Star Ocean (video game)

In progressing through the game, the player is able to recruit up to eight additional characters to travel alongside the protagonist; some recruitments happen automatically, while others only happen depending on the previous actions and options taken by the player.[9] Though only 8 characters can be recruited in a playthrough, ten characters are available to be recruited, and as a result not all characters can be recruited in one playthrough of the game.[9] Certain characters cannot be recruited unless the player's party is a specific size, or the player has made specific story decisions.[10] In First Departure, players have the option of recruiting characters they did not previously have the option of adding to their party.[11]

One of the battles at one of Roak's towns, Kratus

When players move their party in the game's dungeons and paths, random battles occur.[12] Combat is done in a 3D isometric point of view.[6] Unlike games in the Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest series, the battles are not turn based, but play out in real time.[1] Players also do not directly control all of their characters' actions, but instead chose battle strategies beforehand for all but one of their characters who then move and attack their closest enemy automatically.[1][11][13] Added to First Departure was a combo attack system where special attacks stack to become more powerful.[11] Players can equip characters with four special abilities with "ranged" and "distance" slots, whereas the remake reduced that number to two.[7] Up to four characters can participate in battles, but the player is only able to control one character at a time, leaving the others to be controlled by the computer's artificial intelligence.[9] The player can switch which character is being controlled in battle.[1] All characters have a standard "attack" option, in which the character's equipped item is used to attack whichever enemy the player has locked on to.[9] Additionally, special techniques called Symbology can be used as well, which have the potential to deal more damage, but cost MP (Mental Points), of which each character has a finite amount.[9] Special attacks are assigned before combat begins.[8]

Special Points (abbreviated "SP" in game) are also rewarded from battles, and are used to customize the character's abilities.[14] For instance, allotting SP to the cooking ability grants or improves a given character's ability to make consumable foods out of raw materials in order to heal characters from damage taken in battles.[14] Item creation can allow for characters to be able to create weapons and equipment that are stronger than those available to be bought in stores and towns.[14] Individual items have a 20 item limit.[15]

Star Ocean has a game mechanic called "Private Actions" that plays a role in character development.[1] While entirely optional, they often reveal additional backstory of particular characters or have other varying effects on gameplay.[1] Upon arriving in a town, the player can opt to have all the characters in the party to temporarily split up and go their separate ways within the limitations of the town.[10] The player retains control of just Ratix, and is able to look for the other characters.[16] Upon finding other party members, various events may happen; sometimes only small talk results, other times, larger events happen, that may even require a choice to be made by the player.[10] Depending on the results, this can cause characters to either gain or lose "affinity" toward other characters in the party.[10][17] For example, if one character loves another, the affinity level will be high, but if the former is mistreated, it will lower their feelings for the latter.[18] A character's affinity towards one another can have effects on the rest of the game.[17][18] Affinity also affect which character's endings players see.[17][18] While the game's overarching plot always largely ends the same, various parts of the ending are changed, added, or left out, depending on characters' affinity at the end of the game.[17][18]

The game takes place in S.D 346 (A.D 2432), and starts off in a small town of Kratus on the under-developed planet of Roak.[10] There, a few of the local Fellpool (cat-like people) youth, Roddick, Millie, and Dorne, are part of the village's local "Defense Force", who defend the village from minor threats such as thieves and robbers.[10] However, one day, a neighboring town, Coule, starts contracting a terrible disease that turns people into stone.[10] The town healer, Millie's father, contracts the disease while trying to get rid of it, leading the group to search Mt. Metorx for a herb that is rumored to cure any sickness.[10] Dorne unintentionally contracts the disease as well after touching an infected pigeon.[14]

When they reach the summit, they are confronted by Ronyx J. Kenny and Ilia Silvestri, two crew members of the Earth Federation (Terran Alliance in the PSP remake) starship Calnus.[14] They inform them that the disease was sent to the planet by a foreign race called the Lezonians, whom the Earth Federation has been at war with. Roddick and Millie go with them on their spacecraft to help them find a cure. They learn that Fellpool blood could be used to process a special, invisible material which could give them a massive advantage in the war. Upon coming in contact with Lezonians, they reveal that they were being forced into war by a shadowy, powerful third party with a disgust for the Federation.

Before Dorne fully succumbs to the disease, they do tests on him to figure out a cure. They determined that the only possible way to fight it would be to make a vaccine that uses the original source of the disease. While the origin of the virus is tracked back to being on Roak itself, it is from Asmodeus, the King of the Demon World, who had been killed 300 years prior to the spread of the disease. Ronyx talks the group into using a Time Gate on the Planet Styx to go back 300 years into the past to track down Asmodeus back when he was still alive.[14] While this works, Ilia trips while approaching the gate. As such, Ilia and Roddick have a delay from when they enter the time gate, and after the trip through time, they find themselves separated from Ronyx and Millie. The two groups work towards locating each other, and Asmodeus, in efforts to heal their family members and stop the war.

• Roddick Farrence[lower-alpha 4] is a 19-year-old Fellpool swordsman and the game's protagonist. A childhood friend of Millie and Dorne who served with them as town watchmen before being swept into adventure. He is voiced by Yuri Lowenthal in the English version, Mamoru Miyano in the Japanese remake and remastered,[19] and Hiro Yuki in Super Famicom original and remastered.[20]
• Millie Chliette[lower-alpha 5] is an 18-year-old Fellpool practitioner of Symbology healing magic who wields a staff, and a longtime friend and romantic interest for Roddick. She is voiced by Katie Leigh in the English version, Hitomi Nabatame in the Japanese remake and remastered,[19] and Konami Yoshida in the Super Famicom original and remastered.[20]
• Ronyx J. Kenny[lower-alpha 6] is the 38-year-old human captain of the starship Calnus, and uses a bow and arrows after leaving his phaser weapon behind. He is the father of Claude C. Kenny, the protagonist of Star Ocean: The Second Story. He is voiced by Sam Gold in the English version, Kenji Hamada in the Japanese remake and remastered,[19] and Akira Okamori in the Super Famicom original and remastered.[20]
• Ilia Silvestri[lower-alpha 7] is the 23-year-old human head science officer on the Calnus, serving under Ronyx. She fights using martial arts supplemented by gloves or claws, and enjoys alcohol. She is voiced by Julie Maddalena in the English version, Sanae Kobayashi in the Japanese remake and remastered,[19] and Wakana Yamazaki in the Super Famicom original and remastered.[20]
• Cyuss Warren[lower-alpha 8] is a 20-year-old Highlander who wields a large broadsword. Son of Lord Lias, one of the Three Heroes of the Demonic Wars, he dreams of becoming the greatest swordsman in the land. He is voiced by Grant George in the English version, and Hiroki Tochi in both Japanese versions.[19][20]
• Ashlay Bernbeldt[lower-alpha 9] is a 57-year-old Highlander soldier wandering the world to find a successor in which to teach his sword skills. If recruited, he forms such a relationship with Roddick, and thus they share many of the same techniques. He is voiced by Michael McConnohie in the English version, and Norio Wakamoto in the Japanese remake and remastered,[19] and Kazuhiko Inoue in the Super Famicom original and remastered.[20]
• Phia Melle[lower-alpha 10] is a 20-year-old Highlander and the head of the Astral Knights who uses throwing daggers in combat with the Hisho-ken style. She has feelings for Cyuss, but hides them under her outward desire to be a great knight. She is voiced by Dorothy Fahn in the English version, Megumi Toyoguchi in the Japanese remake and remastered,[19] and Konami Yoshida in the Super Famicom original and remastered.[20]
• Mavelle Froesson[lower-alpha 11] is a mysterious 19-year-old sorceress who accompanies Ronyx and Millie to Ionis. Her weapon is an orb that she throws at the enemy. She is voiced by Tara Platt in the English version, Hoko Kuwashima in the Japanese remake and remastered,[19] and Nozomi Nonaka in the Super Famicom original and remastered.[20]
• Ioshua Jerand[lower-alpha 12] is a 20-year-old magic-using Featherfolk who is searching for his sister Erys, whom he was separated from after their parents were murdered. He despises combat, but realizes it as a necessary evil to survive in the world. He is voiced by Ezra Weisz in the English version, Jun Fukuyama in the Japanese remake and remastered,[19] and Nobuyuki Hiyama in the Super Famicom original and remastered.[20]
• T'nique Arcana[lower-alpha 13] is an 18-year-old Lycanthrope who can transform into a dark blue werewolf in battle, and trains to become an excellent fighter and martial artist. He is voiced by Vic Mignogna in the English version, Chihiro Suzuki in the Japanese remake and remastered,[19] and Takuya Fujisaki in the Super Famicom original and remastered.[20]
• Pericci[lower-alpha 14] is a 16-year-old Lesser Fellpool with more pronounced cat-like features including feline ears and fangs. Pericci serves as comedic relief, starting with low stats but gains several powerful techniques. She is voiced by Alicyn Packard in the English version, Yukari Tamura in the Japanese remake and remastered,[19] and Wakana Yamazaki in the Super Famicom original and remastered.[20]
• Erys Jerand[lower-alpha 15] is Ioshua's 17-year-old sister who was kidnapped when they were children, and was brainwashed to be an assassin by the mysterious Crimson Shield. She later escaped and swapped her body with Mavelle to search for her parents' killer in secret. Erys does not appear in the original Super Famicom release, and is voiced by Stephanie Sheh in English, and Kana Ueda in Japanese.[19]
• Welch Vineyard[lower-alpha 16] is a mysterious 18-year-old traveler who appears somewhat ditzy and interested in meeting guys. Welch, like Erys, is only available in the remake. She first appeared as a non-playable character in Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, but has been retroactively added to the first two games.[21] She is voiced by Melissa Fahn in the English version, and Tomoe Hanba in the Japanese version.[19]

PlayStation Portable edition

Star Ocean: First Departure is an enhanced remake[28] of the original Star Ocean, developed by TOSE.[11] The first details of the game were revealed at the "Star Ocean Special Stage" during the Square Enix Party 2007, alongside those of Star Ocean: The Second Story. Yoshinori Yamagishi, producer of the series, stated that he wants the remakes to feel as though they're completely new games.[29]

The game was released in Japan on December 27, 2007, and was released in North America and Europe on October 21, 2008 and October 24, 2008 respectively; making it the first time that the original Star Ocean was officially released outside Japan.[3] The English localization was handled by Nanica, Inc., with voice-over production services provided by Epcar Entertainment, Inc.[30] First Departure uses a slightly altered version of the engine used for Star Ocean: The Second Story with similar features, including prerendered backgrounds, 3D battle fields and hand drawn facial animations.[11][31] Production I.G provided new artwork and animated cutscenes for the game.[11] New playable characters have been added as well.[21] New voice actors and extensive amounts of new, fully voiced dialogue were included, with even some non-player characters being voiced over as well.[10][29] A limited edition called the Star Ocean: First Departure Eternal Edition was released exclusively in Japan alongside the standard version.[32] It features alternate box art and was bundled with a Star Ocean-themed PSP-2000 handheld and carrying pouch.[32]

An HD remaster of the PlayStation Portable version titled Star Ocean: First Departure R for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 was announced on May 25, 2019 and was set for release later that year.[33] The new release features re-balanced game difficulty and increased world map movement speed[34] as well as the option to toggle between character portraits from the PSP version or re-drawn designs based on the Super Famicom version.[35] The English release allows the player to choose between English voices or Japanese audio from either the PSP version or re-recorded dialogue from the original Super Famicom voice actors.[36]

The scores for Star Ocean and First Departure were composed and arranged by Motoi Sakuraba.[37][38] Music from the game was included on the album Star Ocean Perfect Sound Collection, released November 1, 1996 by Sony Records, which included arranged medleys of themes from the Super Famicom version by Sakuraba, Yoshiharu Gotanda, and Kazushi Satoh as well as voice tracks.[39] An album containing music from the PSP version was released on January 30, 2008 by Sony Music and Square Enix which contained 68 tracks across two discs.[40] Critics praised Sakuraba's progressive rock style, and highlighted his musical experimentation throughout the original Star Ocean score and First Departure.[37][41] Tracks added from Star Ocean: The Second Story received mixed reviews on the First Departure album, adding some familiar Star Ocean themes but also some lesser known songs to the mix.[42] Several musical pieces were missing from the original album and were added to the remake's release.[42]

The First Departure remake features the theme song "Heart" performed by Japanese music group Asunaro, which accompanied the game's opening animation as well as the end credits, and was included in that version's official soundtrack in 2008.[37] This theme was replaced for the First Departure R release with the song "Atarashī Ippo" (新しい一歩, "The First Step") by Yauchi Keiko of Shadow of Laffandor.[43]