Square Enix has been doing a lot in the last few years to ensure their presence was felt in the gaming community and that they’re using as many of their franchises as possible within a small period. To do that, they’ve been not only furthermore their most beloved franchises but creating new ones and putting a fresh coat of paint on ones you might not have thought about in a while. For example, in November, the remaster/remake of Star Ocean The Second Story R is coming to console and PC, and it aims to make a mark on the industry.
The game is the second title in the franchise, and many hail it as the best of the line. Square Enix hosted an interview with the dev team to ask them their thoughts on the reborn title, and the first question was simply, why remake the game:
“STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY is an especially popular entry in the series, and we’ve heard many requests for a remake. 2023 is the 25th Anniversary of the original game and that, along with the increased profile of the series thanks to STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE, makes this the perfect time to bring this classic RPG back.”
It’s curious that they mention the most recent game in the series, as it didn’t do so well when it was released. But then again, that might have increased the urge to bring back the better titles and see them in a new light.
Another question was about why the original game resonated with so many people:
“When you think of the traits of great RPGs, two of the most important are the colorful characters and the story. The original STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY used many methods to make these elements truly shine – the multi-faced story development with two protagonists, characters appearing from both science fiction and fantasy, the side quest systems that let you explore the lives of these characters and the abundant variety of endings.”
The team promised that the game’s story would be as great as before and even better via certain improvements they’re making, such as with the visuals. They chose the 2.5 HD style because they want “refreshing new visuals,” which numerous Square Enix titles have been taking advantage of recently.
That being said, Star Ocean The Second Story R won’t just have new pixel art, but new effects, world design, and more to truly make it stand out. The game comes out on November 2nd.
