Phantasy Star Zero rises in NA, Europe

Arguably Sega's biggest title shown at the Tokyo Game Show in October was Yakuza 3, the fourth installment in the publisher's Japanese underground crime drama. However, Sega also made room for the newest installment in its long-running Phantasy Star franchise, Phantasy Star Zero for the Nintendo DS.

While the publisher was quick to date the title for a December 25 release in Japan, no mention was made of an international release. That changed today, however, as Sega officially announced that Phantasy Star Zero will be released for the DS in both Europe and North America in fall 2009.

The Western editions of Phantasy Star Zero appear to be very much the same as their Japanese counterpart. Sega said today that Phantasy Star Zero will feature an all-new storyline, one that takes place 200 years after Earth's cataclysmic doomsday war--similar to sentiments expressed to GameSpot last year. As humanity huddles away in its remaining cities, players assume the role of Hunters, whose job it is to explore the outer reaches of the wilderness.

Players will be able to choose from 14 customizable character types, selecting from three different races and a variety of different classes in the process. Sega touts the inclusion of 350 different weapons, as well as an additional range of items and armor.

Phantasy Star Zero features both local and online multiplayer modes. Notably, the game makes use of a Pictochat-style communication interface called Visual Chat. With it, players can communicate with one another by drawing commands that can be stored for ready access in the future.