Star Ocean: The Second Story R

Mechanics

Star Ocean: The Second Story R retains the gameplay mechanics of the original game. It is an action jRPG, in which we explore the world, complete quests, develop characters and fight enemies using an arcade combat system.

Before starting the game, players must choose the protagonist between Claude and Rena, affecting the story and recruitable allies. Both participate in combat, alongside several allies. We can only directly control a single character. The rest are controlled by AI and influenced by simple commands.

In-between battles and adventures we can develop relationships with our party members through the private action system, letting us unlock various endings.

Compared to the original game from 1999, the interface and controls have been modernized.

Game modes

The game is only playable in singleplayer.

Technical aspects

As befitting a remake, Star Ocean: The Second Story R features significantly improved visuals, created from scratch. The game is 2.5D, combining 2D pixel art character sprites with 3D locations. The soundtrack was also remastered, while the character art was created anew by the series fan-favorite artist Yukihiro Kajimoto.

All story cutscenes are voiced, with players able to choose either the English or the Japanese voice tracks.