Star Ocean The Second Story R
From the spaceship, I gaze at the planet Expel in the distance. Many early explorers have already set foot on its lands years ago and still speak of it with nostalgia. That's not my case, and yet I'm about to discover it with my own eyes, for a breath of renewal seems to have swept across this ancient world. So, has this star kept its former brilliance?
❤ From my very first steps on Expel, I'm struck by the beauty of the environments. Driven by a successful 2.5D aesthetic, the blend between the pixelated character sprites and the modernized, richly detailed backgrounds works wonderfully. The portraits of the protagonists, which appear during dialogues or in the menu, have been reworked to feature particularly beautiful illustrations. And for those feeling nostalgic, it's even possible to select their original designs in the menu, a simple touch, but one that reveals the respect shown to the original work.
❤ The compositions have also benefited from a reorchestration, although once again the old versions are also available in the options. Overall, the themes are beautiful and effective in accompanying our exploration and battles with melodies that are at times epic, at times lighthearted. There is a slight sense of redundancy in the music at times, as it's reused from one town to the next. Nevertheless, the soundscape remains pleasant, and while not unforgettable, the charm of the compositions outweighs the rest. As for the voice acting, both English and Japanese are available; I opted for the second option and found the performances very convincing, strengthening the attachment to the various characters. But a very welcome little extra is the ability to individually choose between the old and new voice acting for each protagonist, which allowed me to put together a custom cast with several of my favorite seiyuu. Hearing Vegeta's voice on Dias was a personal guilty pleasure.
❤ A reward system has been implemented and covers practically every aspect of the game: combat, skills, crafting, relationships, etc... Not only does it greatly encourage to experiment with the game's many mechanics, but it also proves very handy for earning interesting prizes or generating income that's really useful for upgrading our gear. As for completionists, they'll surely find a worthwhile challenge in it, also extending the length of their journey.
+/- The two main characters, Claude and Rena, quickly become endearing and share a truly adorable chemistry, which almost makes them an iconic couple... if it weren't for the many characters to recruit, who bring a variety of dynamics to the group, ranging from the most dramatic to the most amusing. All the characters are frankly charming, and although they're a little less developed than the main duo, they have small moments dedicated to them. Indeed, relationships play a significant role in the story, as numerous optional interactions allow you to strengthen bonds within the group and even influence the epilogue. However, tracking these affinities sometimes lacks clarity. With its heart-gauge system, it's often hard to precisely understand which relationships are taking precedence over others. This leads to some rather surprising outcomes, with couples forming despite a clear lack of interaction during the game.
+/- The story easily draws us into this journey, which skillfully combines heroic fantasy and science fiction, although in my eyes it shines much more in its fantasy dimension than in the futuristic aspect that dominates its final arc, which appealed to me a lot less. However, the journey doesn't end with a single crossing. In fact, the choice to play as Claude or Rena from the start gives you a different experience, with exclusive scenes and a different perspective during certain events in the main storyline. Our traveling companions can also change, bringing even more unique moments. A few side quests also enrich the universe with small stories around secondary characters, but they are too rare to my taste, with the quests ultimately focusing most often on skills and item creation.
+/- Exploration and combat are very engaging and adapt perfectly to everyone's playstyle. On the exploration side, the skills we acquire gradually unlock new areas, or even allow us to avoid confrontations, while fast travel makes completing quests and optional events much easier. On the other hand, the dungeons often take the form of labyrinths that become tedious in the long run. As for battles, I was worried about real time combat since I'm used to turn-based, but the controls turned out to be accessible. Several tactical options are possible depending on formations, specializations, and customizable ally behaviors. Additionally, a combat chain mechanic allows the more daring to level up their group more quickly. That said, the action can quickly become hard to read once a fireworks display of effects explodes on screen; not recommended for epileptics.
+/- Optimization through skills and specializations is surprisingly rich. The customization possibilities are truly numerous and leave us with a huge amount of leeway for crafting items and improving character stats. But this abundance can almost feel overwhelming, and unless we spend hours experimenting in the menus, which is something only the most dedicated players will do, the majority of these options is fairly dispensable when it comes to finishing the adventure.
✖ As we keep recruiting troops, our little group grows but quickly becomes cumbersome, constantly blocking our movements in tight spaces. Getting around often becomes a real hassle.
✖ For an RPG, the lack of interaction with the surroundings in towns and homes is noticeable. While the environments are fully explorable, too few of them are actually interactive, leaving a slight sense of emptiness.
This star has never stopped shining. On the contrary, it has adapted to its time, attracting a new generation of travelers while continuing to delight those who already knew it. It may not be the brightest of them all, but it's not about to fade away anytime soon.
2087
jacobvanloon
dededos
kianamaiart
annaxmalina
