It’s annoying how the Star Ocean franchise isn’t a bigger deal in the world of gaming. While no JRPG is ever alike, this series seems to be the only one dedicated to Star Trek-like adventures in space. The fact that we don’t have more space JRPGs is almost criminal, given how these two concepts complement each other.
Just to be clear, I don’t want all JRPGs to be set in space. Variety is the spice of life, and having more unique settings in this genre is a good thing. While I do enjoy the standard fantasy fare and occasional modern fantasy settings, there’s no doubt that space makes things more exciting.
Simply put, Square Enix should consider making another Star Ocean and actually advertise it this time. If not, they can always do the Bravely Default route and make a new JRPG series that’s set in space. Maybe not even Square, as there’s always room for other devs to go into the stars.
Lost in the (Star) Ocean
Before getting on this tangent, I’ve heard that Star Ocean: The Second Story R is an excellent remake of an already good game. I haven’t played it, but I plan to, so I'll hold my opinion till I do.
Now, did you guys know there was a whole other Star Ocean game released before The Second Story R? No, really, there was a brand-new installment called Star Ocean: The Divine Force. Why didn’t you hear about it? Probably because Square Enix barely advertised the game.
Much like the poorly-marketed NEO: The World Ends With You, Star Ocean: The Divine Force seemingly came out of nowhere and was left to fend for itself. Admittedly, the graphics weren’t too great, but fans can stomach middling visuals if the gameplay looked good. The combat is actually pretty decent, playing like a lot of action RPGs, but it’s still satisfying to pull off all those moves.
It was a lot better than Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness, which barely had any cutscenes and had some pretty bland gameplay.
Honestly, I don’t know why Square Enix doesn’t treat this series with more reverence. There aren’t a lot of JRPGs with space settings. Entries like Second Story and Till the End of Time proved that mixing fantasy with sci-fi is a recipe for success. Why they don’t do more with it is baffling.
The Mass Effect?
Fans of Western RPGs might try to blame Mass Effect for this, as BioWare’s sci-fi series was a major hit. While the company hasn’t done much recently, they reportedly are working on that fifth game, so something is being worked on. Regardless, you can’t blame a successful series for the decline of another.
Could you imagine fans saying there shouldn’t be any Ys games because The Witcher 3 exists? That’s asinine.
Regardless of the impact Mass Effect has, Star Ocean doesn’t have to give up and take these hits. If anything, this series should try learning from BioWare and incorporate some of their ideas into something original. All of this is possible, and you don’t have to let Star Ocean drown in a sea of nothingness.
Space, Where No One Can Hear You Grind
Whether it’s Star Wars, Star Trek, or Star Ocean, there’s no denying that space has been a great setting for many stories. That mixture of alien races, sci-fi technology, and modern-day politics has made space a breeding ground for great ideas. It makes us wonder why we don’t see space used more often in JRPGs; a genre that loves using mythical races, fantastical tech, and modern-day politics.
Games like Mass Effect and Star Ocean have used it to explore the themes of war, or how outside medicine can treat seemingly impossible wounds. Sometimes, we even see fascinating uses of time travel and spirituality, as Star Ocean: Till the End of Time has shown. There’s a lot that can be explored here.
Then again, one could argue that space has been extensively explored in various media and other games. Mass Effect has had three games exploring war, resources, identity, and sexuality, to the point that its fourth game, Andromeda, didn’t seem to hit the same.
Fine, there’s actually a pretty good reason JRPGs aren’t set in space more; other games have arguably worn that setting down. That doesn’t mean we want JRPGs to stop trying with space, especially since they seem to limit it to one or two franchises.
A Sea of Stars
Okay, to be fair, there have been other successful JRPGs set in space. Sea of Stars came out a few years ago and was an immediate hit for the indie RPG setting. While the game’s story did get a bit messy by the end, its mixture of fantasy and sci-fi, plus that delicious Mario & Luigi-like combat, made the whole experience work.
Clearly, Square Enix hasn’t given up, as they released the aforementioned Star Ocean: Second Story R three years ago. They still have some faith in this franchise, but it feels like this entry got respect because it was an HD-2D remake. What happens if they release another 3D installment and decide not to advertise it?
Space is still one of the most unique settings video games can take us. While the setting has been used in third-person shooters and shoot-em-ups, mixing it with JRPG cheesiness can still feel fresh. If it’s not Star Ocean, we wouldn’t mind if a new franchise or an existing one decided to try something with the vastness of space.
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