2 July 2012 | |
iTZKooPA
It’s not everyday that a game is launched on a Wednesday, but that’s exactly what Sega plans to do with Phantasy Star Online 2. Odd tidbit, that’ll make the sci-fi hack-n-slash MMORPG the first MMOG to share its birthday with Amer’ca. The currently running and final beta test will end tomorrow, July 3 at 11:00 AM to make way for the final build to launch on July 4 at 2:00 PM.
The beta-to-launch swap isn’t the only activity on July 3. Starting at 3:00 PM, players will be able to begin purchasing items from the cash shop using the free-to-play game’s in-game currency, Arcs Cash. Sega will be launching a boxed edition in September that will include the installer, download codes for five original weapons and a “Mag Evolution Device.”
Tooting its own horn, Sega wrapped the announcements by disclosing that PSO2 crossed half a million registered players on June 21 and maxed out at 80,000 simultaneous connections. According to Sega, that makes PSO2 the largest beta test in Japanese history.
Sadly, an international release was not discussed for any of the four platforms – PC, iOS, Android and PSVita.
Catch the all-new trailer celebrating the announcement and shots of the package after the break. Continue Reading
19 June 2012 | |
iTZKooPA
Sega decided to give LoreHound a taste of its own medicine in the most recent beta test for Phantasy Star Online 2. The latest round focuses on story elements in the sci-fi hack-n-slash MMORPG, allowing players to rub shoulders with the main NPCs of the first four chapters.
Our Japanese remains rusty, so information on the newly unveiled story elements is…elusive. That being said, expect an update to this post once a credible translation is located.
In other, likely more exciting, news Sega recently announced that Phantasy Star Online 2 will be heading to its open beta phase June 21. That’s just a few days away. To guarantee an invite players are required to sign up on the Japanese PSO2 page. This can be quite difficult, but one of our readers dug up a guide that’s still relevant. If you’re starving for a scifi MMOG like this gamer, then be sure to sign up and I’ll see you this weekend.
Hit the jump for access to the latest batch of screenshots from the latest closed beta session.
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13 June 2012 | |
iTZKooPA
Phantasy Star Online 2 beta was back in action recently, this time taking players to snowy environments of the planet Naberius with beasts to match. The latest screenshots dumps showcases the icy environments, beasts of legend and designer creation, group dynamics and combat, the standard UI, chat, targeting and tech.
Be sure to hit the jump for our full selection of must see screens from the latest beta.
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5 June 2012 | |
iTZKooPA
Phantasy Star Online 2 has been under beta testing and while normally LoreHound is all over such activities, the game remains locked in Japanese. Being an avid player of the original title, I’ve been keeping as close an eye on the details as possible. During my Internet sleuthing, I came across a collection of screenshots from the most recent beta session.
Hit the jump below for a smorgasbord of environments, monsters, battles and, of course, customized characters.
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25 April 2011 | |
iTZKooPA
Sega is largely attributed with tethering consoles to the Internet way, way back in 2000. The company’s final hardware platform, Dreamcast, came with a built in modem, the first to do so, allowing companies to put titles online. Sega spun-off its turn-based dungeon crawling series, Phantasy Star, in to an MMORPG known as Phantasy Star Online. The spin-off traded the slow turn-based battle mechanics for real-time hack-and-slash mayhem. The science fiction setting, loot collecting and dungeon crawling all remained integrated with a strong focal point on exploration (for more loot!).
I forgot to mention it in my “Know Thy Blogger (updated)” post, but the seminal console MMOG hooked me. I didn’t just play the two Dreamcast versions (it was how the harddrive-less console MMOG did a content patch). Nope, that wasn’t enough. I had to re-play the game when it was relaunched on the GameCube in 2002. I went to such lengths as to find not one, but two of the fabled and ultra rare GameCube broadband adapters (what if it broke?!). By the time the final content patch came out as a PC digital exclusive, Blue Burst, I had had my fill of the sci-fi Diablo. Even if I didn’t, I can still play my online character in Offline Mode (which lead to all sorts of hacks and cheats, ultimately ruining the game for many).
And now Sega, without much competition in the sci-fi MMOG section, is attempting to drag me back in. Full details and media after the jump. Continue Reading
