izigame.me

So....iv never played nor heard of Star Ocean before. So yes, that means I'm a newbie, and as a newbie I have a newbie perspective, that only use newbies can bring to such a clearly beloved classic. Hopefully I can do it justice for all you old school classics out there, because man, I love this game.

The Stars Await You....
So ya, it's a good game. Combat mechanics are fun and unique, story is rich and rewarding, interesting characters and sub-plots, old school classic vibes all over the place here. What I gatta say though is the story clearly takes the cake, and it should for a RPG like this. Rena has already become one of my favorite characters, with others hitching a close 2nd behind her. And I say others because honestly they all so far have been extremely interesting, dynamic, and feel real. Sure some lines don't make sense at times (like a weird lost in translation moment, or I missed something), but other than that It just keeps bringing me back. I enjoy them so much in fact that I almost want to just skip the combat all together and rush to get the plot moving. That's good story telling and good character writing.
Speaking of which, combat. Now I'll be the first to tell you that the mechanics are NOT something you can just pick up and feel good with. Well they kind are when you start out, sorta.....and then they throw you around like a rag-doll 180 into the air and karate chop you in half before you hit the ground again. It's really a "WTH!" moment. There is a LOT to unpack in the combat mechanics, and almost so much that I feel it just kinda jam packs it too early and without much context, making you feel extremely under powered at times and then overpowered in others. Overall though it is fun once you get the hang of it. You just need to take your time, and read and invest in what they tell you. Which if your playing this....an RPG notorious for little details...then ya...you probably ...hopefully will be already. Just don't have the mechanics right away and give it time and your set is all I'm saying, it's worthwhile.
Either way I'm only 3 hours in, and with already a ton to unpack as it is I find it hard to put down. It's an extremely addictive and enjoyable game, again mainly for the story and the characters overall that I start to find myself attached to. More and more they grow on me, and more and more they seem relatable with flaws and weaknesses like anyone else. That's what makes a good characters, a feeling that they are too alive and have had a rich past and history, young or old. That's what this game does best, and clearly why people have loved it.

I encourage you to try the demo, it's a whopping 3 hours long with some restrictions, but well worth it and will tell you all that you need to know about the game and what your in for.
"Well Id say that's worth....10/10."