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Post by bonesnapdeez on Apr 2, 2018 7:46:28 GMT -5
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Post by Ex on Apr 2, 2018 8:54:54 GMT -5
Yeah my local game shop still has copies of that, for like $2 each. After all these years, I only now, this morning, realized that the two green swords make an X, as in Xbox: Can't believe I've never noticed that before. Besides the Xbox and GameCube versions, there's also a PC version called Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst. I have no idea how hard it would be to get that going offline and in English though.
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Post by anayo on Apr 2, 2018 10:15:11 GMT -5
Besides the Xbox and GameCube versions, there's also a PC version called Phantasy Star Online: Blue Burst. I have no idea how hard it would be to get that going offline and in English though. Oh snap, I remember an online friend of mine in the mid 2000's telling me how much he enjoyed playing this.
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Post by bonesnapdeez on Apr 2, 2018 10:42:24 GMT -5
Blue Burst is fully playable, today, for free. I put in 75 hours single-player a year or two ago. www.phantasystaronline.net/It's Episodes I, II, and IV (III was its own separate GC game with its own engine and gameplay style). Episode IV is kinda blah, so I'd only recommend Blue Burst for hardcore fans. There have been some tweaks made to the game, done by whoever is running the server you're on. For instance, on the ultima server I linked you level up at like three times the rate as normal. That was kinda cool. Unfortunately someone also thought it would be great to replace the lobby music with some kind of atrocious nu metal or butt rock. I ran through that area as quickly as possible every time I booted the game. EDIT: Ex mentioned an offline mode? Just found this, never tried it out. www.theisozone.com/downloads/pc/windows-games/phantasy-star-online-blue-burst-offline-mode/
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Post by Xeogred on Apr 9, 2019 18:55:44 GMT -5
Bumples~
Heard Skies of Arcadia get its usual praise on a VGM podcast again today. That still always comes off like one JRPG you (me!) can't miss out on, I think I'd love its setting too since it sounds similar to recent Xeno-games.
Interestingly though, I heard the encounter rate on the Gamecube version is less than the Dreamcast original? I know in Grandia 2's case, I always heard the DC version was a lot better with less issues.
I'll maybe tackle Skies via emulation someday. Looking back on this thread it's got a 9/10 from Ex and 10/10 from Bone. And yeah like I said, whenever this game gets name dropped it seems like universal praise.
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Post by bonesnapdeez on Apr 9, 2019 19:32:58 GMT -5
Incredible game.
I'd consider it the last great "classic" JRPG. The 21st century JRPG scene is a deluge of sequels, throwbacks, anime, porn, and just plain weird shit. Skies is traditional pure JRPG gameplay done exceptionally well.
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Post by Xeogred on Apr 9, 2019 19:42:00 GMT -5
Incredible game. I'd consider it the last great "classic" JRPG. The 21st century JRPG scene is a deluge of sequels, throwbacks, anime, porn, and just plain weird shit. Skies is traditional pure JRPG gameplay done exceptionally well. That's the vibe I get from everything I've heard and seen... kind of like it's a 32bit JRPG at heart but beefed up with next gen graphics haha. OST sounds super killer too.
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Post by Sarge on Apr 9, 2019 20:35:54 GMT -5
Yeah, Skies has a more reasonable encounter rate on Gamecube. Of course, I think the visuals might be a touch cleaner if you've got a VGA box for Dreamcast, but don't quote me on that one.
I think it's a great game, although it's more of an 8 or 8.5/10 for me. When it sings, though, it really sings.
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Post by Ex on Apr 9, 2019 21:09:29 GMT -5
Skies is traditional pure JRPG gameplay done exceptionally well. That's an accurate way to describe it. Skies of Arcadia just feels good to play. A joyful adventure front to back. It's hard not to be happy playing the game. This is a Rieko Kodama jam, case closed. I prefer the GameCube version for its additional content and changes. That said, I wouldn't say the Dreamcast version isn't worth playing. Here's what's what: GameCube Version New Content:• Wanted character list - Hunt down and turn in fugitives for rewards. • Moonfish Quest - Find and capture moonfish for rewards. • Piastol Quest - Track down a bounty hunter who is out for your head. • Extended Backstory - Additions to the story tell of events that happened long before the game takes place. • New Discoveries - Many new discoveries have been added to the game for you to find. • New 'Ultimate Weapon' for Vyse, the Sky Fang. • New Swashbuckler ratings for Vyse to achieve. GameCube Version Good Changes:• Random battle frequency reduced greatly. • Updated Hi-Res models for your main party. • Loading times are much faster, and framerate is more consistent. • Some weapon stats have been changed for better balancing. • Game now fits on a single disc. • Dreamcast version's downloadable add-ons are already in GameCube version. • When searching for Chams, Cupil's chirps are played through the TV, the controller vibrates, and a Cupil icon appears on-screen with an arrow pointing into his mouth. GameCube Version Not-so good changes: • Some audio effects have been changed or reworked. • Many music tracks have been changed, not always for the better. • Texture Resolution has been reduced slightly, and bilinear filtering threshold appears to be closer to the camera, resulting in slightly blurrier textures. • Many semitransparent textures, such as clouds look rougher than Dreamcast. • Pinta's VMU sidequest has been removed for obvious reasons. • Swashbuckler system changed somewhat. "Vyse the Legend" requires a near-perfect game!
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Post by Xeogred on Apr 9, 2019 21:19:33 GMT -5
GameCube Version Not-so good changes: • Some audio effects have been changed or reworked. • Many music tracks have been changed, not always for the better. • Texture Resolution has been reduced slightly, and bilinear filtering threshold appears to be closer to the camera, resulting in slightly blurrier textures.
Some low blows there. Overall the GC version sounds a lot more ideal with quality of life improvements, I guess that's probably what I would go for and if I like it enough, I could check out the DC version someday. But outside of the drastic console differences of the 16bit era or old PC games, straight up music changes should be a major NO-NO! I guess ignorance is a bliss in situations like this when someone has no experience with any version, but yeah.
Anyways, I don't have much interest in the GC/DC anymore, but this seems like the one must play JRPG I should check out.
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