Star Ocean: The Divine Force Reviews
This is the best new Star Ocean game in a good while. Star Ocean: The Divine Force makes great use of the power of current gen consoles to create a visually great world and incredibly pretty, almost doll-like characters. The story is a nice short-ish length and is compelling enough to drive the player forward.
This long-running series returns to classic roots with this new entry, but I doubt whether this is a correct choice or not.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
What a disappointing way to dive in head first into a new series. Star Ocean: The Divine Force is a stain on the history of a franchise that has a pretty solid cult following. While it does feature some decent combat, that alone doesn’t make up for its myriad of issues, such as the lacklustre story, bland world and incredibly poor visuals that look like they are from the PS2 era at the very best. It could have been great if more care had been put into it. As it stands, I just simply cannot recommend it.
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.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force is an improvement from the previous game; Integrity and Faithlessness, but this is not a return to form to games like Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, or The Second Story. tri-Ace, to me, could do no wrong during the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 era. I would love to see tri-Ace return to greatness with a higher quality new Star Ocean title, but with this one I'll have to settle for average.
A delightful RPG in its own right, rather than just a good retro-like experience.
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.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force delivers fast paced combat and a great setting that allows it to tell an engrossing tale but a number of visual choices heavily damper the experience.
While it might not keep up with the mega JRPG franchises, Star Ocean: The Divine Force is a big leap forward over previous entries, and has a fun combat system and just enough charm to recommend.
There’s a solid narrative foundation that can be built upon in The Divine Force, but this foundation is weakened by the many gripes with the execution.
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.
Star Ocean's 25th-anniversary title celebrates its beloved PS2 classic with a spiritual remake, but its adherence to archaic series' design will ward off new players
Star Ocean: Divine Force is a great role-playing game that arrives 15 years too late. It's a game that will keep you busy for hours, and a good effort to keep alive an lesser-known franchise.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Star Ocean: The Divine Force is a JRPG with a grandiose tale and fun combat that's heavily weighed down by poor pacing, technical issues, and design flaws.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force is absolutely the return to form I so desperately wanted for the series, and it’s a game I legitimately, whole-heartedly adore, but it’s also held back by some baffling design decisions and outright unacceptable performance issues. The music is fantastic and the cast even more so, with strong performances across the board. The story is serviceable and does a fair job at touching on some fundamental philosophical questions about governance and humanity, though it lacked the “wait, what?” surprise factor I expect from SO titles. The world is lived in and warm, and benefits from the addition of D.U.M.A. for faster and more vertical exploration. It’s also gorgeous, from detailed locales to beautiful character designs.
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 a throwback to the PS2-era, but that's part of what makes it fun.
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
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.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force blends classic sensibilities with fresh design for a satisfying new installment in a classic JRPG series.