Review as of 6/11/2021

PSO2:NGS is fast paced, flashy, and pretty to look at. If you're coming in for the first time expecting a PSO1 nostalgia trip, that is not the case here. NGS(New Genesis), takes what was good about PSO2, polishes it up a bit, adds open world and a more fluid combat system.

Combat is amazing in NGS. It's snappy and rewarding when you pull off counterattacks and I-framing big attacks. You are not limited to the class you start with, and are able to change at the main hub with no penalty. There are 12 different weapons to choose from, ranging from big swords to assault rifles and rods that cast magic. Skill trees for each class, where you can allocate points to further improve your class moveset. The level cap is lvl 20, and might seem low to most people. However, leveling tends to slow down quite a bit at 15, and the true power of your character lies within your Battle Power Stat often referred to as ilvl or gearscore in other games. The game is punishing, when you get hit and you can easily get 1 or 2 shot if not careful, so staying up to date with gear is important.

The world consist of lush plains, beaches, and mountains. You can clearly see other biomes from far away such as a snowy area or a fiery volcano, but those are to be released in future updates. Traversing through the world of Halpha is enjoyable and very immersive. There is plenty of verticality in the environment, and secrets areas to explore. Monster design ranges from alienlike creatures with a touch of futuristic mech like parts to big giant lions and chrome dragons. There is a good variety of monsters to fight, each with their own fighting style and mechanics the player has to adapt to.

The menu and UI is definitely built for console in mind. This is was a issue present in PSO2 classic, although has improved quite a bit since then. It still doesn't hit the mark. It is convoluted and filled with layers of sub menus. Upgrading gear and weapons is not 100% clear in the tutorial. There are layers of gearing systems in place that seem overwhelming and confusing. Although it has a lot of depth, the way it is presented is not user friendly.

The story without going into spoiler territory acts as an introduction to the world of NGS. By the time you get to the end of the story, you will be hit with "To be Continued" screen. More story will be added in future updates/expansions. Because it is so short, the game does not give you enough time to feel attachment to any of the characters. I imagine once the story is actually complete, you will have a better experience with it. If you love anime waifu's this is a must play.

If you are looking for hardcore raids or very difficult content, NGS does not offer that at the moment. The content of the game as of launch consist of going through the short story, exploring the world, leveling up classes, farming weapons, upgrading them, and participating in urgent quests which are large scale world bosses that come up at random.

It's not a bad time to hop into the game. However expect lag spikes due to server congestion, gameplay bugs, lack of endgame content. If you decide to wait for more updates before picking up the game, you will definitely have a better experience. The game has a lot of potential to grow for the next coming years, so don't completely write the game off at first glance.

TLDR: It's free to play. Game is pretty, combat is good. Story is just okay. Very little Endgame content at the moment. The UI and game systems can be confusing for new players. Microtransactions are mostly cosmetic and QoL. Updates are coming over the next couple of months and years to come. Great game for the casual player, not for the hardcore looking to push raid progression. 7/10 as of 6/11/2021

6/20/21 edit: Lag is now gone, and much more enjoyable to play.

Review as of 6/11/2021 PSO2:NGS is fast paced, flashy, and pretty to look at. If you're coming in for the first time expecting a PSO1 nostalgia trip, that is not the case here. NGS(New Genesis), takes what was good about PSO2, polishes it up a bit, adds open world and a more fluid combat system. Combat is amazing in NGS. It's snappy and rewarding when you pull off counterattacks and I-framing big attacks. You are not limited to the class you start with, and are able to change at the main hub with no penalty. There are 12 different weapons to choose from, ranging from big swords to assault rifles and rods that cast magic. Skill trees for each class, where you can allocate points to further improve your class moveset. The level cap is lvl 20, and might seem low to most people. However, leveling tends to slow down quite a bit at 15, and the true power of your character lies within your Battle Power Stat often referred to as ilvl or gearscore in other games. The game is punishing, when you get hit and you can easily get 1 or 2 shot if not careful, so staying up to date with gear is important. The world consist of lush plains, beaches, and mountains. You can clearly see other biomes from far away such as a snowy area or a fiery volcano, but those are to be released in future updates. Traversing through the world of Halpha is enjoyable and very immersive. There is plenty of verticality in the environment, and secrets areas to explore. Monster design ranges from alienlike creatures with a touch of futuristic mech like parts to big giant lions and chrome dragons. There is a good variety of monsters to fight, each with their own fighting style and mechanics the player has to adapt to. The menu and UI is definitely built for console in mind. This is was a issue present in PSO2 classic, although has improved quite a bit since then. It still doesn't hit the mark. It is convoluted and filled with layers of sub menus. Upgrading gear and weapons is not 100% clear in the tutorial. There are layers of gearing systems in place that seem overwhelming and confusing. Although it has a lot of depth, the way it is presented is not user friendly. The story without going into spoiler territory acts as an introduction to the world of NGS. By the time you get to the end of the story, you will be hit with "To be Continued" screen. More story will be added in future updates/expansions. Because it is so short, the game does not give you enough time to feel attachment to any of the characters. I imagine once the story is actually complete, you will have a better experience with it. If you love anime waifu's this is a must play. If you are looking for hardcore raids or very difficult content, NGS does not offer that at the moment. The content of the game as of launch consist of going through the short story, exploring the world, leveling up classes, farming weapons, upgrading them, and participating in urgent quests which are large scale world bosses that come up at random. It's not a bad time to hop into the game. However expect lag spikes due to server congestion, gameplay bugs, lack of endgame content. If you decide to wait for more updates before picking up the game, you will definitely have a better experience. The game has a lot of potential to grow for the next coming years, so don't completely write the game off at first glance. TLDR: It's free to play. Game is pretty, combat is good. Story is just okay. Very little Endgame content at the moment. The UI and game systems can be confusing for new players. Microtransactions are mostly cosmetic and QoL. Updates are coming over the next couple of months and years to come. Great game for the casual player, not for the hardcore looking to push raid progression. 7/10 as of 6/11/2021 6/20/21 edit: Lag is now gone, and much more enjoyable to play.