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In the newest issue of Shounen JUMP magazine, Sega has finally revealed first details regarding Phantasy Star Universe. Since the game's surprising announcement at last year's E3, the company has not provided any information on the game, not even its platform. For the classic RPG series, Phantasy Star Universe marks its first appearance on PlayStation 2, not counting the 3D Ages remakes of Phantasy Star I and II.

Taking place 18 years after the events of the original Phantasy Star, the game will feature 17-year old Isan Webber and heroine Karen Ela. As an aspiring member of the so-called Guardians, Webber will have to protect the peace of his world (known as Grail and consisting of three planets) against an unknown invading force. Despite her young age, Karen already boasts a distinguished record as a supervisor.

Phantasy Star Universe will be available in Japan sometime this winter.

PSU Gamecube

Lots of info to come so stay tuned.

The RPG Info Man strikes again

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Sega has opened the official website for its recently unveiled PlayStation 2 and PC-based RPG title Phantasy Star Universe. As previously reported, the game will take players to the Grahl System, which consists of three planets. While traditionally fierce battles have been fought in this solar system, the Final War was fought 100 years ago. In the aftermath of this war, the Grahl System Federation was founded and an army set up. Since then the solar system has been at peace. As Phantasy Star Universe's story begins, the people are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Federation's foundation. Just as the game's protagonist Ethan and his little sister Lumia are enjoying this marvelous activities, an alien race known as SEEDs appear and attack. On the Guardians Colony where the aliens also appear, panic breaks out and one Guardian after another is falling, leaving only Ethan to search for his sister. The third character revealed so far is Karen Ela, Ethan's supervisor in the Guardians organisation.

While Sega's official website just like the first official screenshots confirm the existence of an online mode, the developers are also promising a large amount of event and movie scenes, a deep story and character development.

Phantasy Star Universe will be available for PlayStation 2 in Japan sometime this winter.

PSU Website

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The official website of Sega's upcoming Phantasy Star Universe recently revealed some story details. The game is set in the Ragol solar system, which has three inhabitable planets. Each planet has its own distinct race and culture. Parum is the planet of the humans, Neudaiz is where Numans reside, and Motwob is the desert home of animal-like people. War is a common character in the history of the three planets, but it has been 100 years since the end of the last battle. The three planets' respective governments have since come together and signed a peace treaty, and created an Allied Army designed to prevent any more interplanetary wars.

The game's beginning puts players in the middle of the Centennial Celebration of the peace treaty's signing. A 17-year-old named Ethan and his younger sister Rumia are enjoying the festivities on the Guardian Colony when a huge swarm of meteors engulfs the area. The meteors destroy much of the Allied Army's space fleet, and most of the planet's surface is reduced to burning rubble. Monsters soon ooze forth from the meteorites, which certainly suggests that they are not normal space rocks. Later dubbed "SEED," the swarm of meteors was not a random chunk of bad luck for Ragol. Instead, they were intentionally sent by an unknown enemy set on obliterating all life in Ragol. Surrounded by chaos on Guardian Colony, Ethan borrows the gear of a downed army officer to save his sister, who's buried somewhere in the rubble. He does not find her....

These events lead Ethan to join the Allied Army's police force, "Guardian," where he trains under Karen Era. Karen is also 17, but a "numan," rather than a human like Ethan. Despite her youth, she already has three years of experience being a Guardian. She got into this business after losing her mother, and tries very hard to be strong leader, hoping to compensate for her lack of technical know-how.

Gamefront has also published some details regarding the gameplay. The game will feature an offline, plot-driven game estimated to be over 40 hours long. While the story may be linear, players will have plenty of free time to investigate the world. In offline battle, players will control the main character, while giving general instructions to the others.

The online play will be very different from that of Phantasy Star Online. First off, robotic assistants have replaced the "mags" which assisted players in previous games. Also making a first appearance are vehicles; no specific types have been unveiled, though. Much customization of one's online avatar will be possible, as well. One can now edit the lip color, eye color, and a few other features previously unchangeable. Attack combos may contain up to six sttacks, including special techniques. Attacking will be possible while using two weapons. It is not known whether or not the number of combo hits goes up when using two weapons.

There are still no exact release dates set for Phantasy Star Universe, but Japanese gamers can expect it some time next winter. No official localization plans have been announced for anywhere else.

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Propaganda

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Sega has announced that the newest Phantasy Star title, Phantasy Star Universe, is headed for a Spring 2006 release in Europe and the US. The PlayStation 2 and PC title marks the first time that a new Phantasy Star title will grace a Sony console. Although the Sega Ages 2000 line has seen two remakes hit in Japan, this is the first time an original title will hit the PlayStation 2.

The title, developed under Yuji Naka, will feature seperate offline and online modes. Phantasy Star Universe is slated for a release in Japan this winter, and will hit in Spring for the US and Europe.

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Is psu a ps2 exclusive?

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Sega of America has opened the North American Phantasy Star Universe site, which can be visited by clicking here. Along with a brief synopsis of game information, visitors to the site can expect to be presented with a selection of new screenshots from the title, as well as a new gameplay-centric trailer.

Phantasy Star Universe will feature both online and offline components, with the offline adventure following a 17-year-old cadet named Ethan Webber as he attempts to save his sister from an invasion of mysterious life forces called THE SEED. When players decide to take the adventure online, they will be able to explore three different planets with more than 20 dungeons to explore and 15 major bosses to battle. Players won't be forced to do all this exploring on foot, as player-controlled vehicles will be available for use. Furthermore, Sonic Team has promised that the game's online content will evolve over the course of several years.

Phantasy Star Universe is currently on track to be released for the PC and PlayStation 2 in the first part of 2006.

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A few new scans from Famitsu have disclosed some information about Phantasy Star Universe. The title's battle system, the character classes, and some new characters were brought into the light by the aforementioned magazine.

The available weapons will be divided into three categories -- blades, guns, and wands -- much like those in Phantasy Star Online. Each category will sport both one and two-handed weapons. As is the case with most RPGs, different characters will have varying proficiency levels with each category. Interestingly, players will not be limited to equipping only one weapon; in some cases, two weapons from different categories can be equipped. A menu screen will also be available to designate pre-set weapon combinations, which can be toggled in the heat of battle, allowing for a quick switch of armaments.

Additionally, a "combo attack" option exists. If players press the square button at the proper time, they can trigger up to three linked combo attacks. If the triangle button is pressed at the right moment, more damage will be inflicted, and up to six combo attacks can be performed.

Four different species will populate the worlds of Phantasy Star Universe: Humans, Neumans, Beasts, and Casts. Humans, as in most RPGs, are essentially the "basic" race; that is, they have balanced stats and can use all weapons with equal proficiency. Neumans, while not exactly the most physically powerful race, excel with their high intelligence and mental prowess, which means their abilities lie more with technics than melee combat. Beasts are able to transform between a human-like form an a beast-like form, and their extreme physical strength makes them well suited for wielding blades in melee combat. Casts, the androids of Phantasy Star Universe, are well suited for using firearms, and can even equip massive guns called "subweapons."

The new characters revealed are:

* Mirei Mikuna: A seventeen-year-old Neuman priestess, Mirei is gentle and compassionate. She meets Ethan during the anniversary celebration.
* Lou: A Guardian from the central intelligence division, Lou is Cast with a number of spy missions under his belt. Because of this, she is rather secretive and only sparingly reveals information.

The PS2 version of Phantasy Star Universe is slated for a Japanese release this winter, a European release next spring, and a North American release next winter. RPGamer will report more details as they surface.