Star OceanSecond Story has always been one of the most beloved games in its series. Initially launching for the original PlayStation in 1998, before seeing an enhanced PSP release, fans and newcomers can now look forward to a gorgeous new version of it, Star Ocean The Second Story R.
It follows Claude and Rina. Claude is a Pan Galactic Federation officer and Son of the legendary Ronix Kenny, causing him internal strife regarding his identity. During a mission, Claude’s ego gets the best of him as he’s accidentally transported to an underdeveloped planet and spotted by Rina, a local who confuses him for a legendary hero in her world’s lore.
Star Ocean melds sci-fi and fantasy genres, with the contrasts between Claude and Rina working as storytelling devices for each – Claude representing sci-fi, and Rina fantasy. This choice of protagonist allows you to choose who embodies your desired state of immersion as well, with newcomers perhaps better outfitted for the perspective of Rina, a girl ignorant of what lies beyond her daily perceptions. As a long time fan of the series and sci-fi fan, I chose Claude. Armed with knowledge of his lineage makes his point of view interesting to me.
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Playing the opening segments of the demo with this brand-new perspective was honestly a pretty surreal experience. It felt like an entirely new title altogether. While previous versions of the game had varied art styles for character portraits, the ones in Second Story R seem like the definitive versions. Each character’s appearance stands out with bold shading, which is a departure from the series' usual anime-style portraits.
While playing only a demo didn’t give me a solid grasp on the ins and outs of combat, the changes are very noticeable. Speed is way more emphasized, with character-switching making the pace of battles far swifter than I remember. The PSP version felt very button-mashy when I played it years ago, and casting spells became an eye-rolling affair after hours of watching the combat freeze just so the disco show of sparkles could fall onto the enemies or allies (for healing). Here, playing a spellcaster seems to feel just as rewarding as a fighter. I just wish the melee characters didn’t have to run over to the enemy to hit them. Claude got smacked a few times running over to the enemy before smacking it back. The combat system isn’t as good as The Divine Force, but it’s definitely more flashy and frenetic.
Then there are those stunning 3D-meets-HD2D graphics. Star Ocean the Second Story R impressively mimics the style of HD2D graphics popularized by games likeOctopath Traveler, which blends the traditional retro aesthetics with the modern touch of high-definition graphics. The brilliance lies in the artistry – the backgrounds are crafted in real-time 3D, and the characters are drawn with a special shader that etches itself into your memory, if you’re a veteran gamer and/or love retro pixel character art style.
Inan interview with Nintendo Everything, the game’s producer and director Yuichiro Kitao had a specific style he was aiming for, which built on the HD2D look of JRPGs in recent years. Here’s what he had to say:
The backgrounds in the world were not pixelated, but instead were made with real time 3D, and the characters were drawn with a special shader in a way that really sticks in the player’s memory. The game was developed in a way to introduce pixel art characters into the current environment of expansive 3D worlds, giving them a real sense of existing in the modern-age, while also feeling nostalgic, and with visuals that brought out the finer details of cherished memories of grand adventures.
–Yuichiro Kitao, Director of Star Ocean The Second Story R
The characters, now with more defined and distinctive features, feel like the definitive versions of their classic counterparts. Even in their pixelated forms, Rina and Claude’s clothes and their expressions are easy to decipher. The immersion is heightened, and the experience becomes more cinematic and also nostalgic when played on a big screen with a comfortable controller. This is a far cry from the experience I had playing the game on the PSP, wishing the speakers were louder and that the controls didn’t make my hands cramp after a few hours of use.
I’m glad Star Ocean Second Story R is receiving this treatment, and I’m hoping my early impressions of combat and presentation remain throughout the entire experience. After all, us fans of the seriesworked our butts offto get Square Enix to recognize our passion for the series, and we’d love to see that pay off.
