omutsu

I picked up "Star Ocean: The Second Story" a couple of years ago, and loved it (hated, sometimes, when the waters got failry deep in terms of difficulty.) So, I've been waiting for the third Star Ocean game for a while now. It was continuously pushed back in its release, until finally it was released about two weeks ago. Naturally, I went and picked it up.

I'm about 32 hours into the game, and I'm pretty satisfied with it so far. I know that I am missing atleast two characters in my party that I've yet to even see in the story, and the game consists of two DVD discs. So, things are looking pretty hopeful for this game.

I'm wondering if anyone else is playing/has played the new Star Ocean, and what their impressions of the game are.

GreenHell

I picked this game up, without ever hearing about the previous ones, the battle system is ver cool, and the story is interesting and nothing ive seen before so far, and yet, im not addicted to it like i am to most RPGs. I only out of Airyglyph after being imprisoned and i want to play, but, i dont know whats holding me back. I am however playing Tales of Phantasia on my computer which is a great game.

asaris

I've been playing it for about the past week, and really like it. My one beef is that the item creation system isn't terribly intuitive and it takes forever -- this being a Star Ocean game, I'm also pretty sure I'll need to get into it before beating the game. But I think the combat's great, the story's pretty good... Yeah, if you're an rpg fan, it's definitely a 'must play'

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"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

YKK

i played second story and it was completely awesome.. the battle sys was pretty cool with the semi-control over other chars and the look of it was also really cute.. have you played the original on sfam?.. the story for it seems cool but the save sys sucks because you can't save when you're "inside" like in towns or ships or anything and there are no save points.. you can only save when you are between towns or events.. i never played it through because of that..

looking forward to playing till the end of time except that i just started the .hack game series as well as the anime (sign).. so it will probably be a while..

EXPLOOOOOOOODE!!!!!!!!!!

stax

So is this game worth 50 buck? I want to get it but heard that the battle system is not that good.

YaWhateva

really? I have heard that the absolute best part about the game is the battle system. from reviews and from people who have played it.

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CityOfAngels

I've played Second Story and loved it. It definitely was difficult, especially given the fact that the overworld map rotates as you turn, leaving you with no sense of direction, but overall it is an AMAZING game. I want to play part two, but I have so many RPG's that I haven't beaten yet that it would just add on to the stack.

omutsu

There isn't an overworld in Till the End of Time, but there are pretty wide environment maps where you can still encounter enemies. The same is true in this game; you can rotate the map, and I like that as opposed to the static or automatic-camera angles in recent PS2 RPGs (Final Fantasy, ArcTheLad, Xenosaga), however, like you said, it does make you lose your sense of direction, and you end up relying on your reference map alot.

The battle system rocks pretty hard, because of the combos you can do. There are even aerial combos, ala 2D-Fighter style, which is pretty sweet. If you can pull it off, juggling an enemy between two or even three characters makes this even crazier.

I do agree about the Item Creation system. Even if you decide to use a strategy guide or item creation FAQ online, it still takes forever to create an item -- whether it be because your characters have inadequate skill points, or simply trying to select the correct base price for a particular item.

Anyway, I'm on the second disc now, and the story has taken a turn towards the featured plot. Glimpsing at a FAQ, I realized I missed two characters, and will have to go back and get them, should I decide to replay the game.

I'm thinking that the character collection factor will play into the game's replay value, plus the Battle Trophy system will most likely give some sort of incentive (sp?) to play it again. "Second Story" had a variety of endings you could achieve, due to the Private Action system, where some characters would like or dislike you more depending on where, when, and how you engage in a private action. "Till the end of Time" has this system, but it's less featured, and much less blatent (hence how I missed getting those two characters into my party) -- so, multiple endings might kick down some replay value.

The game's turned out to be pretty damn long so far. Mine is clocked at 36 hr, but I also have left the game on while I went out, and sometimes I kind of play it half-heartedly, while multi tasking (being on the computer, or drawing at the same time, something..)

Anyway. I hope this turns out sweet.

I think I'll start a new thread (or find an older one?) about highly anticipated RPGs coming out soon.

stax

I heard that if you don't read the tutorial at the begining you won't know what to do.

YaWhateva

i bought it, and i love it. except, whenever go into the menu that lets you look at stats and stuff or save the game, it wont let me move the cursor, does anybody have any ideas what could be wrong with this?

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“If the Americans go in and overthrow Saddam Hussein and it's clean, he has nothing, I will apologize to the nation, and I will not trust the Bush administration again.” - Bill O'Reilly

"This is my United States of Whateva!"

Kepage23

I picked it up a week ago and have been adicted to it since. Well worth the 50 bucks to get it. One thing that is new to RPGs that I know is that when fighting, if your MP reaches 0 your character goes down. I think it makes sense and is an interesting adition, but I know people who absolutely hate it. What do others that play think of this?

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CityOfAngels

What I meant is that the reference map rotates as you turn. It was a beeyotch figuring out where North, South, East, and West were.

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Jared Jones

I picked up the game like 2 weeks ago, and now im 49 hours into it and i think im getting close to the end boss. Great game, worth 50 bucks and the battle system is tight as hell, some enemies are to hard..... damn proclaimers

CityOfAngels

49 hours... just think that's almost $1/hour. I'd say it's worth it!

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