Phantasy Star Portable 2: Maximum Attack Little Wing Extended, Hatsune Miku VN02 + Clad 6 Shopping Uniform DLC

Actual News

Finally some actual news that has nothing to do with Emilia being nude. A few brand new download content items are heading this way. This includes the long awaited Hatsune Miku VN02 outfit! Plus you can now wear the EDEN uniforms from the shopkeepers of Clad 6. As always you can only download these outfits from the Japanese Playstation Store.  CFW users can not use CWCheat codes to obtain the outfits. (Think about why you can't for a second…)

Maximum Attack Little Wing Cup has been extended due to popular demand. The new final date is now February 19th, 2010. Did you know that if we all achieve  a total kill count of 10,000,000 we'll all receive 3 Extend Codes? That's right! Three extend codes! Why bother completing all the challenge missions when you can get them for free! Extend Codes allow players to upgrade weapons of any grade to S grade. You can even embed the weapon with a special ability like Freeze. It will also have a shiny glimmering effect when you take it out.

Plus, the last "water" route opened up a few days ago and gives out the EX tickets. Please refer to the previous post on the cost per exchange items.

After completion of the Maximum Attack Little Wing Cup, Multimode players will now be able to access ALL routes on their own; Extend codes will also be distributed.

Sakai mentions that there was some dissatisfaction with the way this event was handled. He hopes to use our opinions to make future events even better!

The next download mission will include a new collaboration with Jump Magazine's  "邪王降臨" that concludes with the battle of the rare boss known as Olga Dyran.

PSUBlog's general FAQ is slowly growing but we need more questions, please post a comment preferably at the bottom of this post asking simple general questions to the game for example,  "How to unlock and play Megashi Eradication mission." or "How to get online after purchasing the game."

 

Download Items 2/17/10

Miku VN02 Protector
Female Clothes and Parts
Free of Charge

 

Shopper Suit White + Navy Blue
Male Clothes and Parts
300 Yen

 

Shopper Dress White + Navy Blue
Female Clothes and Parts
300 Yen

 

Clad Riser (Slicer)
50% Dark
200 Yen

 

Clad Cannon (Laser)
50% Light
200 Yen

 

Clad Bastone (Rod)
50% Light
200 Yen

[via pspo2blog]

 

PSU Japan Phishing

On January 21st, 2010 Phantasy Star Universe Japan was hit with a phishing attempt on a Chinese domain name. The url was reported to be passed around various message boards and emails. The actual site clearly mocks the login elements of the official site even going as far to include CAPTCHA to lure unsuspecting users to the site.   The news was first posted by The Council of Anti-Phishing Online.

Online Character Data

A new character data chart was posted on the official blog yesterday.

  • Females are the most popular sex.
  • Humans then Casts makes the most popular race.
  • Hunters then Bravers are the most popular classes.
  • Forces dropped from 10% to 8% since the game's release.
  • Rangers dropped from 18% to 15% since the game's release.

Notice how the Forces make up for only 8% of total players. Why do you think less people are interested in playing as a force? Please fix this Sakai.

 

Phantasy Star Universe PC/PS2 Shuts Down March 31st, 2010. Where do we go now?

So for today's shocking, but everyone saw it coming  announcement, Phantasy Star Universe will be closing down it's PC/PS2 servers. Due to low population, SEGA has decided to shift focus to the XBOX servers. The XBOX servers although dwindling in players, still has quite a grip on it's population.  It's expected that the XBOX servers will continue to receive updates including the AOTI+ Supplemental Update. Though the announcement did not specifically say this. Edward posted a message on the official site, quote:

Please note that after January 29th 2010, no new PSU subscriptions will be available for purchase for PC/PS2. Those who are subscribed as of that time will be able to play, for free, until service closure.

The schedule is as follows:

• January 29th 2010: MAG+ event begins for PC/PS2 and Xbox 360 servers.

• January 29th 2010: No new PC/PS2 PSU subscriptions will be available for purchase.

• January 29th 2010: Free play for PC/PS2 PSU begins. No more billing cycles will take place on or after this date.

• March 31st 2010: PC/PS2 servers / service closure, the PlayStation2 and PC versions of Phantasy Star Universe online play will not be available after this date, however, please continue to enjoy the Single Player version of the game.

For those who play the Xbox 360 version of Phantasy Star Universe: SEGA will continue to support, in full & with regular updates, this version of Phantasy Star Universe. This includes bringing currently unreleased and anticipated content to the XBox 360 servers. We will be able to provide more details on future Xbox 360 PSU content over the coming weeks and months.

Son in essence PSU Pc/Ps2 servers will be free for January 29th to March 31st, which I guess will allow everyone to say their goodbyes before they leave. What's interesting to note is what Edward says next..

While we are sad to see the PC/PS2 version of Phantasy Star Universe end, the year 2010 is the 10th anniversary of Phantasy Star Online — and this server / service closure is helping to pave the way for bigger and better things for the Phantasy Star franchise in the very near future!

Sakai also shared a somewhat similar statement during his New Year's message. We should continue to see things from the Phantasy Star Series in 2010, considering it's the 10th anniversary of Phantasy Star Online. Does this mean a new flagship title Phantasy Star will be announced?  Does this mean PSPo2 will soon get an announcement for the English release?  We'll just have to wait and see.

[via psu]

Where do we go from here?

There aren't many games out there like Phantasy Star Online. Fortunately, the market for non-targeting, action RPG systems are slowly rising out of Korea and China.

For now most MMOs focus less on action and more on strategic gameplay. This is where a player clicks on an enemy and engages in auto combat. The player may press a sequence of buttons to use various skills. In these MMOs you never see characters roll out of the way, strafe behind the enemy, shoot and run away from a distance. You are pretty much "attached" to an enemy during the entire combat.

Whatever Sega plans to do with the Phantasy Star series, we do at least have some hope for other games that follow in it's footsteps. Here are a few games coming soon for the PC that provide an action oriented, non targetting system.

  • Continent of the 9th
    • Offers a more graphically realistic approach to PSU.
    • Follows in PSU's footsteps with instanced like gameplay.
    • Battle animation tends to be flashy and mimics PSU's style.
    • Limited Character races.
  • TERA Online
    • Beautiful graphics, serene visuals, open world gameplay.
    • Players aim their attacks at enemies.
    • Character Classes/Races similar to PSU.
  • Dragon Nest
    • Instanced gameplay.
    • Gameplay feels ripped out of PSZero

Of course if you are on the handheld market, you can still play Phantasy Star Zero and look forward to Phantasy Star Portable 2, if and when it does come out.

 

What will Sakai do next?

Shougai PSO posted a quote from Dengeki Magazine regarding an interview about PSO10th Anniversary. In it he says, given that last year's Phantasy Star Portable 2, is seen as the compilation of the series.  The next new thing he wants to do is something incredibly challenging that is "a giant leap", [possibly something extremely different than what we'd expect /something that upgrades the series?] however, he still wants to please the traditional fans.

[via shougai]

Reactions

Ana has blogged her reactions on the current news, also speculates there might be some new Phantasy Star game in development. Kotaku comments section (view the unpromoted comments) has more reactions.  Other player reactions will be posted here.

Phantasy Star Portable 2: Fate/Stay Night and Evangelion Passwords

Today Fate/Stay Night passwords were released. Last week Evangelion passwords were given out, so most of these will be old to you…

 

Archer's Red Formal Dress

Fate/Stay Night: Archer's outfit appears in Phantasy Star Portable 2.

Sega has officially released part one of the Fate/Stay Night collaboration items. The set includes outfits and weapons from Archer, including his Red Formal Dress and Kanshou & Bakuya (Twin Saber) weapon. On January 14th, 2010, Sega will release the second part of the codes which should include Saber's outfit and Excalibur.

Click for Larger Size

  • Archer Formal Dress (Male Clothes)
    • Red: 4376 1260
    • Blue:4376 1261
    • Yellow: 4376 1262
    • Green: 4376 1263
    • Purple: 4376 1264
    • Pink: 4376 1265
    • Tea Colored: 4376 1266
    • Light Blue: 4376 1267
    • Black: 4376 1268
    • White: 4376 1269
  • Archer Formal Dress (Male Parts)
    • Cast Parts: 4376 1270

Kanshou & Bakuya (Weapon)
Twin Saber: 7269 5798

 

Evangelion Plug Suits

Rebuild of Evangelion, outfits are available now. On January 7th, 2010, the second part of Evangelion outfits should be released. The outfits include Asuka, and Shinji's plug suits. Back in a previous post, Sakai said he may release more outfits down the road from other Evangelion movies.

  • 3264 3361 Plug Suit Shinji (Male Clothes)
  • 3264 3362 Plug Suit Shinji (Male Parts)
  • 2399 2211 Plug Suit Asuka (Female Clothes)
  • 2399 2212 Plug Suit Asuka (Female Parts)

You can enter these passwords by inputting them in the vision phone area in "My Room"