Roddick and his friends travel through time and the stars in this portable remake of the first Star Ocean. Real-time combat, Private Actions and Sakuraba's arranged score; Square Enix delivers a dense and surprisingly faithful portable JRPG.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player12+
Description
Roddick and his friends from Roak become embroiled in an alien invasion and a time travel that reshapes the galaxy. Published by Square Enix, released in Europe in February 2009. Real-time combat, Private Actions between characters, multiple recruits based on choices, arranged soundtrack by Motoi Sakuraba. Multilingual version.
Star Ocean - First Departure review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
A remake of the first Star Ocean, this adventure unfolds a JRPG rich in space exploration, real-time combat and the Item Creation system. The long quest, the recruitable companions and the multiple endings feed dozens of hours. That generosity, revived by the remake, offers a lifespan RPG fans cultivate.
Technical info
💾0,84 GB📅20/02/2009
Published by Square Enix
Star Ocean - First Departure (PSP) price, value & rarity
European PAL pressing of Square Enix's PSP remake of Star Ocean First Departure, rarer than the American version owing to a more measured European distribution for this RPG. The European disc completes the title's Western gallery and is often the hardest piece to assemble for anyone gathering the editions across regions. Desirability rests on that print imbalance in favor of PAL and on the lasting standing of the Star Ocean franchise.
Is Star Ocean - First Departure still worth playing in 2026?
A PSP remake of the first Star Ocean, First Departure follows Roddick and his friends from Roak, caught up in an alien invasion and a time journey, in a JRPG with real-time combat and a rich skill and crafting system. The graphical modernization, the dynamic combat and the generosity of the side systems revive this tri-Ace classic. The structure and pace bear the marks of their origins. An estimable pick for fans of retro action JRPG and lovers of the Star Ocean saga.
