History VideoGame / PhantasyStarUniverse

** Chelsea from Portable 2 also has a large rack, but she also has [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench a french accent in the english dub]] and a [[AbsoluteCleavage dress who shows lots of cleavage]].

* CharacterLevel: Like with HyperspaceArsenal, ''Universe'' [[JustifiedTrope justifies]] this common RPG game mechanic by way of [[MinovskyPhysics photons]] and technology based on them. Photon reactors (used in all weapons and armor) use [[LifeEnergy spiritual energy]] to function. A person with a strong spirit can cause more damage with VendorTrash weapons than a rookie can with an InfinityPlusOneSword. [[ExperiencePoints And the best way]] [[LevelGrinding to get stronger is ...]] Bonus points in ''Infinity'', where you can literally make it an InfinityPlusOneSword by grinding the weapon, using an Extend Code, and then using an Infinity Extend Code then grinding it once.

* InformedAbility: Some of the weapon descriptions are a little too... boastful. The De Ragan Slayer's description claims that it can "strike down a De Ragan in a single blow" (which ''might'' be possible if the wielder sufficiently outleveled the De Ragan). The legend behind the Ely Sion, however, states that it has the power to cleave even ''planets'' in two. Better watch where you swing ...
** SortingAlgorithmOfWeaponEffectiveness: Many of the common B, A, and even S-rank weapons list themselves as "high-end" or "limited run" for "advanced users." When they were first available, this seemed true as they were rare and highly expensive--but as higher-end content was made available and these weapons turned into VendorTrash ...

%%* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Vivienne and Helga.

** Chelsea from Portable 2 also has a large rack, but she also has [[EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench a french accent in the english dub]] and a [[AbsoluteCleavage dress who shows lots of cleavage]].
** You can turn [[PlayerCharacter your own character]] into this. Running around on missions in bikini or even in a ''bath towel''? No problem. Especially the {{Stripperiffic}} Magical Princess suit from ''Portable 2''. This costume was designed by [[Manga/ToLoveRu Kentaro Yabuki]], though, so that's to be expected.

* EliteMook / EvilMakeover: A LOT of the enemies that originated from Phantasy Star Online that appear in this series, especially Portable 2, have gotten really big upgrades and have gotten harder and smarter as well:

* JokeItem: Frying pans, parasols, roses, toy hammers, guitars, magazines... [[LethalJokeItem some of which are lethal.]]

* ImprobableAge: The minimum age to join the GUARDIANS is 14. Potentially be justified in that the younger members probably aren't supposed to be doing much until they've been around for a few years (and the age has historical precedent with apprenticeships and such), but plot circumstances mean the GUARDIANS need all the help they can get. It gets worse when these members are promoted and taken on crucial missions despite being young and inexperienced.

* ImprobableAge: Many canon and player-made GUARDIANS are rather young. People can join the GUARDIANS as young as fourteen, and the player can make a character that looks (and sounds) even younger than that. [=CASTs=] and small beasts can look young without actually being young, but it doesn't explain the Humans or Newmans.
** The young recruitment age could potentially be justified in that the younger members probably aren't supposed to be doing much until they've been around for a few years (and the age has historical precedent with apprenticeships and such), but of course plot circumstances lead to everyone being needed no matter what. It gets worse when these members are promoted and taken along crucial missions despite being young and inexperienced.

** Unlike most examples, the two temple areas on Neudaiz are not abandoned by any means.
*** Old Hakura Temple, though used mainly as a research facility, has plenty of traps ready to trip up intruders.
*** The Pavilion of Air is the Communion of Gurhal's current headquarters. Any intruding Guardians will have to deal with traps, security forces, and escaped monsters.

* ImprobableAge: Many canon and player-made GUARDIANS are rather young. People can join the GUARDIANS as young as fourteen, and the player can make a character that looks (and sounds) even younger than that. CASTs and small beasts can look young without actually being young, but it doesn't explain the Humans or Newmans.

** Then there's the JokeItem [[ParodyName Ascension Gift]], which ''also'' calls in a bombardment from an orbiting satellite ... fat rappies, mushrooms, toilets, and a [[VideoGame/FantasyZone Opa Opa]] that drops its [[ShoutOut signature anvils]] [[AnvilOnHead on the heads of enemies]].
* LethalChef: Maya Shidow. We first get a [[IncrediblyLamePun taste]] of this trope in ''Episode 1,'' where it's revealed that she has been heading a research project to develop rations with a shelf-life for a century. Then in Online Mode, we find out about the synthesis boards she created that tries (and fails) to make a home-made cake ...
* LovableRogue: Tylor, who makes it a point not to hurt or rob from the poor.

* MaleGaze: The player's first impression of Chelsea in ''Portable 2'', who stares at her chest while waking up from unconciousness.

%%* OurDragonsAreDifferent

* PunyEarthlings: Since HumansAreAverage, they lack the more specialized stats of the other races. They also lack the unique racial LimitBreak skills that [=CASTs=] and Beasts have.

* TwinSwitch: After a certain chapter of Episode 1, and all her appearances in Episode 2 and 3, Mirei Mikuna [[spoiler: is actually Karen Erra]]. This causes there to be two Story-only Partner Cards... [[Mirei Mikuna pretending to be Karen Erra, and Karen Erra's ORIGINAL Partner Card.[[note]]You only get Karen's card AFTER she's already left the Guardians.[[/note]]]]

%%* WombLevel: The HIVEs.

* FiveRaces: As of ''Infinity'', we have an ensemble of them, unconnected from Tolkien as they are. Bonus points for being able to assign them to the FiveManBand:
** TheHero: Humans (natch)
** TheLancer: Dewmans
** TheBigGuy: Beasts
** TheSmartGuy: Casts
** TheHeart: Newmans

%%** Can happen to [[spoiler:Orson Waber and Magashi]].

** TheChick: Newmans

* TheGhost: Exaggerated with the Illuminus, an entire ''organization'' that plays this role during Epsiode 2. Even as the main antagonist of Episode 2, none of its members make any on-screen appearances. Some members show their faces in ''Portable'' and Episode 3, but the number that do can still be counted on one hand.

* HeroicBSOD: At the start of ''Episode 3'', Laia has revealed to have gone into one after the events in ''Ambitions of Illuminus''.

* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler:In ''Episode 2'', the Illuminus succeed in causing immense destruction and discord (directly and indirectly,) ruining the GUARDIANS' reputation, and dividing the people of the Gurhal System.]]

* ActionGirl: Karen and Laia.

* MageMarksman: Guntechers can choose from a variety of strong firearms (including exclusive access to S-rank Crossbows) and a wide range of TECHNICs. They lean more into Arcane Archer archetype since they use S-rank Longbows instead of Rifles.
* MagicKnight: Wartechers have powerful melee weapons and offensive TECHNICs at their disposal.

** In-universe, guards in the Communion of Gurhal (when not using TECHNICs or Spears) are partial to Longbows.

%%* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler:The ending to ''Episode 2''.]] It gets better, though.

* TheBigGuy: Any Beast, large or small, can temporarily transform into a massive version of themselves with SuperStrength to match through a technique called "nanoblasting."
* BigNo: Ethan gets one when [[spoiler: Orson dies]].

** Helga Neumann, whose command over SEED-forms, personality, [[spoiler: relationship with Vivienne]], and last name (which is very similar to "numan") are all references to Neifirst, the original numan from ''End of the Lost Age'' (PSII).

** Alfort Tylor, whose nature as a [[SpacePirates honorable space pirate]] is a reference to Tyler from ''End of the Lost Age.'' His ship, the Landeel, is ''also'' named after Tyler's ship.

** As a not Phantasy Star-related expy, Ethan is a redheaded WideEyedIdealist whose shirt is white with colored sleeves: a dead ringer for [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Shirou Emiya]].

* HopelessBossFight: Against [[spoiler: Ethan and Liina, Nav in the last chapter of ''Episode 2''.]]

* IdiotHero: Ethan, in ''Episode 1''.
* ImprobableAge: Many canon and player-made GUARDIANS are rather young. People can join the GUARDIANS as young as fourteen, and the player can make a character that looks (and sounds) even younger than that. CASTs and small beasts can look young without actually being young, but it doesn't explain the humans or newmans.

* PleaseWakeUp: Emilia does this [[spoiler: to the player character after he/she [[TakingTheBullet pushes her out of the way of a fatal attack and ends up taking it in her place.]]]]

%%* RealTimeWeaponChange
* RedemptionDemotion:
** Somewhat averted as [[spoiler:Ethan only seems to have done a FaceHeelTurn]]. As a Rogue, [[spoiler:Ethan]] uses two S-Rank weapons (Crea Doubles and Blackheart), but when [[spoiler:he]] becomes a GUARDIAN again, he trades in his Blackheart for the A-Rank [=DB's=] Sword. He also downgrades his sword and wand.
** [[spoiler:Magashi]] is a straight example as after [[spoiler:Emilia "upgrades" him. He trades in his Two-Headed Ragnus for regular ground-element GRM twin sabers.]]

* RogueProtagonist: [[spoiler:Ethan becomes a literal example in ''Ambitions of the Illuminus'' when he joins the Rogues.]]
* SadisticChoice: Howzer invokes this twice. First, in ''[[AllThereInTheManual Shadow of the Arkguard]]'', when he [[spoiler:forces Ethan to kill Dallgun in exchange for his captive father.]] Then, [[spoiler: in Episode 3, he uses Karen as a hostage to force Ethan and the Player Character to merge with [[SendInTheClones SEED!Helga]].]]

* TheBigGuy: Any Beast, large or small, can temporarily transform into a massive version of themselves with SuperStrength to match through a technique called "nanoblasting." Canon-wise, Leogini Santosa Berafort is the ''literal'' Big Guy of the cast (of the GentleGiant variety). Tonnio Rhima, on the other hand, blends CuteBruiser with BoisterousBruiser.

* DirtyOldMan: Lucaim Nav, headmaster of the GUARDIANS Academy. Loves pinching the butts of his female students ... for training purposes, no less!
** DoubleEntendre: Just about ''everything'' Nav says in combat can be taken the wrong way.

** Laia Martinez has also gained notoriety for being one.

* HeroesPreferSwords: As an NPC and in promotional art, Ethan's always depicted with some kind of sword--he'll often be shown using a [[SwordAndGun one-handed saber and pistol]] or a two-handed blade.
** All player characters, by default, start out with a basic saber and pistol. In the Story Mode for ''Illuminus,'' Human characters also get a basic two-handed sword.

* HeroWithBadPublicity: The GUARDIANS as of ''Episode 3''.

* InformedAbility: Some of the weapon descriptions are a little too ... boastful. The De Ragan Slayer's description claims that it can "strike down a De Ragan in a single blow" (which ''might'' be possible if the wielder sufficiently outleveled the De Ragan). The legend behind the Ely Sion, however, states that it has the power to cleave even ''planets'' in two. Better watch where you swing ...
** SortingAlgorithmOfWeaponEffectiveness: Many of the common B, A, and even S-rank weapons list themselves as "high-end" or "limited run" for "advanced usersI." When they were first available, this seemed true as they were rare and highly expensive--but as higher-end content was made available and these weapons turned into VendorTrash ...

* {{Meganekko}}: Maya.

* MsFanservice:
** Maya, who has the largest breast size in the game (larger than the maximum size for a player's character, in fact!). Her normal method of getting past men is to shamelessly flirt with them--it even worked on Fullyen Curtz, who was a staunch [[FantasticRacism CAST Supremacist]] at the time.

* TheGhost: Exaggerated with the Illuminus, an entire ''organization'' that plays this role during Epsiode 2. Even as the main antagonist of Episode 2, none of its members make any on-screen appearances. Some members show their faces in ''Portable'' and Episode 3, but the number that do can still be counted on one hand.

* TooSlow: In your battle with Howzer, he occasionally shouts, [[SonicTheHedgehog "You're too slow!"]]

* SpaceStation: Gurhal is implied to have many of these, but the only ones visitable are the GUARDIANS Colony ([[CaptainObvious of course]]) and the [=HIVEs=] ([[WombLevel space stations consumed by the SEED]]). ''Portable 2'' introduces Clad-6, home of Little Wing, as the ''only'' lobby and explorable location outside of missions.

* [[GetAHoldOfYourselfMan Get A Hold Of Yourself, Woman!]]:

%%* WellDoneDaughterGirl: Kraz is this to Emilia.

* StrangeBedfellows: At the final part of "The Magashi Plan" side-story mission, the player character, Lou and [[spoiler: a "defective" Magashi]] must fight off a wave of SEED unleashed by [[spoiler: Helga]].