Phantasy Star Portable coming to PSP
But it's not the one you're hoping for
Sega has announced that a handheld version of Phantasy Star Universe, released earlier in the year on home consoles, is coming to PSP in 2008 courtesy of developer Alfa System.
The original of the new breed of Phantasy Star games, known as Phantasy Star Online, appeared on Sega's Dreamcast platform and was something of a phenomenon, offering one of the earliest online multiplayer experiences on console. But the reason it was so memorable was the quality of the team-based dynamic, which was simply exquisite. Then the hackers and cheats joined the party and everyone left.
It is, without question, one of the saddest moments in video gaming.
So the franchise's apparition on PSP is something to celebrate, right? Well, let's not take our clothes off in excitement just yet. You see, Phantasy Star Universe, on which Phantasy Star Portable is based, wasn't exactly an award-winning experience and differed significantly from the original game.
Granted, the PSP version does promise additional missions but without changing the core gameplay, we're a little apprehensive. Not to mention the fact that it's lost the online aspect and is now offering four-player ad-hoc support instead.
Still, let's not get all doom and gloom just yet, eh? We'll obviously reserve judgement until we get to play around with it.
