The online RPG Phantasy Star Online 2 is getting a sequel with New Genesis, which also revises old content and even carries it over into the new game. At the same time, it will become more of an MMORPG. In May 2021, the first beta took place in the West, and it is now clear that fans of MMORPGs should keep an eye on PSO 2.
What exactly is New Genesis? Basically, Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis consists of two parts:
- On the one hand, the old PSO 2 is graphically revised and ported to a new engine
- On the other hand, completely new content will be released, which can be played with New Genesis. This takes place 1,000 years after the actual story of PSO 2 and looks graphically significantly better
The two parts will use the same client and also overlap. This should make it possible to carry over your characters and certain content from PSO 2 to New Genesis and vice versa. However, this is purely cosmetic. All stats will be removed from equipment, and in-game currency or materials cannot be transferred.
The release of PSO 2 New Genesis is scheduled for June 2021.
What payment model does the game use? Both PSO 2 and the new version New Genesis are free-to-play. They are financed through a real money shop, where there are some useful convenience items like additional bank and inventory slots, but no direct pay-to-win.
Can you start anew with New Genesis? Yes, getting started is easy without prior knowledge. And this entry can be very rewarding for MMORPG fans, as Sega has taken different paths with the new part.
New Genesis resembles an MMORPG much more than the base version of Phantasy Star Online 2 does. There is now an open world where you can meet players. Additionally, there are many boss monsters that you fight together.
Most notably, PSO 2 New Genesis impresses with its dynamic combat and movement systems. So, if you are excited about action-packed fights against giant bosses, you should keep an eye on New Genesis.
A first glimpse of the game is provided by this YouTube video of mine, in which I recorded the first hour of gameplay in the beta:
Fun movement and dynamic battles in a beautiful game world
What does New Genesis offer for character creation? In PSO 2 New Genesis, you can create a character from 4 different races: Humans, Newmans, CASTs, and Deumans. For players who have no experience with Phantasy Star, the races look quite similar. Deumans, for example, are humans who have horns instead of ears.
All 4 races also have access to 6 different classes:
- Hunter – A melee fighter with a sword and quite a few hit points
- Fighter – A melee fighter with relatively few hit points and more damage
- Ranger – A ranged fighter at medium range who can also support teammates
- Gunner – A character armed with pistols who has many movement abilities but fights mostly at medium range
- Force – A type of elemental mage
- Techer – A ranged character from long range who can support allies with technical gadgets
In PSO 2, there are also other classes like Braver, Bouncer, and Summoner. However, these have not yet been announced for New Genesis.
The character editor is overall very detailed, and you have the option to change all body areas as you wish with sliders. There is also an almost unlimited selection for hairstyles, eyes, and corresponding colors.
How do you move? One of the strengths of PSO 2 New Genesis is movement. You can sprint, jump, and glide gently downwards. Particularly with jumping, a lot is possible, as you have a double jump and also a “wall jump.” With proper timing, you can bounce up entire mountains.
This is also really fun in New Genesis, as you move in an open world here, unlike in the original version of PSO 2. Additionally, there are updrafts when gliding that allow you to soar high into the sky – similar to Guild Wars 2.
How do you fight in New Genesis? PSO 2 generally relies on a very active combat system, which has been further improved with New Genesis. You need to aim at your targets and can then unleash initial attacks with the right and left mouse buttons.
You can also fight from the air, jump, dodge, and have various abilities that keep you moving as well. If you don’t want to aim precisely, you can lock onto a target by pressing the “Q” key and then only attack that enemy.
Every player can also heal themselves and use special abilities. However, you need to collect plants and energies in the game world in advance to charge these abilities.
Additionally, there are different weapon sets that can be switched between during combat. This way, you can adapt to various situations in battle and access even more abilities. PSO 2 already had this switch, but there were issues with the different multipliers in the game. In New Genesis, the other weapons scale based on the main weapon.
The only downsides to the combat system are the sometimes very long animations that can leave you trapped in combat, as well as the absence of health bars. Thus, you never know how much damage you have already inflicted and how much more needs to be dealt.
Overall, PSO 2 already caught attention with its combat system, where especially at higher levels a wrong step can lead to death.
What else stands out in New Genesis? Although the game has been graphically improved significantly, it still looks a bit “old.” Additionally, the interface visually seems to be stuck somewhere in the early 2000s and does not appear modern either.
The mid and endgame of New Genesis are still somewhat uncertain
What does the progression system of New Genesis look like? In PSO 2 New Genesis, you can explore an open world and complete quests and boss monsters. You earn experience points and new equipment from this.
You can also upgrade your equipment using certain materials, with higher upgrades being bound to a higher level.
What does the game offer in the endgame? It is currently hard to say what the endgame content looks like in the game, as few details have been revealed, and the beta ended at level 16.
In PSO 2, the endgame primarily consists of farming the best gear and upgrading it later. The equipment system is in-depth and somewhat complex. Additionally, you can level new classes and dress your character particularly stylishly (fashion endgame).
Something similar is likely to be offered in New Genesis for endgame.
Is there PvP? Officially, there has been no word on PvP. In PSO 2, there is an arena mode, which, however, is not played very actively. In it, your own equipment and weapons do not matter, and you get random gear specific to the match.
Due to the low interest in PvP, there are even players who wish the developers wouldn’t waste their time on PvP content in New Genesis (via reddit).
What’s next for PSO 2 New Genesis? The first beta has now passed, and the release is planned for June 2021. Whether there will be another beta beforehand is currently uncertain.
New Genesis will be an MMORPG for fans of action-packed battles, fashion, and grind
Who is PSO 2 New Genesis for? New Genesis clearly targets the fans of PSO 2. However, general MMORPG players might also be attracted to the new game.
The focus is mainly on the active combat system, the movement with jumping and gliding, as well as the huge world bosses and the collection of equipment.
However, you should have a fondness for anime games, complex combos, and a deep and somewhat grindy equipment system. Otherwise, based on the first impressions of the beta, you will likely not enjoy New Genesis.
If you are now looking for another new MMORPG or an exciting expansion for old games, you will find it in this list: 13 reasons why MMORPG fans can look forward to 2021.
