- (this article seems to be a wikipedia copy and paste. someone familiar with the game please re-write!)
Phantasy Star Portable is a video game for the PlayStation Portable, produced by Sonic Team and developed by Alfa System. It was released for the PlayStation Portable in Japan on July 31, 2008, in North America on March 3, 2009 and in Europe on April 3, 2009.
Phantasy Star Portable is based on Phantasy Star Universe and its latest expansion, Ambition of the Illuminus. The PSP title includes an all-new story mode with added missions and a multiplayer mode that supports local multiplayer cooperative play with up to four players. Two new characters have been introduced since Phantasy Star Universe: Vivienne, a CAST whom the main character teams up with throughout the story, and Helga Neumann, a villain who is responsible for terrorist attacks in the Gurhal system.
Plot[]
After creating the Player’s desired race, avatar and their job, the game begins with Laia congratulating the player on passing the exam to become a full GUARDIAN, one of apparently few to pass due to Laia’s harsh training. Following the conversation the Player must report to the GUARDIANS H.Q. to pick up their license. There they find out, shocked, that Laia shall be accompanying them on their first ever mission now being a full time GUARDIAN. Mina, the receptionist whom gives out all quests and contacts the player during Special Missions, then introduces the player’s partner, Vivienne.
The initial encounter with Vivienne allows the Player to choose between two choices on how to react to meeting with their new partner. Throughout the story there are chances for the Player to pick their reactions during certain moments. The choices are either for the Player to give a silent nod towards Vivienne, of which Laia comments on not “getting shy people.” Or giving Vivienne a handshake, who comments on how it shows a sign of trust and no hostility.
The mission however takes a turn for the worst when the Player and Vivienne encounter a mysterious woman who has appeared in the infected machine area. The Player has the choice of telling Vivienne to get the woman out of the area or to detain her immediately. Either way Vivienne comments on how the woman might be a terrorist. However she manages to get away, leaving the Player, Vivienne and Laia who returns from the control room, to chase after her. By the end of the mission, the mysterious woman has gotten away and everyone reports back to H.Q. to report to Headmaster Nav.
The Player, Laia and Vivienne enter the Conference Room, Laia comments how the Headmaster must be out somewhere until it dawns on her, telling Vivienne to watch her backside. This is when Headmaster Nav appears, apparently showing that he had no bad intentions, and showing that he could be a possible womanizer. Nav congratulates both the Player and Vivienne on their first mission together despite the turn out of the mysterious woman getting away. He is very impressed with the Player on how he or she has passed the three month training with Laia, commenting on how rare few people actually pass. Headmaster Nav is furthered interested in Vivienne, as she is the new advanced CAST created by the GRM company; who acts nothing CAST-like due to the fact that Vivienne does not show the superiority complex that most CASTs have.
After a single Open Mission, the story continues on.
Features[]
Players can create their own character using the following settings: face, face model, eye color, eyebrows, eyelashes, ears, head type, body color, proportion, jacket, pants, shoes, voice type, and voice pitch. Character Creation is said to go even farther than past games. (You can change clothes later on by purchasing and equipping them.)
The retail version includes the option of importing the character created in the demo version of the game as well as two downloadable missions: one allows the exchange of items called "Weapons Badge" for items and weapons and another that consists of a time attack against defeated bosses. At the moment, these two extra missions are only available in the Japanese version of the game. The game also has eight slots for saving characters, opposed to only four in the Playstation 2, PC and Xbox 360 versions.
During character creation the player is allowed to name and choose a type of Partner Machine. These are short CAST robots which are available to join your party throughout the game. Different models aid in different ways, ranging from loyal attacker to healer.
Main Characters[]
- Protagonist - The player character, a GUARDIAN who recently receives his/her license, is assigned Vivienne as a mentor for the new CAST.
- Vivienne - A newly activated prototype CAST created by GRM in Phantasy Star Portable, she is perceived throughout the story as 'different' by other characters because of her build and abilities to express different emotions, as well as analyze different emotions like actual living beings would.
- Helga Neumann - A mysterious woman who seems to be the mastermind, of the terrorism happening in the colony.
Demo[]
On February 5, 2009, the English language demo for North America was released on the PlayStation Store. The North American demo, like the Japanese demo, allows you to level your character up to level 20. Players can choose between three classes: Hunter, Ranger and Force. The four playable races in the demo include Beast, Cast, Human, and Newman. The demo allows players to complete two missions in the Story mode. The game also allows the five multiplayer missions to be played solo, with optional assistance from AI characters. The missions include a battle with De Ragan, an enemy from Phantasy Star Universe. There are C and B variants of this mission. Players can also transfer characters between multiplayer and single-player.
The demo supports uploading save data to the full version of the game from use of the "Import" option on the main menu.
Reception[]
Phantasy Star Portable was the 14th best-selling game of Japan in 2008.
Sequel[]
Due to the game's success, a sequel had been announced. On December 3rd, 2009, Phantasy Star Portable 2 had been released in Japan.
External links[]
- Phantasy Star Portable Official Site (Japanese)
| Playable races | Human - Newman - Beast - CAST |
|---|---|
| Major Characters | Vivienne |
| Supporting Characters | Laia Martinez - Ethan Waber - Karen Erra - Hyuga Ryght - Leogini Berafort - Lou - Maya Shidow - Lucaim Nav - Alfort Tylor - Lumia Waber - Tonnio Rhima - Liina Sukaya - Pete - Kanal Tomrain - Fulyen Curtz - Kou Taragi - Dr. Dorson - Hal - Dohgi Mikuna - Izuma Rutsu - The Vol Brothers |
| Antagonists | Helga Neumann |
| Planets | Guardians Colony - Parum - Neudaiz - Moatoob |
| Locations | Linear Line - HIVE - Raffon Meadow - Train - Plant - RELICS AMF Metro Linear - Ruined City - Mizuraki Conservation District - Islands - Temple - Habirao Forbidden District - Kugu Desert - Mines |