PSO's coming out.
-
RobertB.Aug 17, 2005