Phantasy Star Universe -- Into the Hive.

I am now approaching four-hundred hours on my primary character in Phantasy Star Universe. Just another night or two and I'll be there. There have been a few updates to Phantasy Star Universe and it's starting to feel more like Phantasy Star Online. Beyond the new armor, weapons, units, decorations, clothes, and parts, we've also gotten some new missions. They've opened up Tunnel Recapture, which leads to a tease of new areas on Moatoob. They've opened Train Rescue which acts as a great shortcut on Parum to reach the Underwater Plant. They've also opened up Dark Satellite which takes us into the Episode 1 end game levels. The new levels bring with them new rare creatures and sought after drops. They've continued the Episode 2 story missions as there are now four chapters online. The story is heading into some interesting territory and I like what they're doing a lot. It's rather cool.  It's still all very PSO like in story. A cool story is to be found and pieced together through the Japanese space opera drama and text bubbles. They've also unlocked the first bit of Bruce's Dungeon. A simulation where you escort Bruce through a puzzle and trap filled bit of dungeon. It brings with it all the PSO trappings. With the Hive levels being straight out of the PSO Ruins and with Bruce's Dungeon and the Episode 2 story chapters bringing with them all the all the bells and whistles and trickery of PSO it can't help but make PSU feel a little more PSO like. And that's a great thing. We're also starting to get over that hill. We're not quite over it yet, but we're getting there. We're getting closer to being able to hold our own in S-rank missions. The light is at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. Phantasy Star Universe's future is starting to look brighter.