History VideoGame / IdolaPhantasyStarSaga

%%* * CoolVersusAwesome: '''Idola versus Idola''', anytime it happens, in [[JustForPun large]] part because the player is directly controlling [[{{Kaiju}} an Idola]] to beat the ever loving hell out of another one, in one [[RunningGag giant]] clash surely incurring [[RuleOfThree titanic]] amounts of collateral damage, with [[OverlyLongGag massive]] and flashy attacks fully entailed.

** For his Elemental Blast, Eren Jaeger transforms into his Titan form and hammers the target with a [[JustForPun titanic]] punch.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''IDOLA'' shares quite a few similarities with the other ''Phantasy Star'' mobile game, ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline2es'', which can be attributed to the director of ''IDOLA'' previously directing ''es''. This includes the Idola Battle mode, which uses many of the mechanics from ''[=PSO2es=]'''s Emergency Quest system, and the Bond Gauge being functionally similar to the Gaiden Gauge.

** Gene is infamous for her hilariously beefy DEF stat that exists alongside a self-buff Skill that gives her a stack of 15% DEF Up and an Elemental Blast that costs 8 Wind and gives 300 Power party heal. She's miserably slow to compensate, but with the right allies Gene can potentially become a StoneWall that is nearly impossible to kill without buff cleanse. A fandom joke is that [[BoobsOfSteel the tankiness comes from her huge breasts.]]

* OffModel:
** The sprites of characters have a habit of being inconsistent with their artwork or otherwise less detailed. Some of the earlier Elemental Blast sprites are also known for having some visual oddities.
** Egregiously common with Wyndis. For some reason, Wyndis consistently sports bizarre anatomical errors in the majority of her artwork. The most common of these are massively enlarged hips in relation to the rest of her body, but some other highlights include her exposed thigh on her EX artwork (it's ''much'' higher up than it realistically should be, as if her hip were removed entirely) and her legs on her Summer artwork (much longer than they should be).

* AluminumChristmasTrees: A Soul Symbol released in November 2019 called "Popona's Thanksgiving" features some Thanksgiving-themed artwork like traditional Fall season colors and a turkey, bewildering some international players who are accustomed to Thanksgiving being an American holiday. This is a reference to an actual Japanese holiday called "Labor Thanksgiving Day" that is celebrated on November 23rd and is basically the Japanese equivalent to American Thanksgiving despite having a different connotation and history.

The Japanese version of the game officially went [[DefunctOnlineVideoGames out of service]] on January 13th, 2022, soon after the game's 3rd Anniversary Event. The final update added the last two units to the game: Victoria, and Farley (Assassin). Microtransaction services were halted on October 31st, 2021; the IDOLA Points service ended in December 2021; and the IDOLA Points Shop in ''Phantasy Star Online 2'' ended service on January 13th. The game's main story cutscenes and Bond Story scenes are available to view through the game's [=YouTube=] channel following its closure.

* {{Gainaxing}}: There is definitely some JigglePhysics going on for a handful of the women. Especially Rosalinde, whose breasts are shown jiggling when she is ''standing still.''

** The [[WeaponOfChoice signature weapon]] of the Brave class is Double Sabers. Both Uly and Gene have them, and there's a lot of spinning involved.

* WeaponOfChoice: ''[=EP2=]'' introduced Unique Weapon Symbols, highly rare Weapon Symbols that are based on the weapons wielded by the characters themselves. They can only be used by a character of the Class corresponding to the weapon's owner (such as Uly's Nautical Star only being usable by Brave characters), but in return they have more potent abilities and stats than normal Weapon Symbols.

** Jasper's WeaponOfChoice is a pair of twin blades. In certain Skills and his [=EBs=], he combines the swords into one big sword to deal meatier hits.

* CombatHandFan: Anna Marie's WeaponOfChoice. Goes hand in hand with her being a Dancer.

* WhipSword: Messala's WeaponOfChoice is a bladed whip. This translates into gameplay as a unique normal attack that hits all enemies, unlike every other melee character who only hits single or random targets.

* DarkSkinnedBlond: Roxanne and Nicole fit the bill to a T.

Unlike many of its predecessors, ''IDOLA: Phantasy Star Saga'' is a FreeToPlay mobile game in the ''VideoGame/PhantasyStar'' series developed by Appci and published by SEGA. It was released in Japan on November 27th, 2018, with Chinese and English versions released by Taiwanese publisher Boltrend Games. Contrary to the trend set by ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline'', ''IDOLA'' prominently features a return to classic turn-based RPG gameplay as opposed to an ActionRPG, and is thematically reminiscent of the original games in the franchise.

The game has [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM-huGRkWiBmAdaOCPxhjCQ an official YouTube channel]], starring the game's very own Virtual [=YouTuber=], Popona[[note]]who ''precedes'' her in-game counterpart[[/note]], who hosts "IDOLA Channel", a video uploaded every two weeks at 11AM JST Monday and presents information on upcoming character releases and events in the game. On October 25th, 2021, the 116th episode of "IDOLA Channel" was uploaded, and is stated to be the final episode of "IDOLA Channel". Popona would later go on to promote ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline2NewGenesis''.

The Japanese version of the game officially went [[DefunctOnlineVideoGames out of service]] on January 13th, 2022, soon after the game's 3rd Anniversary Event. The final update added the last two units to the game: Victoria, and Farley (Assassin). Microtransaction services were halted on October 31st, 2021; the IDOLA Points service ended in December 2021; and the IDOLA Points Shop in ''Phantasy Star Online 2'' ended service on January 13th. The game's main story cutscenes (as well as Bond Story scenes) are available to view through the game's [=YouTube=] channel following its end-of-service.

* AbsoluteCleavage: Shannon's bodysuit is open at the chest area, allowing her to show off ''all'' of her cleavage.

* MyFutureSelfAndMe: Stella [Memories]'s Bond Story, where a 5-year old version of Stella (before her father died) is sent through a Stargate to the present day. Present day Stella and Uly get to know her before deciding to throw her a birthday party.

** [[spoiler:Taken UpToEleven with the Idola vs. Dark Falz battle against Dark Falz Cave, which has '''50,000,000 HP!''' Luckily this isn't as big a number as it looks, as knocking it down by breaking a part drastically increases the damage it takes (to where a single normal attack can shave off several hundred thousand HP), and the game forces you to use Phoenix, who has the strongest Elemental Blast in the game and can wipe out over half of its health bar in one shot if it Elemental Blasts while Cave is down.]]

* NiceHat: Ido Rappies are identified by their signature white and green color scheme and big fancy hats.

* StuffBlowingUp: Several [[LimitBreak Elemental Blasts]] have an explosion happen on the enemies as part of whatever insane maneuver the character is pulling off, often inexplicably. For example, Reiner bats his enemies hard enough to make them explode midair...somehow. Uly B's high-altitude drop creates a giant explosion...somehow. Both [[ItRunsInTheFamily Rosalinde and Gustav]] have a tendency to make fiery explosive hell consume their enemies after letting giant fire lions have their fun first. The winner is probably Zodiac Leo, however, whose Elemental Blast is simply a glorified MegatonPunch that creates [[UpToEleven an outrageously huge explosion]] when he lands it.

The Japanese version of the game officially went [[DefunctOnlineVideoGames out of service]] on January 13th, 2022, soon after the game's 3rd Anniversary Event. The final update added the last two units to the game: Victoria, and Farley (Assassin). Microtransaction services were halted on October 31st, 2021; the IDOLA Points service ended in December 2021; and the IDOLA Points Shop in ''Phantasy Star Online 2'' ended service on January 13th. The game's main story cutscenes (as well as Bond Story scenes for Popona) are available to view through the game's [=YouTube=] channel following its end-of-service.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Stella takes it UpToEleven in the promotional art. "Rainbow" is a hair color only a few characters can claim to have.

** All of Nicole's Elemental Blasts open with the camera focused on her butt. Nicole happens to wear a DangerouslyShortSkirt.

The Japanese version of the game officially went [[DefunctOnlineVideoGames out of service]] on January 13th, 2022, soon after the game's 3rd Anniversary Event. The final update added the last two units to the game: Victoria, and Farley (Assassin). Microtransaction services were halted on October 31st, 2021; the IDOLA Points service ended in December 2021; and the IDOLA Points Shop in ''Phantasy Star Online 2'' ended service on January 13th.

The game has [[https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM-huGRkWiBmAdaOCPxhjCQ an official YouTube channel]], starring the game's very own Virtual [=YouTuber=], Popona[[note]]who ''precedes'' her in-game counterpart[[/note]], who hosts "IDOLA Channel", a video uploaded every two weeks at 11AM JST Monday and presents information on upcoming character releases and events in the game. On October 25th, 2021, the 116th episode of "IDOLA Channel" was uploaded, and is stated to be the final episode of "IDOLA Channel".

** "Rovers" are Zodiates who possess a different Element from other Zodiates of the same Idola: for example, Stella and Anna Marie can transform into the Water-element Aries Idola, when ''normally'' the Aries Idola should be Fire-element. Rovers are generally persecuted as impure or aberrations by the rest of their Zodiate tribe, such as Gilbert (a member of the Leonis royal family) being wiped from the history books for being born with a Water-element Leo Idola. In Episode 2, [[spoiler:Victoria]] is revealed as a Rover whose family was persecuted by [[spoiler:Canceed's nobility]], leading them to set in motion a plot to [[spoiler:overthrow the ruling caste and create a better Canceed where Rovers would not face such discrimination]].

Now in the present day, there are [[OrderVersusChaos two major powers in conflict]] across Vandor: "Law", the ruling caste who use the Runes passed down from the Starlord and heartlessly impose their order upon the populace; and "Chaos", who empower their bodies with the taboo magic of Crests and seek lives of reckless freedom. In addition, a handful of people ("Zodiates") possess a mysterious ability to transform into [[{{Kaiju}} monstrous titans]] known as "Idola", which are all based on a major constellation (with the most powerful being the WesternZodiac).

** "Rovers" are Zodiates who possess a different Element from other Zodiates of the same Idola: for example, Stella and Anna Marie can transform into the Water-element Aries Idola, when ''normally'' the Aries Idola should be Fire-element. Rovers are generally persecuted as impure or aberrations by the rest of their Zodiate tribe, such as Gilbert (a member of the Leonis royal family) being wiped from the history books for being born with a Water-element Leo Idola. In Episode 2, [[spoiler:Victoria]] is revealed as a Rover whose family was persecuted by [[Canceed's nobility]], leading them to set in motion a plot to [[spoiler:overthrow the ruling caste and create a better Canceed where Rovers would not face such discrimination]].