Star Ocean (PSP), Star Ocean 2 (PSP), Star Ocean 4 (Multiplatform confirmed. Yay.)
 

Really have nothing else to name this thread, wanted to keep it informative. So if you haven't heard, the original announcement was "Square-Enix will be announcing a new Star Ocean title soon."

Apparently not just one, but three.

http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmaster...0650_2_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmaster...0648_0_big.jpg
http://www.jeux-france.com/Webmaster...0649_1_big.jpg

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/...70510/sqex.htm
http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/200...71447,0,0.html

As someone who really liked SO1, I'm ecstatic to see it remade. I didn't care for SO2's graphics so I'm kind of disappointed to see that the new SO1 is adopting them in spades. Also the character redesigns are funky. Oh well. Shame that I don't have a PSP either.

As posted by Kouli at GameFAQs:
- New Character Designer for First Departure and Second Evolution
- Production IG handles the animation apsects of the two remakes and of course there will be new ones
- Platform for SO4 is still undecided
- First Departure is a FULL REMAKE. First Departure will combine both 2D and 3D graphics, along with added scenario. The producer emphasized on calling a new game
- Second Evolution will have NEW characters, and fully voiced
- Seiyuu, theme song and artist for the two remakes are planned to be revealed in the party

Let's discuss.

Well, I guess If I had a PSP I'd be more excited. The only real interesting part is that Star Ocean 1 will finally get a proper stateside release.

Maybe they can rework the voice acting for Star Ocean 2, make certain character's voices less ear-raping.

Definitely good news to me. I loved both 1 and 2, and if they get a release abroad, even better.

Still, I'd have loved to know what console is getting SO4.

Wow, that character art looks like something out of a stinky kids anime about having to collect all ten thousand soul angst cards to summon the spirit of a monster that will go out of control and require more card collecting and at least eighty episodes to bring forth another monster to tackle it, avaliable now in all good toy stores, batteries not included. But I loved Star Ocean 2 so thumbs up from me! Never played the original, I suppose this'll be a nice way of doing so.

Interesting that Star Ocean 1 is finally (probably) getting an international release, and also that Squeenix's recent remake fever also extends to Enix titles. I would have thought that a straight port of SO1 to the GBA a la Tales of Phantasia would have been more likely, but it seems we've seen the last of those (which is too bad).

As for the series itself, I was really excited about SO1 back when it was an un-emulatable mystery title. Once the community finally cracked the graphics encryption and issued a translation, my interest fell. I was hoping for a sci-fi RPG with spaceships and lasers and whatnot, but each of the three games has gone out of its way to maroon you in a medieval society.

Good...This is a series that can definitely use the added exposure. I'd like it if the SO1 remake wasn't PSP, but at least the blasted thing will finally come out (I figured it for a lost cause).

I didn't like SO3 at all (I stopped after 10 hours because of the annoying map structure, lame characters and the battles were horrible...They stripped it down to 3 characters and made CPU-controlled allies far stoopider than even SO2. I'd be lying if I said the battle music wasn't a factor, but I grew really tired of it quickly. "Stab the Sword of Justice", it definitely wasn't), so I'm hoping SO4 can recapture some of the magic that makes SO2 one of my all-time favorite RPG experiences. Of course, I'm unwilling to go for a PS3 to find out, so it better be on PS2...

One minor thing: I guess we're not getting Blue Sphere (the Star Ocean GBC game) anytime soon.

While I love Star Ocean 2 to death, I'm willing to bet SE will outsource these ports to TOSE again and we'll end up with complete and utter shit ports. A shame they don't care enough about these properties to do any real quality control.

It was apparently made note that Star Ocean: First Departure is a COMPLETE remake. Not a port. Given that it looks incredibly similar to SO2 now, I'm assuming if the engine was remade from scratch it will turn out to be very decent, AND SO2 would most likely use this new engine instead of a shoddy port.

Wow, this is good news. The PSP keeps looking more attractive to me with the new games coming out for it.

*sigh* only IF I had a PSP... and/or some money...

But definitely looking forward to later news.

What do they mean my "tentative title"?

I dont know, I see this as a bit pointless. If you want to play SO2 on your PSP you can just play the PSX version of it on there. Whether you do it through illegal or legal means, you can play SO2 right now on your PSP.

So why buy a port when I can play it for free or buy it through Sony to play it on my PSP?

The only positive I see is the fact SO1 is being re-made and released.

As for SO4, hope they have a good storyline ready because after the disgrace of SO3 the whole Star Ocean universe and plot was destroyed.

You see, the problem with that is few of them come out in the US or Europe (if I'm not mistaken, some of these RPGs came out for Europe but not for the US). So while it is attractive, it's really only so in Japan.

Of course, if you import them, that's another matter.

As it's been said, it's more than just a port. Check the first post (edited) for some of the announced features. Fully voice acted, new characters, new designs... I bet they'll touch up a lot of the game's problems too (balance?)

Star Ocean 2 for the PSP better have Ernest OUT. Fuck, worst character in-game.

Either way, a PSP port sounds good to me. Now if they only have a Thousand Arms and a Lunar 2 for the PSP..

Yeah why pay for anything when you can get it for free? Just go to the store and take whatever you need.



*sigh* First Valkyrie Profile and now this oh and SOTN. And I hear PSP is pretty good at emulation...perhaps I should get one...

Morals? In my Gamingforce? You don't say!

http://colonelskills.belkanairforce....facepalm06.png

The dim hope that they'll actually translate the game this time, instead of giving us a script that only vaguely resembles English? And maybe some real voice acting this time? I'd pay for that.

The Star Ocean 2 they're referring to here doesn't look like the PS1 game, though. I think it's a brand-new spinoff from the first game.

If you're so against the illegal side of things go buy SO2 through Sony and play it on your PSP.

Or if you own SO2 on the PSX already, copy it and convert it to a popstation file.

Both legal and let you play SO2 right now on the PSP.

I'm talking about SO2, not SO1. From what I've read they're just porting SO2 and adding a few things to it. I dont think that is enough to warrant buying SO2 again. Especially when I can already play my current copy on my PSP already.

EDIT: Okay, if it has a better translation then I'm interested. Especially for the voice acting. But I'm not holding my breath.

The character shown on the screens looks creepy like hell to be honest. A new SO game would be interesting, if they'd only give it a decent story, since the games have never been great on creating a Sci-Fi RPG. I'm curious what platform they'll release it on, hoping for a DS game in vain, and betting on the PS3 here.

I think it's great to see this. I have Star Ocean in emulated format, and Star Oceans 2 and 3, but I'm all for some good remakes, and Star Ocean 4. I do wonder how they'll handle everything though - the plot of the last one sure made the galaxy an interesting, unstable place...

It sounds like a lot more than just a port:

Link

Huh. That is Star Ocean 2, with a brand new subtitle. Should be interesting to see what they do with the remake, since apparently the intent is to make both entries feel like "completely new games". This is unquestionably a good thing for us; it means that if they port the new SO2 here, they'd have no choice but to do a new translation with new voice acting.

Maybe they'll give Ernest a reason to exist beyond pickpocketing those two Battle Suits off him while they're at it.

In any event, here's hoping Squeenix actually ports these two remakes to the US, 'cause I think they have my money now. The original Star Ocean's battle system was not a whole lot of fun, to the point that I never bothered trying to complete it, so I'd love to give that a shot as well.

Confirmed for US release PR (released after the one this morning announcing DQ:J, DQS, FFXII RW, FFT PSP for US).

I'm pretty stoked that all the FF/DQ titles got formally announced for the US, and this was the icing on the cake, especially since I never got around to playing the fan translation of SO1.

Just like some other people here, it's too bad I don't have a PSP. One of my online friends loves SO2 to death, so I'd like to play it someday and see what the fuss is about. I can't find this game anywhere. She assures me it's way better than SO3, a game I had the misfortune to play.

I'm quite excited about this news. I loved the first 2 games, and as a PSP owner, I'll be able to revel in their awesomeness :D. As for SO4, I pray they fix the things that made SO3 such a piss poor entry into the series. I could never finish the damn game because my party members kept skilling themselves into oblivion.