Phantasy Star Online Japan Network Mode Hands-On

When "network online RPG" is mentioned, games like Diablo, Ultima Online, or EverQuest come to most gamers' minds. Until recently, console games have been pretty well behind PC games when it comes to this type of gaming experience. Phantasy Star Online leads the way as one of the first online RPGs for a console system. Our latest hands-on impressions are based on the Japanese beta version, called Phantasy Star Online: Trial Version, which boasts about 10,000 users throughout Japan. Take note that this is merely a peek of what's to come.

The game starts out with the character-creation menu, where you are allowed to choose from several playable characters. Each character has a designated occupation, race, and gender. The three occupations are hunter, ranger, and force, and the three races are human, newman, and android. Hunters (of which there are male humans, female newmans, and androids) are warrior-type characters who are best at close-range combat. Hunters typically use lightsabers, swords, and daggers. Rangers (of which a male human and two androids are available) are the game's rogue-type characters, and they mostly use handguns and rifles as their primary weapons, though they can handle swords just as well as hunters can. Last, there is the force class (including a female human and female and male newmans). Forces are mage-type characters who mainly use magical spells called "techniques." Some of the hunters and rangers are capable of using techniques as well, although the hunters and rangers take a longer time to cast spells casting times are longer, and the techniques' effects are generally not as powerful. After selecting a character, you can customize its physical features, including its face, hair, costume, skin color, and proportions This is one of the great features in PSO, because the customization distinguishes your character from the thousands of other characters that inhabit the online world. The author has adventured with dozens of other players and never once has had trouble identifying old party-mates.

Once you have selected a server, you will enter the lobby, where players who are in between games stand by. The lobby is where you start games and chat with potential party members. Upon creating a game, you and your party will start off in the city center, where the medical center, shops, and Hunter's Guild are located. This is also where you will restart if your character happens to die (unless you're resurrected by a spell or an item). After purchasing necessary weapons, armor, and items, you can then descend into the game's various stages by means of the transporter. There are two stages in this version - the forest stage and a cave stage. The final product will consist of several stages, as well as side quests, which will be accessible by registering your character in the Hunter's Guild.

Playing the online mode without the aid of a party initially feels tough, so you'll definitely want at least another player to tag along with you. The trial version we've been playing only allows for online play, but the final product will include an offline mode as well. According to Sonic Team, the trial version's online mode is more difficult than what the final will offer in order to encourage players to form parties. The final version's offline mode will have a lower difficulty level, which gives you the opportunity to level up your characters or brush up on your fighting skills. The game is played through a third-person perspective, and it features a lock-on attack feature, much like Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Aside from being able to execute normal attacks involving weaponry and techniques, you can also execute chain combos and summon monsters to sic on your enemies. The game experience feels similar to the PC title Diablo, as dungeon maps, monsters, and treasure chests are randomly generated. Unique weapons and armor exist, adding much incentive to exploration.

According to Sonic Team, the game engine is 95 percent complete in the beta version. As with the playable version previously available at Sega's Touch & Try Event, no lag was experienced while playing online, even with four players in a party. Although there are still minor bugs and glitches and connection problems, PSO has already proven to be quite an addictive game, in the spirit of Diablo and Ultima Online. The author, in fact, has spent the past few days adventuring with other players from all over Japan and already boasts two characters: a level 17 male human ranger equipped with a "lightning machine gun + 8," and a female android ranger whose career has just begun. Killing those dragons sure is fun!

Phantasy Star Online is scheduled to hit store shelves in Japan this December 21, followed by a North American release in early 2001.