The Star Ocean franchise has been going on for a long time now, and remains a quietly successful alternative to the bigger JRPGs out there. Last year the Xbox 360 was treated to the latest installment within the franchise; Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope. The title was highly regarded, however a Playstation release was nowhere to be seen. Now, at last, gamers can pick up Playstation 3's Star Ocean.
The production of this version is not a straight port, but rather is titled the 'international' edition, and offers some small extras. Firstly, the initial Japanese voice track has been added as an option. This is often a popular feature for those who prefer their JRPGs with a little more authenticity. Also, gamers are able to change the HUD show to reveal the initial Japanese artwork for characters. Not a huge addition, but nice all the same.
Now the title itself, and Playstation 3's Star Ocean can not disappoint. The title expands the combat system of previous installments within the franchise, offering a simple but fun attack approach that is systematically levelled up as time goes on. New features like the Rush gauge add a new take on the combat, rewarding fast handed gamers with further benefits.
The storyline that runs throughout Playstation 3's Star Ocean is suitably grand, as one might anticipate from developers Square Enix. A great feature is the optional Personal Actions, which allows users to interact among their characters to realize a deeper sense of character development. This might not be essential to the storyline, but is great for gamers hoping to totally immerse themselves with the storyline.
It may have taken a long time, however Playstation 3's Star Ocean is unquestionably worth the delay. The visuals, whilst perhaps not up to Final Fantasy standards, are still beautiful and the storyline can reward you the more you put into it. Any followers of the genre should definitely look into this amazing title.