During this October’s State of Play, one of the most exciting reveals for fans was the trailer for the latest iteration of theStar Oceanfranchise. While theStar Oceanseries had a relatively strong start, poor reception for its more recent releases has seen the series overlooked by most gamers in favor of related franchises likeTalesorFinal Fantasy. As such,Star Ocean: The Divine Forceis being viewed by fans of the series as a chance to salvage a once-beloved series' tarnished reputation.
Since it has fallen by the wayside in recent years, however, many gamers are unfamiliar with theStar Oceanseries altogether. Luckily, while the games take place in the same universe and there are occasional threads that tie the series together, each title in theStar Oceanlineup can be enjoyed as a stand-alone game. For those looking to familiarize themselves with the series before therelease ofStar Ocean: The Divine Force, there are a couple of solid entry points.
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Star Ocean: First Departure R
Star Ocean: First Departure Ris a remaster of the originalStar Oceangame and is the perfect way for new players to look back at where the franchise began. As the original game was only released in Japan on the Super Famicom and then rereleased in 2009 on the PSP where it did not garner much attention,2019’s Star Ocean: First Departure Rthat dropped on both the PS4 and Nintendo Switch is the ideal introduction to the series.
The original Star Ocean was fairly innovative even when compared to some of thebest RPGs on the SNES. The obvious distinction is thatStar Oceanfeatures real-time combat that plays out in a 3D isometric environment rather than turn-based 2D combat like other SNES-era RPGs, butStar Oceanalso had a high degree of item customization, a myriad of optional recruitable party members, and an affection system that became a mainstay in subsequent titles.
Star Ocean: The Second Story
For many fans of the series,Star Ocean: The Second Storyis where the series peaked. It typically sits in either the number one or two slots inrankings of theStar Oceanfranchise. It more or less took all of the innovations of the first game and expanded upon them even further. Again, the combat system tends to get most of the spotlight, as well as the expansive skill system that improved on the original game’s item customization, but the real highlight ofStar Ocean: The Second Storyis the plot.
Star Ocean: The Second Storyputs players in the shoes of either Rena or Claude as their paths intertwine. When Claude accidentally transports himself to Rena’s world, she mistakes him for a mythological figure, and the plot springs forward from there. While many fans rate the relationship between Rena and Claude as one ofthe best RPG romances, there is also the ability to unlock 86 different endings through the interactions of the various party members.
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
Arguably the most polarizing title of the entire series,Star Ocean: Till the End of Timeis disparaged by some and considered as one of the best RPGs ever made by others. Somehow,Star Ocean: Till the End of Timemanaged to improve once again on the game’s already impressive combat and skill system. The result was ridiculously smooth gameplay that allowed players to seamlessly transition between party members and create combos that would feel at home in most fighting games. Unfortunately,Star Ocean: Till the End of Timealso houses one of thebiggest plot twists in an RPG, which acts ultimately as the point of contention between fans and detractors.
Since it creates such a rift between fans of theStar Oceanfranchise,it could be either the greatest or the worst entry point into the series, but the best way for fans to find out which side they stand on is to play through the game. For what it’s worth, the pendulum has seemingly slowly swung to favor the argument thatStar Ocean: Till the End of Timeis a worthwhile experience, as it received aPS4 HD remakeonly a few years back.
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