DS Daily: Phantasy Starting too late?

by JC Fletcher { Jan 10th 2009 at 10:30AM }

Sega has finally announced Phantasy Star Zero for North American and European release (press release at the "source" link, new screens in the gallery), putting to an end our (mild) fears that the multiplayer action RPG would never leave Japan. But the press release specifies "Winter 2009" -- with a promise of more info in "the coming months" that suggests that they don't mean the winter 2009 we're currently in the middle of, but the next one. As in, almost a whole year away.

Our immediate reaction was "nooooooo," but then we realized that there are just way too many DS games coming out in 2009 -- especially in the first half -- and maybe it's a good thing that we don't have to try to crowd Phantasy Star Zero in with all that stuff. It'll probably get crowded with a lot of future stuff, but we don't know that right now.

What's your take? Too far away or helpful for your monthly time/money budgeting? Does PS0 say "holiday lineup" to you?

Gallery: Phantasy Star Zero

Tags: arpg, delay, localization, phantasy-star-zero, sega, sonic-team

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Scuffles @ Jan 10th 2009 10:50AM

"but then we realized that there are just way too many DS games coming out in 2009 -- especially in the first half"

Too bad that PSZ is the only game I'm interested in ~.~ Guess thats good news for my psp depending on when Patapon2 and Disgaea 2 are released

erico316 @ Jan 11th 2009 3:43AM

patapon 2 is coming out in Europe in feb-march so im guess it be the same time frame for the usa.if you like patapon check out loco roco u might like that one also and part 2 is heading to the usa infeb.and you also ask about Disgaea i love that game part two wont be coming out till late this year or after that.if u a real Disgaea pick up prinny can i really be the hero to tie you over the game is great i played the jap demo best 2d platform in a longgggggg time.if you want to try it out check it out urself it on the jap psn.

jgoreham @ Jan 10th 2009 11:31AM

XD Better late than never! I don't think anything could make me not-excited for this game. I have a wedding to pay for this year so for me it's just as well that the game's coming out late. By then I might have some cash.

Jacksons @ Jan 10th 2009 11:04AM

Aw. This, Overlord: Minions and Moon are the only three games I'm anticipating so far.

Venom @ Jan 10th 2009 11:40AM

I'm not really surprised... I mean, there was an 8 month difference between the Japanese and international versions of FFTA2. I'm just glad they're working on it.

Roto13 @ Jan 10th 2009 12:25PM

Winter 2009 is going to be saturated with too many must-buy games, just like winter 2008, 2007, and every other winter.

BlueS @ Jan 10th 2009 12:29PM

Hmm... Considering the fact, that I have almost as many unopened games now (incidentally getting every game I asked for from all of my relatives) as opened ones (and few of them are completed to 100%), it may be a good thing, that I'll have time to finish them. But there are two problems:
One, is that for online games, you need several things, like a wi-fi connection, and lots of time (especially considering that I'll always be 6-10 hours "after" in the day, than everyone else, playing in the US). That means, that it would be ideal, to get it before summer (or for summer), to have an opportunity to really flesh out the game, and its online possibilies.
The other problem (which also flashes on why all this will be impossible for me in the winter vacation) is that if everything will go as planned, I'm going to attend university at the time, and if by a miracle, I get into the one I really want to, I won't have time even to go to the toilet from the huge amount of studies I'll have learn to not get kicked out.

So my last final words are: please Sega, surprise us with publishing the game in THIS winter, or somehow magically before summer, or your game may suffer the same fate as a lot of others on my shelf (and "to-buy list"): I won't be able to play them until the age of... 40(?)!
And in this game's case, there won't be much of a(n online) game left in it by then.

Mr Khan @ Jan 10th 2009 1:13PM

I quite like the idea. I had the game planned for something i could buy for next christmas anyway

ALH @ Jan 10th 2009 1:17PM

A year? thats nothing by european standards of waiting for games, but still, ouch. I hope someone comes up with an english patch for the ROM before then. Dont get me wrong, i plan on buying the official version eventually, but i cant wait a whole year x_X!

tek @ Jan 10th 2009 1:26PM

the NA press release says fall 2009 for me o_O i read the winter was a typo?

DonsSword @ Jan 10th 2009 1:41PM

Let's hope they have enough sense to keep it away from the blackhole of Christmas.

Xeones25 @ Jan 10th 2009 2:14PM

I would like Phantasy Star Zero as soon as possible because I really want a good DS game to play. The last DS game that I've bought was FF Tactics Advance 2 at release, before that Rune Factory at release (neither of which I've beaten). PSZero might be the last DS game I buy. I used to buy and play a ton of DS games but for the last year and a half I've barely played and stick to PS3 and PC games.

darksage @ Jan 10th 2009 2:16PM

I'm mostly just glad it finally has an official US release date. I have lots of games I need to finish still, and plenty new ones that are coming out this year. I dont really see myself playing much else once PS0 gets released, so best to get these other games out of the way.

Kokomadeta @ Jan 10th 2009 2:52PM

No matter when it's released, I'll buy it on the first day.

Y. Kurokawa @ Jan 10th 2009 5:09PM

I hope there's a good offline mode.

Online play is a big negative due to the big 'N's insistence on no WPA for the DS... >

Atomsk @ Jan 10th 2009 7:14PM

hehe, yeah that's kind of how an average european release feels like.
January 20th in NA, winter 2009 in Europe. XD

Toasty @ Jan 11th 2009 11:36AM

The real question is, of course: Should I play another FoMar and inadvertently equip him with as many RaMar weapons as possible, rather than actually play him like a Force - or should I just play a Ranger like everyone else?

Here's hoping we some new classes and races. If I recall, PSU added the Beast class, didn't it?
Actually, I think it added a whole bunch of new things (Too bad it didn't add a worthwhile offline aspect).

J.K. @ Jan 12th 2009 6:36PM

Bluntly, it's crap. If a game is that good it can stand on its own both in a crowded market as in a scarce one. Sega I think are just being cowards unless they know something we don't about the game being not all that good (but I haven't read it's bad yet.) To me it's another case of Sega being weasels, but at least I have a PSP too and that one is for MARCH.

Cory @ Jan 15th 2009 12:44AM

If you really can't wait, there's always the Japanese version. The story hasn't been terribly exciting so far, and apart from that, if you've played the series before, you'll be killing the same monsters repeatedly in no time! Really not a lot of language needed to enjoy it. Maybe not fully, but still...