"A fun game....simple as that."

Star Ocean:The Second Story is well-known but it had a predecessor that never got released outside of Japan. Meet Star Ocean, a game overlooked by so many.

Graphics: For it's platform, it is almost unbelievable how much detail was put in. Effects such as birds and reflections really enhance the atmosphere. Battle graphics are beautifully animated and fluid. The backgrounds are beautifully pre-rendered and are clear. Overall the graphics really stand out above other Super Nintendo games, rivaling Chrono Trigger.

Sound: While not overly memorable, the tracks are all nice to listen to. The battle theme is sub-par but isn't overly annoying.Sound effects are good, all the characters have different voice clips.

Gameplay: Really shines here, characters can do special moves, magic or super-powerful ougis inside a real-time environment. Random battles are more fun then they are a chore, a nice break from turn-based RPGs. 12 Characters are available but cannot be got within a single game. Each character has their own set of moves, magic and Ougis which are received through levels and special events. Using a special move in battle is simple: press the attack button, then, while the aimer is pointed on an enemy, press the L or R button to use the allocated special move. Magic is used by pressing the menu button during a battle and selecting the appropriate magic spell. Some spells pause the real time environment and show you beautiful animations. Ougis learned are powered up versions of special moves, but require more magic points.

Story line:What there is of it is good, but the story parts are few and far between. The story starts out with Ronixis in a ship who sees a large explosion crippling his ship, from there...It's spoilers ^_^

Replay Value: Star Ocean has a secret dungeon once you beat the game, but other then that, it's slim to no replay value. You may want to get the characters you missed your first time through. Worth a second play-through but that's about it.

----Pro's-----
the battles battles are fun and never get boring
Graphics are great for it's time
Nice music, good sound effects

----Cons----
Little story
Some dungeons are overly frustrating and hard
No real interesting characters

Overall:
This game never got the attention it deserved, give it a try.

Score: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/31/01, Updated 12/31/01