Recomendation

I’ve played Phantasy Star Online 2 on Xbox Series X before, and I’ve also played quite a few MMOs like Final Fantasy XIV, WoW, and others.

I’m thinking about starting Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis on PS5. I’ve seen people compare it to Xenoblade Chronicles X, which I really like, especially because of the exploration, large areas, combat, and the feeling of discovering things while travelling around the world.

I noticed that NGS is free to play on PlayStation, so I thought it might be worth giving it a try. I know it’s technically the PS4 version running on PS5, and I also know the game is quite old at this point.

For people who still play NGS today: is it worth starting in 2026? Is there enough content and an active enough community for a new player to get into it, or would you recommend playing something else instead?

I’m mainly interested in the exploration, combat, character progression, gear/builds, and the overall MMO experience rather than just rushing through the story.

Any opinions from current or returning players would be appreciated!