[DS] Phantasy Star ZERO

Official site JP http://phantasystar.sega.jp/pszero/outline/

Release date: Winter 2008 (JP)

Support players 1-4 via Nintendo Wi-Fi and LAN

Borrows heavily from the PSO series.

Quote:

(Quote from PSO-World)

A brand new title in the Phantasy Star series was just announced by SEGA.

Entitled Phantasy Star ZERO, this will be the series' first outing on the Nintendo DS. ZERO is said to be a new part of the Phantasy Star Online series, and will feature a single-player story mode as well as multi-player online through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection and local area networks (both up to four players). Multi modes will allow for communication through visual chat, which allows players to draw their own artwork or write their own text for their teammates to see.

Keeping in touch with its apparent predecessor, Phantasy Star Online, Phantasy Star ZERO will have the return of many race/job combos from PSO. This includes a few such as RAcast, FOmarl, HUmar and HUcaseal, but a few newcomers have also been noticed such as the HUnewm and HUmarl. Furthermore, this new title will feature many new areas and lobbies to explore. Three such areas include the Glacea Ravine, Riou Snowfields and the Ozett Swamp. Information is a bit scarce on this new title, but we can expect to see more details in the coming months, as ZERO is slated for a Japanese release this winter.

Quote:

(Quote from Kotaku)

The game's characters are designed by Toshiyuki Kubooka (THE iDOLM@STER, Lunar), and the scenario is mystery novel writer Teru Arai and former PSO quest honcho Tooru Shiwasu.

Quote:

(quote from PSO-world's Espio Kaos)

* NeoGAF's assumption of this being a new part of the PSO series is a bit off. I guess it can't really be confirmed one way or the other, but all the article says is that ZERO is an entirely new game that "borrows heavily from PSO." No mention at all of a direct connection to PSO (as in a sequel or prequel).
* There will be a single-player story mode.
* The game will support up to four players both online (via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection) and through local area connections.
* Visual chat is basically an in-game version of Pictochat. (In fact, it's actually called "Pictochat" in the screenshots.)
* Your chat options include "chat" for writing out text and "symbol" for drawing pictures. (It's not confirmed, but I assume you'll be able to save a certain number of your drawings as shortcuts. After putting as much time into them as some of the examples show, I'd hope so.)
* Chat can be used in the fields and in lobbies. It appears that lobby actions will also return (notice HUmar dude jumping with his right finger in the air in the city picture).
* Three fields have been named: Glaceas Ravine, Riou Snowfield and Ozett Swamp.
* One boss was revealed, a dragon known as Rayburn.
* New features will be added to the battle system, one of which is a chain system. No details are given, however.
* The bottom screen will display your HP and PP (I assume this works just like TP did in PSO), action pallet (it appears that the R button will swap to a second pallet), map, chat options and your teammates' HP. You can press the start button to access the menu, and there's also your little connection strength indicator for online/wireless play.
* Scheduled to be released in Japan some time this winter.

There is no mention of how it connects to previous Phantasy Star titles. No mention of what star system it takes place in of what planet(s) it takes place on. Character creation is alluded to, but only by a hysterical ("Will you be able to create your own character as the hero!?") screenshot comment.

Magazine Scans:

Spoiler:

I enjoy playing PSO BB on the private servers, and playing a PSO game on the DS sounds fun, so I'll probably get it.

Trailer

Gametrailers.com - Phantasy Star Zero - Japanese Debut Trailer

Looks like combat is a combination of PSO and PSU. Character customization is more PSO style due to hardware.

And there is fucking dodge roll for once. Hell yes.

Anime cutscenes are done by Gonzo like they did with Lunar 1 and 2. Looks good so far.

Music sounds good so far.

Looks great. I will definitely pick this up whenever it comes out here.

I really hope that party members can go wherever they want and not be forced to sit in the same zone til everyone else is ready to continue. Especially problematic if someone has to leave suddenly for a long while. Probably not too bad though I guess.

Honestly, I'm not liking the character designs so much. A lot of the classes don't have that futuristic-PSO look to them...and yes I know its not really PSO, and only a spin-off.

Loving the chat options. Going to make a lot of them.

I was very skeptical of this game at first, mostly because Phantasy Star Portable been released (which is crazy fun, especially with friends) and PSP's graphics were great. In still shots, PS0 looks terrible, but in motion it actually looks pretty good.

I didn't realize this was going to be a new property; that makes this game even more attractive. I really digging the character designs, but I also like the iDOLM@STER designs as well. The characters designs match the vibrant color schemes used for this game (in contrast to Platinum Games/Sega's other big DS RPG, Infinite Space).

The website says that it will take place on "Earth" and "the Moon", and that there will be 3 races and 14 classes. It also stresses that this game is a completely new work. It's the beginning of its own universe.

I'm not sure what they mean by saying they want to "go back to the original work." Surely they aren't talking about the original Phantasy Star. They must mean Phantasy Star Online, as it has much more in common with that.

TGS demo footage

Gametrailers.com - Phantasy Star Zero - TGS 08: Dragon Gameplay (Cam)

Ok, is it some trend that GT staff members dunno how to combo in melee combat? Both this video and Fragile's had the characters swinging their weapons ONCE every time instead of a combo of slashes. Barely saw any combat in this video from the character in control.