Square Enix's booth this year was filled with more than just Final Fantasy titles. In addition to Drakengard and several Game Boy Advance titles, Square revealed the sequel to a series that's made its rounds on various consoles. The Star Ocean titles have gained a cult following from gamers, and those that are fans of the previous titles will find themselves enamored with a new feature set, fantastic graphics, and full immersion through digital sound.
Square Enix's simple press release says, "STAR OCEAN: Till the End of Time (STAR OCEAN), the first PS2 installment in the acclaimed science fiction RPG series, continues the franchise whose fan base grows with each release. STAR OCEAN builds on the first-rate concepts of earlier games in the series and uses the technological capabilities of the PS2 to surpass them. Incorporating gorgeous cinematic sequences and an unparalleled real-time battle system, STAR OCEAN is sure to attract a new group of admirers and thrill the longtime fans of the series."
I've honestly not had a chance to play any of the prior titles, so my experience with the series is limited solely to the demo that Square was showing off on the floor this year. If this game is any indication of the enjoyable nature of the series, I'll likely be digging for the SNES and PSX versions at my local used video game shop. Seeing real time combat in a role-playing game is always enough to pique my interest. In this particular title, the ability to change dynamically between three different characters in battle and set up tactics was not just insanely fun, but easy to do as well.
Graphically, the game suffers little from the dynamic camera angles afforded in encounters. Even real-time spell effects didn't seem to slow it down a bit. The effects shown in the demo, including the simple attacks, are smooth and look amazing from any angle. Exploring this graphically superior world seemed to follow general RPG standards. Walking around and interacting with things was quite simple and didn't provide much in the way of new features.
A very strong sci-fi feel was evident even within the short time given in the demo. Space travel seems inevitable and futuristic creatures are likely to inhabit most of the areas. Evidently in this universe, humans and aliens co-exist. Main characters Fate Linegod and friend Sophia Esteed have found themselves separated from Linegod's family during a vacation to Hida. The planet seems to have been attacked by military types of unknown origin. What follows is a quest to reunite our protagonists with their lost family and friends.
The Star Ocean series' legacy of pushing consoles past their limits will certainly continue with the third installment. Developer Tri-Ace's Star Ocean for the SNES provided excellent graphics along with something thought impossible - voice acting. Star Ocean: The Second Story for the PlayStation followed with rave reviews from critics and gamers alike. Even as a newcomer to the series, I can see a lot of promise from this title, and I feel that it may even stand as a new beacon in the list of role playing games that flooded E3 this year.
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