Review: Star Ocean: The Second Story R

destructoid.com:

Whenever I revisit my earliest RPG loves, I often find that the thick fog of ’90s nostalgia does more harm than good. I’ve spent far too much time fondly recalling the way I saw certain games as a kid with a big imagination, only to realize some of those adventures don’t quite measure up in the same ways now.

As much as we like to ask for remakes of beloved classics like Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy IX, the thought of such remade experiences makes my jaw reflexively clench. Messy remakes not only muddle fond memories, they occasionally blunder the wonders and themes of the originals. And while I’ve embraced more remasters and faithful from-the-ground-up rebuilds over the last few years, I always feel a tiny pit of anxiety looming when RPGs I adored roll back into the spotlight.

Thankfully, Star Ocean: The Second Story R absolutely bucks that trend. Ahead of its November 2 launch, I’ve spent ample time with Star Ocean 2’s ambitious remake, and the adventure remains a delight more than 20 years later. In fact, The Second Story R is a rare trip down memory lane that modernizes the original game while retaining all the qualities I loved so much as a child.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R (PC [Reviewed], Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5)
Developer: Gemdrops, Inc
Publisher: Square Enix
Released: November 2, 2023
MSRP: $49.99

While I’m admittedly a fan of all things Star Ocean — yes, all things — The Second Story on PlayStation remains my favorite to this day. The 1998 sequel didn’t invent every formula the space-faring series follows, but it definitively raised the bar for Action RPGs. The 2023 iteration in Second Story R is only additive, polishing away the imperfections that often come with decades-old ideas.

In the spirit