I just started playing PSO for the first time ever!

[Alraune]

This game is making me oddly emotional and if you'd like to donate some of your time I'd like to explain why.

I wanted to play PSO on GameCube waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the day, I remember reading a Nintendo Power article about PSO and was blown away by the idea of playing an online game with people around the world. I excitedly put PSO on my birthday/christmas lists and I'm happy to say my parents nailed it by buying me Phantasy Star 1 and 2 for the game boy advance. I still enjoyed the classic RPGs, but I knew it was nothing like PSO.

I did fall in love with another cult-classic MMORPG though, Ragnarok Online. Ever since I quit RO around 2006 I've been missing that feeling of the 2000's tech/gaming scene. Companies trying creative ideas to stand out or find clever ways to work with limited technology, the general feeling of optimism for the future of technology, online interactions trending positive with the negative ones being something to laugh at, the list goes on.

If you have never played RO, the best time to experience it was back in the early 2000's and I'm sad to say that whole vibe is gone from the gaming industry.

BUT!!!

PSO is giving me that same feeling when I played RO for the first time, and since I had that experience with Rangarok Online, it kind of feels like I am discovering a cool new game circa 2003. Combine this with the content and comments on Youtube waxing super nostalgic about PSO I've been feeling a warmth that I've honestly been missing since childhood.

I've tried, but honestly I can't really put this specific feeling into words, I can't chalk it up to nostalgia because I've never played PSO before, and I've never played a game like it so there isn't much cognitive familiarity to play with either. I have played Warframe though (an overstimulation fest), which without any research I can confidently say was HEAVILY influenced by PSO but is its own glossy, modern, and monetized experience that is nothing like Phantasy Star Online.

I also realized one thing I HATE about modern games is how in your face and stimulating they are. Honetsly going from Marvel Rivals to PSO felt like a vacation for my senses, maybe its because I have experience playing old and slower games (like RO), maybe its because I am "old", but I've been keeping up with modern games just fine so I have no clue why I have fallen for PSO.

I'm just glad this game exists and has an active community, it really is my happy place, and I'm only level 21 haha. I'm playing on PC now for the better graphics and right-stick camera control, although even the L camera snap mecahnic in the GC version was so intuitive and easy to adapt to I might stop using the modern camera control scheme. Now I'm just rambling!

Any advice is welcome!! I'm a HUcaseal X w X

 

[Hanya]

You know, I only played the RO private servers so I don't even know the feeling of the official server. I heard from classmates who had credit cards (or rather their parents had them) that it was great. But at least there were plenty of great games that didn't need a cc back then!

Anyway! Welcome to this small island! I've been staying here for a week or two now, but this is definitely the perfect vacation spot for most of us PSO veterans to get away from most of the modern nonsense we had to deal with daily. If there's any advice I can give, is that it's okay to take your time! Most of us are truly envious that right now is your very first time you get to experience this gem, with so many QoLs to boot! And once you've seen the whole island you'll either become a menacing hunter, stay around coasting with some cocktails or leave before you go mad!!

Also Hucaseal is a very very cool first pick!