13 replies to this topic

[Saifer Dracondrali]

Awhile back Square announced this but Star Ocean is coming back and it's remaking both the first and second of the Star Ocean Series, but these are not merely remakes, Square Enix planed on making these already legendary games feel like they were brand new... They have accomplished just this and *to my amazement* IMPROVED upon already spectacular gameplay!

The first Star Ocean remake is already out and is titled Star Ocean: the First Departure. This is a psp remake to the old SNES version that was only in Japan but it's more than just touched up graphics they also improved the voice overs (that's right Star Ocean had voice overs... ON A SNES!) ande with it fully voiced dialog, added characters, and more (though not sure how much more) alternate endings... yes the SNES version has alternate endings too...

The Second one was Star Ocean the Second Story (and my personal favorite) this was released in American on the PS1 and how much is in this game amazes me to this day... 13 playable characters, an "affection" system, 88 alternate endings!!!, and so much to do... and the remake is only adding to it... with 1 new character, 1 or more new endings, upped graphics, and fully voiced dialog, and possibly more...
The PSP remake is coming out in America on the 20th of January!

And of course... Star Ocean 4... This will be released in America on the 3rd of March... I don't have much info on this yet (I can't read Japanese) but so far it features 7 characters, a completely revamped combat system (The combat system in the Star Ocean series was always stunning but SO4 sets a new bar), the ability to pilot a rather large ship through space and travel to 5 different planets... on top of that... it's played on 3 disks... this is gonna be big...

Star Ocean 4 Trailer
Star Ocean 4 official web (Japanese)
Is anyone else reminded of PSO/ PSU?

I'll add more info later

-EDiT- 4 views, zero replies... Good god... hasn't anyone at least HEARD of this game?

[Mitsuu]

That trailer was pretty cool, but why do their heads jiggle when they talk. Actually, all their movements seemed stiff and unrealistic.

[Envy]

Star Ocean 4!!! *swoons*
I'm getting an Xbox 360 so I can play it.

I love the characters this time around. The graphics look amazing.
I like how the storyline takes place before SO3 too.... I wonder if there will be references to

Spoiler

4D space and all that crap...
o.o (And is it just me or does Edge kinda look like Luther Lansfeld?)

[Saifer Dracondrali]

First off... thanks for the replies I thought I'd never get any, lol...

That trailer was pretty cool, but why do their heads jiggle when they talk. Actually, all their movements seemed stiff and unrealistic.

Ya, i can't deny that... but I seem to be seeing that kind of thing more and more in today's rpg's so I'm getting used to it... but trust me... this game's well worth it!

I like how the storyline takes place before SO3 too....

Which means... we will likely see a SO5!!!
hmm? (hopes go up)
Currently there's only 7 characters... and since Star Ocean typically has a max of 8 ppl per party and has extra characters... we'll probably see more...

The game's coming soon too, so I'm keeping my eye on the site........ btw, can anyone here read Japanese?

[TRiPPY]

I remember hearing how great this game series was back in the day, I'm interested to see more.

[Saifer Dracondrali]

Alright then... stuff that we know...
- You can travel to at LEAST 5 different planets, or other space destinations, in a large ship that you control... it's been said that the ship is quite large
- the ultra-fast-paced Real time battle system is back, where you run around the field with allies and take out enemies using various combos and skills
- new combat features such as Sight in/ Sight out and the Rush gauge (no real into on them but sight in/out gives you a chance to counterattack by leaving an enemies field of vision and Rush looks like a special attack of sorts but I'm probably just skimming the surface)
-PA (Private Actions) are back, where you talk to various party members and raise/ lower their disposition for you
-4 characters can fight at once in "more team oriented combat", hmm...
What hasn't been confirmed but is almost defiantly going to happen
-alternate endings (at least 12 I would think)
-engaging skill system
-10 or more characters to choose from (more likely 12)
-affection system (which determined how allies fight with you and your endings)
-Giant bunnies...
-challenging bosses

[Envy]

Yes! Giant Bunnies!!!! X3

10 or more characters to choose from (more likely 12)

Really? So maybe the 7 that we know of are the characters you get no matter what and then there's a few optional characters?

Hm... Lot's of cameos from Star Ocean 1-3 and Valkyrie Profile (and possibly other games such as Radiata Stories) can be expected as well.
But other than what we pretty much know will be in it, what do you want to be put in it?
I personally want there to be battle trophies again. I wasn't really good at getting them in SO3, but it's always really exciting when you do get them. XD

[Saifer Dracondrali]

Really? So maybe the 7 that we know of are the characters you get no matter what and then there's a few optional characters? unsure.gif

doubt it... it's more likely that you will be able to have 8 party members max and 2-4 of them will be mandatory (4 in the case of Star Ocean and 2 in the case of Star Ocean 2)
Everyone else will probably be optional some will be easy to get others will be a bugger ta find... or...
Perhaps Square already has them in the game but won't show any of the "secret" characters in the main site?

Hm... Lot's of cameos from Star Ocean 1-3 and Valkyrie Profile (and possibly other games such as Radiata Stories) can be expected as well. :Dbiggrin.gif
But other than what we pretty much know will be in it, what do you want to be put in it?

Ethereal Queen O_O
I personally want to see the alternate costumes and pvp aspect back... not sure how that did in SO3 (no one I knew even heard of the game) but it sounded cool...
I would also like a new game+ after beating the game...
OR MMO STYLE STAR OCEAN MODE!!! O_O *explodes* (what? I can dream can't I?)
-EDiT- New character revealed! Now we're at 8 characters... I still bet there will be more...
Additionally Japan is now showing trailers...
-Further EDiT- another new character... we now have 9 characters to choose from! on top of that Private actions have been confirmed and extended upon, you can now give your characters roommates (you can almost smell the hilarity that we'll see with that...) Item creation seems to be more complex (which is good in the case of Star Ocean) and some other things I think that I don't understand since the site is in Japanese...

[spinningcannon]

Are these re-releases for PSP only?

Seriously, though, the Star Ocean series was amazing.
I only had the chance to play demos of the PS2 installment, and I've never seen the 1st... but I do own the second game (PS1).
Unfortunately, I had to hunt the game down for years and buy it secondhand... and when I did, it had no instruction booklet. I'm serious. So, I've basically had to teach myself the controls by trial and error. It's ridiculously fun, though.

Also, I love the crazy real-time battle system, so it's good to hear that they're keeping that!

[Envy]

Are these re-releases for PSP only?

I only had the chance to play demos of the PS2 installment, and I've never seen the 1st... but I do own the second game (PS1).

Yes it's just for psp and you haven't seen the first because it was a Japan-only release.
I wish i could play the second... I've only played the third.


Btw anyone notice that the main protagonists in each Star Ocean game alternate hair colors. In the first game Roddick has blue hair, in the second Claude has blonde hair, in the third Fayt has blue hair, and in the fourth Edge has blonde hair. XD

[Saifer Dracondrali]

Now that you mention it... lol
I've played each of them so far... I highly recommend that you two get a PSP to play the second one... at least...
At this point we have 10 (confirmed) playable characters... unless you count Welch Vineyard (Yes... Welch... the same one who appeared in item creation for SO3 and appeared as a playable character in the PSP remakes for SO1 and 2... cept now she looks very little like her...)
Item creating will now end with additional properties depending on who helps make an item (like making a weapon with one character will give you a 10% bonus atk... or 10% bonus hit with another)
bonus gems which give you special benefits after battle such as bonus exp. or bonus skill points...
I still don't understand the "sight-in/sight-out" mechanic of the game... but it looks cool...
7 visitable planets have been confirmed
you can now obtain materials (in addition to buying them, or receiving them as loot after battles) through each character's skills (Remi can gather herbs, Bacchus can mine metals) other characters have skills that will help with exploration (edge can dash to avoid fights) and a new feature called "Vanish" which destroys obstacles and uncovers treasure...
B.E.A.T system (which I don't get but is oddly named...)
Now you can jump during battle, and actively switch out members for your reserves during combat...
more info the next time someone posts...

[Envy]

Any one else get the chance to play it yet? I got all the way up to the final boss (which I didn't beat) and then accidentally wrote over my first file when I started a new game.

....Maybe I did it unconsciously..... I was pretty depressed about my favorite character

Spoiler

leaving my party and turning out to be the final boss

after all.. T^T

For anyone who's played SO4:
What do you think of the story?
Who's your main party members/ favorite characters?
Anything you don't like about it?

[Saifer Dracondrali]

I don't have this game atm T_T but I want it soooo baaaaad...
you got all the way to the final boss? you musta been burning the midnight oil!
Did you deal with the secret dungeon (which all the star ocean games have had so far, so I assume this one does too)
But overall how is the game and do the new features add to the SO series or take away from it?

[Envy]

I got to the final boss, messed around a bit in battle, but then decided that I was too upset about it to fight him (Because I knew who he was and I cried enough over him already T^T). And I had saved right before I went in, so that wasn't a problem. So I started a new game to try and calm down for a while and when I went to save the new game, I overwrote my original file.... So I haven't beaten the final boss yet, but I'm getting there again. It won't take too long now that I know what to do.


There are secret dungeons, I don't know when I'll get to them though. (I know for sure the Ethereal Queen and Gabriel are there somewhere. in there.)

The game is pure awesome. X3 I like the added battle elements like rush mode and backside attacks. It seems like it's easier to level up now too. Private actions are easier to find, since you can find most of them aboard the Calnus while traveling to your destinations. Item creation is okay... but I liked SO3's far better (uh, why does Welch have purple hair?)

As for characters I don't think I hate any of them this time around (again, I won't mention who my favorite is for spoiler reasons). However some need to be... more dynamic. Like Edge and Reimi are basically copies of Fayt and Sophia... personality-wise, looks, and for another reason (which is a major spoiler). Arumat is basically Albel, except name calling consists of "lad" and "amateurs" in place of "worm" and "maggot". He even has an attack called dragon roar.

I didn't like the fact that there weren't any optional characters. You have what's given to you. The only time you get to choose between two characters is during a cleared game play through.... but I won't go into why you can do that either, because it's a spoiler. (Crowe isn't playable at all... well he could be a super secret character, but nobody knows yet)

I can't think of anything else at the moment, but if you have anymore questions just ask away! :3