Star Ocean: The Last Hope

[黒と赤「KUROtoAKA」]

To me, this game was disappointing compared to the last installment of the Star Ocean series (Star Ocean: Till the End of Time), but I still found it pretty enjoyable. Aside from the grade A cheese they passed off as dialogue, the graphics were great (of course) and the battle system was just as fun as the last, with some interesting tweaks (the Bonus Board was a lot less frustrating than SO3's Bonus Battle Gauge).

I'm looking forward to the PS3 release of SO4 International in February. Also, I found this, at least, to be some good news:
http://www.sankakucomplex.com/2009/12/31/star-ocean-4-international-embraces-anime/

[TheDrunkenShadow]

I agree with most of the above post, however, I think Reimi is pretty awesome. Her voice actor did a good job too.

[黒と赤「KUROtoAKA」]

I agree with most of the above post, however, I think Reimi is pretty awesome. Her voice actor did a good job too.

Thinking back, you're right. Reimi was pretty good. It was mainly Faize and Edge that I couldn't stand.

[XIamSogekingX]

Agreed. The game could have been a whole lot better. I think that Star Ocean: Till the End of Time is one of my favorite games of all time and I guess it's just hard to try and make anything more out of that game.

If they wanted to, they could make an updated version of it, with better graphics, maybe even some extra content but keep everything else the same and I would buy it again.

[黒と赤「KUROtoAKA」]

If they wanted to, they could make an updated version of it, with better graphics, maybe even some extra content but keep everything else the same and I would buy it again.

Same here. It's easily my favorite PS2 game.

[XIamSogekingX]

Same here. It's easily my favorite PS2 game.

Same here. Another Tri-Ace game that I love is Radiata Stories. So many party choices.

[黒と赤「KUROtoAKA」]

Same here. Another Tri-Ace game that I love is Radiata Stories. So many party choices.

Holy crap, YES! I love Radiata! I picked that game up because I became a fan of Tri-Ace after SO3. I've also played Valkyrie Profile 2 (haven't finished it though) and I recently started VP: Lenneth on the PSP.

[victorious0702]

I liked Star Ocean the 2nd Story a bit better than till the end of time, but the good playstation rpgs are pretty hard to beat.

Such as FF Tactics & 7-8
Legend of Dragoon
Xenogears
Valkyria Profile

[XIamSogekingX]

I liked Star Ocean the 2nd Story a bit better than till the end of time, but the good playstation rpgs are pretty hard to beat.

Such as FF Tactics & 7-8
Legend of Dragoon
Xenogears
Valkyria Profile

A list of win right there :P

[黒と赤「KUROtoAKA」]

A list of win right there :P

Indeed. LoD was one of the first RPGs I played, along with FF7 & 8.

[XIamSogekingX]

I love how Tri-Ace usually connects all their games together with bonus bosses from their different games.

[黒と赤「KUROtoAKA」]

I love how Tri-Ace usually connects all their games together with bonus bosses from their different games.

My favorite is Chibi Lenneth in SO3. ^_^

[dbull620]

I played SO3 first, and it was also my first exposure to Tri-Ace. I've completed SO1 on the PSP and I'm in the middle of SO2 on the PSP, but it's been so long since I last played it that I may go back and start over again whenever I get back to it. Though thanks to the anime adaptation of SO2, I may not have to start over since that seems to cover a number of key plot points in the story.

On topic, as far as The Last Hope goes, I've heard a number of people say it's disappointing compared to other entries in the series, but I'm still planning to pick it up when it comes out on the PS3.

[XIamSogekingX]

I played SO3 first, and it was also my first exposure to Tri-Ace. I've completed SO1 on the PSP and I'm in the middle of SO2 on the PSP, but it's been so long since I last played it that I may go back and start over again whenever I get back to it. Though thanks to the anime adaptation of SO2, I may not have to start over since that seems to cover a number of key plot points in the story.

On topic, as far as The Last Hope goes, I've heard a number of people say it's disappointing compared to other entries in the series, but I'm still planning to pick it up when it comes out on the PS3.

I HATE that when you have to stop playing a game for a long time and then when you go back you have forgotten all the battle systems and details so you end up starting over. This has happened with many games...sigh*

[黒と赤「KUROtoAKA」]

I HATE that when you have to stop playing a game for a long time and then when you go back you have forgotten all the battle systems and details so you end up starting over. This has happened with many games...sigh*

hahaha, I do that a lot too! ^_^

[Elc1247]

i remember starting a thread on this before we wiped much of the forum (im going to be talking about the 360 version, since it was the one i played and the original)... the game is awefully lacking... it had the potential to be great... but it feels like it was held back by a few things, the two things i think killed it were the animator, and the 360 itself. it was so sad watching the CUTSCENES have lag... if its a cutscene where you have no control over anything... shouldnt it be smooth? plus the fact that you couldnt see enemies/chests more then about 30 feet in front of you? it made it so using the dash on the map is like blindly running into a minefield... plus, some of the cutscenes scream "Im trying too hard to look cool!" whoever threw together the cutscenes needs to be fired, since they obviously dont have any experience nor taste... the 360 doesnt seem to have the hardware to support the game... i remember that EVERY time that i finish a battle while i was poisoned, i would groan, since i knew that the victory sequence when it zoomed into the characters, would be playing at like... 5 FPS... then theres the characters... it felt like the characters were mostly very shallow... the whole story didnt feel like it was thought out very well. another gripe is the localization... "KAY?". "-desu" =/= "kay?" the kid made me want to smash my head against the table like Kuroko(to aru kagaku no railgun) i swear, the voice actor made the kid sound like she was high all the time, if I had to state only one reason i would beg for dual audio, that would be it. *smashes head against desk/floor continually, screaming "stupid, stupid, stupid"*i know they have to make it look all "next-gen" and shiny... but sacrificing everything else to do that is unacceptable. though, with all that said, it did have some nice things... the battle system was pretty fun. i guess overall, i would give the 360 (original) version a "barely worth playing (rent or borrow it, buying it without playing it first would be a mistake in my opinion)". SO3 was the best of the series in my opinion, followed by SO2, with SO4 being the somewhat retarded kid of the family, havent really played SO1 though...

[Kibs]

My main complaint about the game from the very beginning was the textures, everything was too damn busy and it was hard to tell what was going on or see where anything was.

Not every surface in a game needs to have complex patterns.

[TheDrunkenShadow]

I enjoyed the combat system pretty thoroughly, though. It would have been awesome if more enemies could blindside counter, but then again, I haven't played in the two harder unlockable difficulties. Now, if they could keep hold of this system and carry it over to another installment, that should allow them to spend more time on making the storyline passable. I mean, Tri-Ace obviously has the capability to put out a good story.

[Elc1247]

My main complaint about the game from the very beginning was the textures, everything was too damn busy and it was hard to tell what was going on or see where anything was.

Not every surface in a game needs to have complex patterns.

i kinda noticed that as well, it was a giant explosion of sparkly colors... hard to tell where everything was sometimes... then the lag the 360 was experiencing wasnt helping either... plus the camera is junk sometimes and you are left guessing where exactly you are standing.

[Kanashimi]

Have it, sitting there... unwrapped. Curses! I demand time! MORE FREE TIME!

[TheDrunkenShadow]

I demand a Kana's Komprehensive Game Review for Star Ocean 4! D:<

Also, overland movement is very clunky. I expect Kana rage over this.

[Kanashimi]

I don't mind actually! I'd love to as soon as I get a chance to play it. Just let me get my next review out. :)

[Elc1247]

I don't mind actually! I'd love to as soon as I get a chance to play it. Just let me get my next review out. :)

im going to assume you have the "international edition" (PS3)? i would assume it would have less lag problems... hopefully. i personally would like to try out the ps3 version sometime... some of the dungeons were so frustrating because of the poison end battle lag since all the enemies in that particular area love poisoning people... oh... and i want dual audio, plus the less "CG centric" art.