Star Ocean: The Second Story R Reviews
Star Ocean The Second Story R may well serve as the blueprint going forward if Square Enix or any other developer wishes to remake games from this classic era of RPGs. An unquestionably gorgeous art style uplifts all modern touches, breathing life into a 25-year-old game.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R serves as a reminder from Square Enix that this is an RPG property not to be ignored. On offer is one of the most enjoyable of its genre I've played in some time with a heartfelt story, colourful cast, and a wonderful fusion of both fantasy and science fiction goodness. The quality doesn't end there, though. Deep leveling and specialistion systems make for meaningful refining of your party, becoming more self-sufficient the further along you get. This complements some battle encounters that are deeper than many other RPGs on the market, always keeping you on your toes. One or two quality-of-life additions that could've been better implemented aren't a worry for long when you also consider how gorgeous the world of Expel really is, with its characters popping off your screen. A killer title to convert newcomers and satiate longtime fans, this remake is one for all and all for one. Star Ocean forever.
Coupled with an inviting HD-2D look that combines pixel art and 3D graphics that really invites you to play/replay it for copious amounts of time, this Star Ocean remake is worth diving into. If you crave 90s JRPG action with a lot of unlockables and power-up options, optional party members with backstories to uncover, and fast-paced combat, Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a no-brainer that will get you into its scifi hooks.
Star Ocean The Second Story R is what a remake should be — a project that finely tunes and updates the original. The attention to detail, the upgraded environments, and the changes to the combat deliver an incredible experience.
With everything said and done, I believe that this game is something worth getting on any console, especially on the PlayStation 5. My recommendation for those who wish to experience what it is like to play JRPG games during the early 2000s, they should get the demo first and if they are comfortable with it, get the full game as soon as it is released.
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.
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 is among its best games in the series, and I believe the R release cements its role as the strongest entry.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a great remake not only of an excellent Action RPG, but of one of the best and most influential games of the golden age of JRPGs. With a unique and pleasant look, considerable novelties in its gameplay that will keep even long-time players engaged, and several quality-of-life improvements, Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a must-have for fans of the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Star Ocean The Second Story R is a true treat for both series veterans and newcomers alike, going far beyond the scope of traditional remakes and bringing The Second Story to a brand-new, and completely wonderful, level.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a tremendous remake. It gives the original game a visual overhaul that is simultaneously modern and nostalgic. But it doesn't stop there. It breaks open the mechanics to offer much more depth without destroying the spirit of the original. It's far and away the best way to experience one of the best Star Ocean games and one of the best RPGs ever made. If you're a fan of the genre, you owe it to yourself to check out The Second Story R. It's an absolute gem of a game that's endlessly playable and effortlessly stylish.
Star Ocean The Second Story R is a superb remake that takes an already content-heavy game and further improves the adventure with meaningful additions that enhance the experience by a wide margin. From simple quality-of-life conveniences to added crafting and customizing depth, Star Ocean The Second Story R does not disappoint. Despite launching in between big releases, Star Ocean The Second Story R is a fantastic RPG experience that shouldn’t be overlooked. Fans of the original will be pleased with the breadth and scope that the remake offers, while newcomers can use this as a stepping stone to dive further into the series.
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
Seeme like Square Enix has finally found a way to give value to its enormous catalogues of great JRPGs: after Live a Live and Tactics Ogre Reborn, Star Ocean Second Story R marks the third successful entry in this newfound current of remakes. A great journey for both veterans of the genre and newcomers.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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 strikes a good balance of retro and modernity with its throwback visuals and new combat mechanics.
Star Ocean The Second Story R is a lovingly-crafted remaster of a golden age RPG that offers a replayable and approachably complex adventure.
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.
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 masterfully done remake. The goal envisioned by the creators was to bring a classic game up to modern sensibilities, and they have truly outdone themselves. Star Ocean: The Second Story R takes the masterfully crafted systems of the original game, combines them with the updates from Star Ocean: Second Evolution, and wraps them up in a gorgeous and smooth package. Any qualms that can be found lie within things like the story and characters, which remain true to the original game. However, the ease of play, deep RPG elements, strong story theming, and revamped battle system more than makeup for any issues I have. Please, I implore you, to check out this absolutely astounding game.