The first Phantasy Star appeared on the Sega Genesis console way back yonder. With a subsequent release on the Dreamcast, complete with free online play the series rose to cult status with the masses. Endless hours were poured into this game the world over. With its unique global text chat and pure adventuring game play Phantasy Star Online (PSO) is one of the all time greats (cut cheesy music *record scratches*) Well that was a few years ago when there were no Xboxs, Gamecubes or PS2s. A year ago Sega released PSO on the Gamecube. Featuring the same Dreamcast version with added updates (version 2) and an all new adventure in the form of episode 2. Xbox is now the latest console to receive PSO a direct port of the Gamecube version but now complete with Xbox live voice chat.

PSO is a Action RPG where you start the game choosing which character you are going to be. There are several classes of characters to choose from all naturally exhibiting different strengths and weaknesses. Worth mentioning here is that the Xbox version allows you to create multiple characters without the need for a memory card. Once you have chosen your particular class of character, its then up to you to decide on its looks. There are a wide range of options here to customize your chosen one. Now you are ready to get stuck in. You can opt to go to episode 2 from the start but its advised to play episode 1 first especially if you are new to this game. Also you are able to go to episode 1 and 2 at liberty with the same character and all the items you have found in either game.

The actual game play of PSO consists of using guns,swords, spells etc and defeating your enemies which come in all shapes and sizes and vary depending on which area you visit. You have a limited 3 hit combo attack which can be split into normal, Hard and special attack. Your timing and positioning is crucial here to avoid dying and losing all of your cash you are carrying. You can store items in a bank which proves to be handy but not always practical. PSO is a very open game where you have control over what you do. You could opt to follow the story of PSO which tells a tale of lost ships and colonists. Or you could decide to undertake the many quests on offer from the hunters Guild.

Alternatively you could go freelance and just beam down to the various Hot zones to do battle with all who get in your way. All this can be done alone or with the many players online. I think the main onus though in the game play is to acquire items that improve your characters abilities. These come in the form of Red boxes which are dropped from fallen enemies or found in the numerous breakable crates lying around the various locations. Whether you play online or off these red boxes are what drives you to continue playing over and over. These rare items are the envy of your online playing pals and become quite desirable to many. Another aspect of PSO is that each character has an id which determines what items you will find. This creates a whole new part of the game where trading items is the norm with nearly all players. Also as with all RPGs your character levels up with the more combat experience you have. This takes ages to do once you reach levels over 100. Again another driving force behind playing the game.

Looking at PSO on Xbox clearly shows that in episode 1 nothing major had been changed from the DC version. Although a little crisper the game remains the same. This can be seen as good or bad. However the game play is more important here over the dated looking graphics. Episode 2 is a much more vibrant affair with an upgrade in the graphics. These plush areas are pleasing to the eye but too short in length to have a lasting impact on your game time. Not all of you will like PSO on any system. With the lack of a controllable camera and the somewhat repetitive nature of the combat will put people off . The voice chat adds a whole new level of depth to the game play which is great. If you do get into PSO then you will be hooked for a long time and that is final.