PixlBit

"Adorable Viv!"

So I beat Phantasy Star Portable 1 and left on a high note! The storyline was actually good. I’ve read reviews bagging on the plot and characters but truth be told no one’s performance was exceptionally annoying and the narrative was intriguing enough to keep me invested. Between this and Star Ocean Last Hope I feel as if PSP Portable had the better tale to tell. It never got so epic time traveling to an alternate earth during the 1950’s was involved and it also spared me from most bouts of cheesy emo melodrama which I appreciate. Sometimes keeping a story on point and within its’ own confines makes it more believable and more immersive and that’s definitely the case here. As a Guardian you do what Guardians do without accidentally destroying alternate universes. The stakes are just high enough you feel accomplished yet I never got the impression Helga (The main villainess) succeeding would have been the end of everything as we know it. Sure, things would have gotten “bad” but chances are a distress call would have went out to more Guardians and they would have eventually overpowered her.

It probably helps I got the best ending which is heart warming and wonderful! Vivienne as one of the best supporting “partners” I’ve had the pleasure of serving with so I’m glad I ended the adventure with her at my side.

"What is going on?! Damn you,Japan! Why you so weird?!"

Of course I’ve moved on to Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity in which the biggest adversary is not the monstrous SEED but rather the language barrier itself! Despite this I’m doing okay. I got through the tutorial and I recognize menus and symbols enough to accept missions, save my game, and determine which gear is better.

Is it worth playing in Japanese? Tragically yes, it kind of is! (I wrote “tragically” because it is a shame Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity never came stateside. Seriously, this would have blown us away.)

"Space pirates,yarrr! Yeah,I thought that too..."

Now in addition to humans, Numans (space elves), Casts (Sentient robots), and Beast-folk there are also Dumans which are mutated humans created by the seed virus. (So theoretically I guess Helga was the first of those) A defect they all share is having a mismatched red eye which many of them keep covered until they decide to release their FULL POWER! (Yes, Dumans are the stuff of Mary Sue! Tragic background story? Check! A trait that gives them epic battle prowess without any training? Check! Scandalous outfit options? Check! Oh divine intervention, please spare me from the fan fiction!) Joking aside, the Dumans are a nice addition and certainly make the Phantasy Star universe more interesting!

"IGN,putting their mark on everything as if they own it!"

In battle you can actually roll or block and the addition of shields greatly adds to defense. This makes the game more about skill and not simply about high stats that help you endure a barrage of hits. Though this outing is guilty of recycling areas from previous entries, it also added many new ones like a beautiful beach area and a new “ancient ruins” area.

"Nagase....she's cold...yet angry! Oh,the layers!"

The real meat is a brand new story continuation that begins after Emilia’s arch ends. (Emilia is your partner in the first entry whereas the Duman Nagase joins you in the second entry.) In both scenarios you can get a good ending, bad ending, and some sort of true ending. (I’m using faqs to make all the right choices)

The biggest mystery is Japan's “elite stance” concerning these kinds of games. They always tease us with a first entry then save the better sequels for themselves! Truthfully, it’s probably just a matter of sales figures. Maybe God Eater Burst and Phantasy Star Portable simply did not move many units state-side. This is sad considering I know a lot of people who would love playing these sorts of games. With localization and better advertising I’m pretty damn sure these titles would have a huge fan base in America, Canada, and Europe. The reason? It’s not so much because these games are hack n slash loot-centric action rpgs. Those are a dime a dozen. Rather it is because their settings are so unique and different. Instead of giving you the typical fantasy fare, you are given a modern dystopian wasteland ravaged by monsters or a bright neon future amongst the stars! Yeah, sci-fi and modern rpgs are not unheard of but they are still much rarer than their swords and sorcery counterparts. That and there are many different ways to go about presenting a similar genre. Phantasy Star Portable and God Eater have their own special “swagger” that you simply will not find elsewhere.

"I'll tap her transistors!"

Okay, there might be another reason. You can make your female character REALLY fucking sexy in Infinity! We all know how much our local misguided social-justice brigades whine and bitch about this sort of stuff. (Yes, fictional characters made of polygons are being objectified. Call 911! There's REAL sex trafficking happening down the street?! A gay man just got beaten to death? Whatever, by fixing and censoring videogames we will also save future homosexuals and future child prostitutes!) Seriously, those types of people need a back-hand as desperately as I need to get laid!