Long ago, on a since-retired console, the universe of Phantasy Star big-banged its way into existence and a legion of fans was born. Since then, the battered series has moved from platform to platform as a sort of RPG hobo, never really getting the cozy home that it enjoyed on the early Sega game systems.

Today, Sega announced its plans to release the latest incarnation of the series, Phantasy Star Universe, on the Xbox 360 (in addition to the previously announced PS2 and PC versions). Bringing an interesting wrinkle to the RPG genre, Phantasy Star Universe boasts a single-player quest and an expansive online component, enabling gamers to decide for themselves which experience best suits their mood. If you go it alone, the solo campaign should deliver about 40 hours of solid RPG goodness, while the online campaign features all of the character customization and planet-hopping adventure the genre is known for. For more info on this title, why not check out our preview  of the PC version?

Phantasy Star Universe can be expected to arrive on store shelves in Fall 2006.

April 19, 2006