Genre: Role-Playing Game

Platform: Nintendo DS

Publisher: SEGA

Classification: 16 (PEGI)

For a series that's older than most I know, there are fundamental flaws in Phantasy Star Zero that goes as far as making the game unbearable. The famous 23-year-old dungeon crawler has set out without its compass, and consequently lost its way.

But the game’s visuals make the most of the DS and there is a plethora of weapons, items and geeky stats for players to obsess upon. Plenty on offer for those that would like to get deeply involved.

The format is simple; you'll accept a mission, battle through the required dungeon, beat a boss and then do the same all over again. Although this kind of gameplay is primarily what makes a dungeon crawler, the lack of decent storyline and constant recycle of this process makes things tiresome.

The combat is often a little sluggish and the computer controlled combatants that accompany have the fighting skills of a dead seahorse, the single player mode can get a tad tedious. Go online with up to three of your buddies through Wi-fi or Lan and the gameplay is so much fresher.

But the thing that makes Phantasy Star Zero so unbearable is the poor camera angles. An RPG in 3D with real-time combat should not be so downtrodden by such a simple yet over bearing mistake.

As an RPG, it’s technical aspects are deep and vast, but the lack of storyline and its repetitive nature mean that once you’ve been playing for just a few hours, you’ve pretty much seen what’s on offer.

SCORE: 4 / 10