Just thought I'd chime in on the games.
PS1 is one of my favorites. It's that and Shenmue. Phantasy Star came out a week after Final Fantasy 1. There is no comparison. Phantasy Star 1 seems to have been the starting point of the 16-bit RPG style to me.
PSO gets a lot of flak. But it really is not that bad. It is an MMO. But if you are expecting Everquest, Ultima Online, or WOW, this is not it. PSO is a loot based MMO. Probably the most influential. This style is huge in Japan where Monster Hunter is the new King. But PSO2 is chugging along there too. Loot based MMOs just never caught on here.