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Star Ocean (video game)
Encyclopedia
is the first game in the Star Ocean
series developed by tri-Ace
and published by Enix
, made for the Super Famicom
and released in 1996. It is also the first game that was developed by tri-Ace
. It was never released outside of Japan
due to the closing of Enix's American division, Enix America Corporation
. Star Ocean features emotionally deep character interaction, a real-time battle system, a Star Trek
-like story, and in-battle voices.
A PlayStation Portable
enhanced remake
titled Star Ocean: First Departure was announced prior to the 2007 Square Enix Party event. It was released in the United States
on October 21, 2008, and in Europe
on October 24, 2008.
series. The player controls one character while the rest (three maximum) are controlled by the computer's AI
. To assist the player in battle, it is possible to use special techniques and spells that deal more damage than standard attacks, for the price of a certain amount of MP (Mental Points). There are two types of special techniques: long range techniques that can only be executed if the character is at a distance from the target and short range techniques, which must be used at melee
range. Some special techniques can be used at both long and short ranges, including spells. Although physical combat always takes place in real time, including special techniques, spells temporarily stop time while the spell animation plays and damage is assigned. Star Ocean is very similar to Tales of Phantasia
in this way.
Outside of battle, storyline progression takes place as normal; however, the player can influence how the storyline proceeds by selecting different characters and interacting with them differently in private actions.
In the PlayStation Portable remake, a notable game mechanic, called Private Actions, play a role in the character development. These are certain events that occur within towns, during which character developments happen. This can cause characters to either gain or lose "affinity" toward other characters in the party. When their affinities are high enough, characters can have "rage", which increases their attack power, when certain allies fall in battle, until that ally is revived. For example, if Roddick has a high affinity toward Millie, then if Millie falls in battle, Roddick will become angry, until either Millie is revived or the battle ends. Private Actions also affect which character's endings you see.
When this news comes to Millie, Roddick, and Dorne, they set off for Mt. Metorx north of Coule to recover the Metorx herb that was said to be able to cure any sickness. With this, they hope to cure the disease and save Millie's father. When they reach the summit where the herb grows, a mysterious light bursts from the ground and two people wearing odd clothes appear before them. The man introduces themselves as Ronyx J. Kenny and Ilia Silvestri, two crew members of the Terran Alliance starship Calnus. From there they learn that the disease was sent to the planet by a foreign race called the Lezonians, whom the Earth Federation has been at war with. However, it is a mystery as to why Lezonia would even launch such a biological attack on an underdeveloped world.
It was soon revealed though that Fellpool blood could block out the visible light spectrum of the human eye and that Lezonia had used their blood to process a special, invisible material which could give them a massive advantage in the war. However, instead of fighting with it, they send emissaries to the Federation HQ and reveal that they were being forced into war by a shadowy, powerful third party with a disgust for the Federation called "Fargett".
The group then discovers that the virus originates from a monster on Roak itself -- Asmodeus, the King of the Demon World. However, Asmodeus was defeated 300 years prior to the spread of the disease. Despite the possible court martial that could be dealt to them, Ronyx decides to go to the Planet Styx to use the mysterious Time Gate to travel back in time and recover a sample of blood from Asmodeus. Upon getting there, the Gate accepts them and they enter into the opened time warp. However, Ilia trips while running up to the gate. As Roddick picks her up, they are forced through it.
After the trip through time, Roddick and Ilia find themselves separated from their counterparts, and their adventure begins to locate both Millie and Ronyx, and to defeat Asmodeus.
Millie Chliette
Ronyx J. Kenny
Ilia Silvestri
Phia Melle
Ashlay Bernbeldt
Cyuss Warren
Mavelle Froesson
Ioshua Jerand
Pericci
T'nique Arcana
Erys Jerand
Welch Vineyard
for Namco
, and many of its features were in Tales of Phantasia as well. They left due to creative disputes, and Star Ocean features many similar ideas. The two games also stretched the power of the Super Famicom
to its limits, with a total of 48 megabits of data (the most that could be stored in a cartridge). Star Ocean also used an S-DD1 chip to aid in compression of almost all graphics and map data, meaning that it effectively stored even more data than Tales of Phantasia. In the "Virtual Reality Sound System," the "Flexible Voice Driver" was again used to overcome the 64kb limit of the SPC700 chip by swapping bits of vocal samples, and a surround-sound feature was added; there were even more voices than in Tales of Phantasia (although they had to be stored at lower quality to fit within the cartridge limits).
Star Ocean was scored by Motoi Sakuraba
, who also scored Tales of Phantasia. Yoshiharu Gotanda wrote the story that it is based on.
of the original Star Ocean. The first details of the game were revealed at the "Star Ocean Special Stage" during the Square Enix Party 2007, alongside those of Star Ocean: The Second Story
. Yoshinori Yamagishi, producer of the series, stated that he wants the remakes to feel as though they're completely new games. The game was released in Japan on December 27, 2007, and was released in North America and Europe on October 21, 2008 and October 24, 2008 respectively; making it the first time that the original Star Ocean was officially released outside of Japan. The English localization was handled by Nanica, Inc., with voice-over production services provided by Epcar Entertainment, Inc
. Recordings were made at the Oracle Post studios in Burbank, CA.
First Departure uses a slightly altered version of the engine used for Star Ocean: The Second Story
with similar features, including prerendered backgrounds and 3D battle fields. Production I.G provided new artwork and animated cutscenes for the game. New playable characters have been added as well. There are new voice actors and extensive amounts of new, fully voiced dialogue. Some music from Star Ocean: The Second Story, such as that of the bonus dungeon and riding a bunny on the world map, are played during similar scenes in the remake. It also features a theme song: "Heart" by the Japanese group Asunaro.
Star Ocean
is a franchise of action role-playing video games developed by tri-Ace and published and owned by Square Enix .-Creation and influence:...
series developed by tri-Ace
Tri-Ace
is a Japanese video game development company formed in 1995 by former Telenet Japan employees Yoshiharu Gotanda , Masaki Norimoto and Joe Asanuma . The name is a play on words regarding the "three aces" who formed the company...
and published by Enix
Enix
The was a Japanese company that produced video games, anime and manga. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975 as and renamed Enix in 1982...
, made for the Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
and released in 1996. It is also the first game that was developed by tri-Ace
Tri-Ace
is a Japanese video game development company formed in 1995 by former Telenet Japan employees Yoshiharu Gotanda , Masaki Norimoto and Joe Asanuma . The name is a play on words regarding the "three aces" who formed the company...
. It was never released outside of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
due to the closing of Enix's American division, Enix America Corporation
Enix
The was a Japanese company that produced video games, anime and manga. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975 as and renamed Enix in 1982...
. Star Ocean features emotionally deep character interaction, a real-time battle system, a Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
-like story, and in-battle voices.
A PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
enhanced remake
Enhanced remake
A video game remake is a game closely adapted from an earlier title, usually for the purpose of modernizing a game for newer hardware and contemporary audiences. Typically, a remake shares essentially the same title, fundamental gameplay concepts, and story elements of the original game...
titled Star Ocean: First Departure was announced prior to the 2007 Square Enix Party event. It was released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on October 21, 2008, and in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
on October 24, 2008.
Gameplay
Star Ocean has a random battle engine like most standard RPGs. However, battles themselves occur in real-time, not turn-based as in other RPGs of the time such as the Final FantasyFinal Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series. The player controls one character while the rest (three maximum) are controlled by the computer's AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
. To assist the player in battle, it is possible to use special techniques and spells that deal more damage than standard attacks, for the price of a certain amount of MP (Mental Points). There are two types of special techniques: long range techniques that can only be executed if the character is at a distance from the target and short range techniques, which must be used at melee
Mêlée
Melee , generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual....
range. Some special techniques can be used at both long and short ranges, including spells. Although physical combat always takes place in real time, including special techniques, spells temporarily stop time while the spell animation plays and damage is assigned. Star Ocean is very similar to Tales of Phantasia
Tales of Phantasia
is a Super Nintendo game in the RPG genre published by Namco and released in Japan in 1995, selling 212,000 copies. It is the first mothership title in the Tales RPG series and was later remade/re-released on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and PlayStation Portable...
in this way.
Outside of battle, storyline progression takes place as normal; however, the player can influence how the storyline proceeds by selecting different characters and interacting with them differently in private actions.
In the PlayStation Portable remake, a notable game mechanic, called Private Actions, play a role in the character development. These are certain events that occur within towns, during which character developments happen. This can cause characters to either gain or lose "affinity" toward other characters in the party. When their affinities are high enough, characters can have "rage", which increases their attack power, when certain allies fall in battle, until that ally is revived. For example, if Roddick has a high affinity toward Millie, then if Millie falls in battle, Roddick will become angry, until either Millie is revived or the battle ends. Private Actions also affect which character's endings you see.
Plot
Star Ocean tells the story of Roddick Farrence, a young Fellpool living in the town of Kratus on the underdeveloped planet of Roak. He is part of a group called the Kratus Defense Force, a small organization of fighters who defend the town from thieves and robbers. Roddick himself is a swordsman, as is his friend Dorne Murtough, another member of the force. One day, a strange disease that spreads by touch begins turning people in the northern city of Coule to stone. The town healer (who is also the father of Millie Chliette, another friend of Roddick's) goes to Coule to try and use his Symbology (Symbosis) to cure the disease, but ends up becoming infected himself.When this news comes to Millie, Roddick, and Dorne, they set off for Mt. Metorx north of Coule to recover the Metorx herb that was said to be able to cure any sickness. With this, they hope to cure the disease and save Millie's father. When they reach the summit where the herb grows, a mysterious light bursts from the ground and two people wearing odd clothes appear before them. The man introduces themselves as Ronyx J. Kenny and Ilia Silvestri, two crew members of the Terran Alliance starship Calnus. From there they learn that the disease was sent to the planet by a foreign race called the Lezonians, whom the Earth Federation has been at war with. However, it is a mystery as to why Lezonia would even launch such a biological attack on an underdeveloped world.
It was soon revealed though that Fellpool blood could block out the visible light spectrum of the human eye and that Lezonia had used their blood to process a special, invisible material which could give them a massive advantage in the war. However, instead of fighting with it, they send emissaries to the Federation HQ and reveal that they were being forced into war by a shadowy, powerful third party with a disgust for the Federation called "Fargett".
The group then discovers that the virus originates from a monster on Roak itself -- Asmodeus, the King of the Demon World. However, Asmodeus was defeated 300 years prior to the spread of the disease. Despite the possible court martial that could be dealt to them, Ronyx decides to go to the Planet Styx to use the mysterious Time Gate to travel back in time and recover a sample of blood from Asmodeus. Upon getting there, the Gate accepts them and they enter into the opened time warp. However, Ilia trips while running up to the gate. As Roddick picks her up, they are forced through it.
After the trip through time, Roddick and Ilia find themselves separated from their counterparts, and their adventure begins to locate both Millie and Ronyx, and to defeat Asmodeus.
Characters
Roddick Farrence- Voiced by: Hiro YukiHiro Yukiis a Japanese voice actor.He is part of the voice actor quartet Weiss which also consists of Weiss Kreuz voice castmates Tomokazu Seki, Takehito Koyasu, and Shinichiro Miki....
, Mamoru MiyanoMamoru Miyanois a Japanese voice actor, actor, and singer from Saitama. He is best known for his roles on Ouran High School Host Club, Death Note, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, and Kōtetsu Sangokushi. At the 2007 Seiyu Awards he was nominated for two awards for his role as Light Yagami in Death Note, and in 2008, he...
(Japanese PSP remake), Yuri LowenthalYuri LowenthalYuri Lowenthal is a voice actor that has voiced several anime and video game characters. He also voiced Kamal for the alternate reality game I Love Bees....
(English PSP remake) - He is the game's protagonistProtagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
. Ratix is a young Fellpool living on the planet Roak. He was a guardian of his home town, Kratus, alongside friends Milliw and Dorn. After a petrification virus plagued the nearby town of Coule and infected Dorne, he and Millie quest to find the cure for the virus. Eventually, with Ronyx, Ilia, and various other acquaintances he saves the future of Roak. He is proficient with long swords and the Edarl Sword style. He can equip heavy armor and shields. In Star Ocean: The Last HopeStar Ocean: The Last Hopeis an action role-playing video game developed by tri-Ace and Square Enix who also published the game, initially only for the Xbox 360, and the fourth installment in the Star Ocean series. Famitsu revealed that the battle system featured four party members, and was more team-oriented...
his ancestor, Eleyna Farrence, mentions him as the savior of the universe in the future.
Millie Chliette
- Voiced by: Konami YoshidaKonami Yoshidais a Japanese voice actress.-Anime:*Princess Sheila in Bastard!!*Shimarisu-kun in Bonobono*Azusa Kanzaki in Devil Hunter Yohko*Seiko Taniguchi in Futari wa Pretty Cure*Natsume in Generator Gawl*Hana Hatsuno and others in King of Braves GaoGaiGar...
, Hitomi NabatameHitomi Nabatameis a Japanese voice actress. She is affiliated with Ken Production. When voicing adult games, she is known as , , , or . She also sings opening themes for Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu under the name Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers.-Anime:...
(Japanese PSP remake), Katie LeighKatie LeighKatherine "Katie" Leigh is an American voice actress best known for her role as Connie Kendall on the Focus on the Family radio program Adventures in Odyssey since 1987...
(English PSP remake) - She is a Fellpool who lived in Kratus on the Muah continent on the planet Roak alongside Roddick and Dorne. She is proficient in healing Symbology (magic) and uses a staff as a weapon. She has strong feelings for Roddick, but is unwilling to admit it.
Ronyx J. Kenny
- Voiced by: Akira Okamori, Kenji HamadaKenji Hamadais a male Japanese voice actor from Fukuoka, Japan who is an affiliate of Mausu Promotion.-Voice roles:*07-Ghost as Hyuuga*Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple as Inspector Craddock...
(Japanese PSP remake), Sam GoldSam GoldSam Gold is an American voice actor. He has video game and animated roles.-Animated roles:*The Jungle Book - Bagheera, Tabaqui*The Mr. Men Show - Mr. Bounce, Mr. Grumpy, and Mr...
(English PSP remake) - He is the captain of the Terran Alliance Starship Calnus, and is a Captain in the Alliance until the Roak incident, which propels him to the status of Admiral. He has Symbological tattoos somewhere on his body (He never explains how or where) that he got during said incident to make him more effective in battle, and generally prefers a crossbow or phase gun in battle. He is the father of Claude C. Kenny, the protagonist of Star Ocean: The Second StoryStar Ocean: The Second Storyis a action role-playing PlayStation video game developed by tri-Ace and published by Enix. It is the second game in the Star Ocean series and the first game in the series to be released in North America and Europe , courtesy of Sony Computer Entertainment...
.
Ilia Silvestri
- Voiced by: Wakana YamazakiWakana Yamazakiis a Japanese voice actress who works for Aoni Production.-Television animation:* Air Gear * All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku * Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo * Captain Tsubasa * Dai no Daibouken...
, Sanae KobayashiSanae Kobayashiis a voice actress who was born in Shizuoka Prefecture. She is affiliated with Production Baobab.-Television Animation:*.hack//Liminality as Mai Minase*.hack//Roots as Ender*.hack//Roots as Pi...
(Japanese PSP remake), Julie MaddalenaJulie MaddalenaJulie Lynn Maddalena is an American voice actress, sometimes credited as Julie Kliewer.-Anime Roles:* 3x3 Eyes - Ken-Ken * Battle Athletes Victory - Tanya Natdhipytadd...
(English PSP remake) - She is the head science officer on the Terran Alliance Starship Calnus. She is involved in the Roak incident which the game is based on. She is proficient in the usage of claws and martial arts, and her techniques involve the use of numerous multiple hits. She is believed to be Claude's mother in the future, as she has hidden feelings for Ronyx and regularly "grades" the party after they win a battle, something Claude is infamous for. Ilia also has a penchant for alcohol and can drink rather excessively.
Phia Melle
- Voiced by: Konami YoshidaKonami Yoshidais a Japanese voice actress.-Anime:*Princess Sheila in Bastard!!*Shimarisu-kun in Bonobono*Azusa Kanzaki in Devil Hunter Yohko*Seiko Taniguchi in Futari wa Pretty Cure*Natsume in Generator Gawl*Hana Hatsuno and others in King of Braves GaoGaiGar...
, Megumi ToyoguchiMegumi Toyoguchiis a voice actress, born on January 2, 1978 in Machida, Tokyo, Japan. She is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce.-Trivia:* Toyoguchi is the only seiyū to have the distinction of appearing in every anime in the Saturday 6 p.m...
(Japanese PSP remake), Dorothy Fahn (English PSP remake) - She is the head of the Astral Knights. Phia's a Highland fighter who uses throwing daggers in combat with the Hisho-ken style. She secretly worries about Cyuss, with whom she grew up with since childhood, but always hides her feelings because she is more concerned about proving herself to be a competent knight. Never directly attacking the enemy, she throws two or more daggers at a time from medium range. Although not as tough physically as the other fighters, she has the advantage when engaging the enemy at range and out of harm's way. If you don't recruit Cyuss, Phia will temporarily join you early in the game. If you don't recruit Ashlay either, then you will have a chance to recruit her permanently by doing a side quest. If by reaching to her point, you already have recruited Cyuss or Ashlay, she will not join you right away, but you will have another chance to recruit her after a certain event later on in the game, if you have less than seven party members.
Ashlay Bernbeldt
- Voiced by: Kazuhiko InoueKazuhiko Inoueis a veteran voice actor from Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.-Biography:Since his debut in 1973, Kazuhiko Inoue has become one of Japan's most well established voice actors. His early roles from the 1970s include Anthony in Candy Candy, and later as Joe in the 1979 remake of Cyborg 009...
, Norio WakamotoNorio Wakamotois a veteran male seiyū and budō expert affiliated with Sigma Seven. He was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and was raised in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. He graduated from Waseda University...
(Japanese PSP remake), Michael McConnohieMichael McConnohieMichael D. McConnohie is a voice actor and is the President of the Nevada-based Voxworks voice-acting corporation. He is known for his recognizable deep booming voice and is generally known for playing more charismatic characters...
(English PSP remake) - He is an old Highland soldier wandering the world to find a successor in which to teach his sword skills. If chosen over Cyuss, he forms such a relationship with Roddick. Ashlay is one of the characters whose recruitment leads to a permanent dismissal of another character (if you get Ashlay you cannot get Cyuss). He has many of the same techniques as Roddick, such as Shockwave Swirl and the Seven Star techniques. He appears as an Easter egg in Star Ocean: The Last HopeStar Ocean: The Last Hopeis an action role-playing video game developed by tri-Ace and Square Enix who also published the game, initially only for the Xbox 360, and the fourth installment in the Star Ocean series. Famitsu revealed that the battle system featured four party members, and was more team-oriented...
as the ranking champion of the arena in Astral, though he is much younger in appearance.
Cyuss Warren
- Voiced by: Hiroki TouchiHiroki Touchiis a Japanese voice actor. He has frequently appeared in many anime and appeared in some video games mainly created by tri-Ace.-Games:* Aluze in Valkyrie Profile, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, & Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria...
(Both original SFC version and Japanese PSP remake), Grant George (English PSP remake) - He is the first of the Highland warriors you can recruit and is the son of Lias Warren, whom he has difficulty getting along with. His dream is to become the greatest swordsman in the land. Cyuss wields a broadsword, and is a bit archetypal when it comes to heavy-sword characters: he's powerful but slow. His techniques mirror Roddick's own (such as Shockwave Swirl, Twin Slash and the Seven Star techniques). If you choose Cyuss you cannot choose Ashlay, and vice-versa.
Mavelle Froesson
- Voiced by: Nozomi Nonaka, Houko KuwashimaHouko Kuwashimais a Japanese voice actress and singer. She is capable of playing a variety of roles, ranging from young boys to feminine women. Kuwashima is currently affiliated with Aoni Production. Her given name, , is sometimes misread as Noriko, even in Japan...
(Japanese PSP remake), Tara PlattTara PlattTara Platt is an American film and television actress as well as a voice actor. She is married to fellow voice actor Yuri Lowenthal....
(English PSP remake) - She is a wizard-like character who accompanies Ronyx and Millie to Ionis. Her weapon is a magic orb that she throws at the enemy. Unfortunately she cannot attack a second time until the orb comes back to her. She has little attack power and short attack range; however, her speed in casting Techniques are unparalleled. She is one of the more complex characters to recruit. If you've chosen Ashlay or Ioshua, Mavelle will join. If you don't have Ashlay or Ioshua, but instead Cyuss or Phia, she will not join at Ionis. If you have none of said characters, and choose not to have a drink at the reunion in Ionis, she will join. You can remove her from the party permanently if you have Ioshua in your party and visit a certain room in Sylvalant Ruins. In the PlayStation Portable remake, if by reaching these ruins you have both Ashlay and Ioshua in your party, then you can exchange her for Ioshua's sister Eris as a playable character. It is eventually revealed that Mavelle is a member of the Muah, the progenitors of the human race.
Ioshua Jerand
- Voiced by: Nobuyuki HiyamaNobuyuki Hiyamais a Japanese voice actor currently affiliated with Arts Vision.-Profile:* Sometimes credited as: Shuji Hiyama , Osamuyuki Hiyama * Year Enrolled into the Voice-Acting Industry: 1987...
, Jun FukuyamaJun Fukuyamais a voice actor. He was previously represented by Aoni Production and Production Baobab, and is now represented by . In 2007, he won the first Seiyu Awards for the best actor in leading role as Lelouch Lamperouge in Code Geass...
(Japanese PSP remake), Ethan MurrayEzra WeiszEzra E. Weisz is a voice actor who is also known as Ethan Murray.-Career:Ezra Weisz is a prolific voice actor in the anime community, having done voices in various anime shows such as Outlaw Star, The Big O, Rave Master, and Scryed. He is also well-known for his past voice work in Saban...
(English PSP remake) - Ioshua is a gentle and handsome Featherfolk who is searching for his sister, whom he was separated from after their parents were murdered. He despises combat, but realizes it is a necessary evil to survive in the world. He can cast both healing and destructive spells, but has less of a variety in his spell selection than either Ronyx or Millie and suffers from having a low attack power and mediocre equipment. You can meet him if you visit the Purgatorium before you see the Celestial Ship crash on the Muah continent. If you have Phia (without either Cyuss or Ashlay) you have to convince both of them to stay. Likewise, if you have either Ashlay or Cyuss, he joins automatically, but he can be turned away later. In the original Super Famicom version, he was slightly unfriendly and sort of antisocial, but in the PSP remake, his personality is more reserved and sad.
Pericci
- Voiced by: Wakana YamazakiWakana Yamazakiis a Japanese voice actress who works for Aoni Production.-Television animation:* Air Gear * All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku * Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo * Captain Tsubasa * Dai no Daibouken...
, Yukari TamuraYukari Tamura, is a popular Japanese singer-songwriter and voice actress, affiliated with the talent agency I'm Enterprise. Affectionately called Yukarin by her fans, she is also known for her high-pitched voice and interest in Lolita fashion...
(Japanese PSP remake), Alicyn PackardAlicyn PackardAlicyn Packard is an American voice actress best known as the voice of Little Miss Sunshine, Little Miss Naughty, and Little Miss Whoops on the Cartoon Network animated series the The Mr. Men Show. Ms...
(English PSP remake) - A so-called "secret character", as recruiting her requires a certain course of side-events needs to be fulfilled over a good portion of the game's story. Pericci serves as comedic relief. She starts with low stats but gains several powerful techniques, so she is a good character for those willing to spend the time training her. She is also the only character to use the Bunny Whistle. To recruit her, you need to return to Roddick's hometown after certain events later in the game, choose to do a Private Action and use the ocarina you got from her early in the game to the cat Ilia and Millie are playing with.
T'nique Arcana
- Voiced by: Takuya Fujisaki, Chihiro SuzukiChihiro Suzukiis a Japanese voice actor. He made his debut role as Soichiro Arima in Kare Kano. He is currently a free agent and his nickname is "Chi-chan".-Anime:*Inazuma Eleven *Amaenaideyo!! *Angel Heart...
(Japanese PSP remake), Vic MignognaVic MignognaVictor Joseph "Vic" Mignogna is an American Anime Award winning voice actor and musician who has done voice work for many anime series, movies, and video games...
(English PSP remake) - T'nique is another "secret character" in the game. Being a Lycanthrope, he can transform into a werewolfWerewolfA werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
in battle and has one of the greatest attack ranges and attack speeds out of all characters. His attack power leaves something to be desired, being a weaker fighter character. He can be recruited by winning a D-rank arena match or higher with Roddick, in which T'nique will be his final opponent. Defeating him adds him to your party if you have an extra slot and less than seven characters in your party. T'nique aspires to travel and train to become an excellent fighter, but other than that there isn't much background story to him.
Erys Jerand
- Voiced by: Kana UedaKana Uedais a Japanese Seiyū employed by I'm Enterprise. She is best known as the voices of Yumi Fukuzawa in Maria-sama ga Miteru, Rin Tohsaka in Fate/Stay Night and Hayate Yagami in Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A's and Strikers...
, Stephanie ShehStephanie ShehStephanie Ru-Phan Sheh is a Chinese-American voice actress, a writer, and a story editor who has worked for Geneon Entertainment, Bang Zoom! Entertainment, Bandai Entertainment, Media Blasters, NYAV Post, FUNimation Entertainment, and Viz Media...
(English) - Erys is Ioshua's younger sister and was kidnapped when they were children. Their parents were murdered, and Erys was taken and brainwashed to be an assassin for the Crimson Shield. Somehow she managed to escape from the group and swapped her body for that of Mavelle's so she can search for her parents' killer in secret. Like all Featherfolk, she uses Symbology from a distance. Erys does not appear at all in the original Star Ocean, but is one of the two extra characters for the PlayStation PortablePlayStation PortableThe is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
remake and is only acquired by dropping Mavelle from the party in the Old Race Ruins.
Welch Vineyard
- Voiced by: Tomoe HanbaTomoe Hanbais a Japanese voice actress who works for Arts Vision.-Anime:* Etna Makai Senki Disgaea* Phil Phleira Deed in The Candidate for Goddess* Viro in Elemental Gelade* Aura and Moogle in Final Fantasy: Unlimited* Maki Amakasu in Iketeru Futari...
, Melissa FahnMelissa FahnMelissa Fahn is an American voice and stage actress and singer known for her work in anime dubs and other mainstream animated series, as well as her work in Broadway and Los Angeles Theatre.-Biography:...
(English) - Similar to Erys, Welch is only available in the game's PSP remake. She first appeared as a non-playable Character in Star Ocean: Till The End Of TimeStar Ocean: Till the End of Timeis the third main game in the Star Ocean series. The game was developed by tri-Ace and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2 console. It was released in Japan, North America, and the PAL territories. The original Japanese release date was in February of 2003 by Enix, its penultimate...
and again in The Last HopeStar Ocean: The Last Hopeis an action role-playing video game developed by tri-Ace and Square Enix who also published the game, initially only for the Xbox 360, and the fourth installment in the Star Ocean series. Famitsu revealed that the battle system featured four party members, and was more team-oriented...
, but has been retroactively added to the first two games, during which she can join the player's party. She is characterized as a young, somewhat ditzy girl who is primarily interested in meeting guys. She attacks using a "Handy Stick", a long pole with a typical cartoon white-gloved hand on it.
Development
The game was made by disenchanted developers who had just made Tales of PhantasiaTales of Phantasia
is a Super Nintendo game in the RPG genre published by Namco and released in Japan in 1995, selling 212,000 copies. It is the first mothership title in the Tales RPG series and was later remade/re-released on the PlayStation, Game Boy Advance and PlayStation Portable...
for Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
, and many of its features were in Tales of Phantasia as well. They left due to creative disputes, and Star Ocean features many similar ideas. The two games also stretched the power of the Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
to its limits, with a total of 48 megabits of data (the most that could be stored in a cartridge). Star Ocean also used an S-DD1 chip to aid in compression of almost all graphics and map data, meaning that it effectively stored even more data than Tales of Phantasia. In the "Virtual Reality Sound System," the "Flexible Voice Driver" was again used to overcome the 64kb limit of the SPC700 chip by swapping bits of vocal samples, and a surround-sound feature was added; there were even more voices than in Tales of Phantasia (although they had to be stored at lower quality to fit within the cartridge limits).
Star Ocean was scored by Motoi Sakuraba
Motoi Sakuraba
is a Japanese composer of video games, anime series, and television dramas as well as independent progressive rock albums.-Biography:Motoi Sakuraba was born in Akita Prefecture, Japan...
, who also scored Tales of Phantasia. Yoshiharu Gotanda wrote the story that it is based on.
First Departure
Star Ocean: First Departure is an enhanced remakeEnhanced remake
A video game remake is a game closely adapted from an earlier title, usually for the purpose of modernizing a game for newer hardware and contemporary audiences. Typically, a remake shares essentially the same title, fundamental gameplay concepts, and story elements of the original game...
of the original Star Ocean. The first details of the game were revealed at the "Star Ocean Special Stage" during the Square Enix Party 2007, alongside those of Star Ocean: The Second Story
Star Ocean: The Second Story
is a action role-playing PlayStation video game developed by tri-Ace and published by Enix. It is the second game in the Star Ocean series and the first game in the series to be released in North America and Europe , courtesy of Sony Computer Entertainment...
. Yoshinori Yamagishi, producer of the series, stated that he wants the remakes to feel as though they're completely new games. The game was released in Japan on December 27, 2007, and was released in North America and Europe on October 21, 2008 and October 24, 2008 respectively; making it the first time that the original Star Ocean was officially released outside of Japan. The English localization was handled by Nanica, Inc., with voice-over production services provided by Epcar Entertainment, Inc
Richard Epcar
Richard Epcar is an American actor voice actor / director, mostly specializing in the field of voice acting in games, animation and anime. He is the husband of voice actress Ellyn Stern, with whom he owns and operates Epcar Entertainment, Inc., a voiceover production service company based in Los...
. Recordings were made at the Oracle Post studios in Burbank, CA.
First Departure uses a slightly altered version of the engine used for Star Ocean: The Second Story
Star Ocean: The Second Story
is a action role-playing PlayStation video game developed by tri-Ace and published by Enix. It is the second game in the Star Ocean series and the first game in the series to be released in North America and Europe , courtesy of Sony Computer Entertainment...
with similar features, including prerendered backgrounds and 3D battle fields. Production I.G provided new artwork and animated cutscenes for the game. New playable characters have been added as well. There are new voice actors and extensive amounts of new, fully voiced dialogue. Some music from Star Ocean: The Second Story, such as that of the bonus dungeon and riding a bunny on the world map, are played during similar scenes in the remake. It also features a theme song: "Heart" by the Japanese group Asunaro.