STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R

Item: STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R
Rating: 82
Author: VaporLens

Last updated: 2025-06-30

Summary

Faithful and enhanced HD-2D remake
Modernized action combat system
Repetitive, clunky combat and balance
Weak story and shallow characters
Robust progression and crafting
Ideal for JRPG fans

Emotions

Satisfaction29%Disappointment13%Frustration11%Enjoyment6%Excitement6%

Reviews (sample size): 582
Helpful reviews: 75%
Unhelpful reviews: 25%
Protest reviews: 1%

82%
Helpful reviews with positive sentiment
18%
Helpful reviews with negative sentiment

Positive points: 1946
Negative points: 986
Gameplay points: 672
Perf. points: 24
Rec. points: 314
Misc points: 180

Point	Description	Importance
Faithful & Enhanced Remake Description The remake is widely praised for its exceptional quality, successfully modernizing the classic while remaining highly faithful to the original's core identity and charm. It sets a new standard for how remakes should be done, incorporating significant quality-of-life improvements. Importance 95%	The remake is widely praised for its exceptional quality, successfully modernizing the classic while remaining highly faithful to the original's core identity and charm. It sets a new standard for how remakes should be done, incorporating significant quality-of-life improvements.	95%
Beautiful HD-2D Graphics Description Reviewers consistently laud the game's visual overhaul, particularly the unique HD-2D art style that beautifully blends classic 2D pixel sprites with detailed 3D environments. The updated character art, lighting, and overall aesthetic are frequently highlighted as major improvements. Importance 85%	Reviewers consistently laud the game's visual overhaul, particularly the unique HD-2D art style that beautifully blends classic 2D pixel sprites with detailed 3D environments. The updated character art, lighting, and overall aesthetic are frequently highlighted as major improvements.	85%
Modernized Action Combat Description The real-time combat system is praised for being dynamic, fast-paced, and engaging, offering strategic options and satisfying mechanics like "Break." It successfully modernizes the original's combat, making it appealing even to players who typically prefer turn-based JRPGs. Importance 47%	The real-time combat system is praised for being dynamic, fast-paced, and engaging, offering strategic options and satisfying mechanics like "Break." It successfully modernizes the original's combat, making it appealing even to players who typically prefer turn-based JRPGs.	47%
Top-Tier Classic JRPG Description The game is frequently hailed as one of the best JRPGs of all time and the definitive way to experience this legendary entry in the Star Ocean series. It successfully captures the essence of old-school JRPGs while feeling fresh and welcoming to both veterans and newcomers. Importance 43%	The game is frequently hailed as one of the best JRPGs of all time and the definitive way to experience this legendary entry in the Star Ocean series. It successfully captures the essence of old-school JRPGs while feeling fresh and welcoming to both veterans and newcomers.	43%
Robust Progression & Crafting Description The game offers impressive depth in its character enhancement and Item Creation (IC) systems, allowing for extensive customization, skill development, and crafting of powerful items. This provides significant player agency and contributes to replayability. Importance 40%	The game offers impressive depth in its character enhancement and Item Creation (IC) systems, allowing for extensive customization, skill development, and crafting of powerful items. This provides significant player agency and contributes to replayability.	40%
Compelling Characters & Story Description The narrative is consistently described as intriguing and well-structured, complemented by a cast of distinctive, charismatic, and well-developed characters. Their dynamic interactions and emotional depth significantly enhance the overall experience. Importance 33%	The narrative is consistently described as intriguing and well-structured, complemented by a cast of distinctive, charismatic, and well-developed characters. Their dynamic interactions and emotional depth significantly enhance the overall experience.	33%
Superb Customizable Audio Description The game's soundtrack, both original and newly arranged, is highly praised for its quality and ability to evoke nostalgia. The option to switch between original and new music, as well as customize individual character voice actors (English/Japanese), is a significant and appreciated feature. Importance 23%	The game's soundtrack, both original and newly arranged, is highly praised for its quality and ability to evoke nostalgia. The option to switch between original and new music, as well as customize individual character voice actors (English/Japanese), is a significant and appreciated feature.	23%
User-Friendly Accessibility Description The game is praised for its ease of play and accessibility, featuring numerous quality-of-life improvements that make it a stress-free and comfortable experience. This ensures it's approachable for new players and respects player time. Importance 16%	The game is praised for its ease of play and accessibility, featuring numerous quality-of-life improvements that make it a stress-free and comfortable experience. This ensures it's approachable for new players and respects player time.	16%
Fun Game-Breaking Options Description Players enjoy the intentional design that allows for "breaking" the game's balance through clever use of the skill and item creation systems. This provides a unique sense of power progression and adds a layer of fun experimentation. Importance 16%	Players enjoy the intentional design that allows for "breaking" the game's balance through clever use of the skill and item creation systems. This provides a unique sense of power progression and adds a layer of fun experimentation.	16%
Seamless Fast Travel Description The implementation of fast travel is highlighted as a highly convenient quality-of-life improvement. It allows instant movement to any visited location, including specific shops and dungeons, significantly streamlining exploration and questing. Importance 15%	The implementation of fast travel is highlighted as a highly convenient quality-of-life improvement. It allows instant movement to any visited location, including specific shops and dungeons, significantly streamlining exploration and questing.	15%
Series-Specific QoL & UI Description The game introduces significant quality-of-life improvements and a user-friendly UI that are noted as superior to previous Star Ocean titles. It also integrates mechanics from later series entries, enhancing the combat system within the franchise context. Importance 11%	The game introduces significant quality-of-life improvements and a user-friendly UI that are noted as superior to previous Star Ocean titles. It also integrates mechanics from later series entries, enhancing the combat system within the franchise context.	11%