Phantasy Star Online is one of those few games in history that has a greater impact on the historical context of gaming than on the gameplay itself. In many ways, this is the game that showed everyone that console-based online multi-player was possible. While there were certainly earlier examples of network games (i.e., games that utilize a network), Phantasy Star Online demonstrated that it is entirely possible for four or more players to engage in a cooperative Action RPG-style game experience in real time on a console-based platform.
Historically speaking, I appreciate systems that are elegant in their execution because they address real-world problems effectively. Phantasy Star Online’s online framework provided a solution to the problem of “How can we coordinate the timing of four players in a real-time environment on console-based platforms that utilized network connections that were relatively unreliable at the end of 1999?” The answer to that question was to develop well-architected servers, client-side predictive mechanisms, and accommodate latency as much as possible. The technical framework of Phantasy Star Online’s servers represents a prime example of technical infrastructure as game design.
What does Phantasy Star Online actually do?
You create a player character; you kill monsters; you gain experience and better equipment; you work through quests with other players. That is the entirety of Phantasy Star Online’s gameplay engine. As such, while the gameplay is very similar to numerous other games, the revolution behind Phantasy Star Online is simply based on providing the same type of gameplay with other people in real time via network connections.
The process of getting started with the game is fairly simple. You log into a network lobby. Once logged in, you will be placed in a server block along with other players. From here, you will be able to view available quests, communicate with other players, and form teams. After you’ve formed your team, you select a quest (which is essentially a group dungeon with defined goals). At this point, you begin killing monsters, collecting loot, completing objectives, and returning to the lobby. All experience and items collected during the quest are carried forward and contribute to your overall character progression.
While the progression of your character is enjoyable and rewarding, the progression is also extremely linear. Your character is leveling up; you are acquiring better equipment; you are working towards stronger weapons and better defensive gear. Additionally, as you progress through the game, the difficulty of the content increases. Ultimately, the end-game experience in Phantasy Star Online revolves around the concept of “grinding” for rare equipment drops. The grind is essentially an endless cycle of running through content repeatedly until you acquire the desired item. Essentially, the end-game experience is the same old basic Action RPG loop, but it is elevated by the social aspect of interacting with other players.
The Technical Achievements of Real-Time Multiplayer On Consoles
One of the truly incredible aspects of Phantasy Star Online’s technical design is that this was 1999. Dial-up internet access was the norm, and network adapters were often optional add-ons. The amount of technological wizardry required to create a real-time, reliable, and seamless multiplayer experience across such a limited technological base was no small feat.
To enable the smoothest possible gameplay experience, the developers implemented client-side prediction to account for potential delays in communication between clients and the server. Client-side prediction allows the local client to predict the location of the user’s avatar and confirm that prediction with the server. This approach enables the client to provide a smooth and continuous gameplay experience regardless of any minor latency issues experienced due to network connection speed or reliability.
Another innovative design choice was the way the developers structured the quests themselves to take into consideration the inherent realities of network communications. Each quest contains clear beginning and ending points and is designed to ensure that players cannot stray too far from one another before disconnecting. In essence, the designers of Phantasy Star Online recognized that true synchronization across multiple clients and a server is nearly impossible, especially considering the limitations imposed by network connectivity speeds and availability. Therefore, the designers took advantage of the limitations by designing the system to tolerate periodic instances of desynchronization.
The lobby system used in Phantasy Star Online includes features that allow users to search for matches with other players and join teams. The lobby system is both easy to use and intuitive. Users can browse information about the characters and equipment of other players and send pre-defined messages or chat with teammates.
Why Does This Matter?
Phantasy Star Online laid the groundwork for all subsequent forms of online console gaming for the next twenty years. World of Warcraft’s dungeon structure owes a debt to Phantasy Star Online. Today, every action RPG developed for consoles incorporates the ideas and principles that Phantasy Star Online pioneered.
In terms of technical architecture, Phantasy Star Online established the model for virtually all subsequent online action RPGs. The use of client-side prediction, server reconciliation and latency tolerance has become the industry standard.
Phantasy Star Online also provided conclusive evidence that console players desire to participate in online gaming experiences. The fact that Dreamcast owners needed to purchase additional hardware (network adapter) to play Phantasy Star Online demonstrates that Sega realized the long-term value of online gaming back in 1999, a time when virtually every other major game developer considered online gaming a niche PC phenomenon.
Is Phantasy Star Online Still Engaging?
The core gameplay of Phantasy Star Online remains highly engaging. Killing monsters, hunting for new equipment, and progressing through levels are all timeless elements of the Action RPG genre. Even playing alone against AI-controlled opponents remains enjoyable. Overall, the combat is fast-paced and enjoyable.
Graphically, however, Phantasy Star Online has aged poorly. The character models are blocky and pixelated, the environments are dull and monotonous, and the animations appear stiff and unresponsive. However, given the advancements in graphics technology since 1999, it is difficult to imagine that the graphics would remain current today.
Progression in Phantasy Star Online is also straightforward. Within minutes, you will likely understand the objective and how to progress toward that goal. The difficulty curve of the game is also well-balanced. The game is neither excessively difficult nor pathetically easy. The variety of quests and regions provides enough diversity to prevent the game from becoming stale, despite the underlying loop being simplistic.
The Online Experience That Changed Gaming
Cooperating with other players in Phantasy Star Online in 1999 was a brand-new experience. You were working with three other humans in real-time. You could communicate with other players. You coordinated your attacks with other players. You helped other players locate hidden areas. The social element greatly enhanced the gameplay experience.
Although Phantasy Star Online’s servers have long since been discontinued (in 2007), the fact that the servers exist no longer changes the fact that Phantasy Star Online proved that online console gaming was viable. It also showed that players were eager to experience this type of interaction with other players. Moreover, Phantasy Star Online established the template upon which all future online games would be based.
Why Do the Discontinued Servers Matter?
The fact that the servers supporting Phantasy Star Online are no longer operational (as of 2007) is significant. Because Phantasy Star Online lost its main selling point (the ability to interact with other players) when the servers stopped functioning, the single-player experience is ultimately hollow in comparison to the online experience. This presents an interesting dynamic regarding online gaming and highlights the fragility of online games. Online games inherently rely on some sort of server infrastructure, which can fail at any moment.
Conclusion:
Phantasy Star Online is a game that holds historic significance more so than the actual gameplay experience. The gameplay is nothing more than traditional Action RPG gameplay (albeit in a multiplayer format) that has been executed in far superior fashion in numerous games since Phantasy Star Online.
However, the networking infrastructure that supports the game, the architectural design of the networks, and the idea that console gamers want this kind of experience are all incredibly significant.
Phantasy Star Online was a game that changed what was possible on console-based hardware. It demonstrated that console gamers wanted to engage in online experiences. It created the foundation for everything that followed in online console gaming.
If you understand the historic significance of Phantasy Star Online, you will also understand how and why online gaming has become an integral part of modern console gaming.
Rating: 8/10 – An online game that has changed console gaming forever – although the gameplay itself is elementary.
Samuel’s been gaming since the Atari 2600 and still thinks 16-bit was the golden age. Between accounting gigs and parenting teens, he keeps the CRTs humming in his Minneapolis basement, writing about cartridge quirks, console wars, and why pixel art never stopped being beautiful.
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