We live in a time of beautiful remakes, a golden age of video games. Masterpieces from our childhoods coming around again, but now you can take your rose-tinted nostalgia goggles off and things look like you remember them. And sometimes that’s not the full-on 3D remakes that are needed. 2D RPGs were designed to be played a certain way and remaking them loses a lot of what made them beautiful. The solution seems to be the HD2D or the 2.5D remake – the Live A Live remake style used in Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy. So it’s with great pleasure I can share that Square Enix is remaking one of its greatest properties, Star Ocean The Second Story in HD2D!
New stunning visual direction, action-packed gameplay, battle sequences and all-new character illustrations by series veteran Yukihiro Kajimoto (so beautiful – I drew the originals as a kid), as well as a rearranged soundtrack by original composer, Motoi Sakuraba. New and enhanced Japanese and English text and voiceover language support, with voiceovers performed by members of the original cast. I can’t wait to meet Celine, Dias, Bowman, and the gang all over again.
From the Press Release – “STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R has been revitalised with a charming 2.5D aesthetic that combines beautiful 3D environments with nostalgic 2D pixel characters, offering players both a classic RPG and modern gameplay experience. Players can expect to find some of the original features that made the original release so memorable alongside brand-new gameplay features including fast-paced, real-time combat and battle mechanics to strategically defeat foes, customisable party progression with an array of skills, including Cooking, Art, Metalcraft, and more. Three new difficulty modes have also been introduced including “Earth” which provides a standard experience, “Galaxy” for those looking for a more satisfying challenge, and “Universe” for seasoned players looking to put their skills to the ultimate test.“
And we don’t have to wait long. STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R will be available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC via STEAM on 2nd November 2023.
