Star Ocean Second Story R: A JRPG Reborn
For a long time, the Star Ocean series struggled with its identity, often feeling like a standard medieval RPG draped in science fiction window dressing. However, Star Ocean: The Second Story R breaks that mold, offering an ambitious and liberating experience that is genuinely fun to play. This modern remake, available on Switch 2, transforms a classic into a definitive JRPG masterpiece.
Players are immediately greeted with a wealth of choices, from selecting their starting protagonist—Claude C. Kenny or Rena Lanford—to the extensive roster of party members, many of whom require multiple playthroughs to recruit. Regardless of your initial choice, the core narrative remains consistent: a Federation officer stranded on a mystical planet teams up with a mysterious girl possessing inexplicable powers. Together, they embark on a quest to solve the enigma of the Sorcery Globe, an object bringing ruin to the land, while simultaneously navigating personal journeys of growth and self-discovery.
Unleash Your Power: The Item Creation System
The true brilliance of Second Story R lies in its intricate systems, particularly the Item Creation (IC) and Specialty skills. These mechanics provide players with endless tools to customize their experience and, frankly, to shatter the game's difficulty. Characters earn Skill Points (SP) from battles and guild missions, which can be invested into diverse abilities like stealing from NPCs, cooking, or weapon customization. While some skills offer minor stat buffs, their real appeal is their potent potential. For example, investing in the Art skill unlocks Sculpting, allowing you to create random items, including powerful mid-game equipment like Goodie Boxes. This can effectively steamroll early-game encounters, providing an immense sense of freedom.
Beyond raw combat advantages, the IC system offers unparalleled strategic depth. With enough points in Writing and Fountain Pens, you can craft skill books to teach other party members various IC/Specialty skills, leveling them up to level 7. The Training skill allows characters to earn boosted experience points at the cost of minor stat reductions, a trade-off easily mitigated by powerful gear. This wealth of options for character development goes far beyond typical EXP grinding, fostering a degree of player agency rarely seen in RPGs. The best part? There are no permanent mistakes in IC/Specialty allocation; SP eventually become virtually infinite, ensuring you can never trap yourself in a suboptimal build.
Engaging Combat and Stunning Presentation
While the IC system offers incredible power, combat is far from an afterthought. Second Story R introduces numerous engaging battle mechanics, including Formations that impact performance, a precise Counter system for dodging enemy attacks, and various Combat skills to modify battle efficiency, such as instant teleportation or shortened spell casting times. Players can also chain enemy encounters for increased EXP and currency. A new system even allows for cameos from older Star Ocean characters, adding another layer of depth and fan service. Combat is a robust system that complements the game's extensive customization options.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R truly shines in its presentation, leveraging Square Enix's HD-2D aesthetic. While the 2D pixel sprites in 3D environments occasionally reveal their flat nature from certain angles, the overall effect is superb. The game offers extensive display options to cater to every player's preference. You can switch between the original in-game soundtrack and a newly arranged version, both featuring magnificent compositions ranging from ethereal village themes to wild progressive rock anthems. Voice-over options include the original Japanese performances or the English dub from the PSP release, allowing players to choose their preferred experience. Furthermore, you can select character profile art from the original 1990s designs, the updated 2000s PSP artwork, or the modern designs created for this edition, ensuring long-time fans can enjoy their favorite interpretations.
Minor Flaws in an Otherwise Stellar Remake
Despite its many strengths, Second Story R isn't without its minor imperfections. While supporting characters like Ashton and his dragon companions, Creepy 'n Weepy, are compelling, the relationship between protagonists Claude and Rena never quite convinces. Rena's personality, oscillating between a maiden of fate and a tomboyish country girl, lacks cohesive depth, and Claude can be a bit too much of a bull in a china shop for some tastes. Additionally, the sheer depth of the IC/Specialty systems, while offering immense freedom, might feel intimidating without a guide, as they are not always intuitive. The game's design also subtly encourages multiple playthroughs to experience all it has to offer, which might frustrate players who prefer a single, complete run.
The Definitive Star Ocean 2 Experience
This Switch 2 port of Star Ocean: The Second Story R arrives late, but it feels like the definitive way to experience this classic JRPG. Its myriad systems are expertly laid bare, offering unparalleled customization and strategic depth. The wealth of options in its historical character designs and music, combined with the portability of the Switch 2, makes it an ideal title for enjoying anywhere. For those who were hesitant about the Star Ocean series, this remake offers a compelling reason to jump in. If future Star Ocean titles maintain this level of quality and fidelity, the franchise might well reclaim its place among the top JRPGs. The Second Story R is a phenomenal achievement, earning its place as an A-grade title in almost every category.
Grade:
- Overall: A
- Graphics: A-
- Sound/Music: A
- Gameplay: A-
- Presentation: A
Pros:
- Wealth of options at your disposal
- Phenomenally crunchy skill system
- Great music
- We can all pretend "fourth-dimensional space" doesn't exist
- Ashton
Cons:
- IC/Specialties might be intimidating without a guide
- Protagonists aren't the most compelling
- Players might be frustrated at the incentives for multiple playthroughs
