It's on my Christmas list :D

Ken

Stick it on the DS and I might consider it. Though after the abortive failure that SO3 was, I would think twice about it. Although from what I hear the first two SOs were quite different from the third.

Cloral

@bkchurch: Agreed about SO3. It kinda makes me nervous though. . . look at Tri-Ace's record lately. It's like they have no idea what makes a good game anymore.

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that they don't find some stupid way to ruin this game.

smartpatrol

Wow Sprites, different than the latest releases of SO

Sodders

One of the few day one purchases for me.

CHunterX

Might look into this. Absolutely despised the PS2 Star Ocean and have no interest in the next gen one but SO2 was fantastic and I think it's safe to assume this is more along the lines of that.

bkchurch

Looking forward to this, though I guess Europe will have to wait a couple of extra months, as is the norm. I enjoyed Second Story on PS1. And if this is as good, I will enjoy this also. When I eventually get the time to play it...Still haven't started Till the end of Time.

Cactuar

I can't wait for this. SO2 was one of my favorite RPGs of all time. SO1 desperately needed an update, and I'm definitely glad they did it SO2 style.

What's up with his name though? Ratix -> RODDICK?? Worst JRPG hero name since Butz.

smartpatrol

definitly picking it up

resetbutton

With such fantastic looking backgrounds, they probably should've just rendered some character models and put them in the game...

I appreciate the style of it all, but if you're gonna keep the character sprites, atleast make the backgrounds look a little more animated and lot less realistic.

Mit

Reminds me of Ragnarok Online

Maestar

Instant purchase. Few RPGs can match SO2 in the sheer amount of different ways to play the game, be it because of personal skills (steal from everyone in every town? hell yeah!), battle skills (TONS of them), and so much more.

And now here's SO1 using that same system. Best possible way for the US to get it.

Ueziel

It looks cute, though the sprites look a little detached from the background.
I am a bit interested (I've only played the Star Ocean on PS2, and never finished it), but I don't have a PSP.

em

counting the days til release

Ezhno

Instantly bought. It looks fantastic. Doesn't help I'm also a huge star ocean fan.

휘성

Want. Want. Want. WANT!!!

Frologic

First day purchase. Big fan of the series.

Saint Anima

From a video games standpoint, it'd look much better with 3D models instead.

From a Star Ocean standpoint, I bloody love it.

Poo_and_Weeeee

@Cloral: Please don't form any opinions about SO2 based on the steaming turd that was SO3. 3 was one of the worst JRPGs of last generation. 2 is a classic. It's definitely worth tracking down for PS1.

smartpatrol

Damn, wish this came out a few days sooner so I could play it on my plane trip to NY...but this look great!

exkon

@LittleBigPlaneteer: Then buy this one. As SA said this is the start of the series.

It originally came out on the Super Famicon waaaaaaaay back when.

So now you get the shiny new version with updated graphics and voice for quite a good portion of the scenes in game.

Witzbold

@Maestar: Guess what Star Ocean has been around longer than RO.

Witzbold

@LittleBigPlaneteer: Don't feel so bad. This is the first game in the series, not a bad place to start. If anything, try out Star Ocean the Second Story on the PSone, if you can get a copy somehow. Still, you can play this one and then pick up the remake of Second Story which is coming next year on PSP also.

Saint Anima

This looks really nice. I feel bad that I haven't played a Star Ocean game yet :(

LittleBigPlaneteer

@Mit: They were making it to look like Star Ocean 2, which I very much appreciate. I'd rather it have pre-rendered beautiful backgrounds and the animated sprites because they look awesome together.

It wouldn't look nearly as charming in full 3D, which SO3 showed everyone.

Ueziel

@smartpatrol: Roddick's a regular name that people might actually have. Ratix? That's a terrible fan-translation. And I can guarantee you that the original team approved it so it isn't some bastardization like so many people jump to call it.

Ueziel

@Witzbold: Also plays nothing like RO.

Witzbold

@zanzibarlegend: Cool and hopefully by the time you finish it Star Ocean Second Story will be ready for release on the PSP also.

The combat is a little simple and such, but still its a great game none the less.

Witzbold

@Witzbold: im sold. i need to get my rpg on. this will also be my first SO. :D

zanzibarlegend

I had no idea this was coming up. Looking forward to it as of opening this article.

Aesteval

Looks good. Too bad it's gonna get totally eclipsed by the other games coming out this month.

cakeman19

To those who never played the first Star Ocean but did enjoy the second one, I highly suggest picking this one up.

Unless of course the US voice acting is shite but thats not something I can do too much about.

Witzbold

Hell, they've had Star Ocean II out on the PSP for a while here.

Jesse in Japan

@휘성:
I'm right there with ya.

Strife56

@Witzbold: US Voice acting is shit most of the time, and it annoys the ball out of me. I thought the Disgaea voice acting was horrendous, but my friends loved it. Lucky the PSP version has the option to switch over.

I DID enjoy the English over Japanese in Lost Odyssey, though.

Thassodar

@bkchurch: Call me stupid but SO3 is the only SO I played and I liked it. The main things I hated were mana-deaths and the voice acting. Otherwise I liked it alot.

I may get this just to see the SO roots.

Thassodar

@Jesse in Japan: Guess for the US marketing they want to play it up as the series in proper order.

That and Im sure the localization took quite a bit of time since SO1 was a totally new source to work with.

Witzbold

Words cannot describe how excited I am for this game. Day one purchase, hands down.

I can't wait for the Second Story!

Ken Hikari

Will buy a PsP for this

moe84

I already have my copy paid off in full. Frothing demand for Star Ocean increases each day.

wenchwogg

Hey people who have played SO1.

How is the story?????????

WrenixPhight

Never played a star ocean game but it reminds me of old school snes rpgs.

kagebutsu

@Witzbold: Agreed. Hope it either have NO voice overs, or at least has the option to keep original voice acting with subtitles.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

Never played any Star Ocean, but I'm interested in the game.
Love them RPGs, specially if they have a 8 or 16-bit look.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

@kagebutsu: That would probably be because Star Ocean 1 was original an SNES RPG. It was one of the biggest SNES games ever, if not the biggest.

Ueziel

Which Story do you guys think was better?

SO or SO2?

Getting both for psp but SO redone like SO2 sounds to good to be true imo.

pewpewlazer

@Ueziel:

Yup, it's the Star Ocean aesthetic, it's not like they did it to cut corners or be cheap, they just knew what the fans wanted.

Will buy

pewpewlazer

@Cloral:

I agree completely, I really think this type of game excels on the DS. Although, I have to admit, it looks absolutely beautiful on the PSP.

But what's up with some of the texturing? I know it's not a straight port so couldn't they un-clunkify some of those textures?

TheGuero

@AuthenticM: Towns and such yeah are quite nice looking, in battle is ok looking. Still yet though its more about the quality story than overall graphical appeal of the game itself I think.

But yeah the re-done graphics are very appealing to the eyes.

Witzbold

Graphics are gorgeous.

AuthenticM

@WrenixPhight: Its quite good I found it to be highly enjoyable, plus the added voice acting is a nice modern touch which adds to the game. Plus animated cutscenes at times.

Witzbold

@pewpewlazer: Its not which story do you think is better since SO is a story before SO2. Its related.

So there is no "better" story really.

Witzbold

@Ueziel: Im not sure which was bigger SO or Tales of Phantasia, since that one had a full voice song on the cart.

Witzbold

@Witzbold: The voice acting is the best part of Star Ocean games. TEAR INTO PIECES! Go to Heaven! Behind me? When did they?

hansamurai

I personally enjoyed SO3, but maybe its because it was my first SO game (since I really liked the combat system). I remember seeing before SO2 for the ps1 in stores but never bought it, since I wasn't into RPGs then (before FF7, ugghhh....damn you FF7). But these psp remakes are really awesome, and I'm glad I'll be able to play an updated version of the first 2. Day 1 purchase. But I can understand how people are a bit dubious for SO4, especially how Inifinite Undiscovery faired. Definitely a bump down from their previous game, Valkyrie Profile 2 (Love that game so much)

KilianDemonassa

I like that they're bringing this over here. I've been wanting to get into the Star Ocean series for a while and I didn't want to just jump into SO3 and scrounge around for the older ones in ROM form or whatnot.

teraphony

Those in Europe should know that we're only a few days behind the US. We get the game on the 24th October.

HiddenAway

Hmm, this game or Rune Factory 2?

everybest

Man, I loved SO2. Didn't play SO3 and have never played SO1. If I owned a PSP I would definitely buy. Maybe its time I buy one? Don't have any portable gaming device right now. Hmm...I'll wait to see reactions but I'm sure its going to be great.

Smidget

Beat this on Super Famicon 5 years ago and enjoyed it then. Can't wait to actually be able to buy this and hold a copy in my hands.

The SNES version was amazing despite the hardware limitations (battles had voices, even). The battle system is a lot like in SO2's, even.

Even if you hated Star Ocean 3, this one's worth picking up. The SNES version was great on its own. The PSP remake looks to be even better. (Even if it's mostly just SO2 stripped down and replaced with SO1 elements.)

Akisazame

@pewpewlazer: I thought SO2's was a better story, but that doesn't mean SO's is bad. SO2 just had more to it story-wise.

But playing SO will help you understand a bit more of SO2, so I recommend playing both :p

Akisazame

@WrenixPhight: It's pretty good. A bit quirky in some places, but overall it's enjoyable.

It suffers from the Star Ocean tendency towards ridiculous plot twists, though. Not nearly as bad as SO3's, but still makes you go "wtf?!" when you run into it.

That's all I'll say, though :x

Akisazame

@Witzbold: Well, so far Yuri Lowenthal's been announced as Ratix (I hate calling him Roddick), so that's ONE decent voice.

Of course, for people who hate all English voice acting on principle, then nothing I say really matters.

But IMO, Lowenthal's the best of the best when it comes to English VAs.

Star Ocean 2 was released back in the PS1 era when companies didn't give a crap about having good voices. IMO, it's gotten a lot better since the PS2 came out. Not to mention that S-E now publishes tri-Ace games (it was Enix back when SO2 originally came out), and they've been decent lately with voices in their games. But I guess some people are gonna hate English voice acting no matter what.

Akisazame

@Akisazame:

Well Xenogears is my favorite game of all time so I think I can handle crazy plot twists ;]

WrenixPhight

Might sound ridiculous, but Star Ocean 2 was my most favorite RPG of all time. The story, the combat, the characters etc.

I'm buying a PSP just for this game and the SO2 remake ;D

Xenolicious

Star Ocean is one of my favorite games ever. Even to this day I find the graphics to be beautiful, and the story incredibly captivating. I was initially very excited at the prospect of this PSP remake when I first heard about it. Looking at these screens though, I think I'll hold my judgment until I play. The name change to Roddick irks me, but is easily fixable (by changing it myself). The graphics choices are also somewhat strange. I may finally break down and buy a PSP so I can play this and a few other games I've been looking at though. I expect a day 1 review of this game (compared to the original) Kotaku! My money is riding on it!

ThirzaLepidus

Finally! I'm really going to pick up that one.

Mistwave