Phantasy Star Online for Dreamcast was a genuine revolution: the first-ever online RPG for consoles, it boasted an advanced translation system, free online play and stacks of action. The GameCube saw Phantasy Star Online: Episodes I & II that expanded the original game with all-new areas, weapons, monsters and quests, but never really took off owing to the inherent difficulty getting the 'Cube online and the introduction of a monthly fee for gamers, and a similar payment problem befell the disappointing Phantasy Star Universe. Since then the series has struggled to fulfil its Dreamcast-era promise, but the all-new Phantasy Star Zero for DS aims to become the ultimate entry in the online offshoot of the PS series. In some ways it delivers, but in others it's sadly lacking.
My name is James Newton, and this is my website - a collection of my writings about
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