Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

I dunno if most of you have all ready seen this or not but for those of your who haven't it's the Japanese DS Cover art for Phantasy Star 0. I think it looks pretty cool. It will be good to know when this game is going to get a NTSC and PAL release. Most games when released in PAL format or NTSC for that matter get different cover art so I guess well have to see if the english release of the game will have the same box artwork or not .

I must admit, that cover is pretty sweet. It sure makes me want to buy a DS and order this game from Japan. Too bad I'm broke and all my money from my next chequ is going to other things...

It does look very good. I'm sure it will be changed here - I think every PS game has had a new cover when brought overseas.

That loli on top sure looks interesting Any more info on the characters?

Actually, the "loli" at the top (Sarisa) is the only NPC crucial to the plot. Everybody else on the cover represents one of the game's 14 character classes.

I did a quick translation of the official character summaries from the manual, if anyone's interested. The manual lists six of the game's important NPCs. There are more, but I'm leaving out spoilers here. For reference, characters are listed in the order they appear on the official character summary page. "CV" stands for "character voice," i.e. the voice actor playing that character. I've left those untranslated because it's a pain in the * and who the hell cares.

(Note: For some reason, the official website lists some Newman characters' race as "??," while the manual just says "Newman." Their bigass ears are a dead giveaway, so I'm siding with the manual on this one. Also, just because the Japanese site uses messed up Romanizations does NOT mean that those are the "correct" names, but I'm including those along with more likely localizations.)

Sarisa
Age: 14
Race: Newman
A Newman girl. With her meek personality, Sarisa's emotions are very easy to read. She's an avid reader, full of curiosity. As soon as she came down to Earth, she gazed in awe at the beautiful landscapes surrounding her.
Quote: "I'm on the surface... I've truly arrived!"

Kai
Age: 22
Race: Human
A veteran hunter and strong leader, Kai is not one to fuss over small details, preferring instead to simply get the job done.
Quote: "In this dangerous age, it's important never to leave a debt unpaid."

Ogi
Age: Unknown
Race: Android
An android belonging to the Hunter's Guild. He is investigating the mysterious circumstances of his lost past. While usually serious, Ogi sometimes surprises the party with his odd manner of speaking.
Quote: "The pursuit of my hidden past... it seems I'm the only one who doesn't exist."

Reve (possibly Leve or Leive/Reive)
Age: 20
Race: Newman
A Newman elite, she is the commander of the landing team. She despises humans and androids, and is known to be quite full of herself.
Quote: "...Those contemptible humans never show up when support is needed."

Ana
Age: 20
Race: ??
From her appearance, you might guess that she's a Newman. However, Ana's true origin remains shrouded in mystery. She is waiting for the right moment to reveal her true appearance...
Quote: "Greetings, people of the surface. I must apologize for inviting you here on such short notice."

Dairon (possibly Dylon/Dyron/Dylone/Dyrone)
Age: 46
Race: Human
Mayor of Dairon city and a representative of the Hunter's Guild. He has a reputation as a playful, suave gentlemen, but is becoming concerned about his thinning hair.
Quote: "By my authority, I hereby recognize you as full-fledged Hunters!"

Nice translations, thanks for sharing that info with us! It's nice to have a hint of the story in the game.

No problem! This afternoon I tackled the prologue in the front of the manual. It seems that Newmans play a crucial role. I would've known this already if I'd been following the damn story.

Long ago, the thriving civilizations of a planet called "Earth" were reduced to rubble following a great war. The 200-year period of peace that followed the aftermath of this war came to be known as "The Heavenly Whiteness."

The battle's only surviving species, "humans," exhausted their vast resources reviving the civilizations of old in the form of grand cities. However, stepping foot outside the safety of the city meant being assaulted by the packs of monsters roaming about.

In order to counter these foes, the people employed a form of energy called "Photons," excavated from the ruins of Earth's former civilizations. Those wielding this power to combat the monsters were known by the people as "Hunters."

Meanwhile, parts of the planet that had been heavily affected by the great war began to stir with activity. Artificial life forms known as "Casts" suddenly began to awaken from their long slumber. For reasons unknown, none of these machines seemed to retain any memory at all of the great war. Shortly thereafter, humans and androids began to coexist within the numerous cities now dotting the Earth.

But the people have forgotten. Long ago, there was a third race with which they coexisted.

From a moon silently hovering in the sky, the forgotten race descends. The curtain is about to open on a new chapter.

I also wanna thank you for that info. Making this new Phantasy Star game all the more clear makes me want to play it even more.

Hm, interesting. I wonder if it's really going to be Earth and if they're going to tie this into PSII or PSIII somehow.