Star Ocean: The Second Story R Reviews
Without spoiling things, Star Ocean eventually devolves into schlocky cliché territory, but by that point, you’re firmly on board, ticket purchased and ready to see its journey through to the end. Star Ocean: The Second Story got the remake treatment for a reason - it’s a classic of the genre with compelling characters, wonderful storytelling, and oodles of satisfying mechanics. R goes to great lengths to streamline the Star Ocean experience and make it more beautiful (the new arranged soundtrack is glorious), and while it might have sustained a bit of the difficulty that made the original a triumph to overcome, it still squarely sticks the landing.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R strikes a good balance of retro and modernity with its throwback visuals and new combat mechanics.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is an example of how remaking a classic game should be done. From the overhauled graphics to additional quality-of-life improvements that can make the frantic battle system even more enjoyable, Star Ocean: The Second Story R takes the best game in the series and makes it even better. Gemdrops could have just increased the resolution and called it a day, but instead put in the effort to make a truly worthwhile remake of a classic. This remade version is a must play for Star Ocean veterans, but would also serve as a good entry point for RPG fans who haven't got around to this series.
In a year overflowing with outstanding new RPGs, Star Ocean: The Second Story R is among the very best of them. This revival of a PlayStation classic does a thorough job of mixing modern game design and artistic elements with old-school sensibilities to make for one of the most impressive RPG releases of 2023. A lengthy, player-driven story, thrilling combat system, gorgeous new visual style, and remixed soundtrack all come together to make this one of the easiest recommendations we can make to any RPG fan. If you're even vaguely interested in picking this up, we'd encourage you to do so as soon as you can; Star Ocean: The Second Story R is comfortably the best entry in this series.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a fantastic remake of the PS1 classic, with gorgeous HD-2D visuals and a ridiculous amount of replayability.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R recaptures all the otherworldly wonder of its PlayStation predecessor. The rough edges of the original are now smooth to the touch, and the enhanced visuals amplify that classic pixel art aesthetic in a way that few remakes pull off. It’s a thoughtful snapshot encapsulating RPGs of the era, retaining all the passion and whimsy I remember so fondly. I loved this look back at Star Ocean‘s past, and I hope this marks a new beginning for the series’ future.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a product of its time as both a hardcore-adjacent PS1-era JRPG and as a host to several problematic romance mechanics. Its plot is exciting yet generic and is wildly insistent about how certain characters should end up together. But beyond that, you'll find a brilliant and modular character stat-building system, glorious battles, some fabulous character portrait art, and a wonderful 32-bit-inspired world for you to explore.
All in all, Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a great experience. If you have the slightest interest in sci-fi, fantasy, and action RPGs, you owe it to yourself to play it. This remake proves that old games can become new and better than ever.
Star Ocean The Second Story R ticks all the right boxes for a faithful remake of a beloved title from the PS1 era. Its stunning new visuals and new meaningful mechanics make it a must-play JRPG for both newcomers and fans of the original. When considering the whole package, Star Ocean The Second Story R may not be a heavy hitter like other titles from this year, but it’s definitely a charming remake that tells a compelling story JRPG fans should experience at least once.
Star Ocean The Second Story R is an over-the-top remake that comprehensively improves on the original game, bringing the best-loved chapter of the celebrated tri-Ace series up to date once again. A few improvements tend to further crack the mechanisms of a game that was not particularly balanced to begin with, but overall it's an old-fashioned JRPG experience that won't fail to thrill fans of the genre.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is, hands down, the best entry in the series, and one of the best remakes ever made. With the excellent combat reworking, massive slew of quality of life improvements and impressive 2D-HD visuals that make the game's simple yet engaging story and charming characters even more enjoyable, Gemdrops has set a very high bar for classic JRPGs remakes that will be very difficult to top.
Star Ocean The Second Story R is exactly what it needs to be: a faithful remake of a classic PS1 RPG that greatly enhances the experience for both new and returning players. A wonderful visual overhaul combined with numerous quality of life improvements and expanded battle mechanics make this a borderline must-play for anyone who's looking for an old-school adventure. Although the underlying PS1-era design does still have some rough edges - particularly in the storytelling and combat balance - it's hard to knock such a well crafted revival.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R takes a beloved classic and makes it even better with visual, audio and gameplay improvements while still keeping the spirit of the original. Some of the quality of life changes can take away the sense of discovery from the original and also make it easier to break the game. Overall, though, the changes make an already great game even better while bringing it back and remaking it for a new generation. It’s the definitive version of Star Ocean: The Second Story for sure.
Star Ocean The Second Story R is an excellent remake that strikes the perfect balance between reworking the base material and preserving a proven formula. The 2.5D graphics are a feast for the eyes, the music is mesmerizing, and is facing an effective story, but that can put off at first.
Review in French | Read full review
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a must-buy for anyone who loved tri-Ace's masterpiece, as well as an unmissable opportunity for any newbies to discover one of the best action RPGs of the 90s.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is much more than a visual remake of the PlayStation classic. Gemdrops reworked a lot of the gameplay system and also aded tons of quality of life improvements that resulted in a better game than the original. A 2023 surprise, no doubt.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Star Ocean: The Second Story R has brought a cult classic into a new era. It's been thoughtfully retooled, but it's still packed with all the heart and soul of the original. Graphically, it's gorgeous, and the new quests and features range from fair to fabulous. It's one of my favorite video games in even finer form.
Star Ocean The Second Story R is a fantastic remake with a gorgeous visual style. The specialty and item creation systems create a beautiful harmony with the gameplay to make this one of the most satisfying gaming experiences of the year.
I can't think of a remake of a game that feels more definitive than this one. All fans of the original deserve to play Star Ocean: The Second Story R, and so does everyone else.
Star Ocean The Second Story R is a wildly inconsistent package, with the ending portions falling off greatly in quality, but still a mostly fun game. Battle and its surrounding systems can have a lot of variation depending on your party and how you choose to play. However, it lacks polish in many areas making it very difficult to want to finish.