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The Official Phantasy Star Zero Thread (US)

Blueblur1

Member
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The first true sequel to the award-winning Phantasy Star Online, Phantasy Star Zero is an online RPG for the DS that brings back everything fans loved about PSO. From the reintroduction of timed combat, the revival of the small robotic creatures known as Mags, and free, global online play from anywhere in the world - Phantasy Star Zero is back to break some barriers, and is the game that PSO fans have been clamoring after for years.

Players can create their own custom characters and take them through both offline and online adventures. Trade items with your friends, take on challenging missions, or see if you can collect all the extra titles and hidden items that PSZ offers to the most dedicated of explorers - there are rares aplenty to be found, but you'll need to work together if you want to find them all and complete your collection.

As Day Dawns over the planet, the adventurers set forth in a journey filled with challenges, teamwork, and lots of red boxes.

Welcome - to The Whole New World.

TITLE | Phantasy Star Zero
PLATFORM | Nintendo DS
GENRES | Role-Playing / Action
DEVELOPER | Sega
PUBLISHER | Sega
OFFICIAL WEBSITE | http://www.sega.com/ps0/
NUMBER OF PLAYERS | 1-4

RELEASE DATES:
US: November 12th, 2009 / EU: February 12th, 2010 / JP: December 25th, 2008

RATINGS:
ESRB: E+10 (Everyone 10 and older)​

STORY.png

Phantasy Star Zero takes place on an alternate Earth 200 years after the "Great Blank," a massive war that has reduced the once-prosperous civilization to almost nothing. The sole surviving Humans have worked hard to exist peacefully and have built thriving Cities. The Humans that adventure past the outskirts of these cities, called Hunters, explore the vast wilderness and hunt dangerous monsters to keep the cities safe.

As players explore further, they will unravel the mystery of the "Great Blank" and discover a dangerous new force that must be stopped. As humans began to repopulate the land, CASTs are found waking up across the planet from a long sleep - meanwhile, a mysterious third race descends from the stars... the truth about Earth, and the events that once shook the land, is set to unfold.

CLASSES.png

The 14 character types in Phantasy Star Zero are built in the same way as Phantasy Star Online character classes. They also share much the same strength and weakness differences as in Phantasy Star Online. When it comes to weapons, classes are grouped by Combat type (HU, RA, FO) and race (Human, Newman, Cast) only. Gender has not been shown to be a main issue with weapons. Class combination sets are grouped in the same manner in-game, using the two letter codes displayed below before each class. The first letter corresponds to character race (Human, Newman, and Cast), second letter corresponds with the job type (Hunter, Ranger, Force).

Did you know? Phantasy Star uses a handful of abbreviations when referring to the various character statitics. The abbreviations are mentioned below when the different stats are first mentioned. If you'd like to familiarize yourself with them, see the Glossary below the Misc./Updates banner.​

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HH - HUmar (Human Male) and HUmarl (Human Female)
HUmar and HUmarl characters are pretty much average when it comes to the Hunter classes. They lack the specialized Strength and Accuracy of a Cast, and the specialized Tech Power (TP) and Photon Points (PP) of a Newman. They do decent enough stats to be a suitable choice for a beginner player, though. Along with the five basic Techs (Foie, Barta, Zonde, Resta, and Anti), the 'Buff' techs Shifta and Deband are in the Hunter arsenal. Allowing them to further improve their strong Attack Power (ATP) and Defense Power (DFP).

Human Hunters have a wide range of usable weapons, most Melee weapons, Wands and Slicers from the Force collection, a large number of Handguns, and a decent number of Gunslashes and Mechguns.

NH - HUnewm (Newman Male) and HUnewearl (Newman Female)
Newman Hunters are the weakest physically of the Hunters having low HP, ATP, and DFP. They make up for it by having the highest Evade stat of any class, and high TPand PP stats -- superior to any class that isn't a Force. Newman Hunters, like all other Newman classes, have the useful PP regeneration race ability. Like with the Human Hunters, Newmans carry the same set of Techniques. The advantage they have over their Human Hunter counterparts is that higher TP stat HUnewms and HUnewearl have makes their Techniques more potent.

They have access to most of the same weapons as a Human Hunter, but without the non-handgun ranged weapons. They gain a lot more access to Rods than any other non-Force.

CH - HUcast (Cast Male) and HUcaseal (Cast Female)
Cast Hunters have the strongest physical (HP, ATP, DFP) stats of any class. But with the amazing upside comes the worst PP, Evade, and TP of any class. However, those stats are not the bread and butter of the Hunter. So they don't suffer too much except for the lower Evade stat. Casts cannot use Techniques, so the low TP isn't too much of a hindrance. Casts can buy and set Traps, which no other race is able to do. They also have permanent Trap Vision which allows them to see all traps on the field at all times. Furthermore, as Casts they have the unique HP regeneration race ability.

Cast Hunters have access to most melee weapons but also can wield a fair amount of Rifles from the Ranged weapons category along with standard handguns. They can also equip Wands and Slicers like the other Hunters, but their stats make those weapons less valuable.​

powerrangers.png

HR - RAmar (Human Male) and RAmarl (Human Female)
Humans carry the more balanced stats as Rangers just as they do as Hunters. Attack Accuracy (ATA) is the most important stat for Rangers, and while Humans aren't as accurate as their robot compatriots, they are better than Newmans. Their PP stat is higher than you would expect, but this is to handle the use of Photon Arts. And their HP, ATP, and DFP stats are better than those of Force characters, TP is better than Casts's TP. As far as stats are concerned, the Human Rangers are not much to look at. Unlike the Hunters, Rangers can use the 'Debuff' Techniques Jellen and Zalure, instead of the 'Buff' Techniques, along with with the standard Attack and Healing Techniques..

They can wield a vast arsenal of Ranged weapons, with Sabers and Spears making up their melee arsenal. They can also use Wands and some Slicers, but the stats make those a questionable choice.

CR - RAcast (Cast Male) and RAcaseal (Cast Female)
Sporting the Highest Accuracy in the game, Cast Rangers will be most likely to hit their marks. They also have superior HP, ATP, and DFP than the fleshy Human Rangers have. However, they are not much better than Human Rangers as they have very low Evade, Tech Power (TP), and Photon Points (PP) (better than Hunter Casts, however). What they lack in Techniques, like all Casts, they make up with having access to Traps, Trap Vision, and HP regeneration. Despite the low stats, they do carry the highest combined stats at the start of the game.

Cast Rangers have access to the same weapon choices that their human counterparts do, except they gain a few more Shields to use.​

the-force-is-strong-with-this-one.png

FH - FOmar (Human Male) and FOmarl (Human Female)
Forces have low stats in pretty much every category. Human Forces would have the lowest stats if it weren't for the fact that Newman Forces's stats are even lower. Their HP, ATP, DFP, and Attack Accuracy (ATA) are all really low. However, Photon Points (PP), Evade, and Tech Power (TP) stats are all much higher than every other class. Also, they have access to the highest level Techniques and all Techniques in the game.

Weapon wise, they don't get that many options. They have full access to Force weapons (for the most part), along with Sabers, Handguns, and Mechguns, as well as a few Daggers and Shields. Males get boosted power to Foie, Barta, and Zonde spells (120%). While Females get a boost to Grants (125%) and Resta (130%).

FN - FOnewm (Newman Male) and FOnewearl (Newman Female)
Newman Forces carry the lowest HP, ATP, DFP, and ATA in the game. However, they have the highest Tech Power (TP), great PP, and decent Evade stats especially at higher levels. Like Human Forces, they have access to every Technique up to the highest levels. They also benefit from having Newman TP regeneration. So if you're patient after clearing a room you can restore yourself some power to keep on casting Techniques in later rooms.

They also suffer from having the most limited weapon list outside of their own Force weapons. While the Sabers and Handguns are there, along with some Daggers and Shields, they lose the Human Force's collection of Mechguns. This is not to say they are useless. Males get the decent boost to every attack Tech (115% across the board), but suffer a limited power Resta (70%). Females carry a Megid to match FOmarl's Grants (125%), and the same boost to Resta (130%).​

Get a head start on creating your character! Here are some of the possible outfit combinations that are available in Phantasy Star Zero!

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917571-psz01.jpg
917572-psz02_super.jpg
917568-psz25.jpg

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VIDEOS.png

TGS 2008 Debut trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwURS67Kwoo&feature=related
Game Videos 'TGS 2008' clip: http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/22005
IGN TGS 2008 'Slay the Beast' clip: http://ds.ign.com/dor/objects/14279.../videos/tgs_off3_phantasystar0_02_101108.html
IGN TGS 2008 'Dominate' clip: http://ds.ign.com/dor/objects/14279.../videos/tgs_off3_phantasystar0_01_101108.html
Japanese Battle Gameplay: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-battle-phantasy-star/43987
TGS 08: Dragon Gameplay (Cam): http://www.gametrailers.com/video/tgs-08-phantasy-star/41155
Phantasy Star Zero - TGS 08 Conference Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYPz_odBArA
Phantasy Star Zero - TGS 08 Conference Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tM6_sR-STTU
Japanese Intro: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-intro-phantasy-star/43965
Character trailer w/ theme song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5VC0y1YrFY
Famitsu trailer: http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/1220412_1124.html
Japanese 'With Friends' Commercial: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-with-phantasy-star/43885
Japanese 'Online' Commercial: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-online-phantasy-star/43888
Japanese 'Theme Song' Commercial: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/japanese-theme-phantasy-star/43884


REVIEWS.png

Check out Metacritic's Nintendo DS page for the game. Or you can check these quotes from trusted sources:

Nintendo Power - 8.0 said:
"It's a shame that the developers squandered the chance to really build upon Phantasy Star Online, but there's no denying that when you have a few friends at your side, Phantasy Star 0 is just as much fun as its grandpa used to be."

Famitsu - 8/8/9/8 said:
"... Leveling requires a sizable amount of time... The game's conceived and balanced under the idea that you'll spending a lot of time on it, searching for rare items and so on."

"The game's simple to control and the battles are high-tempo," and although "it feels like the volume is a little on the low side..."

"The game's real value shines...it really feels like an online game in the palm of your hand."
Credit: 1up.com


Cheat Code Central - 4.7 out of 5 said:
Easy online access, fulfilling single-player experience. Fun action with RPG elements makes the hunt for gear in an interesting world a real treat. If you own a DS and you care about quality entertainment, then you need this game.

FAQ.png

Q. What really makes this a successor to PSO?
A. Unlike Phantasy Star Universe, Phantasy Star Zero keeps most of PSO's elements intact. PSZ's timed combat system works just as it did in PSO using Standard and Heavy Attacks. PSZ also uses the 6 button PSO customizable palette, features the return of MAGs and Telepipes, uses many of the classic PSO sound effects and uses the same color coded item drops that allow players to quickly identify if a weapon or consumable item dropped.

Q. What's up with the release date?
A. Currently, most websites are listing November 12th as the release date. Amazon lists November 10th as the release which may just be the ship date. I will update the thread as soon as more info is available.

Q. How does death work?
A. Answer coming soon.

Q. Can I customize my character?
A. Yes, but character customization is limited unfortunately. At the outset of your adventure, you can pick between 4 clothing options, 4 hairstyle/headgear options, 4 hair color options, and 8 sets of voice samples. Fortunately, weapons will help make your character stand out and there are plenty to collect.

Q. Can I set the height and weight of my character?
A. Unfortunately, you cannot.

Q. Can I change my character class if I'm unhappy with it?
A. No, PSZ does not allow you to change classes. For example, once you've created a HUmar, you are stuck with that HUmar unless you decide to create a new character from scratch.

Q. How many characters can I make?
A. You can make up to 3 characters per PSZ cartridge.

Q. Is there a level cap?
A. Yes, the level cap is Level 100. Furthermore, Techniques cap at Level 15.

Q. How many weapons are there?
A. Over 350 unique weapons according to Sega. Many of the weapons make the the standard line of specific weapon types. For example, the initial saber weapon is called a Saber, which is followed by the slightly stronger Buster, which is then followed by the even stronger Brand saber weapon.

Q. How does cooperative play work?
A. Players can play together in maximum party of 4 online using Nintendo Wifi Connection free of charge or locally via ad-hoc play. Online mode lets you play in two ways. With friends whose Friend Codes you have registered or with other players without having registered their Friend Codes. But you will not be able to communicate with strangers outside of a few preset messages. Visual Chat is available, however, when playing with registered Friends.

Q. Is online play restricted to specific regions?
A. "Online play will be completely region free. If you're using a JP version and I'm using my US copy, we can play together fully without restriction. In addition, if you had a really awesome weapon or item you wanted to trade me, it will automatically translate it into my language when you show it to me." -RubyEclipse, SoA employee

Q. Are there multiple difficulty levels like in the previous PSO games
A. Yes, PSZ features 3 difficulty levels: Normal, Hard, and Super Hard.

Q. I watched some videos. Why aren't the enemies dropping loot?
A. PSZ takes a different approach to loot/item drops. The game's stages play out through a series of small 'rooms' and once each room is cleared of enemies an item chest appears.

Q. Can someone take all the item drops if they choose to be a greedy troll?
A. No. All item drops are unique to each player. What may appear on your screen as a simple Monomate healing item may be a Sword weapon on another player's screen. All the items that drop that you see on your screen are yours and only yours. And the same can be said for the other players.

Q. Can I replay the Story Mode on a harder difficulty?
A. Yes, you can.

Q. Is co-operative play available for the Story Mode?
A. No, co-op play is limited to online and ad-hoc play modes where Story Quests are unavailable.​

MISC.png


PLAY WITH GAF
Check out the Phantasy Star Zero Friend Code Exchange/Online thread in the Online forum. Join up with fellow GAF'ers and start picking some sweet rares a.s.a.p!



GLOSSARY
Hunters: As in PSO, all the classes are generally known to be Hunters. In PSO, the Hunters Guild provided jobs to all Hunters who were classified into three classes with different fighting styles: Melee (Hunters), Ranged (Rangers), and Magic (Forces).
Hunter class: This class focuses on melee combat and have access to all melee weapons available in the game. They often have high ATP and DFP stats regardless of their race.
Ranger class: This class focuses on ranged combat and have access to all ranged weapons available in the game. Their most important stat is ATA. They come in two flavors: Casts have no access to Techniques but have higher accuracy while Human Rangers are the opposite.
Force class: This class focuses on magic spells known as Techniques. They have access to all Technique-boosting weapons (that also perform weak melee attacks). Forces rely on their MST stat and are known to be frail (low DFP).

HP: Hit Points, because even you life is measure in points.
PP: Photon Points, these points make up each character PP Gauge that is consumed when the player performs Photon Arts or casts Techniques.
ATP: Attack Power, bigger numbers means your stronger. Bigger = Better. ALWAYS.
DFP: Defense Power, the bigger the number the harder it is to get 'em to fall.
ATA: Attack Accuracy, missing the broad side of a barn is only the start of your worries in PSZ.
TP: Tech Power, the bigger the TP stat the more damage your Techniques will do.
Evade: Evade, the higher this stats is the higher chance that your character will block an enemy attack thus evading damage.
Techniques: Spells, in the world of Phantasy Star everything needs a fancy naming convention. Well, almost.
Photon Arts: Special attacks that consume PP when performed. Photon Arts are not learned. They come attached to weapon drops but not all weapons have a Photon Art ability. They cannot be leveled up either. They referred to as PAs for short.

Foie: Fire spell that launches a single fireball toward an enemy.
Barta: Ice spell that launches a sheet of ice along the ground toward an enemy. Can hit multiple enemies in a row.
Zonde: Lightning spell that summons a single lightning bolt to strike an enemy.
Shifta: 'Buff' spell that raises a player's ATP for a short amount of time.
Deband: 'Buff' spell that raises a player's DFP for a short amount of time.
Jellen: 'Debuff' spell that lowers a targeted enemy's ATP for a short period of time.
Zalure: 'Debuff' spell that lowers a targeted enemy's DFP for a short period of time.
Resta: Support spell that restores some of the caster's HP.

UPDATES:
This thread is a work in progress. If there's anything you'd like to see here that isn't mentioned below, please PM me.

- 11/22/09 06:04PM EST - Added a image/link to the exchange thread and new review
- 11/07/09 10:57AM EST - 4 Questions added to F.A.Q. section.
- 11/05/09 04:00PM EST - Thread posted.

COMING SOON:
- More Reviews

Thanks to kiryogi, and Dani for their contributions. And thanks to TheFallen for making a great Borderlands thread that served as the template for this thread.
thanks4.png
 
Hey, you can customize your character's voice, too, right?

Looking forward to this game. Unfortunately, I don't have WiFi access where I live, so no online for me :(
 

Blueblur1

Member
Cosmo Clock 21 said:
Hey, you can customize your character's voice, too, right?

Looking forward to this game. Unfortunately, I don't have WiFi access where I live, so no online for me :(
Yes, there will be a handful of voice samples to choose from. There are 8 in the Japanese version but there's no telling if there will be that many in the US version.

kiryogi said:
Prequel actually.
I won't lie. That blurb wasn't written by me but by Sega of America. *shrug*
 

Gospel

Parmesan et Romano
Very informative.

My first Phantasy Star Online game was Episode I and II on the Gamecube but before I got to play it, the disc cracked :(

Since registering for BlueBurst is a pain, this should suffice:D
 

OMG Aero

Member
Oh man, I loved PSO so much, I'm going to buy the fuck out of this game.
The online isn't region restricted or anything is it? I might get the US version instead of waiting for the European one.
 

Blueblur1

Member
OMG Aero said:
Oh man, I loved PSO so much, I'm going to buy the fuck out of this game.
The online isn't region restricted or anything is it? I might get the US version instead of waiting for the European one.
RubyEclipse said:
I can confirm two things:

1: Phantasy Star Zero will have online mode, and it will be free.

2: Online play will be completely region free. If you're using a JP version and I'm using my US copy, we can play together fully without restriction. In addition, if you had a really awesome weapon or item you wanted to trade me, it will automatically translate it into my language when you show it to me.

Cheers!
RubyEclipse is a Sega of America employee.
 

modeps

Neo Member
I completely forgot that this was coming out... I love PSO. Please be as much like that as possible... even with worse graphics.
 
Beautiful OP! I can't believe it is finally coming out in the US. I wasn't much of a fan of PSU, but loved PSO so I am guessing I will enjoy this.
 

Sagitario

Member
I've never played a PS game, so... this game is useless for me if I don't plan to do any cooperative/multiplayer stuffs?
 

Lindsay

Dot Hacked
$35 price tag sucks so I'm pretty far from sold on this.

Blueblur1 said:
Q. Can I customize my character?
A. Unfortunately, character customization is limited. At the outset of your adventure, you can pick between 4 clothing options, 4 hairstyle/headgear options, and 4 hair color options. Fortunately, weapons will help make your character stand out and there are plenty to collect.

Q. Can I set the height and weight of my character?
A. Unfortunately, you cannot.

barf -_-

Q. How many weapons are there?
A. Over 350 unique weapons according to Sega.

How "unique" are these? Like are they just rehashed from PS/PSO/PSU/etc or a good number of them *new* new?


edit: I assume you can't freely change classes like in PSU/PS:p and that the class ya choose is stuck to your character from start to end?

And on that note how many characters can you have?
 

kiryogi

Banned
Farore said:
I've never played a PS game, so... this game is useless for me if I don't plan to do any cooperative/multiplayer stuffs?

Well, if you like offline dungeon crawling. There's like a 100 floor dungeon that's available offline only.
 

Teknoman

Member
I have no idea what class I want to be this time around. Im usually some kinda CAST.

I will be picking this up day 1 though.
 

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
Interested in this, but honestly the DS's 3D mode is so terrible. :/
 

Blueblur1

Member
I'm very glad to see the positive responses. I hope you guys enjoy the OP. I worked hard on it and I plan on adding more content soon. :)
 
PSO EP 1&2 was one of my favorite games ever. PSU however left such a nasty taste in my mouth that I am very reluctant to try again.

I will wait for a good amount of impressions before I decide on PS0. I skimmed through the JP thread but outside of a few eccentric "just like PSO" opinions there wasn't much. If a ton of other players say the same thing I will bite, but I'd like some more level headed sounding opinions first.

Very good job on the OP by the way :)
 

kiryogi

Banned
bengraven said:
I have to admit, as WRPG-ho as I am sometimes, PSU for the PSP was fantastic.

I wish the PSP got this. :(

Look forward to PSP2, it's even better. :D Not take away from the PSZ love here. Tho I admit, I tried playing it last night and urgh so stiff XD So prefer the free/floatiness of PSU. XD
 

Gospel

Parmesan et Romano
For those of you have already played the Japanese version, how long are some of the dungeons/ fields on average?

I'm curious to see just how long I plan to spend playing this online
 

GhostSeed

Member
Surgeon Rocket said:
For those of you have already played the Japanese version, how long are some of the dungeons/ fields on average?

I'm curious to see just how long I plan to spend playing this online

I put about 17 hours into the game offline playing through the story mode.
 
Great thread :) I haven't got that much Phantasy Star experience. I have Phantasy Star Portable for the PSP and while I enjoyed what I played of it, it got pretty repetitive in terms of enemies and location. Is the gameplay in this one a lot different? I plan on picking it up soon but am undecided whether to day one it or not.
 

Gospel

Parmesan et Romano
GhostSeed said:
I put about 17 hours into the game offline playing through the story mode.

Only 17 hours? I mean, how long were some of the dungeons?

This might turn into a not-day 1.
 

bounchfx

Member
finally. been waiting a year for the US version of thise ;( (localization is fucking stupid to take so long)

and I still stand by the fact that it looks better than it's PSP counterpart.
 

GhostSeed

Member
Surgeon Rocket said:
Only 17 hours? I mean, how long were some of the dungeons?

This might turn into a not-day 1.

That 17 hours was just the main quest on the default difficulity. I still haven't done all the side quests (there are a lot) or even the 100 level dungeon. I don't really remeber how long the dungeons were but if your a fan of PSO I can't recommend this game enough. It's everything I loved about PSO but in portable form.

TheSeks said:
Interested in this, but honestly the DS's 3D mode is so terrible. :/

To be fair it has some of the best 3D graphics I've seen on the DS.
 

Lindsay

Dot Hacked
Added a link to this thread to my AotI one (not that anyone cares about that anymore)!

Now answer my questions pleeeassseee!

bounchfx said:
and I still stand by the fact that it looks better than it's PSP counterpart.

Why would you say that??
 

GhostSeed

Member
Lindsay said:
How "unique" are these? Like are they just rehashed from PS/PSO/PSU/etc or a good number of them *new* new?

I'm not sure I haven't played PSO since the first GC release. In the Japanese versions there were codes you could use to unlock special themed weapons though.

edit: I assume you can't freely change classes like in PSU/PS:p and that the class ya choose is stuck to your character from start to end?

I'm pretty sure your stuck but I'll double check on that later.

And on that note how many characters can you have?

I think 3.
 

Lindsay

Dot Hacked
GhostSeed said:
I'm not sure I haven't played PSO since the first GC release. In the Japanese versions there were codes you could use to unlock special themed weapons though.

That sounds kinda silly and knowing how Segac treated PS:p lets hope they didn't remove these codes lol

I'm pretty sure your stuck but I'll double check on that later.

I think 3.

Just 3???? 1 HU, 1 RA, 1 FO or 1 human, 1 newman, 1 cast thats what they were getting at huh? Thats wayyyy awful if you've been spoiled by PSU like I have -_-! Is there an easy/anyway to share items between characters?

Short of a nice sale or bomba this is looking more and more like a do not want/ask for as a present game for me >.<
 
Can you play the story mode with friends?

I forget where, but somewhere I read that you can't.

Regardless, I'm so getting this. My wife and I will have fun with it and will be playing with my brother in law. I so miss those Dreamcast days.
 
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