Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity First Look

Language barriers prevented us from getting the skinny on the story at hand in Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity--the update to Phantasy Star Portable 2, a title that has only just gone on sale in North America--but cutting up monsters is the universal tongue.

The biggest new feature in Infinity is the inclusion of four-player multiplayer support, so we jumped into a grouped game at TGS 2010 to test our mettle and squad usefulness. Our demo began in a staging area, and after selecting a loadout and zone, we were corralled to a starting point on a pier behind an energy gate. Once the gate fell, we were off and racing, running at speed along the wooden planks and bouncing off blue glowing energy pads to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. After our quick jog, we springboarded our way onto a sandy shoreline. As the waves lapped at the sand, we were presented with our first challenge, a handful of blobby enemies. Our swords and guns made quick work of them, and as we followed the coastline and fled by red barricades, our opponents became more challenging. Blobs were quickly replaced by robots to fight as we came to terms with the camera and targeting system--both of which are controlled by the left shoulder button. The square button plays host to the basic slash or fire command, dealing ranged or melee damage based on our selected weapon and proximity to the target. Submenus gave us the chance to try out some more exotic kit, with limited access to more devastating tools and a limited quantity of ammunition to play with. As we hacked and shot our way along the sand, clearing the weak trash mobs blocking our advance, we raced each other to an unseen goal. Participation in battle rewards experience points, and while you can sit back and let your buddies do all the heavy lifting, there is a levelling incentive by playing a more active role in combat. Dealing killing blows and doing the lion’s share of the damage to a target appeared to grant us an additional experience bonus, helping us level up faster than if we had simply played a support role.

As the group soared through the air on one of the many jump pads lying around, we were presented with our first real challenge: a miniboss in the form of a spiked creature with a penchant for rushing moves and ice blasts. Though presumably when playing with a group of friends you may use verbal communication to indicate your intended plan of attack, our foursome remained silent. Some lunged with fervour, plunging their sword into the hairy beast, while others stood at a distance and unleashed a volley of gunfire. Some players ran interference, playing martyr and taking on the role of impromptu tank, while others snuck in for stealthy blows before backing out to avoid its charge and periodic area-of-effect ice blasts.

Once we had successfully slain our adversary, we moved on to the final, and longest, battle during our demo--a face-off with a huge lobster creature housed within its own arena, which was a platform floating on the water. Left with no other option but to fight, we were forced to adjust our previous strategy at the hands of a pair of spinning blades that roved the battlefield. Once we had dealt enough damage to our friend Mr. Crustacean, the setting changed, tilting the platform we were standing on into the ocean and forcing us to run back uphill. Purple gaseous zones appeared, dealing attrition damage to anyone too slow to get out of them quickly. The second phase of the fight saw our target add tailswipes and bubbles to his repertoire, keeping the entire team from standing still and simply watching the numbers scroll upwards from ranged damage.

After a long slog, we finally sent our foe to a watery grave. Our gallantry and courage were rewarded with a demo-ending screen, and we were ushered out for the next group to take on the ocean. Even after such a brief play with what appears to be a deeply tactical experience peppered with a plethora of customisation options, we're eager to swing the sword and fire some more shells. This update to the long-running and much-loved series will launch in Japan later this year, but if its precursor is any sort of guide, fans in the West may be waiting a while longer for an English worldwide release.