We’ve Seen Square Enix Port a Lot of Beloved RPGs from the Original PlayStation to Modern Platforms in Recent Years
In recent years, Square Enix has been porting many beloved RPGs from the original PlayStation to modern platforms. While some have been satisfactory and others have been disappointing, none of them seemed to fully capture the essence of the original source material, until now. Star Ocean The Second Story R, Square Enix’s latest blast from the past, is not only the best version of this all-time classic, but it also sets a new standard for PS1 RPG remakes moving forward.
HD-2D, the Unique Retro-Inspired Art Style, Took Off in 2022
Set to release on November 2 on PS5, PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch, Star Ocean The Second Story R is a renovation of the 1998 mash-up of sci-fi space exploration and medieval fantasy tropes by Japanese action-RPG studio Gemdrops. This remake enhances the visuals, adds voice acting, and introduces a multitude of quality-of-life improvements and gameplay tweaks. It has reignited my love for one of my favorite games, proving that a retro remake can elevate the original while still retaining its unique style and charm.
Buy Star Ocean The Second Story R: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop
Players can choose to play as either Claude, a starship captain’s son stranded on a medieval planet called Expel, or Rena, an elf-like orphan with magical powers who joins him in investigating a mysterious asteroid called the sorcery globe. The impact of the sorcery globe unleashed monsters across the land. As you travel across the world and eventually to a futuristic sister-planet, you have the opportunity to recruit various characters, such as a three-eyed bounty hunter or a swordsman haunted by demon dragons, to join your party. Although the story may not always be memorable, it takes players to some truly weird and interesting places.
With over a hundred distinct endings based on character recruitment and relationship statuses, Star Ocean The Second Story R offers both standard dungeon crawling and button-mashing combat, as well as a variety of secondary skill systems. These skills range from weapon crafting to playing in an orchestra. As a player who has spent 10 hours on the game on Switch, I can attest that everything feels familiar yet improved—prettier, more streamlined, and more engaging than both the original game and its 2009 PSP remaster. It’s a blast to revisit the off-the-beaten-path side content and intricate skill trees while having access to the updated visuals and gameplay.
A PS1 Classic Reimagined
Star Ocean: The Second Story’s sprite pixel art returns with an HD touch-up for characters, NPCs, and enemies. However, environments and backgrounds have been overhauled with a beautiful new 2.5HD look similar to Octopath Traveler. While the vibrant colors and compositions of the original pre-rendered scenes are not always retained, the new look often made me feel like I was discovering the game for the first time. The 2D pixel art against 3D backgrounds provides the best of both worlds.
The quality of the new English voice acting varies between characters but succeeds in enlivening The Second Story’s notoriously verbose script. Players have the option to switch to the Japanese voice acting or mute the volume entirely from the settings menu. The amazing soundtrack, newly arranged by the original composer Motoi Sakuraba, now includes real string instruments and live band performances. While I still appreciate the tinny, echo-y tracks designed for the PS1, newcomers to the game will likely enjoy the warmer and richer sound of The Second Story R.
Combat in the remake is where it truly shines. Random encounters now appear as small floating clouds on the map that can be either surprise attacked or bypassed altogether. The real-time fights still retain their chaotic nature, but several key changes add additional layers of depth. Enemies can be staggered by hitting them repeatedly or parried by perfectly timing a dodge maneuver. Although the window for parrying is small and tricky, it helps break up the monotony of regular attacks or special abilities. Players can even summon characters from other games in the series as temporary summons to assist them in battle. Furthermore, if players die in combat, they have the option to retry the fight instead of being sent back to their last save.
Each defeated enemy drops orbs that provide temporary modifiers, such as a 25 percent damage boost. These orbs are only wiped out when players die or fail a parry, encouraging a more meticulous approach to brawls. My favorite feature by far is the ability to chain together multiple fights if enemies in the overworld get close enough. This sequential chaining multiplies the money and experience points gained, making grinding more interesting and less of a slog.
Star Ocean The Second Story R is a lengthy game filled with sprawling dungeons, extensive dialogue, and a plethora of side content. Thankfully, the remake streamlines the gameplay in several essential ways. Players have the option to skip through dialogue scenes, speed them up to twice the normal speed, or enable automatic paging. A mini-map provides a clear view of the land and includes mission markers to prevent players from getting lost amidst the intricate storytelling. Additionally, generous autosaving reduces the risk of losing progress.
Essentially, the remake retains the same captivating mix of party building, item crafting, fighter customization, and side stories that captivated fans of the genre decades ago. With six main games in the Star Ocean series, none have ever matched The Second Story’s enchanting combination of charm, beauty, and overwhelming PS1-era overworld RPG sprawl. The remake perfectly showcases these high points while significantly improving upon the dated aspects. Although the meandering story may not rival those of its era’s competitors like Final Fantasy VII, Xenogears, or Suikoden II, the overall package remains irresistible to me and has never been better. I can only hope that other original PlayStation RPGs stuck in the past receive the glow-up they truly deserve.
Buy Star Ocean The Second Story R: Amazon | Best Buy | GameStop
