How is the new PSO? I've seen some trailers but I'd rather hear from someone who actually tried it.

I've played a bit of the original (on pc, not online) and the later PSU games on PS2 & PSP (also a little on the DS). It never really clicked with me in the end, but it's always been easy for the series to drag me in. I guess I just dig the visuals and character customization options. I realized when I played PS Portable 2 that slight gameplay improvements had been made, but many of the things I felt was wrong deep down with the game was still there.
For example, the feeling of disconnection between the story they're trying to tell (cutscenes and all) and the actual missions you do. Not to mention dull level design. Basically just a number of rooms or areas connected together with doors, a maze if you will. Maybe sometime you need to find a switch to press. The enviroments always look good, but you don't actually get to go anywhere interesting, just study it from afar. Now, Monster Hunter also divides a bigger area into smaller ones but that's OK because each area of the map is (more or less) unique, with different terrain and atmosphere.