The nostalgia I have for this game is something else. I remember logging onto this the evening of 9/11, in 2001. I was playing this 16 years ago. I'm 30 now and no other game has come close to this experience.
One of the most memorable aspects of Phantasy Star Online was definitely the particular atmosphere(s) it evoked - shifting somewhere between paradisaical, sci-fi and fantastical, and dark and mysterious. The footage you've shown here really does not do justice to these areas; I'm not sure if it's the settings you have chosen (assuming these clips were taken from Blue Burst), but a lot of the atmospheric environment effects are missing from your footage, such as the haziness of the jungle air, or the thick fog on top of the dam - which adds tremendously to the feeling of each area. And speaking of the dam, it's my favourite part of this area: the scenic view of the island you get from on top of the dam is beautiful in its own way, complete with a raging thunderstorm visible in the distance.
I come back every now and then just to hear what you had to say about this game. It was a time in my life I really miss back when games were games and we were all in it for the good times shared.
This island doesn't really get the love it deserves... And in many ways, has faded from the memories of a lot of people. I'll always remember it fondly though. It was the most realistic area I had ever seen in a video game up until that point in my life. Looking back at it now, I think it held up pretty well. I hope you all enjoy my stories with this island! Thanks for watching everyone!
Hard to pick a favorite for locations. While I loved the upgradable tech in the caves section from the first, I'm a sucker for crossing into beach areas like the seaside. The amount of great moments with dungeons(or just shooting the breeze) are too many to count, but I'll always treasure the times with Congratulator; you'd be hard-pressed to find a better buddy than that. And yep, I still wonder what they're up to today.
There are few of us that remain that remember the old PSO days. Fewer still that remember the Algol series. Well done on the video. I saw you remembered the code word to summon the enemy in that beach quest. One of my favorite memories was winning the AOL Cup in PSOBB. In terms of favorite area, it's a toss up between Outer Crater and Subterranean Desert. Outer Crater gets the nod because the music basically a love letter to Phantasy Star III Generations of Doom's music. Subterranean Desert because of the unique ideas that were introduced such as the quicksand that sucked you in. While Flowen might have been the main story of Episode II, you can't forget that some of the side content rivaled that. Gal De Val was also home to the East and West tower. Seat Of The Heart was the name of the quest where you reunite Elly and Calus. Of course there's now the question of if the adventures on Ragol ever even took place thanks for PSP2i basically preventing Rico from ever being turned into a host for Dark Falz GERM and Flowen being turned into Olga Flow.. If you haven't kept up with the series since it's still going strong with an even stronger English community despite the lack of an official translation. We have a fan translation that does well enough though. The current iteration Phantasy Star Online 2 is starting to bring things into perspective with the whole series, especially since series stars like Rico and Flowen from PSO, and some of the Gurhalians are running around with the ARKS now.
No words can describe how breathtaking CCA was, if only the drops weren't so terrible. It still looks great today, stell very impressive and pleasing. Best way to kill a 40-1HR long session on VH =3
rofl i never comment on yt videos but this one really hit me in the feels. i legit reared up remembering this, what a beautiful game man. i just got pso2 two days ago and i still feel so much excitement and nostalgia about the first one, in a weird way. it’s like the first game i was young and didn’t realize i was experiencing something so special, but this time around it feels way more intense because i never thought i’d have the chance to do this again and i’m cherishing every moment. haha. anyway, sorry for my lil rant, but thanks for sharing this! life is beautiful.
This specific episode hits me hard when you get to the friends part. While I never had any time with Phantasy Star Online, I had similar moments in my life with friends on other games. Me and my friends would always hang out in RuneScape or maps on Halo 3. Just having fun in certain areas. A favorite was the map Valhalla in Halo 3. Just relaxing together in one of the buildings and talking instead of playing normally. I miss these people a lot. They helped me get through one of the hardest times of my life and I owe them a lot.
I didn't know you played PSO too. I love the game too. If you want, hit me up and we can find a fanserver and play a bit together. I never owned the game while it was officially supported, but I picked up the game from a blockbuster for 18 bucks, and then later got a dial-up modem for my GC and played on one of the fanservers. To this day, I still remember back at all the fun I had with the game, as well as the frustration of losing my first character(though admittedly, I built him horribly and he didn't match my preferred playstyles much at all). Personally, one of my favorite levels across both episodes is actually VR Temple; there's just something about half-flooded ruins that really grabs at my heartstrings, something I've loved ever since seeing Dark Link's room in Ocarina of Time, the first time i experienced the aesthetic, as well as the first game I ever owned, and the first I beat. Gal da Val was another area I enjoyed, as well as forest, and the second area of the caves zone. PSO is really a special experience for me, as it represents a lot of memories tracing back to years before I got the game, when I first saw a guide for the game in either Nintendo Power or Tips and Tricks(forget which). I remember reading it over and over, deciding what items looked the coolest and which I wanted to get, not realizing the difficulty in getting them. Once I finally did get the game, I had all but forgotten my old wishlist of sorts, and just played it again and again, having fun. To this day, I've invested hundreds of hours in casual play, and still boot it up from time to time just to play through another quest, hoping RNGesus will smile on me and let me see one of those elusive red boxes.(hopefully not another Brionac)
Watched this video almost 3 years too late, but wow! It was extremely effective in bringing me back to those days. I never got to play that bonfire quest, but I do wonder what happened to all those randoms that became friends in the PSO DC to PSO BB period. Saw all types of personalities out there and it was awesome.
I feel Episode 2 didn't get as much recognition and love as it deserved after repeatedly playing the first Episode on the dreamcast I grew tired of it but I couldn't get enough of the game and Episode 2 filled in that void. Glad to see I wasn't the only one that PSO left a nice impression and to this day nothing has come close to giving me the same online experience this game has. Nearly 20 years later I still talk and game with some of the friends I made here. Sadly PSO2 doesn't offer the same experience the first one did but I will say that it's about time they added a damn jump button lmao!
Gal Da Val Island is my favorite as well, but my first love was the Ruins. I was young when I played this game like around 13, so when I met girls online it was something magical, so me at lvl 10 was trying to put on a show, plus I really wanted to go into the Ruins, I still remember who was in my party, Princess, Shiro and MewPlushie. We barely crawled past the first couple of rooms, Me, Princess and Shiro. Then a Delsaber appeared and killed all 3 of us, I was like OMG im down, Im dead and my soul is hovering over me, then out comes MewPlushie, lvl 180 with a Vivinee (double saber) and just makes such quick and easy work of them all. At such a young age Im all like WOOOW look at this strong person, killed them in seconds!! After that I got hooked on the game, everytime I got a new weapon or some new gear I just could not wait to try it out....I could go on and on, but thats my little story
Oh man, I used to play this all the time on my GameCube with my sisters kids, who were only a few years younger than me! Gal Da Val Island was also my favorite man! So many areas, and really good music! I remember in particular in the second jungle area there was this one spot with little pools of water that you have to walk through just outside the cave with the teleporter, we would usually leave the game running there and go make some hotdogs and chili! Such good times! Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
I absolutely loved the quest with NiGHTS from Nights into Dreams that happened on this island. I had no idea who NiGHTS was at the time and there was just something so fantastical about it. I miss PSOepisod1and2 so much, I wish I could go back in time or at least feel as safe as I did when I was a kid.
I remember playing this quest with my friends back in PSO. Adventuring through these levels with my friends Eiko, Tia, Elk, Kami, Parn and Toshiya. Man. Thank you for bringing back to that place for a moment. I hope where ever they are, they're doing alright.
PSO is one of those games that, like Deus Ex, causes certain people to reinstall it after hearing it mentioned. I have it cycle through my brain at least once a year, and for a few of those years, even if several ago, I was playing online in a small fan server called Ephinea which provided me much fun, and my first actual exploration into Episode 4. The contrast between the difficulty of Episode 2 and 4 is identical to the difference between 1 and 2. It's DRAMATICALLY harder. But also, the areas are just as lovingly crafted, it seems. They're much larger, sprawling, with weather effects, foliage, and while the beauty doesn't quite measure up to Episode 2 in my opinion, the music is better, and hell, I just like PSO. Real talk my favorite area is actually the Ruins of Episode 1. The music triggers me into such an alert nostalgia, remembering how much angst I'd shout at my TV because those FUCKING DELSABERS GOT ME AGAIN! But also remembering the sighs of relief when I'd make my way down a loooong treasure route not related to finding the boss at all and find a sweeeeet red box for my work. If I was lucky. This game... was a unique experience that I have never had anything else quite like. It blossomed one of my still-going friendships when we had no other co-op games to try, and also put me in the shoes of a character that looked so ridiculous that I never thought I'd have created it. It put me in a world that I spent a lot of time in, following, either exploring, hunting, or just sitting in the Ruins or Forest, relaxing. This is a wall of text, and exactly why I like PSO. Almost no other game can generate this kind of response from me.
god dame this video made me feel old. it was actually this game that got me interested in writing and the characters I made in this game were some of my first protagonists. Beyond that I played this game so much, part of me still remembers the tricks needed for the hidden quest-lines.
Seems you and I have similar ideas about the levels in PSO. I couldn't help but think that Gal Da Val Island was entirely hand-crafted as much as possible, with more original formed areas than repeated rooms and assets. And then, of course, there was the absolutely fantastic battle against Gal Gryphon. Now *THAT'S* atmosphere!
Thanks so much for taking us back! A spot I remember was the waterfall in the Ruins, after tracking through online it was such a relief to find some sort of nature in a spot like the Ruins.
Man I enjoyed playing this all the way up until a few years back on SCHTHACK server for PC. Always loved playing PSO, from Dreamcast to Gamecube to PC. Thanks for the nostalgic tour. Indeed I played ep 1 more often as it was easier and better exp, but EP 2 was beautiful and much less boring. Some incredibly difficult enemies there as well. So many one hit kill enemies, especially on ultimate. Too bad SCHTHACK got wiped, otherwise I'd be playing some. I'd finally max my RAcaseal to 200, lvl up the rest of my casts and FOnewearl. Anyone up for a quick Respective Tomorrow??? I need that PGF!
I just started playing the game again a few days ago, and now I see this. Gal Da Val Island is definitely my favorite place in either episode, because the graphics are so stunning to me. They're so amazing for their time. I've only been playing the game for a few years now, so it doesn't carry the same nostalgia for me as you describe, but I have made a lot of good memories trying to get through Episode 1 with my friends, especially how happy we all got when we beat the Cave boss (De Rol Le, I think?) for the first time. Good video. ❤
Nice cinematic shots in this. Episode II is difficult and the gameplay style of players on all games tends to be to achieve the highest x per time. Whether that be experience or items. Back in the day things were much different, I think you would need to implement a mechanic in PSO that encourages exploration into the less popular levels.
Wow! Ive never seen a youtube video with so much passion and emotion about one particular area of a game. Its so nostalgic and deep that it takes me back to my childhood, when I wished I could jump into the world of a game and be a part of it. Its too bad we all gotta get old one day, but we'll always cherish the moments that made us happy. :)
Great video. Great game. I wish I could put into words the feeling of just thinking about this game again, and the pain that comes after when realizing you'll never get to experience it again. I've played the private servers, even found people that are willing to play "legit" and start from scratch with no cheating. I've had fun, but it'll never feel the same it did back then. But yeah, the design of Episode 2 was incredible (those water textures REALLY made me feel like I was there in that world). All of the mysterious machines and lights in the background. Everything was thought provoking. I could talk about the memory of these games for hours.
I just subscribed to you because of this video. I can truly relate to all of this. Also, thank you very much for the footage of the game, especially zoomed out during the beach quest
I appreciate this video on a very underrated area in a very underrated game. I know this video is now officially two years old, but I'm curious if you (SwankyBox) would ever be interesting in returning to PSO?
Just beat this level myself, and my god what a diverse and beautiful level. Hated those monkeys and robots, but the beach and jungle, the music, the variety. All that kicked off with a hard but badass boss fight makes this perhaps the best level in the whole game.
I would play this old Korean MMO Flyff which was really popular around 2008 or so. I had an IRL friend I played with a few times, but my best experiences were with players I met online. I had a friend who had a username based on this band CHiODOS. She always had an eating emoticon because she thought it was cute. I was way below her level (she was probably ~65, myself ~40), but she let me hang out with her and we'd chat while leveling in higher level areas, and I'd buff her and heal her and get exp in the process through the party share. She basically introduced me to Death Note because she was watching it on Toonami that night, and I watched it too, which is how I got into anime at all. At that time, I had never really liked the 90s and prior design of anime and Death Note had incredibly fresh design by comparison. I loved talking with her. I wish I could go back and get her Skype or something, I'll regret it forever. Another time I met a guy in the massively crowded, but beautiful, city of Darkon (it had beautiful music too). While I was attempting to trade something to him, he offered to give me a really good price on it, way more than I had paid for it. I was shocked. I chatted with him a bit, then later, he gave me a million penya, which was a huge amount to me at the time. I couldn't believe it and was so thankful, but I didn't get why he would do it. He said "Hey, dude it's just a game, it's not that big a deal." He was really nice. Darkon from Flyff is one of my Pixel Portals. I downloaded it again a few years back and seeing the way it was now was...surreal. Going through there now, the city under eternal night that would be entirely underground if not for a massive opening in the rocky ceiling above it, revealing the night sky. The city that would crash my PC back then with how many people were jam-packed within it, now barren with its haunting music, is one of the few things that makes me nostalgic. There was only one person in the entire city. We talked for a bit then I logged out.
same place tbh...the memories lol............ bittersweet and god i also hope they d release this on swith with online support but that has about no chances to ever happen
I got a good remember of pso, back in 2014 (was on gamecube offline mode) my bother, 2 friends and me were playing on multiplayer, i remmeber the view was tiny for each of us. that day party was on very hard, a friend died and we were surrounded in the mines 2 by robots. my bother and the my other friend (both human male hunhers) cover one other to revive him (he was shouting cause he believe he was gonna loose all of his messeta) my brother have the last moon atomizer, he revive my death friend succesfuly, i open with the last on my tp a ryuker (telepipe) and i was there on the portal, shooting (i was the only human ranger on the party ) while all of them (my friends and my bother, all hunters except my other friend that was a machine hunter) open path to the last telepipe, swords moving, shot gun photon blast everywhere, machine guns shots and then we all get on the pipe and go back to the pioner 2 all lay down the controlers and laugh for a while ...
I never got to play this online sad to say. I have this on GameCube and played it a lot but never could get the GameCube modem adapter sadly. Sounds like it was a blast to play online.
god this game so many memories of trying to get Dark Flow on gamecube only to learn u can't with out cheating , Swanky I have a question do u think SEGA should remake PSO 1 a 2 for the newer consoles and if so what are some changes you would like to see ?
By the way how did you use the free camera? Free view on the emulator? Also how did you spawn that dolmdarld (the squid monster from the seabed level) in the beach?
I see more than a few people in the comments looking to pick up or return to PSO. There's a fairly active private server called Ephinea up over at ephinea.pioneer2.net - we're always working to polish the game up and welcome players both new and old!
Was hoping to make some more pso memories in pso2 now that it's on PC. Too bad the Microsoft store absolutely DESTROYED that dream. Until it's off the Microsoft store, It's unplayable. It behaves as if it deletes itself, but leaves all the files there to eat up your hard drive space and then you have to gain access to your own window apps files through an annoyingly long process, then delete it manually, re-install the game and BOOP, it deletes itself.
![[PSO: Blue Burst] The Lore of Phantasy Star Online (Part 5: The Fate of Pioneer 1)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0CyIlnu69jM/mqdefault.jpg)
The nostalgia I have for this game is something else. I remember logging onto this the evening of 9/11, in 2001. I was playing this 16 years ago. I'm 30 now and no other game has come close to this experience.
Yes it was well ahead of it’s time
One of the most memorable aspects of Phantasy Star Online was definitely the particular atmosphere(s) it evoked - shifting somewhere between paradisaical, sci-fi and fantastical, and dark and mysterious. The footage you've shown here really does not do justice to these areas; I'm not sure if it's the settings you have chosen (assuming these clips were taken from Blue Burst), but a lot of the atmospheric environment effects are missing from your footage, such as the haziness of the jungle air, or the thick fog on top of the dam - which adds tremendously to the feeling of each area. And speaking of the dam, it's my favourite part of this area: the scenic view of the island you get from on top of the dam is beautiful in its own way, complete with a raging thunderstorm visible in the distance.
I come back every now and then just to hear what you had to say about this game. It was a time in my life I really miss back when games were games and we were all in it for the good times shared.
This island doesn't really get the love it deserves... And in many ways, has faded from the memories of a lot of people. I'll always remember it fondly though. It was the most realistic area I had ever seen in a video game up until that point in my life. Looking back at it now, I think it held up pretty well. I hope you all enjoy my stories with this island! Thanks for watching everyone!
Great video man!
SwankyBox, Memories, lots of memories.
Hard to pick a favorite for locations. While I loved the upgradable tech in the caves section from the first, I'm a sucker for crossing into beach areas like the seaside.
The amount of great moments with dungeons(or just shooting the breeze) are too many to count, but I'll always treasure the times with Congratulator; you'd be hard-pressed to find a better buddy than that.
And yep, I still wonder what they're up to today.
There are few of us that remain that remember the old PSO days. Fewer still that remember the Algol series. Well done on the video. I saw you remembered the code word to summon the enemy in that beach quest. One of
my favorite memories was winning the AOL Cup in PSOBB. In terms of favorite area, it's a toss up between Outer Crater and Subterranean Desert. Outer Crater gets the nod because the music basically a love letter to Phantasy Star III Generations of Doom's music. Subterranean Desert because of the unique ideas that were introduced such as the quicksand that sucked you in.
While Flowen might have been the main story of Episode II, you can't forget that some of the side content rivaled that. Gal De Val was also home to the East and West tower. Seat Of The Heart was the name of the quest where you reunite Elly and Calus. Of course there's now the question of if the adventures on Ragol ever even took place thanks for PSP2i basically preventing Rico from ever being turned into a host for Dark Falz GERM and Flowen being turned into Olga Flow..
If you haven't kept up with the series since it's still going strong with an even stronger English community despite
the lack of an official translation. We have a fan translation that does well enough though. The current iteration Phantasy Star Online 2 is starting to bring things into perspective with the whole series, especially since series stars like Rico and Flowen from PSO, and some of the Gurhalians are running around with the ARKS now.
No words can describe how breathtaking CCA was, if only the drops weren't so terrible. It still looks great today, stell very impressive and pleasing. Best way to kill a 40-1HR long session on VH =3
Geez, SwankyBox, you're taking me back to my childhood. Spent 100s of hours on this amazing game! Why can't I give this video multiple thumbs up?
I always thought Episode 2 had the best looking levels as well. Thanks so much for sharing your memories - I have a lot of good ones myself!
rofl i never comment on yt videos but this one really hit me in the feels. i legit reared up remembering this, what a beautiful game man. i just got pso2 two days ago and i still feel so much excitement and nostalgia about the first one, in a weird way. it’s like the first game i was young and didn’t realize i was experiencing something so special, but this time around it feels way more intense because i never thought i’d have the chance to do this again and i’m cherishing every moment. haha. anyway, sorry for my lil rant, but thanks for sharing this! life is beautiful.
hearing that level up tone... i knew i was in for a blast. :3
This is my favorite swanky box episode by far. I dont have to say why
This specific episode hits me hard when you get to the friends part. While I never had any time with Phantasy Star Online, I had similar moments in my life with friends on other games.
Me and my friends would always hang out in RuneScape or maps on Halo 3. Just having fun in certain areas. A favorite was the map Valhalla in Halo 3. Just relaxing together in one of the buildings and talking instead of playing normally. I miss these people a lot. They helped me get through one of the hardest times of my life and I owe them a lot.
Always come back to this video whenever I think back to my childhood playing this great game. Gal Da Val Island was by far my favorite area.
I didn't know you played PSO too. I love the game too. If you want, hit me up and we can find a fanserver and play a bit together.
I never owned the game while it was officially supported, but I picked up the game from a blockbuster for 18 bucks, and then later got a dial-up modem for my GC and played on one of the fanservers. To this day, I still remember back at all the fun I had with the game, as well as the frustration of losing my first character(though admittedly, I built him horribly and he didn't match my preferred playstyles much at all). Personally, one of my favorite levels across both episodes is actually VR Temple; there's just something about half-flooded ruins that really grabs at my heartstrings, something I've loved ever since seeing Dark Link's room in Ocarina of Time, the first time i experienced the aesthetic, as well as the first game I ever owned, and the first I beat.
Gal da Val was another area I enjoyed, as well as forest, and the second area of the caves zone. PSO is really a special experience for me, as it represents a lot of memories tracing back to years before I got the game, when I first saw a guide for the game in either Nintendo Power or Tips and Tricks(forget which). I remember reading it over and over, deciding what items looked the coolest and which I wanted to get, not realizing the difficulty in getting them. Once I finally did get the game, I had all but forgotten my old wishlist of sorts, and just played it again and again, having fun. To this day, I've invested hundreds of hours in casual play, and still boot it up from time to time just to play through another quest, hoping RNGesus will smile on me and let me see one of those elusive red boxes.(hopefully not another Brionac)
Watched this video almost 3 years too late, but wow! It was extremely effective in bringing me back to those days. I never got to play that bonfire quest, but I do wonder what happened to all those randoms that became friends in the PSO DC to PSO BB period. Saw all types of personalities out there and it was awesome.
So many good memories with this game.
I feel Episode 2 didn't get as much recognition and love as it deserved after repeatedly playing the first Episode on the dreamcast I grew tired of it but I couldn't get enough of the game and Episode 2 filled in that void. Glad to see I wasn't the only one that PSO left a nice impression and to this day nothing has come close to giving me the same online experience this game has. Nearly 20 years later I still talk and game with some of the friends I made here. Sadly PSO2 doesn't offer the same experience the first one did but I will say that it's about time they added a damn jump button lmao!
Gal Da Val Island is my favorite as well, but my first love was the Ruins. I was young when I played this game like around 13, so when I met girls online it was something magical, so me at lvl 10 was trying to put on a show, plus I really wanted to go into the Ruins, I still remember who was in my party, Princess, Shiro and MewPlushie. We barely crawled past the first couple of rooms, Me, Princess and Shiro. Then a Delsaber appeared and killed all 3 of us, I was like OMG im down, Im dead and my soul is hovering over me, then out comes MewPlushie, lvl 180 with a Vivinee (double saber) and just makes such quick and easy work of them all. At such a young age Im all like WOOOW look at this strong person, killed them in seconds!! After that I got hooked on the game, everytime I got a new weapon or some new gear I just could not wait to try it out....I could go on and on, but thats my little story
i still play this and still has a hold in my heart as a true mmo
I’m playing again in Offline mode and just ordered an Action Replay (the Real AR) can’t wait to play as Red Ring Rico!
Oh man, I used to play this all the time on my GameCube with my sisters kids, who were only a few years younger than me! Gal Da Val Island was also my favorite man! So many areas, and really good music! I remember in particular in the second jungle area there was this one spot with little pools of water that you have to walk through just outside the cave with the teleporter, we would usually leave the game running there and go make some hotdogs and chili! Such good times! Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
I absolutely loved the quest with NiGHTS from Nights into Dreams that happened on this island. I had no idea who NiGHTS was at the time and there was just something so fantastical about it. I miss PSOepisod1and2 so much, I wish I could go back in time or at least feel as safe as I did when I was a kid.
I remember playing this quest with my friends back in PSO. Adventuring through these levels with my friends Eiko, Tia, Elk, Kami, Parn and Toshiya. Man. Thank you for bringing back to that place for a moment. I hope where ever they are, they're doing alright.
PSO is one of those games that, like Deus Ex, causes certain people to reinstall it after hearing it mentioned. I have it cycle through my brain at least once a year, and for a few of those years, even if several ago, I was playing online in a small fan server called Ephinea which provided me much fun, and my first actual exploration into Episode 4. The contrast between the difficulty of Episode 2 and 4 is identical to the difference between 1 and 2. It's DRAMATICALLY harder. But also, the areas are just as lovingly crafted, it seems. They're much larger, sprawling, with weather effects, foliage, and while the beauty doesn't quite measure up to Episode 2 in my opinion, the music is better, and hell, I just like PSO.
Real talk my favorite area is actually the Ruins of Episode 1. The music triggers me into such an alert nostalgia, remembering how much angst I'd shout at my TV because those FUCKING DELSABERS GOT ME AGAIN! But also remembering the sighs of relief when I'd make my way down a loooong treasure route not related to finding the boss at all and find a sweeeeet red box for my work. If I was lucky.
This game... was a unique experience that I have never had anything else quite like. It blossomed one of my still-going friendships when we had no other co-op games to try, and also put me in the shoes of a character that looked so ridiculous that I never thought I'd have created it.
It put me in a world that I spent a lot of time in, following, either exploring, hunting, or just sitting in the Ruins or Forest, relaxing.
This is a wall of text, and exactly why I like PSO. Almost no other game can generate this kind of response from me.
god dame this video made me feel old. it was actually this game that got me interested in writing and the characters I made in this game were some of my first protagonists. Beyond that I played this game so much, part of me still remembers the tricks needed for the hidden quest-lines.
Seems you and I have similar ideas about the levels in PSO. I couldn't help but think that Gal Da Val Island was entirely hand-crafted as much as possible, with more original formed areas than repeated rooms and assets. And then, of course, there was the absolutely fantastic battle against Gal Gryphon. Now *THAT'S* atmosphere!
Thanks so much for taking us back! A spot I remember was the waterfall in the Ruins, after tracking through online it was such a relief to find some sort of nature in a spot like the Ruins.
Man I enjoyed playing this all the way up until a few years back on SCHTHACK server for PC. Always loved playing PSO, from Dreamcast to Gamecube to PC. Thanks for the nostalgic tour.
Indeed I played ep 1 more often as it was easier and better exp, but EP 2 was beautiful and much less boring. Some incredibly difficult enemies there as well. So many one hit kill enemies, especially on ultimate. Too bad SCHTHACK got wiped, otherwise I'd be playing some. I'd finally max my RAcaseal to 200, lvl up the rest of my casts and FOnewearl.
Anyone up for a quick Respective Tomorrow??? I need that PGF!
I just started playing the game again a few days ago, and now I see this. Gal Da Val Island is definitely my favorite place in either episode, because the graphics are so stunning to me. They're so amazing for their time. I've only been playing the game for a few years now, so it doesn't carry the same nostalgia for me as you describe, but I have made a lot of good memories trying to get through Episode 1 with my friends, especially how happy we all got when we beat the Cave boss (De Rol Le, I think?) for the first time. Good video. ❤
Nice cinematic shots in this. Episode II is difficult and the gameplay style of players on all games tends to be to achieve the highest x per time. Whether that be experience or items. Back in the day things were much different, I think you would need to implement a mechanic in PSO that encourages exploration into the less popular levels.
Wow! Ive never seen a youtube video with so much passion and emotion about one particular area of a game. Its so nostalgic and deep that it takes me back to my childhood, when I wished I could jump into the world of a game and be a part of it. Its too bad we all gotta get old one day, but we'll always cherish the moments that made us happy. :)
Great video. Great game. I wish I could put into words the feeling of just thinking about this game again, and the pain that comes after when realizing you'll never get to experience it again. I've played the private servers, even found people that are willing to play "legit" and start from scratch with no cheating. I've had fun, but it'll never feel the same it did back then. But yeah, the design of Episode 2 was incredible (those water textures REALLY made me feel like I was there in that world). All of the mysterious machines and lights in the background. Everything was thought provoking. I could talk about the memory of these games for hours.
Im just now discovering this channel, and I espically enjoy these Pixal Portel videos. Love the content!
fantastic video about a fantastic piece of design. thank you
I just subscribed to you because of this video. I can truly relate to all of this. Also, thank you very much for the footage of the game, especially zoomed out during the beach quest
Love this game too. I play on Ultima. So glad it's back. I spent so much time on this game as a kid.
You should check out Ephinea its infintely better!
For someone who likes Gal da Val island this much surprised you didn't talk about the West/East Towers area of it.
I appreciate this video on a very underrated area in a very underrated game. I know this video is now officially two years old, but I'm curious if you (SwankyBox) would ever be interesting in returning to PSO?
Just beat this level myself, and my god what a diverse and beautiful level. Hated those monkeys and robots, but the beach and jungle, the music, the variety. All that kicked off with a hard but badass boss fight makes this perhaps the best level in the whole game.
pixel portal are my favorite videos on this chanel
i remember doing famitsu cup at gal da val island was great. also gal da val actually has a 4th reigon with Del Lillies
Never got into Phantasy Star but it certainly sounds cool
I would play this old Korean MMO Flyff which was really popular around 2008 or so. I had an IRL friend I played with a few times, but my best experiences were with players I met online. I had a friend who had a username based on this band CHiODOS. She always had an eating emoticon because she thought it was cute. I was way below her level (she was probably ~65, myself ~40), but she let me hang out with her and we'd chat while leveling in higher level areas, and I'd buff her and heal her and get exp in the process through the party share. She basically introduced me to Death Note because she was watching it on Toonami that night, and I watched it too, which is how I got into anime at all. At that time, I had never really liked the 90s and prior design of anime and Death Note had incredibly fresh design by comparison. I loved talking with her. I wish I could go back and get her Skype or something, I'll regret it forever.
Another time I met a guy in the massively crowded, but beautiful, city of Darkon (it had beautiful music too). While I was attempting to trade something to him, he offered to give me a really good price on it, way more than I had paid for it. I was shocked. I chatted with him a bit, then later, he gave me a million penya, which was a huge amount to me at the time. I couldn't believe it and was so thankful, but I didn't get why he would do it. He said "Hey, dude it's just a game, it's not that big a deal." He was really nice.
Darkon from Flyff is one of my Pixel Portals. I downloaded it again a few years back and seeing the way it was now was...surreal. Going through there now, the city under eternal night that would be entirely underground if not for a massive opening in the rocky ceiling above it, revealing the night sky. The city that would crash my PC back then with how many people were jam-packed within it, now barren with its haunting music, is one of the few things that makes me nostalgic. There was only one person in the entire city. We talked for a bit then I logged out.
Great video man. Really brought me back.
same place tbh...the memories lol............ bittersweet and god i also hope they d release this on swith with online support but that has about no chances to ever happen
whenever i go back to this game that tropical island is the first place i go to
I have basically no knowledge of and no attachment to Phantasy Star, but I'll watch this anyway.
Rpg in space
I love Phantasy Star Online!
Would it be possible to do a video on the 2nd one?
I wish. This video is 6 years old now. I wish the love for PSO was strong enough to get him to do more!
I got a good remember of pso, back in 2014 (was on gamecube offline mode) my bother, 2 friends and me were playing on multiplayer, i remmeber the view was tiny for each of us.
that day party was on very hard, a friend died and we were surrounded in the mines 2 by robots.
my bother and the my other friend (both human male hunhers) cover one other to revive him (he was shouting cause he believe he was gonna loose all of his messeta) my brother have the last moon atomizer, he revive my death friend succesfuly, i open with the last on my tp a ryuker (telepipe) and i was there on the portal, shooting (i was the only human ranger on the party ) while all of them (my friends and my bother, all hunters except my other friend that was a machine hunter) open path to the last telepipe, swords moving, shot gun photon blast everywhere, machine guns shots and then we all get on the pipe and go back to the pioner 2
all lay down the controlers and laugh for a while ...
I always tried to play this game, but I was not connected online, and I could never save the game. I thought it was awesome tho
I never got to play this online sad to say. I have this on GameCube and played it a lot but never could get the GameCube modem adapter sadly. Sounds like it was a blast to play online.
Ephinea is worth checking out!
The video footage... Is that PSO up scaled to 2K / 4K resolution? I freaking miss PSO so much. Especially episode 2!
Oh man, this video makes me really mad that I never played this game back in the day!
And that part about online friendships
:'-l
* manly tears *
Could you tell me how a Dolmolm (a Seabed monster) was on Gal Da Val's beach?
Beautiful video
Temple and Spaceship were kind of cool and boring at the same time, while Gal Da Val was just awesome!
I cried...
god this game so many memories of trying to get Dark Flow on gamecube only to learn u can't with out cheating , Swanky I have a question do u think SEGA should remake PSO 1 a 2 for the newer consoles and if so what are some changes you would like to see ?
By the way how did you use the free camera? Free view on the emulator?
Also how did you spawn that dolmdarld (the squid monster from the seabed level) in the beach?
I see more than a few people in the comments looking to pick up or return to PSO. There's a fairly active private server called Ephinea up over at ephinea.pioneer2.net - we're always working to polish the game up and welcome players both new and old!
what are the songs featured in this video?
Was hoping to make some more pso memories in pso2 now that it's on PC. Too bad the Microsoft store absolutely DESTROYED that dream. Until it's off the Microsoft store, It's unplayable. It behaves as if it deletes itself, but leaves all the files there to eat up your hard drive space and then you have to gain access to your own window apps files through an annoyingly long process, then delete it manually, re-install the game and BOOP, it deletes itself.
There are still ways to play PSO! Just google Ephinea. :D
combat evolve
like if its your childhood too
i never played Halo CE until 2015 when i found a copy of the PC version in a garage sale
Why only 30 comments?
+Like
+Sub
+A few tears
hoi
Dude is lying he's younger then me and I played this as a kid, be truthful bud
😥😥😥😥😥😥😥☺😊
1ST!! HEY LOVE YOUR VIDS!!!
Alright. Subscribed.