Phantasy Star Online 2

Phantasy Star Online 2 builds on the pioneering online series from the Dreamcast era and expands its formula with more modern technology, a larger world and deeper character customization. Players create their own avatars, choose from several classes (sword fighter, gunner, magic user, and combinations thereof), and in squads of up to four players complete missions across several planets and varied environments, from deserts to icefields and space stations. The game is built around fast action combat with a strong emphasis on mobility and attack combinations, regularly updated content, seasonal events, and an extensive system of cosmetic items that lets every player significantly customize their character's appearance, plus a system of Mags – companions that the player raises themselves.

The Japanese version for PlayStation Vita arrived less than a year after the PC launch and made Phantasy Star Online 2 the first truly portable variant of the game. Graphics were noticeably simplified compared to the PC version, textures and character models lost some detail, environment draw distance was more limited, and the frame rate was lower so the handheld could handle demanding battles with several players on screen at once, but the gameplay and content updates remained synchronized with the PC version, and players on both platforms could help each other in teams and share the same game world. The Vita offered controls via analog sticks and the touchscreen instead of a keyboard and mouse, which noticeably changed the playstyle especially for magic-using and gunner classes that rely on precise aiming and fast technique switching, while sword-based classes remained fairly playable even on the small controller thanks to simpler inputs. The main advantage was that players could take their progress and unfinished character anywhere with them, albeit at the cost of longer loading times, a smaller screen, and occasional frame rate drops in crowded lobbies full of other players. Like the PC version, the Vita edition remained exclusively Japanese throughout its entire operation and was never released globally.

Why play: For players craving Phantasy Star Online 2 on the go, this is the first truly portable variant of the game with the same content and updates as the PC version, albeit at the cost of simplified graphics and a lower frame rate.