Sega have released the opening and new gameplay footage of Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis.
As previously reported, Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is its own game, taking place 1000 years after the Oracle’s battle during Episode 6 in the original game. Now with wider areas, players can dash and glide through environments that change based on the time of day. Players will also face a new threat against giant robotic enemies called DOLLS.
Other improvements include better graphics and character creation (including changing the skin’s luster, and moving fingers), and being able to wear more accessories in more locations.
Both this and the original Phantasy Star Online 2 will still be supported, and players can use their accounts with either branch of the game. Further, characters designed in the original game will be compatible in the new game, with all items, emotes, and other registered data. The original character creation system can also be used.
The livestream showed the game’s opening, along with information on the story and gameplay [at 22:30, 26:31, 36:53, 45:47, 52:55, and character creation at 1:00:59 and 1:23:50]. The presentation features English dubbing on the hosts, as well as English text on screen.
The story focuses on ARKS, those who defend Planet Halpha from DOLLS in a decades old conflict, yet no one knows why the DOLLS are invading or from where. Some ARKS are talented individuals, while others are amnesiacs falling from pods from the sky- dubbed Meteorn. The player is one of these Meteorn, defending Central City, the biggest city on the planet.
The game’s classes include Hunter (specializing in melee weapons), Ranger (specializing in ranged weapons, which can be played over-the-shoulder or with the standard third-person camera), and Force (specializing the magic-like techniques).
New classes revealed in the presentation include Fighter, a melee class that fights with knuckles and can dodge even at close range. The Gunner is a ranged class that can get closer with twin machine guns, builds up chain attacks to deal more damage, and dodges through the air.
The Techer class uses technique much like Force, but use their exclusive wands for melee combat. This lets them charge their attacks with technique to change its attribute, and parry enemy attacks. Players can also select a sub-class, and use multi-class sub-weapons (through item customization) to access different Photon Arts. Players can use both weapons freely.
Aside from combat, players can use Photon Dash, Photon Glide, and Wall Kick to move around the world quickly. Players can also use monoliths (dubbed Ryuker Devices) to teleport around the world, and directly to them from wherever you are. Swimming is also possible for the first time.
Players will be able to find Instance Quests from Cocoons in the overworld, and E-Trials to intercept DOLLS Control System enemies, and partake in Assembly Point Clearance against powerful foes. Users can also find Region Mags, which give all players on that players’s ship boosted stats by giving it items.
The PSE System (Photon Sensitive Effect) fills as you defeat foes. This causes rarer enemies to spawn, and a large number to spawn once the gauge is filled. Urgent QUests also return, calling players into an instance to fight a boss.
Central City will act as the main hub for players. Along with meeting with other players and events, players can obtain tasks to complete, buy items and gear (including food for boosted stats), enhance and customize items, affixing augments, and create the aforementioned mutli-weapons.
As with the original game players can create their own symbol art to communicate, along with emotes with finger movements, stamps. The presentation also demonstrates flipping between New Genesis and the original game from within the game itself. Up to 18 “points” worth of accessories can be equipped in the character creator.
You can find the opening and the full livestream below.
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis launches 2021 and will be free-to-play for Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.