Not to be confused with the original "Phantasy Star Online" that hit the stores back in 2000, Sega has added some new content to this PC version and a slick subtitle: "Blue Burst." The game play hasn't changed much since "PSO" debuted on the Sega Dreamcast console five years ago, but the developers have made the game even more accessible for the international community.
Namely, "Blue Burst" is exclusively a PC game, meaning the franchise is no longer limited to game consoles with five-year life cycles like the Nintendo GameCube. Hardcore PC users, as well as casual laptop gamers, can download the game and set out on the adventure within minutes: a smart move for Sega to broaden the game's user base and, of course, its revenue -- players are hit with a 1,000 yen monthly subscription fee.
In addition to porting the game to the PC, Sega has expanded on the game's already impressive chat features. Communicating is always important for online adventure games, which require players to team up and battle legions of aliens, transcend hostile environments and hurdle language barriers. "PSO" includes a feature called Symbol Chat, giving players pictorial representations of commonly used expressions. For example, players can call up an image with an unplugged modem and a guy frowning that is meant to inform teammates who don't speak English you are going to log off soon. Although Symbol Chat can help players overcome communications problems when battling monsters, it's too simple to assist in discussions outside the game's realm. In other words, the game can't translate your comments about Japan's chances in the World Cup.