Star Ocean: The Divine Force Reviews
Star Ocean: The Divine Force blends classic sensibilities with fresh design for a satisfying new installment in a classic JRPG series.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force isn’t the best in the series, but a revamped battle system and a charming cast of characters at least make it feel like a return to form.
Rather than aiming for evolution similar to Bandai’s Tales of Arise, tri-Ace and Square Enix went back in time for Star Ocean: The Divine Force. The result is solid, but The Divine Force had the potential to reach even greater heights and establish an identity for the series as a thoughtful reflection on technology and philosophy. If nothing else, at least it proves Star Ocean is still brimming with possibility and deserves another chance, one that will hopefully be more forward-thinking and give the series a chance to shine at last.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force feels drained of life.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force isn't the best JRPG of the year, but it's still full of heart, charm, and an unforgettable adventure. The game might have some lifeless character models and slightly janky AI, but the script brings those characters to life, and the AI is easy to ignore when the rest of the gameplay experience is so refreshing. This is the kind of fresh and fun Star Ocean sequel that long-time fans have deserved.
An improvement on the last Star Ocean game but Square Enix's veteran sci-fi franchise still feels stuck in the past, rather than exploring new frontiers.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force is a promising new beginning for the saga, thanks to its combat system and the new exploration gameplay ideas that support a great cast and a meaningful story.
Review in Italian | Read full review
D.U.M.A. incorporates fun ideas when it comes to exploring and fighting, but beyond that Star Ocean: The Divine Force is an ordinary and grinding JRPG. And that's okay, because sometimes these games that are just good are just as fun as any AAA. Sometimes even more.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
There’s still a layer of jankiness the series can’t escape in terms of visuals and tropey writing. But the compelling characters and gameplay mechanics overshadow the rough edges. If this is the last Star Ocean game, Tri-Ace has gone out with a bang.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force presents us with a game that may have once been a stellar JRPG title 20 years ago, but those standards just don't hold up in 2022. When compared to its contemporaries, it's just not on the same level, in any way. It's always been a B-Tier Square Enix franchise, but once upon a time, Star Ocean was an essential title. It's a shame that more effort has not gone into modernizing and revitalizing a beloved franchise.
Due to a myriad of issues both big and small, Star Ocean: The Divine Force feels less like a step in the right direction but instead, a stumble towards the goal. Still, the excellent combat and a more enjoyable story shows that there is still life amongst the stars and I sincerely hope that the series will continue and improve even further.
I would only recommend this game to forgiving action JRPG fans and series veterans. This sucks because I adore the story and the flight mechanics. Unfortunately, the game’s iffy presentation ruins a lot.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force is like a comfortable pair of JRPG slippers. If you're in the mood for a Japanese role playing game and you've played all of the good ones then you can rest assured that this one is fine. It's okay. It's comfort food. You know that feeling when you just wish Netflix would make another season of Mindhunter and so you end up watching Criminal Minds? That. Only in space.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force is yet another Tri-ace jrpg, beautiful in the combat system, while poor in the aesthetic realization of the game world.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Even with some issues here and there, Star Ocean: The Divine Force is undoubtedly a return to form for the series by tri-Ace. The game delivers a solid JRPG experience that both fans of the series and newcomers will enjoy thanks to the best battle system in the series to date, likable characters, and an engaging but a little slow and not particularly surprising story. Some technical issues and by-the-books game design do take something away from the experience, but for those looking for a traditional Japanese role-playing game with plenty of heart, Star Ocean: The Divine Force is the game to get.
On the whole, Star Ocean: The Divine Force may be the most solid entry to date. For anyone concerned the series lost its way in Integrity and Faithlessness, those doubts can be put to rest. The only issues - some lackluster characters and a bit too much backtracking - are really ones found throughout the entire series and don't detract much from what makes The Divine Force work so well (great combat, environments that are fun to explore, and entertaining character dynamics). It remains to be seen if Star Ocean: The Divine Force will serve as a watershed moment for the series - but for what it's worth, it's a heck of a good time and one of the best JRPGs to release this year.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force is the latest entry in the long-running JRPG series, which has hit some stumbling blocks with its last release. The decision to have dual protagonists is a nice touch, especially given how likable they both are. Combat is also good for folks who prefer a more action-oriented system, with the DUMA mechanics adding even more options for players. The storytelling’s pacing can be uneven and its vast areas can also feel empty at times. Overall, though, it’s a solid addition to the Star Ocean franchise and a step back in the right direction.
At the time of landing on the planet Star Ocean: The Divine Force we had many reservations, mostly due to the disappointment reserved for us by the previous episode.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Star Ocean: The Divine Force it will certainly not be the triumphant return that fans hoped for. The game is full of clichés from another time and stereotypical characters, the plot is forgettable and nothing stands out visually. Its super nervous and messy combat system raise the bar however.
Review in French | Read full review
Despite making a couple of stumbles along the way, Star Ocean: The Divine Force is a quality JRPG. tri-Ace has managed to offer an adventure that combines the medieval with science fiction greatly.
Review in Spanish | Read full review