Star Ocean: Second Evolution (PSP) Review

Posted by John De Large on 02.16.2009

10 years later.....does it still stack up?



Title: Star Ocean: Second Evolution
Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Tri-Ace
Type: RPG
Players: 1
Rated T for Teen

BACKSTORY
A long time ago, before I was known as John De Large, I bought a game known as Star Ocean, The Second Story. I put 200 hours into the game over the course of a summer, then overwrote the master file. In my anger, I sold the game later that year for a measly $20 bucks to my friend Freddie.

Later in life, I wanted to play Star Ocean again and I began to regret how I sold Star Ocean off so quick. I can't buy it, because at this point the game is selling online for $80+ and now Freddie won't lend it to me. So for the next few years, I go sans Star Ocean.

Cut to a few years later. I get a job at 411mania and do a few favors for my editor. He gets me this game and I finally get to play it again after 10 years apart.

GRAPHICS
Star Ocean's in game graphics haven't changed much. Most of the backgrounds are pre-rendered a la FF7 and characters are drawn with awesome little sprites.



On the other hand, I guess I'm forgetting to mention the game's anime makeover. Someone at Square Enix thought it'd be a good idea to draw everyone with eyes as big as dinnerplates and feathered, floppy hair colored all different spectrums of the rainbow.



That said, the anime makeover isn't bad, just not my style. Also, it should be noted that while the anime makeover is sort of beaten over the player's head, it's not enough to deter me from playing a childhood favorite.

SOUND
Awesome soundtrack. There's a few tracks that've been ingrained in my head since the days of East Middle School and more that I remember as the game progresses. The game features an orchestral inspired soundtrack varying from laidback and mellow to desperate and anxious. There's enough good music here to give the Final Fantasies a run for their money (just not FF6).

This Star Ocean remake features voicework for the parts of the playable characters and major NPC's. The voicework differs in quality and execution. Most of the voice actors seemed to approach the game with either a sense of professionalism or some kind of exuberance or energy. The voice actor playing Claude C. Kenny on the other hand....

Well, I'll assume his voice actor tried, but just wasn't up to the task. Every line spouted by Claude makes you want to throttle him and throw him off a bridge. If you play his story, I guarantee you you'll be asking yourself "This is who I'm represented by?!"

GAMEPLAY
Battles are easy to figure out, you target an enemy and hack him to death by pressing buttons over and over. It's a little too easy, especially when you get a few techniques like Helmetbreaker and Energy Arrows and you find the enemies who give out experience like a school nurse all too eager to hand you condoms (well, mine did) but it's fun despite being easier than breathing and eating.



What really makes the game a joy to play are the skills and item creation abilites that characters learn. As you level up your are given skill points to spend on... well, skills. These skills can be combined to learn trade and techniques. Say you combine Knife-wielding, recipe-carding and developing an eye for detail. Congratulations, you can cook your own food from raw ingredients. Let's say you learn how to keep a straight face and build your bravery, congratulations you can pickpocket any NPC you want. The skills also give major stat boosts. The skill system allows for ultimate customization in terms of talents and stat building. The aforementioned stiff upperlip/straight face builds your GUTS stat, which is handy for dealing crit damage and surviving normally fatal attacks. Meanwhile getting better with a knife boosts your ATK stat through the roof and learning how to dance boosts agility.

You can also have group talents like getting everyone to play in a band or have everyone band together to make a new weapon. When was the last time your friends made you a +1400 ATK longsword?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Another brilliant factor of the gameplay I need to mention is the games 80+ endings. Back when the game first came out in 1999, this was the games main selling point, along with it's graphics. While all of the endings are more or less shipping pairs (see also: playing matchmaker and getting some characters some leg). You don't need to see all 80 endings, the one generic ending they tack on before ship-o-rama is enough.

FUN FACTOR
Okay, so for those who can't be swayed by nostalgia this game features:

-Great battles
-Great graphics
-Great, great music
-Awesome side quests
-Wonderfully developed characters
-Beautiful cutscenes
-Good voicework from anyone who isn't a male character

There's a perverse satisfaction in pickpocketing people and a certain pride you get from forging a sword that shoots tiny ninja stars into your opponents, so the item creation feature gets super special mention.

The only complaints I can lob at the game is that it doesn't tell you how to get certain characters that you would've never known about, unless you have a guide or the GameFAQs address.

LASTING APPEAL
You can control one of two characters (A man from Earth named Claude and a girl named Rena from an underdeveloped planet blessed with healing magic) as the protagonist. Each character will go through different experiences and see/hear different things on their journeys, so to understand the whole story as well as get two character specific party members, you should definitely play as both heroes.

If you're going for all 80 endings, good luck, I'll see you by the time I have my MA in school counseling.

THE 411
Star Ocean was awesome 10 years ago and it's just as awesome today. Depending on how you play the game, it can either be a walk in the park or an endless journey as levels do go beyond 100 and playing matchmaker will take many, many hours.

Graphics	7.5	If you liked the pre-rendered backgrounds from FF7 and cutesy SNES-esque sprites, you'll love this!
Gameplay	9.0	Battles are a little repetitive, but fun and easy to figure out. Item creation through cooking, writing and smithing rules.
Sound	8.5	An awesome soundtrack is a little hampered by so-so voicework.
Lasting Appeal	9.0	Play it twice to get some cool extras! Play it 50 or more times to get all 80+ endings.
Fun Factor	9.0	What's not to like? Sweet battles, great music, interesing varied characters and lots of little extras, featuring item creation and relationship building.
Overall	8.6   [ Very Good ]