Software:Phantasy Star 0

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Phantasy Star 0
Developer(s)Sega
Publisher(s)Sega
Director(s)Masayuki Kawabata
Producer(s)Satoshi Sakai
Designer(s)Masayuki Kawabata
Programmer(s)Kenichi Tanase
Artist(s)Akikazu Mizuno
Toshiyuki Kubooka
Writer(s)Toru Shiwasu
Teru Arai
Composer(s)Hideaki Kobayashi
Tadashi Kinukawa
SeriesPhantasy Star
Platform(s)Nintendo DS
Release
  • JP: December 25, 2008
  • NA: November 10, 2009[1]
  • AU: February 11, 2010
  • EU: April 12, 2010
Genre(s)Hack and slash, role-playing video game
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Lua error in Module:Lang/utilities at line 332: attempt to call field '_transl' (a nil value). also known in Australia and Europe as Phantasy Star: ZERO and sometimes in North America as Phantasy Star Ø, is a Nintendo DS game in the Phantasy Star series, developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. The game was released in Japan on December 25, 2008; in North America on November 10, 2009; and in Europe on February 12, 2010. The game expands on the gameplay mechanics of Phantasy Star Online, partly by borrowing some elements from fellow online Phantasy Star title Phantasy Star Universe, such as a fully realized story mode for offline play.

Gameplay

Phantasy Star Zero continues the character creation mechanics from Phantasy Star Online. The player first chooses a race, each with their own strengths: versatile Humans; powerful, hulking androids called CASTs; or nimble but fragile genetically engineered Newmans. The choice affects the character's perspective on the story and what order in which the first three zones are tackled, but all stories end identically. The player then chooses the character's gender and archetype. Males tend to favor physical strength and durability; females tend to favor accuracy, evasion and techniques, Phantasy Star's equivalent to magic. Archetypes determine which weapons and techniques a character can use.

Online and offline modes

Similar to Phantasy Star Online, players can shop, bank, accept quests, and access combat areas from a city-like hub world. In the offline Story Mode, the player gains AI allies and progresses a narrative, which includes multiple cut scenes and dialogue sequences. Once completed, the player can access higher difficulty levels to earn increasingly powerful gear and further grow their characters. The game also contains three online modes: Free Play, in which the player is randomly paired up with a party of one to three users; Play With Friends, where the player can invite friends into a private room (and vice versa); and Play Alone, where the player can play online alone to complete online-only missions and be notified of friends' connection status.

Communication

Featured in the game is "Visual Chat", a take on PictoChat where players communicate by drawing and writing on the DS touch screen. According to the February 2009 issue of Nintendo Power (Vol. 238, page 38), "Up to 20 messages may be saved to shortcuts so they're accessible at any time via a quick tap of the touch screen".[2] Players can also write freely to each other throughout a game session without the use of pre-composed messages. However, communication among unfamiliar users is limited to preset chat. Even considering its limitations, the preset phrases offer an unprecedented amount of communication between anonymous users from anywhere in the world over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.[citation needed] Players will receive the preset phrase in their own languages as well as the speakers'.

Gear and character optimization

The game contains over 350 weapons,[3] debuting two new weapon classes, shields and gunblades. Shields are blunt weapons that can be used to block enemy attacks, and gunblades are one-handed swords that also carry a gun barrel, allowing for long range and short range interchangeability by holding the Left Trigger button.[1] Most equipment can be upgraded through various means. Items called grinders can further improve a weapon or armor's effectiveness. In addition, weapons can be upgraded with elements, allowing them special on-hit effects or additional damage, and "Photon Fortification," which increases a weapon's effectiveness against a hostile classification of the player's choosing. Characters can be further specialized by using materials, items that permanently increase a base stat.

Development

The decision to develop Phantasy Star 0 for the Nintendo DS was made to expand the appeal of the series to younger gamers. The word Zero was affixed to the title to represent "a new start for the series" and separate itself from the main series games in favor of the GameCube games.[4] Artist Toshiyuki Kubooka, made famous by his work on the Lunar series and Giant Robo anime, designed the game's characters with an "uplifting" aesthetic.[2] The game was exhibited at Tokyo Game Show (TGS) 2008 as part of Sega's lineup of new DS games.[5]

DSiWare version

A smaller version of the game, Phantasy Star 0 Mini, was released for the Nintendo DSiWare service on March 25, 2009. Sega also mentioned the possibility of a new Nintendo DSi-exclusive downloadable stage for the game, possibly one from the original Phantasy Star Online. A poll for players to pick their favorite classic stage would be held on Sega of Japan's website at a later date.[6]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic71/100[7]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Famitsu33/40[8]
GamesMaster81%[9]
GameSpot6.5/10[10]
GameZone7.8/10[11]
NGamer80%[12]
Nintendo LifeStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[13]
Nintendo Power8/10[14]
ONM71%[15]
VideoGamer.com6/10[16]
The A.V. ClubD+[17]

The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[7]

Famitsu gave it a score of two eights, one nine, and one eight for a total of 33 out of 40; the authors praised the game's controls, game play, and online mode, noting, "it really feels like an online game in the palm of your hand." The publication criticized the game's "softness of the sound."[8] Nintendo Power gave good remarks towards the game, but heavily criticized the menu setup and the loss to change weapons during gameplay.[14] Phantasy Star 0 sold approximately 84,055 copies during its debut week in Japan.[18]

Notes

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Phantasy Star 0 - Nintendo DS". http://www.ign.com/games/phantasy-star-0/nds-14279774. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Phantasy Star 0 (Preview): A New Frontier". Nintendo Power 238: 38. February 2009. 
  3. ↑ Gifford, Kevin (October 22, 2008). "Phantasy Star Zero Has Mounds of Weapons". http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3170836. Retrieved February 11, 2014. 
  4. ↑ Red, Carmine M. (September 24, 2008). "More Details Emerge on Phantasy Star Zero". Nintendo World Report. https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/16730/more-details-emerge-on-phantasy-star-zero. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  5. ↑ Clayman, David (October 10, 2008). "TGS 2008: Phantasy Star 0". http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/10/10/tgs-2008-phantasy-star-0. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  6. ↑ "仲間との絆が最高スコアを叩き出す『ファンタシースターZERO Mini』" (in Japanese). Famitsu. March 23, 2009. https://www.famitsu.com/game/coming/1222773_1407.html. Retrieved February 11, 2014. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Phantasy Star Zero for DS Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/phantasy-star-zero/critic-reviews/?platform=ds. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Ryna (December 18, 2008). "Famitsu Review Score for Phantasy Star Zero". PSO World. http://www.pso-world.com/content.php?1854-famitsu-review-score-phantasy-star-zero. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  9. ↑ "Phantasy Star 0". GamesMaster: 67. April 2010. 
  10. ↑ Shau, Austin (January 6, 2010). "Phantasy Star Zero Review". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/phantasy-star-zero-review/1900-6244999/. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  11. ↑ Aceinet (November 25, 2009). "Phantasy Star 0 - NDS - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on November 28, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091128080812/http://nds.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r37270.htm. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  12. ↑ "Review: Phantasy Star 0". Nintendo Gamer: 62. March 2010. 
  13. ↑ Newton, James (March 1, 2010). "Review: Phantasy Star Ø". http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2010/03/phantasy_star_o_ds. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Phantasy Star 0". Nintendo Power 248: 82. December 2009. 
  15. ↑ Bramble, Simon (February 11, 2010). "Phantasy Star Zero review". Official Nintendo Magazine. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141007235654/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/15200/reviews/phantasy-star-zero-review-review/. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  16. ↑ Smith, Jamin (February 11, 2010). "Phantasy Star 0 Review". VideoGamer.com. https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/phantasy-star-0-review. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  17. ↑ Heisler, Steve (November 23, 2009). "Phantasy Star 0". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on November 26, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091126013126/http://www.avclub.com/articles/phantasy-star-0,35647/. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  18. ↑ Jenkins, David (January 8, 2009). "Japanese Charts: PS3's White Knight Debuts On Top". https://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21785. Retrieved April 15, 2017. 
  • Official website (in Japanese)
  • Phantasy Star 0 Mini at Nintendo.co.jp (in Japanese)
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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