Square Enix released STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R on November 11 for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 and PC (Steam). The game was met with praise as soon as it released, performing outstandingly well on Steam.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a remake of tri-Ace’s action RPG “Star Ocean: The Second Story” from 1998. The remake version was developed by the Japanese studio Gemdrops, and the game’s plot takes place 20 years after the events of the first Star Ocean title. Claude, a young officer of the Pangalactic Federation, investigates a mysterious dome discovered on the planet Milocinia. Enveloped in light, he is transported to an unknown planet where he meets a young girl called Rena. The player chooses one of the two protagonists, Claude or Rena, and experiences the story from their perspective.

The remake introduces unique visuals that fuse 2D pixel art and 3D graphics, and all in-game maps including towns, fields and dungeons have been revamped. The gameplay also features new elements, with the random encounter system being switched out with the symbol encounter system and new, powerful “Raid Enemies” being introduced. The battle system has also been upgraded, including a Perfect Counter mechanic that activates when you dodge an attack at the right timing. The Perfect Counter mechanic not only makes the enemy’s attack miss, but weakens their shield, making it possible to break them. Battle has been given a deeper dimension with these tweaks, and the game also introduces new activities such as fishing.

Second Story R has been performing exceptionally well since its release, peaking at over 6,000 concurrent players shortly after launch and receiving generous praise from media and users alike. The game has a Metascore of 86% on Metacritic as well as an Overwhelmingly Positive status on Steam out of 623 reviews.

The points most often praised are the symbol encounter system and the new battle system, which allow for fast-paced play and a wide range of battle styles. The way the remake preserves the feel of the original game while building onto it is another point brought up favorably.

Additionally, the remake includes voiceovers for all scenes, including the scenes that had been unvoiced in the original, and even uses the same (Japanese) cast from the original game. The voices from the 2008 PSP remake Star Ocean 2: Second Evolution are also included, and players can choose their preferred voice for each character. Similarly, different character sprites from each version of the game are available to set and display on the in-game status sceen. These points show a great deal of attention to the fandom, which hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Square Enix has been actively working on remakes and remasters of past titles, and many of them have been highly acclaimed for their faithfulness to the original, improved graphics and playability. It would seem that Star Ocean: The Second Story R is another success story for Square Enix. The remake has become a great way for fans of the series to re-experience the classic title and for those new to the series to ease into it with the modern look and feel.

STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R is available for the Nintendo Switch/PS4/PS5 and PC (Steam).

Written by. Amber V based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2023-11-04 12:35 JST)