Star Ocean The Second Story R Hands-on report: A classic RPG reborn

blog.playstation.com:

Star Ocean The Second Story R brings classic RPG action to PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on November 2. This is a complete remake of the RPG Star Ocean the Second Story (SO2), which was released on the original PlayStation in 1998, critically acclaimed for its Dual Protagonist system, 3D combat, deep skill systems, Private Actions, multiple endings, and much more.

In this remake, the game’s visuals and playability have been further refined while retaining the excitement and charm of the original release, complete with beloved 2D pixel character sprites roaming through the stunning fields and dungeons in full 3D. The exhilarating real-time action combat system is designed to be easy for anyone to pick up and is enhanced by additional new features.

I had a chance to play the PS5 version of the game ahead of Tokyo Game Show 2023. 

For the hands-on preview, we were able to experience the exploration and combat in the Lasgus Mountains and Hoffman Ruins. I was most interested in how the 2D pixel characters and the 3D environment/dungeons were fused together. 

Before playing, I imagined it would feel strange to see 2D pixel characters roaming around in a high-res 3D environment, rendered using the latest graphics technology. However, I was surprised that it felt much more natural than I expected. The lighting on the characters changes according to the situation and environment, such as the difference between brightly lit and darker areas, so the characters do not appear out of place.

For those who played the original PS version of SO2 or the PSP version of Star Ocean Second Evolution, the familiar pixel characters may bring back memories and nostalgia. We could only experience the Lasgus Mountains and the Hoffman Ruins this