Star Ocean The Second Story R review: Is it even better than the original?

Star Ocean The Second Story R is a remake of the classic PlayStation RPG that was released in 1998.

The game features a sci-fi fantasy setting, a branching storyline, and a real-time combat system. The remake adds improved graphics, voice acting, and new content to the original game. But is it worth playing for fans of the original or newcomers to the series? Here are some of the pros and cons of Star Ocean The Second Story R.

Pros:

– The game has a rich and immersive world with diverse locations, cultures, and races. You can explore planets, towns, dungeons, and even hidden areas that are not marked on the map. The game also has a lot of lore and backstory that you can discover through books, NPCs, and optional events.
– The game has a dynamic and engaging combat system that allows you to control one of four characters in your party and switch between them at any time. You can also customize your characters’ skills, equipment, and tactics to suit your playstyle. The game offers different difficulty levels and modes, such as Galaxy Mode and Universe Mode, that challenge you with stronger enemies and bosses.
– The game has a branching storyline that depends on your choices and actions throughout the game. You can choose one of two main protagonists, Claude or Rena, and experience different events, dialogues, and endings based on your decisions. You can also recruit different characters to your party, each with their own personality, backstory, and side quests. The game has over 80 possible endings, giving you a lot of replay value.
– The game has a lot of new content that was not in the original game, such as new characters, scenes, dungeons, items, skills, and music. The game also has a new feature called Private Actions, which are optional interactions between your party members that can affect their relationships and the outcome of the story. The game also has a new post-game dungeon called Cave of Trials, which is a challenging and rewarding extra mode for hardcore players.

Cons:

– The game has some technical issues that can affect the gameplay experience. Some of these issues include long loading times, frame rate drops, graphical glitches, and occasional crashes. The game also has some bugs and errors that can cause problems with the combat system, such as skills not working properly or enemies not taking damage.
– The game has some outdated and clunky aspects that can make the game frustrating or tedious at times. Some of these aspects include a limited inventory space, a lack of fast travel options, a confusing map system, and a random encounter rate that can be too high or too low depending on the area. The game also has some design choices that can be annoying or unfair, such as enemies that can inflict status effects or instant death with no warning or countermeasure.
– The game has some inconsistent and mediocre voice acting that can detract from the immersion and quality of the story. Some of the voice actors sound bored, unnatural, or mismatched with their characters. Some of the dialogue is also poorly written or translated, resulting in awkward or nonsensical sentences. The game also has some censorship and localization changes that can alter or remove some of the original content or meaning.