Star Ocean: Till the End of Time Preview
We spend some quality time with a near-complete build of the English-language version of this sci-fi-themed, anime-inspired role-playing game from Square Enix.
If you're knowledgeable about Japanese role-playing games, then surely you've heard the name Star Ocean before. The sci-fi-themed series began nearly 10 years ago on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and spawned a 1998 sequel for the original PlayStation. That was the first Star Ocean game to arrive in North America, and very soon, the second game will be available, exclusively for the PlayStation 2.
No previous experience with the series will be required to enjoy or appreciate Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, which is an epic console-style role-playing game comparable to the Final Fantasy series or last year's Xenosaga Episode I. Yet while this new Star Ocean has a lengthy, involving storyline the likes of which you'd expect from a game of this type, its actual gameplay seems to have a refreshingly quick pace--both for when you're exploring the game's diverse environments and for when you're fighting the dangerous foes lurking in them. But there's much more to the game that's likely going to appeal to fans of the RPG genre.
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time has actually been available in Japan since February of last year, though the imminent North American release of the game is based on a director's-cut version--a couple of the more notable extras include extended cinematic sequences, a new versus mode, and two additional player characters. At any rate, the focus of the game is still, of course, an epic role-playing adventure. You play as a young man named Fayt Leingod, and in the beginning, you'll meet Fayt along with his childhood friend, Sophia, as they're exploring a lavish, futuristic resort hotel. They're on vacation.
Needless to say, the situation turns sour. There's an attack, and the hotel residents are ordered to evacuate. Amid the turmoil, Fayt and Sophia are forced to abandon Fayt's mother and father, who they presume are killed in the attack--or perhaps captured. The situation doesn't improve much as Fayt and Sophia continue their escape aboard a rescue ship; the relentless attackers irreparably damage that vessel, forcing the civilians inside to bail out in escape pods. Fayt and Sophia are separated--Fayt finds himself crash-landed on a planet reminiscent of 15th-century Earth, and it's at this point that the sheer scope and scale of Star Ocean's adventure becomes apparent. All of this occurs within the first couple of hours of gameplay.
Like last year's Xenosaga, Star Ocean often feels like science-fiction-themed anime rather than simply like a game. It features lengthy, frequent cinematic cutscenes involving dialogue between the various main characters, and these cutscenes for the most part aren't interactive. The particular style of sci-fi on display in the game seems heavily influenced by Star Trek--teleportation devices called "transporters" are used to move people around instantly, and an organization called the Pangalactic Federation overrules a vast network of different planets. Portable translator devices allow individuals to speak with foreigners in their own, native language without any trouble. And, interestingly, the Pangalactic Federation has imposed laws requiring individuals to respect the natural evolution of various worlds--so when Fayt finds himself in a medieval environment, he's forced to conceal his identity and brandish a simple sword as a weapon so that he can blend in with the locals.
During the course of the game, Fayt and his growing number of companions will end up in a great number of other places, so the science fiction setting gave the designers of the game creative license to actually include a variety of different themes throughout. In fact, the setting of the game is so rich with detail that there's a persistent menu option called "Dictionary," which is really more of an encyclopedia about the different people, places, and organizations you've either seen or heard about.
With that said, the game's story isn't immediately captivating, since it takes its time to pick up speed, and the main characters initially come across as mundane. On the other hand, Star Ocean's fast-paced, real-time combat system is appealing right from the start. Find out all about it next.
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- GameSpot Score 7.9 good
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- Square Enix
- Tri-Ace
- Action Role-Playing
- Release: Aug 31, 2004 »
- ESRB: Teen
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