Check out Phantasy Star Portable 2 now!
Phantasy Star Portable is expected to release in America on March 3, 2009. Phantasy Star Portable is set between Episode 1 and Episode 2, filling in the gaps of what was left off. Phantasy Star Portable adds two new characters into the story, Vivienne and Helga Neumann. Lets now take a look at new information that has been posted on the japanese site.
Story Mode and Multi Mode
Phantasy Star Portable comes in two modes: Story Mode and Multi Mode. In Story Mode you will play an original storyline alongside Vivienne. Whichever actions you take throughout the story will result in different endings. Story Mode will also include famous voice actors for each character and beautiful dramatic movie scenes.
In Multi Mode, you can have up to 4 people in a party. Unfortunately, Phantasy Star Portable will only allow ad-hoc mode, which currently isn't a very effective choice here in the U.S. However, if you do plan to import this game, please check out X-Link for PSP.
Types
Phantasy Star Portable starts you off with 3 basic "types" or otherwise known as classes. You will be able to choose your type at the character creation screen. The first 3 types are Hunter, Ranger, and Force. After some playthrough, you can then achieve advanced types which are:
- FighMaster: Specializes in Meelee
- GunMaster: Specializes in Guns
- MasterForce: Specializes in Technics
- AcroMaster: Specializes in Speed and One Handed Weapons
- Protranser: Specializes in Traps
Certain weapons will tend to drop more based on what the leader's type is.
Races and Types
Phantasy Star Portable features four races, they are Human, Beast, Cast, and Newman. One cool thing about Phantasy Star Portable unlike other MMORPGs, is that no matter which race you choose, you can pick any class you want. Though choosing a class not specified for your race will make the game harder, you can still survive at higher levels.
- Best Classes for Beast: Hunter, FighMaster
- Best Classes for Cast: Ranger, GunMaster
- Best Classes for Human: Protranser, AcroMaster
- Best Classes for Newman: Force, MasterForce
Missions and Lobbies
The biggest difference compared to the console version is the lobbies. In Phantasy Star Portable, lobbies are now on a map screen. You can just select where to shop and quickly start missions faster than ever before.
Phantasy Star Portable will also provide a special website to download missions. These missions will appear on the mission select screen.
My Room
My Room will not be customizable as it was on the console version. Instead, it will feature a logbook of monsters and items you have collected. It will also include a dictionary and mission history screen.
The dictionary will explain a a brief synopsis of the characters, items, and storylines that exist within the Phantasy Star Universe Saga.
While playing through the game, a "title" can be obtained by acquiring certain conditions. Having a "title" can help boost experience points, rare drop rates, money, and even boost photon art leveling. At the bottom right corner of the screenshot, you will see the percentages of what has been boosted.
Each monster you fight gets added to the monster logbook. It will display how many monsters of each type that you have killed. My Room also includes a weapon logbook of each weapon you have acquired with a picture and description of it.
You can purchase a certain item that will evolve your partner machinery into a different model including this model already featured in Ambition of Illuminus.
New Bosses
Bil Degoras
Phantasy Star Portable introduces the new Boss named "Bil Degoras". This horned beast is found somewhere in the caves of Moatoob. When it strikes the ground, small creatures will arise from the earth to attack!
Helga
You will fight Helga in her SEED form. But what is her special relationship with the SEED?
Vivienne!?
A shocking twist! Vivienne can also be a boss depending on your actions in story mode. Watch out for her SUV attack!
Weapon System
PSUPedia has compiled a list of new weapons that will appear in the game. These weapons are currently exclusive to the portable version. With all the weapons and items included from both Phantasy Star Universe and its expansion pack, this game will have the most items available.
Rare Drops
Rare items now drop to all players in Multi-Mode. If you are hunting for a certain rare weapon, you will not need to worry if someone else gets your item. All party members will get the same item! Also enemies and boxes will only drop weapons and shields, including photon art disks. To make things even easier, you will no longer need to find materials to synthesize weapons.
Weapon Grinding
The grind system allows you to upgrade the strength of a weapon that you have. In portable, you will no longer ever fail a weapon. Instead, the strength and PP that is added to a weapon is now randomized.
[via JP Phantasy Star Portable Site Translation w/banken and Espio Kaos Translations of Shougai PSO]
For the past few months, the words "maybe" and "unconfirmed" have caused quite a stir, but it seems Sega may be considering Phantasy Star Portable for an international release. There are no details yet on the changes that may take place including if the game will support Wi-Fi play for US and EU players.
