News from SegaWeb.com:
As part of Sega’s new software-oriented business approach, they will be bringing the critically acclaimed PSO to the GameCube along with a host of improvements. The first title was a hit with gamers worldwide due to the fact that players across the world could play co-operatively in teams of four. Unfortunately it didn’t deliver the goods in the offline mode for those that didn’t have an Internet connection. This game was meant to be played online, you have to do this to fully appreciate what the game has to offer. I suppose that’s why it wasn’t called Phantasy Star Offline.
Allow me to regale you with PSO’s timeless tale. If you’ve already heard it, well tough, you will just have to hear it again, unless you skip this bit. Faced with the imminent destruction of their home world, a large-scale evacuation plan known as the Pioneer Project was established to find a new home planet. Unmanned probes were sent into deep space and eventually found a suitable host planet, Ragol.
A transport ship – the Pioneer 1 was sent to establish a colony. Upon arrival the colonists began building their new home. Seven years later Pioneer 2 reaches the planet and opens a communications link with the people on the planet’s surface. Suddenly, a big explosion rips through the terrestrial building and all communication is lost. Okay so it’s not the most enthralling story in the world but, hey, I never said it would be.
These screens are from the DC version. Though, expect the GameCube version to look very similar.
Now can you guess whose job it is to investigate? You choose one of nine customizable characters each of which belong to one three races – human, newman and android. There are also three classes to select from, namely hunter, ranger and force, each of which have their own strengths and weaknesses. The number of characters in PSO Ver. 2 has been increased by two, but just who and what they are has yet to be ascertained.
Once you have selected a character you can tweak them to your heart’s content, ensuring that they’re more than just a virtual avatar of sorts, but an extension of your own personality. You can alter their color, hair, costume, skin, face and build as you see fit. You can also laugh at the dumpy ones, not that I did or anything.
The first title only featured four areas, (forest, caves, mines and ruins) and was thus criticised. Thankfully, PSO Ver. 2 will feature two new areas known as Sanctuary and Spaceship. This game is all about teamwork and co-operation, you know, all those words that people love to write in their CVs. Oh, and it’s also about hacking away at various beasties, but I wouldn’t put that in your CV if I were you.
Earlier I mentioned that the first game was lacking when it was played offline, well, the GameCube version will improve upon this aspect as it features a four-player split-screen mode so you and three other buddies can explore Ragol together; all in the comfort of your own living room. Not only can four players play both online and offline, but you can also partake in a little head-to-head battle should your more malicious tendencies get the better of you.
This wasn’t incorporated in the DC version simply because the hardware couldn’t handle it, Yuji Naka’s words, not mine. Graphically the GameCube version, which was shown at E3, didn’t look any different from the Dreamcast version but the split-screen mode featured no slowdown whatsoever. That’s 60fps in split-screen! Talk about sweet. Not to mention the fact that Sonic Team ported the game to GCN in less than a month. The game should make full use of the GCN’s power when it launches in 2002. Few details are known about the title at this time, but it was mentioned that it will be a sort of hybrid of PSO and PSO Ver. 2, with, hopefully a few exclusive features as well.
Other new modes that should be carried across from the DC version are a 12-player football game in which you defeat you opponents by kicking a soccer ball (or Chu Chu) into a goal and a new battle system allowing players to kill each other – something not possible in the regular game. The game is still played from a third-person perspective and requires you to use items such as armor, tools and weapons to get through the various quests. There are however more weapons at your disposal in version 2 – just don’t get caught napping, because if an evil beastie should happen to creep up on you from behind you’ll be killed, leaving all your wonderful weapons back on Ragol while you respawn back on Pioneer.
Sega has yet to announce weather the Dreamcast version will be compatible with the GameCube version. Though, a poorly written press release (in addition to more recent announcements) from E3 did indicate as much, “Sega is striving to the realization of global network entertainment.” Besides, Yuji Naka himself has hinted that the GameCube is the console of choice for Sonic Team fans. Now that truly is good news, right?
Nikki “bluehedgehog” Scothron Hopes to see the blue hedgehog make a GameCube appearance.
Source:Sega Web