Square Enix has announced that STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R will be released for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and digitally on PC via Steam on November 2, 2023. As hinted by the “R” in its title, STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R is a remake of the 1998 RPG from tri-Ace that features a number of obvious improvements, including updated 2.5D graphics, as well as a rearranged soundtrack by Motoi Sakuraba, the composer behind the original and other tri-Ace classics, such as Valkyrie Profile. STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R is now available for pre-order, and fans can also get their hands on a collector’s edition exclusively through the Square Enix store.
STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R Features
- Fantasy and Science Fiction collide in a unique visual style
- From dangerous dungeons to bustling towns, the world of STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R is depicted in a stunning 2.5D style that combines beautiful 3D graphics with nostalgic 2D pixel characters.
- Experience a story with dual protagonists
- Start your journey with either Claude or Rena. Depending on your choice, the perspectives and the allies you can recruit will change. Get to know party members via the unique Private Actions system, grow relationships and unlock various endings. New character illustrations have also been created by long-term series artist Yukihiro Kajimoto.
- Thrilling, visually explosive battles!
- Enjoy fast-paced combat and use new mechanics to strategically defeat foes. “Break” by continuously dealing damage and order your allies to follow-up with an Assault Action to deal massive damage.
- Pair powerful gear with a plethora of skills
- Customize party progression with a large selection of skills, including Cooking, Art, Metalcraft, and many more. Build up to Specialty levels and master the enhanced Item Creation system to craft ultimate equipment with different effects.
- Japanese and English voiceover
- All event scenes are now fully voiced using the same voice cast from the original game. In addition, the dialogue from STAR OCEAN SECOND EVOLUTION (2008) is also included and can be selected.
- An iconic soundtrack rearranged by Motoi Sakuraba
- All tracks have been re-composed, including full-band performance and strings sound. Exploration and movie scenes themes also have new recordings that take them to even greater heights.
- 3 difficulty modes
- Pick EARTH for a relaxing journey, GALAXY for a satisfying challenge or UNIVERSE… if you’re brave enough to really put your skills to the test.
STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R Pre-Order Bonuses
- Pangalactic Federation Longsword
- Forest Knuckles
- Sunrise Ring
- Set of recovery items (Mixed Berries x20 + Resurrection Potion x20)
STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R COLLECTOR’S EDITION Contents
- STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R Standard Edition game
- Collector’s Edition goods box
- STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK COLLECTOR’S EDITION
- STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R ART BOOK
- STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R Mini Acrylic Stand Collection Box
From a Square Enix press release:
STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R has been revitalized with a charming 2.5D aesthetic that combines beautiful 3D environments with nostalgic 2D pixel characters, offering players both a classic RPG and modern gameplay experience. Players can expect to find some of the original features that made the original release so memorable alongside brand-new gameplay features including fast-paced, real-time combat and battle mechanics to strategically defeat foes, customizable party progression with an array of skills, including Cooking, Art, Metalcraft, and more. Three new difficulty modes have also been introduced including “Earth” which provides a standard experience, “Galaxy” for those looking for a more satisfying challenge, and “Universe” for seasoned players looking to put their skills to the ultimate test.
The epic story begins with Claude, a Federation officer, who finds himself transported to an undeveloped planet. While searching for a way home, an encounter with a girl named Rena draws them into a quest to save her people, just as an ancient prophecy foretold. Players will begin their adventure with either Claude or Rena, and depending on their choice, the perspectives and the allies’ players recruit will change. Players will get to know party members through the unique ‘Private Actions System’, which will allow them to grow relationships and unlock a variety of different endings.
STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R will launch with Japanese and English text and voiceover language support, with voiceovers performed by members of the original cast. Subtitle support for French, Italian, German, and Spanish will also be available via a software update at launch.
Standard Physical Editions of STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R are available to pre-order now for the Nintendo Switch, PS5 & PS4 consoles, as well as the Standard Digital Edition for PS5 & PS4 consoles, and PC via STEAM. Pre-orders for the Standard Digital Edition for Nintendo Switch will be available at a later date.