Phantasy Star Online Episode I&II, as an online RPG, is solid. Offline, it's terribly boring.
User Rating: 8.9 | Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II GC
The Phantasy Star Online series started on the Sega Dreamcast with the original, Phantasy Star Online, and Phantasy Star Online Ver.2 and debuts on the GameCube with Phantasy Star Online Episode I&II. The graphics in the original four areas in Phantasy Star Online Episode I&II, which are brought over from the Dreamcast versions of Phantasy Star Online, have minor graphic upgrades, like the textures and the water look sharper than their Dreamcast counterparts, but the real upgrades lie in the new Episode II areas. The areas are bigger and have more variety to them, like the final area which you can explore, which is a big underwater lab. The reflections of your character in the water and on the glass on the wall look great, but don't really appear to push the hardware to or near its limits. The gameplay hasn't really changed from the Dreamcast version, although the H.U.D. looks different and, at least in my opinion, better. The button commands are obviously different since the GameCube controller is nothing like the Dreamcast controller, although you can't use the c-stick aside from scrolling in the menus, which really sucks since it would have been cool to control the camera with the c-stick while moving your character with the analog stick at the same time. For those of you who are reading this review that are not familiar with the world of Phantasy Star Online (or PSO) you start off by selecting one of 12 character types and making your character. After you do that you can choose to either play offline or go online and play and/or communicate with other people around the world. The real meat of this game obviously is in its online mode, but for those of you who can't go online with your GameCubes or just don't like the idea of having to pay a monthly fee, the offline mode will suit you pretty well, although it's nothing compared to the online mode and the ability to play with 3 other people at a time. Phantasy Star Online and Phantasy Star Online Ver.2, both for the Sega Dreamcast, had some truly great music and Phantasy Star Online Episode I&II, I'm glad to say, carries on the tradition quite well. The music Sonic Team has created for the new Episode II levels is very good. I loved the music in the Dreamcast versions and think that the soundtrack is one of the best in video game history. Now, I can say the same for Phantasy Star Online Episode I&II. The replay value, if you play online, is close to being through the roof, unless cheaters suddenly appear and you decide to stop playing. Being able to meet and play with many different people online is one feature that offline play simply cannot offer. For you offline gamers, you might get some fun in leveling up and finding rares and playing the offline quests, but you really are missing out by not playing online. Phantasy Star Online Episode I&II was the first online RPG for the GameCube and isn't the last with Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution out. For GameCubers who need an RPG and one that offers an online mode as well, Phantasy Star Online Episode I&II will not let you down. For GameCubers who want a game with a strong offline mode (and one that has a deep story), look elsewhere. 
