A redo of the very first Star Ocean, with refreshed visuals and voice acting. A nostalgic RPG with a generous crafting system, but one that betrays its age through a simplistic plot and uneven pacing, especially in the first half.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player12+
Description
Roddick's very first voyage embroils him in a distant stellar feud between civilizations. Published by Square Enix, released worldwide in 2019. Real-time field battles, talents and crafting to shape, character bonds and multiple endings, all fully remade.
Star Ocean: First Departure R review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
Rescued from obscurity, a 16-bit-era classic finds a second youth here without losing any of its fire. Space travel and fantasy entwine around a young swordsman swept into a quest far larger than he imagined. Bonds between companions, shaped by the player's choices, lend this epic a warmth that endures across decades.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Massive"
A remake of a genre-founding classic, First Departure R retraces the origins of the Star Ocean saga with its famous Skills system and branching recruitment. Depending on your actions and encounters, you enlist different companions, multiplying the endings and inviting fresh runs to see it all. Crafting, exploration and that shifting cast make it an RPG worth plumbing deeply.
Technical info
💾2 GB📅05/12/2019
Published by Square Enix
Star Ocean: First Departure R (Nintendo Switch) price, value & rarity
A remake of a founding classic, it offers active-time turn-based combat where speed, action order and private actions shape every encounter. The bosses ask you to read the gauge's rhythm and chain spells at the right moment. Beneath its modernized retro looks, the system rewards anticipation and party composition, giving the duels an authentic strategic flavor.
