Recent posts in the Stars Ocean series were Integrity and infidelity back in 2016, a 4K remaster of The last hope in 2018 and console ports from First departure R in 2019. While the last two releases were ports/remasters of decent action RPGs, for a while it seemed Integrity and infidelity would have killed the series.
Star Ocean: The Divine Power is the sixth leading article in the Stars Ocean franchisee. This RPG series has had ups and downs over the years since the Star Ocean: Until the End of Time on PlayStation 2, but this latest demo version of the new game holds great promise and is a return to form.
This is an example in conjunction with an additional video example. You can watch the video preview or read the full preview of the game below:
Immediately the first impressions are strong. The visuals are dazzling and there is a keen eye for the direction of the scene in the cutscenes. Voice acting is natural and while the dubbing is spotty, the ultra-smooth graphics and fluid frame rate show just how far tri-Ace has come since then Integrity and infidelity.
Some things are not perfect. Character expressions are very limited and border on doll-like. This was a problem in Star Ocean: The Last Hope and sadly it continues The divine power. The stiff faces is something that would have worked for the Android character, but everyone else is human and still barely emote.
Raymond finds himself trapped on an Earth-like, underdeveloped alien planet after a thrilling space battle. Like Star Trek‘s first directive, the Stars Ocean universe adheres to a rule in which space-faring civilizations refrain from exposing evolving civilizations to advanced technology.
As in almost every Stars Ocean before that, Ray completely ignores the Prime Directive and shows his medieval hosts his rad escape pod and cell phone. These characters deal with each other credibly and ask the right questions that ensure that the story continues at a rapid pace.
From the fast-paced story and how fluidly the action flows from combat to exploration, Star Ocean: The Divine Power knows how to be fascinating during these opening times. After exploring some ruins and getting the hang of platforming, the main gameplay gimmick is introduced: DUMA
This advanced droid has many uses; some uses are in combat and usability while exploring. Ray is effectively able to fly and launch himself in any direction. There is almost no limit to where he can go.
Exploration in Star Ocean: The Divine Power is like a 3D platformer and being able to fly in the expansive environments brings back memories of the xenoblade spell. The demo is generous with the number of locations and the vast space that the player can explore.
When attacking enemies, DUMA functions as a shield mechanism and plays an important role in running across the field and blinding threats. Blindsiding is an important combat element where players can gain the upper hand with a bit of timing and management.
The course of the battle is a tug of war between the DUMA meter and the action meter. By endlessly whining about goons, Ray and his company can no longer fight and need some cool down time to recharge. Dodging also feels responsive and can create a perfect dodge for risk versus reward gameplay.
There is a surprising amount of depth in fighting Star Ocean: The Divine Power. The skill ceiling is the highest ever compared to previous entry. The customization range also has nuance: the DUMA has parameters that can be increased, and each character’s customizable move set can also be upgraded.
It will be interesting to see how much deeper the character building can get in the final game with a full party. The demo suggests a lot of possibilities within the first few hours and with enough tinkering, players will be able to pull off some gnarly stun locks.
The only worrying part of the Star Ocean: The Divine Power demo was the questionable lock-on system. Ray often focused on very distant enemies rather than those closest to him. It can be annoying and hopefully the release build will have a tighter lock-on mechanic than the questionable one here.
The story in Star Ocean: The Divine Power could go anywhere. There are some aspects that are questionable and could use some explanation. The fact that on the medieval planet everyone speaks the same language as Ray is too convenient and that there is no delay in making messages about the universe.
Character motivations are seemingly defined and act in accordance with their archetypal personalities. Ray comes across as a meathead, but he’s a meathead that you’d like because he cares about his crew and is generally a man of action.
The way in which Star Ocean: The Divine Power demo ends, plenty of mysteries have been planted. There are some compelling setups, such as the mysterious spacecraft that attacked Ray and his crew or why the DUMA is highly desired. All these questions and more will get answers soon when Star Ocean: The Divine Power will be published on October 27.
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