[[2026 Games]]  ## 2026-04-02 There are many **Phantasy Star** games. **Phantasy Star IV** is great. **Phantasy Star Online Episode 1&II** are legendary to a specific kind of freak. **Phantasy Star Online 2** and **New Genesis**…exist. But in my humble opinion, all of them pale in comparison to the sheer might and quality of **Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity** on the [[PlayStation Portable|PSP]]. Perhaps a hot take, but fuck it I’ll say it: this is the second best **Diablo**-like after **Diablo** itself. I mean that shit. Technically never released in English, **PSP2I** got a translation patch by a dedicated team quite recently as of this writing, in 2022. It’s an upgraded version of the original **PSP2**, basically replacing it as the defacto version, with balancing adjustments, tons of new content, a new story arc, and probably other shit I’m not remembering right now. My comparison of **Phantasy Star Online** to **Diablo** is apt, given it was cited as direct inspiration to the series. But the series differs because of its Y2K futuristic aesthetic and JRPG spin on the formula that sets it apart. And frankly, nothing has been able to replicate the vibes since this game’s release.[^1] The loop is simple: walk into an arena, clear out enemies, and repeat. That’s literally it. The combat is simple but effective, with a lot of depth if you want to squeeze out a ton of damage. Your square combos increase the chain count on an enemy, while your triangle combo effectively ends the chain and multiples the damage based on how high the chain got. Some weapons are better for certain tasks than others — you could use twin sabers to quickly increase the chain count, then swap to your giant sword that has slow chain attacks but extremely powerful triangle attacks. **Portable 2 Infinity** works despite the simple loop because of the first word in this sentence. It’s one of those things you can just pull a handheld out to play a mission or two, then go back to whatever it is you were doing. The combat is always *just* engaging enough to keep you awake without requiring you to sweat it out, compared to something like **Diablo**, which I always find gets boring after a while. Loot is easy to understand, so chasing a good drop always feels worthwhile, because once you finally pick it up, you always know it was worth getting. Even if it doesn’t work for your character’s current class, you can swap between them between missions, so you’re always making some kind of progress. On that note, there’s lots of playstyle options to try out, which all feel unique — especially the Force class, which is the game’s sci-fi version of a mage. The other thing that sets this game apart from its peers is that it has a pretty good story. Both Episodes are engaging and entertaining. It’s nothing galaxy-shattering, but the characters really carry it. Emilia is a highly entertaining sidekick in Episode 1, and Nagisa’s story, whilst short, is a nice follow-up. You can clear the plotlines and never touch end-game and still have an enjoyable experience. **PSP2I** is still a PSP game, so it isn’t going to blow you away. But if you’re like me and miss **Phantasy Star Online**, yet find **PSO2** and **PSO2NG** to be dogwater[^2], then I encourage you to give it a chance. [^1]: [Atlyss](https://store.steampowered.com/app/2768430/ATLYSS/) is probably the only exception I can think of, and it’s still in early access. [^2]: because they are