Star Ocean: The Second Story R Review (PS5, also on PS4, Switch, PC) 

Hi everyone! I want to clarify a few things that people have been asking about in both my combat guide and this video. - You can change characters you can control during battle, but you can't swap members of your current party with your reserves. - You cannot change the abilities mapped to the bumpers in the middle of combat. (L1/R1 or L/R) - Magic fusion does not exist in this remake. The PSP version removed this functionality due to other characters dealing faster and heavier damage, which made this function moot.

It's great to see so many older titles like Tactics Ogre, Live A Live and now Star Ocean 2 get so much love.

With this remake, I really hope I get to see a fully realized, remade, and completed Xenogears in my lifetime.

Can’t wait to give this a go. I’m getting it for PS5. I never got to play the original, but I’ve heard good things about it, so I’m eager to finally experience this game for myself.

Aaaaah, man, I cannot express how excited I am for this! This is such a brilliant idea for the remake/remaster concept. I'd be totally happy if Xenogears got something in this vein.

I really wouldn't mind more games like this, Octopath 1 and 2 and the like aren't enough ahahaha the character art is more than worth it

I played the PSP version and I was absolutely in love with it back then and seeing this remake is just wonderful. I'm so happy it's more than I expected and I cannot wait to get it and replay this incredible story once more!

I am SO hopeful these incredibly successful remakes will eventually culminate in us getting Golden Sun 1-2 remade. Anyone who has not played those games can’t imagine it yet - but they would be SO good remade in a similar style.

Thank you for the bit about the NG+, I was actually really wondering about that. All of this sounds really really good.

Great review man! Can’t wait to boot this up tomorrow. The original was my favourite JRPG of all time!

This looks so good. More art styles like this! Thanks for the review! I’m still on the fence about the battle system. If you’re new to the series is there a previous title that you’d suggest to get your feel for the combat?

Can't tell you how happy I am to see one of my all time favorite games getting such a great looking remake and to be getting all this praise since the embargo lifted. I hope this sells well, and gets SE to give a little more attention to the Star Ocean ip.♥

Second Story has long been an all-time favorite for me, and I am just so excited to play this! I can't believe we got fantastic Star Ocean games two years in a row!

This ringing endorsement from Backlog Battle and others is REALLY selling me on the game. I'd heard for decades that Star Ocean 2 was by far the best game in the franchise, one of the GOATs, etc... But hearing this is dramatically better than that? Wow.

Star Ocean 2 is a first game that got me invested into JRPG's. I still remember it fondly when I first played it in 2000. The mix of fantasy and space opera is what always intrigued me about the series. I was extremely extatic when they revealed the remake. The demo was just what I wanted out of the remake. Can't wait for my copy to arrive. Honestly, I'd like to see Xenogears being remade in that style if they ever come up making it in a future which it happens to be my favorite JRPG of all times..

I’m gonna be playing this later tonight too this review is awesome

I played the original in 99 as well. We're getting old... sigh... 37 here.

I still remember the original from back on the PS1 and have only good memories of this game. The demo lasts a maximum of three hours, but that's enough to get a first impression. Personally, I enjoyed it from minute one and I give it a clear purchase recommendation to anyone who likes role-playing games.

The demo was such a joy, so hyped to pick this up. The one thing that bugs me is the music is so very set on staying at 11 always. Same thing with other early jrpgs like star ocean and tales games suffer from. I usually end up just turning music off entirely after a while because I just need a break.

I got this as a kid, last time i got to play it was 17 years ago!!! Im far beyond exvited to get home from work to play this masterpiece once again. I started working and i was playing this on my ps2. In those 17 years my pc2 broke and ofcourse no new Playstation could play it. Also i never owned a psp and emulators sucked when trying to play it.

I know everyone new to jrpgs is clamoring for remakes like ff7 but id die for xenogears to get this treatment

Love all these nice games coming this november. Currently playing robocop but after that i really want to play this game. This is my cup of tea after sea of stars. Been watching some reviews like yours and i'm already sold.

Ohhhh I definitely need to pick this up

Great review, gonna pick up ps5 physical copy tomorrow, curently playing First Departure R and i like it, also Yakuza Gaiden next week, good times :)

Glad you cherrish this remake so much, I will get my copy today and will enjoy the weekend for sure :) I appreciate your opinion very much, your taste is very much in line with my own so that is a good indicator I will love this game :)

Would give my left arm for a xenogears remake

oh my god!! i cannot wait until tomorrow! i wiiish i could take off work but i cant! 😭😭still gonna play the heck out of this as soon as im done!! thanks for the review Alex.

preordered, which is a rare thing for me to do. Ready to get stuck in asap. I had to make the call whether to grab this or wait and get super mario rpg because i can only afford 1 new switch game this month. but since i finished star ocean 1 earlier this year and from all the previews, i just knew this had to be the one. mario can wait til christmas lol.

I really want to play this... I never got to play the original and my love for Star Ocean is based more on things outside the games (Anime, Manga, etc). The only one to come to PC before the latest (Divine Force) was The Last Hope and the timing has never worked out to let me finish it from start to finish in one go...

so excited to play this hoping we get Star Ocean First Depature in this style.

Thanks for this. Good to know I'm in for a treat. This will be my first Star Ocean game, and I'm excited

This guy’s channel name resonates with me. 😂So many games in the backlog to finish.

Great review. I never managed to beat the original but it's always been one of my favorite RPGs, especially the combat system. It was just so wildly different from anything else I'd played at the time. Been very hyped for this remake since it was announced.

You know I was already planning on buying this game......But then you said New Game Plus and it was game over lol. I love it when games give you a new game plus because now it makes me want to go back and get other things I did not get in my previous run and since this game gives you a way better method of tracking affection with characters so you can get the endings, that means that there is no need for a guide to check for character endings anymore. Plus with the combat being more refined, there is more stuff to do even in comparison to both the original and the PSP version and you can summon characters like it is Marvel vs. Capcom, both this and TOA Beyond the Dawn will definitely keep me occupied until we get Granblue Fantasy Relink next year. As for this game, I am so excited to get this with the only negative being how annoying it has been with JUST trying to find a PS4 version of a game all of a sudden, because trying to get Star Ocean the Divine Force AND Disgaea 7 was very annoying. Now I have a new reason to dislike the whole PS5 version of games are out but the PS5 console still doesn't exist thing because relaying on the switch is something I REALLY don't like doing, however THIS will be an exception. Soild review overall Alex and I would consider Rena to be a monk class since they are healers who can PUNCH lol.

Star Ocean 2nd story is one of my favorite games ever. So happy to see a remake done so well while still staying true to the old game. The other on the horizon is Suikoden 1 and 2, which is coming out soon as a remaster. I hope they don't mess that one up and give it as much love... but that one is with Konami... *nervous laughter*.

the combat reminds me a lot of Tales of Eternia ; looks great

One of the few RPG reviewers i truly trust. Keep up the much needed work

Time for Rena, Claude, Dias and Opera to save the world again

Thanks, the game looks very interesting. I'll add it to my wishlist for the possible next game after i've finished Octopath Traveler 2.

is there an auto battle option?

Currently in the middle of a BoF3 playthrough, but definitely have this on wishlist and maybe I'll get a 10% off discount or something for black friday or Christmas sale, depending on how long BoF3 takes me.

Was the footage shown the PS4 or Switch version? I am very curious how big the graphical, framerate & loading time differences there are between the two. I recently bought the Switch version but am seriously thinking about returning it for the PS4 version...

I also played the original playstation version back in the day and i remember next to nothing about it. Only 2 things do i remember; the first time clive uses his blaster (that the locals started calling the sword of light) And the cooking show battles - clearly inspired by iron chef.

I was always getting this game no matter what since its basically the same as the original but just modern now but i always appreciate ur reviews 😊

Bought the PS5 Version but I can't change the text into English. On the settings I think its just changing to JP & Korean text. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Oh I am SO glad they give the option to use the original music! The original game had some of the best music of any JRPG ever! Sakuraba is a true legend of the genre.

I can't wait to play this tonight! Great review.

I would love a tails of destiny remake just like this game .

Thanks Alex ❤

Not surprised at all with this review and, frankly, it only makes me annoyed that some other truly amazing oldschool jrpgs didn't get the same treatment - like the Chrono series. Man those still hurt. But games like Star Ocean 2, Trials of Mana, and Live A Live all showcase in their own ways how I want a remake/remaster to be. Updated graphics, updated QoL, additional content - but keep the soul of the games in question.

I wonder if they'll keep the feature of characters with close relationships getting buffs mid battle when character gets KO in battle.

Is the Eternal Sphere still in the game? And does the exploit to get it early still work?

Who would you suggest to play as first? I'm a new comer to the series and I loved the demo.

Is there a standard combo system or is it all arts?

We need Terranigma now

This could be my first Star Ocean game.

A review already? Dang… i envy you 😅

..... I'm trying really, REALLY hard not to hate you for getting to play this early as I watch the Steam timer countdown :P

This is a masterpiece and they should next do with it Star Ocean 3 without the crashes but can't have it all back to the SO2 gem....later

Is the ps version has multi dub options? Like japanese etc and do we have to download it first?

Has any of the recruitable character requirements changed? (In other words, can i recruit Dias in Claudes playthrough?)

So after this game are we getting a Remake of Star Ocean 3? That's my favorite one.

how does the combat compare to the tales of 3d games?

Wow! Potentially your GOTY! That’s saying something!

Do party members on the sidelines also get experience? I kind of hope not. I like to level them individually

Do you need to play the first game before this one?

Ah, a fellow OG SO2 player

After 5 I was worried about the series. But 6 was surprisingly good. It wasn't mind blowing or anything, but it felt like star ocean again. Now with the remaster of 2 I couldn't be happier. Here is to hoping 7 is fantastic and maybe hear about a 3 remaster?

Here's to hoping they're gonna remaster Radiata Stories next

I just hope my early game farming area is still there. Nothing like being OP so early in the game.

It's been two decades for me, but I am pretty sure the break system isn't new and was in the original game, minus maybe the breaking the boss breaks the other mobs. I look forward to playing this game again. It was my favorite RPG as a kid. I just have to beat some other games first.

It’s gonna be high standart for the next remake game, bow down to the developer, SO2 is more than just amazing! 🔥🔥🔥

I didnt realize Celine is that hot lol. Time to replay this masterpiece

But does it have the pyramid at the end of the game still

Its crazy how we have so many remakes but still no chrono trigger

this game is goated

Does the combat get less button mashy? felt too automated for my liking

I hope this game has a featuring English dub soon

I remember that casters were pretty bad in SO2. Did they rebalance the game to make them more viable?

Wait, you can't swap characters mid battle? You could do so in the original and the psp version.

I wish they gave FF6 this kind of treatment.

Uh.... What? I feel stories were MORE complex & deep back in the 32 Bit days! Today I feel like things are more shallow & Anime Trope like than ever.

Has nothing to do with anything, but I really want a Radiata Stories remaster/remake/sequel

Is magic fusion still a thing?

Can you recruit everyone in the same playthrough? I want Dias but i don't wanna do another playthrough using Rena as my protagonist

Team Rena! ♀️🌙

I put SO many hours in Star Ocean 2, but I quit before I finished the game. That's because I messed up the relationships and Rena was in love with Ashton, instead of Claude, and I didn't feel like running through the game a second time to make it work. XD

Now PLEASE SE redo FFVII this way and I can die happy

Still not sure on the combat. Demo seemed manic. But you break it down better than others have. Ill have to restart demo and retry

So2 is good but 3 is my favorite though watching this review the trailers didnt do it justice

Wait what? You already finished the game?

I'm still going to get this, but the crafting is a MASSIVE disappointment to me. In the original, your ingredients for making something would be rendered in 3D, then break apart and reconfigure into whatever you were making or failed to make. Guessing at what to make and getting random results (the internet was in infancy back then) was one of the most enjoyable parts. I know most players won't notice and it did take a lot of time, but I'll still miss it.

GOTY? Okay, so let's play this one!

Just started watching & I have to say that I agree, they SHOULD go back to their roots cus that was clearly when they were making the best games! The games since then have paled in comparison imo. It's why I hae fallen way from JRPG's a bit as the quality of them simply isn't the same anymore. I don't care about visuals, I don't care about flashy effects. I care about good systems in place & a good story! The stories & character designs have suffered the most imo, w out of this world & unrelatable stories these days, & characters designed in a way where they look like they're from another planet. I don't like that. I like being able to relate to whatever it is I'm looking at or reading. I miss the days when stories & character dialogue was more realistic & down to earth. Things have become too "Anime tropey" which I absolutely HATE!

I'm still waiting a remake of Xenogears and Legend of legaia.

Played the demo yesterday, and I have to say the town music got on my nerves immensly, to the point I considered to stop playing...who else had a similar experience?

So...are all the old exploits still around?

This is one of those games where I start playing and I can't put it down. Kind of like a xenoblade. A lot of games I'll start and play for a little bit and say oh this is pretty cool and then get sidetracked. Not this game, my switch is with me wherever I go LOL

is the Ps5 version alot graphically better than the Switch ?

So Sea of Stars wasnt the best rpg this year after all?