Star Ocean: The Divine Power
October 27, 2022
Platforms
PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
Publisher
Square Enix
Developer
tri-ace
Expected price
59.99
Expected release date
October 27, 2022
The Star Ocean series may not be as well known as JRPG juggernauts like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, but it’s still a popular franchise with an extremely loyal following that hasn’t given up on it, despite the release of some mediocre titles like Star Ocean: integrity and infidelity.
With a much higher budget and an experience close to the classic entries in the series, Star Ocean: The Divine Force is a return to form for the series and a game that may surprise JRPG fans who never had the chance to see the series at its best.
Release date, platforms, editions
The announcement of Star Ocean: The Divine Force surprised many, as no one knew that a new entry was in the works ahead of the PlayStation State of Play event in October 2021, where the game was officially announced for PlayStation consoles with a generic release date. in 2022. On the same day, the game was also confirmed for PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One. Months later, Square Enix confirmed that the new installment in the series would debut worldwide on October 27.
Unlike other JRPGs published by Square Enix, Star Ocean: The Divine Force will not receive a Collector’s Edition. The Standard Edition of the game will be released alongside a Digital Deluxe Edition which will include the full game, the Digital Deluxe Edition Original Soundtrack, the Radiant Hildegrim and Holy Sigrdrife armor and the Bunny the Lagomower Broock, tri-Emblum, Gold Bunny Statue and Andvaranaut’s contain. Ring accessories. It is not yet specified whether these items are exclusive to the Deluxe Edition or whether they can be obtained in-game.
The Standard Edition costs $59.99, while the Digital Deluxe Edition costs $74.99.
Genre, setting, mechanics
Like its predecessors, Star Ocean: The Divine Force will be a Japanese role-playing game with a diverse cast of characters, multiple locations to explore, and many different enemies to defeat. The game incorporates features from previous Star Ocean titles to create a unique mix that newcomers and veterans alike will love.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force is set in SD 583, between the events of the mobile game Star Ocean: Anamnesis and Star Ocean: Till the End of Time. In this era, the Pangalactic Federation, which has always stood to protect order and peace in the galaxy, has turned for the worse and become an organization that forces planets to join its ranks by force. Raymond, captain of the merchant ship Ydas, experiences firsthand the darkness that has engulfed the Federation when his ship is attacked by the Astoria, a Federation ship carrying a member of the Kenny family, a name fans of the first two entries in the series should know well. After the attack, Raymond and his crew are forced to abandon ship and land with their escape pods on the underdeveloped fourth planet in the Aster system. Here, Raymond meets the Crown Princess of the Aucerius Kingdom, Laeticia, an encounter that will change not only his life, but that of the entire planet and the Pangalactic Federation.
Like Star Ocean: The Second Story, Star Ocean: The Divine Force has a dual protagonist system that allows players to experience the story from Raymond or Laeticia’s point of view. It is not yet known how much the two stories will differ, but if we look at the second part in the series, they will probably be almost the same, with slightly different events and endings.
Some notable changes will also spice up the typical gameplay of the series. If we take a page from Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness, there will be no battles in special arenas, as both regular enemies and bosses will be fought where they are found. However, the size of battles has been reduced to four, but this doesn’t limit the combat options at all, thanks to the AP system that allows characters to unleash skills in quick succession. Playable characters Raymond, Laeticia, Elena, Albaird, Nina, Midas, Malkya and Marielle all have unique fighting styles, so players will have no trouble finding a character that best suits their playstyles. The action battle system will also feature mechanics we’ve seen in previous installments in the series, such as Blindsides, quick maneuvers that leave the enemy defenseless for a short time and deal major damage.
Another major change in Star Ocean: The Divine Force from previous installments in the series is DUMA, a companion robot that gives characters the ability to fly and glide on the field for a short time and perform advanced combat skills, like the dashing attack called Vanguard Assault, which is also used to perform the aforementioned Blindsides. DUMA abilities can also be expanded during the adventure to keep the battle fresh and exciting.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force will also include more recurring features such as private actions, special events that strengthen the bonds between characters, and item creation, which will allow players to create and customize all kinds of items. A new minigame called Es’owa will also be included, although its mechanics have yet to be laid out.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force promises to be a return to form in terms of music as well, as series composer Motoi Sakuraba returned to compose and arrange the game’s soundtrack. L’Arc-en-Ciel, Vamps vocalist HYDE also provided the theme song of the game PANDORA.
Playable Demo
A playable Star Ocean: The Divine Force demo was released on PlayStation and Xbox consoles on September 20, allowing players to experience the first few hours of Raymond’s story and enhanced exploration and combat mechanics. The demo will not be released on Steam.
followers
The first trailer for Star Ocean: The Divine Force was shown during the PlayStation State of Play event in October 2021 and provides an overview of the game’s main characters, story, setting and action combat.
Fans of the game had to wait a few months for the next trailer, which was shared at the end of June 2022. Their patience was rewarded with an announcement of a release date.
With Tokyo Game Show returning in full force in 2022, there was no way Square Enix wouldn’t take advantage of it to further showcase Star Ocean: The Divine Force, with an extended trailer that took an in-depth look at the story of the game, setting, and fighting.
Fans interested in learning more about the story, characters, and gameplay mechanics of Star Ocean: The Divine Force were also treated to several Mission Report videos that go deeper than any regular trailer.
Short character trailers have also been released to better introduce players to Raymond, Laeticia, and their companions.
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