I've been seeing a lot of folks playing PSO2 expecting to play it exactly like PSO1. So, I decided to make a thread where we can help struggling PSO1 veterans better understand the gameplay of PSO2. Along with what similarities there may be and what things are wildly different.
No Offline Mode
This isn't a retail game, it's a free to play online game. That's how it's been designed from the ground up, to focus on multiplayer and populated ships. The only way you can really play solo is to lock your games with passwords or choose an empty block. To have this experience, you're going to have to stick with PSO1, Universe or the portable games. This isn't that game and will never be that game.
Mags
In PSO1, our mag set up had a lot more variety and evolutions were a lot more coveted. PSO2 has some nice evolutions, but the game doesn't revolve around having those evolutions as the main purpose of the mag. A lot of build focus on pure stats and less so about distribution. Outside of stats, Abilities and PBs are changable on the fly with items, allowing for greater customisation.
What other things can you think of?
PSO1 will always hold a dear place in my heart and the memories of my times with it will never die. But, at the same token, it's unhealthy for us to put expectations on games to be something they're not. A game will never flourish if it's living in the shadow of a game you've put on a pedestal.