[Ravidrath]

Unless they get the Valkyrie Profile / Resonance of Fate team on it, I think it's time they let this series die - SO4 was just unbelievably awful.

[Skilletor]

Thoughts on the Valkyrie Profile games (at least 1 and 2, dunno about that DS one) tend to be far more positive than negative.

DS GAME IS AWESOME!

I POST IN CAPS BECAUSE NO MORE VP MAKES ME SAD. :(

[ZombiePlatypus]

We'll get SOV when Suikoden II get's a download release, or Konami announces Suikoden VI.

I adore SOII, but after SOIV, I'm not sure a fifth one should be made anytime soon. (Unless they completely return back to basics.)

[Nose Master]

SO2 is the only one worth playing, so lets hope not.

[hydragonwarrior]

I think SO series is more about setting than the storyline itself. Everything else is top notch.

[djtiesto]

I really hope it happens on next gen, especially after seeing the engine demo released last year... it sucks so bad we haven't gotten VP3 yet either, tri-Ace is my favorite RPG developer I think. IU and SO3 were the only games by them I really didn't like...

[Parfait]

It hurts my heart to see so much (justified i guess) dislike for SO4/3, SO3 in particular was a game of my 'childhood' and even replaying it i had a lot of fun with it.

SO4 on the other hand, while i guess I can understand it might have been a bit too 'anime' or so, I still ended up buying it twice new because I had fun with it. I AM bitter at the international tease not having anything really new in it. That said it's odd i tolerate how some parts of SO4 is but cant stand games like Neptunia, Argarest War, or even Atelier because i just cant stand talking paper cutouts and their atrocious/boring/poorly animated battle systems/cutscenes.

[Knux]

I would love a nextgen Star Ocean game...
Cant wait to see what this "current gen tech demo" engine could display on a Xbox 720.

[SatelliteOfLove]

Why don't they make more JRPGs with Tales/Star Ocean battle systems? It's a goddamn shame and wasted opportunity

Fun fact: The "A" in "ARPG" for most games this generation outside of Tales, SO, and the Souls games doesn't stand for "action" it stands for "A for Awesome". These movements towards "A"RPG combat was to avoid abstraction in combat, not because they had a good action combat system cooked up.

Honestly as long as team VP2 is doing the battle system, I'm all open. If you guys want to talk overrated, there are other devs out there *cough Tales team cough* Don't hate 'kay? :P

ToGf's combat and character building systems was SO3 done right. Come correct!

I think SO series is more about setting than the storyline itself. Everything else is top notch.

"Setting" in this case means "bass-ackwards Class M planet". Mass Effect and Phantasy Star own SO in sci-fi setting hard without mercy.

[Seik]

I really hope there'll be a SO5. The new graphics engine tri-ace showed with that Edge model hyped me.

I liked SO4 even if it have a lot of fucked up stuff, I loved the gameplay and the game kinda had that 'classic cheesy RPG' feeling, but the good kind of cheese to me.

Give me SO5, I'll give you my money!

[Forsaken82]

We'll get SOV when Suikoden II get's a download release, or Konami announces Suikoden VI. I adore SOII, but after SOIV, I'm not sure a fifth one should be made anytime soon. (Unless they completely return back to basics.)

SO4 gets a lot of hate (From me as well, but for reasons that aren't necessarily the fault of the design but rather the limitations of the Xbox, SCREW YOU DISC SWAPPING! only game i ever complain about this...)

In my opinion, the best parts of SO4 were in ts core design. Environments were varied if not a bit generic, they were otherwise fun to explore. Combat was exceptional (one of the best battle systems I have had the privilege of playing). There was a ton of content to discover through exploration, crafting, and combat in general, and these aspects made up the meat of the game...

Sure the dialogue was saturday morning cartoon caliber, sure the character designs were horrific, sure the cut scenes were absymal... but the way I see it, these issues were for the most part avoidable...

Not gonna lie... The dialogue and cutscenes were so bad that they were enjoyable...

I would personally love a SO5...

[Kenai]

SO4 sucker punched me good. I remembered SO2 so fondly and I bought it day 1 full price thinking I would have such a glorious time. Quit in revulsion maybe 4 hours later (right after meeting the 3rd party member) and sold it while the trade-in value was high. Possibly my worst purchase this gen.

Considered re-buying it about a year later, but after scoping out some Youtube videos I realized I didn't even scratch the surface of the terribleness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlN4E-1I80Q

A turd in disc form. The funny thing is, it isn't even rated that badly by many reviewers.

That being said, I do not hate the idea of a new Star Ocean even after all that, but they have a helluva lot to prove. I really don't think they can do it, but I'd love to be wrong.

[dramatis]

I don't mind if there's no Star Ocean V, it would be good for Triace to free themselves up to try different combat systems in new IP. Provided someone would fund them.

Ideal situation for them right now would be to go beg Sony and try to make a launch game for PS4.

[Pinko Marx]

People say stuff like "Yeah, the story is abysmal BUBUBUBU the battle system and all the other systems are SOOOO GOOOD."
Ok, fair enough, that might be true. But the way I see it is like this: You go to a steakhouse that everyone says has THE BEST steaks in the world, and you order you a steak. Out comes this big, juicy, 30oz Filet Mignon, but its surrounded on its plate by like 8 steaming hot piles of poop. Now the poop may not be touching the steak, and you could probably just swipe the poop away or something...But why would you?. Why not just go to a steak house, that may not have as good as steak but you don't have to deal with worrying about poop being on your steak. You can just enjoy your steak AND baked potatoes and all the other good shit.

[DR2K]

People say stuff like "Yeah, the story is abysmal BUBUBUBU the battle system and all the other systems are SOOOO GOOOD." Ok, fair enough, that might be true. But the way I see it is like this: You go to a steakhouse that everyone says has THE BEST steaks in the world, and you order you a steak. Out comes this big, juicy, 30oz Filet Mignon, but its surrounded on its plate by like 8 steaming hot piles of poop. Now the poop may not be touching the steak, and you could probably just swipe the poop away or something...But why would you?. Why not just go to a steak house, that may not have as good as steak but you don't have to deal with worrying about poop being on your steak. You can just enjoy your steak AND baked potatoes and all the other good shit.

Because the steak is so good that even the taste of shit couldn't get in your way.

[Eusis]

People say stuff like "Yeah, the story is abysmal BUBUBUBU the battle system and all the other systems are SOOOO GOOOD." Ok, fair enough, that might be true. But the way I see it is like this: You go to a steakhouse that everyone says has THE BEST steaks in the world, and you order you a steak. Out comes this big, juicy, 30oz Filet Mignon, but its surrounded on its plate by like 8 steaming hot piles of poop. Now the poop may not be touching the steak, and you could probably just swipe the poop away or something...But why would you?. Why not just go to a steak house, that may not have as good as steak but you don't have to deal with worrying about poop being on your steak. You can just enjoy your steak AND baked potatoes and all the other good shit.

Eh, I'd say it's more like a steakhouse which has the worst clown motif ever. Sure, the steaks are amazing, but rather than trying to serve it normally you have all the waiters dressed as clowns, trying to tell bad jokes, and have bad music blaring in the back ground. Sure, the steaks may be awesome, but when the place is so annoying do you REALLY want to eat there when there's places that are at least bland-yet-inoffensive?

[Pinko Marx]

Because the steak is so good that even the taste of shit couldn't get in your way.

Well look, if you like a little shit on your steak thats fine. But some people don't. This restaraunt may have been my favorite before, but all it takes is one shit-covered steak and I ain't going back.

The analogy doesn't exactly carry over now...But I've given SO two chances now.
SO3 was an...Okay game I guess. I had fun with it, but it had a plot twist that was SO BAD that not only did it ruin the plot of its own game, it manages to ruin all other games in the series.
And then SO4. Yeah, I'm done with this series. I don't want another.

[DR2K]

Well look, if you like a little shit on your steak thats fine. But some people don't. This restaraunt may have been my favorite before, but all it takes is one shit-covered steak and I ain't going back. The analogy doesn't exactly carry over now...But I've given SO two chances now. SO3 was an...Okay game I guess. I had fun with it, but it had a plot twist that was SO BAD that not only did it ruin the plot of its own game, it manages to ruin all other games in the series. And then SO4. Yeah, I'm done with this series. I don't want another.

Play Star Ocean 2. 3 had that horrible plot twist, but the end game bonus stuff made up for it.

My favorite thing about Tri-Ace games is the end game stuff, where the battle system evolves, characters become godly, and the whole game basically changes for the better.

[Pinko Marx]

Play Star Ocean 2. 3 had that horrible plot twist, but the end game bonus stuff made up for it. My favorite thing about Tri-Ace games is the end game stuff, where the battle system evolves, characters become godly, and the whole game basically changes for the better.

Star Ocean 2 is one of my favorite PSX games and might be one of my favorite jRPGs of all time.
I also liked what I've played of Star Ocean 1, too.

[Shouta]

If they can retool it so it isn't about backwater planet-hopping and into a real SF RPG, then I'd be glad to take another.

[Eusis]

If they can retool it so it isn't about backwater planet-hopping and into a real SF RPG, then I'd be glad to take another.

This and make the story tolerable at worst, even SO3 managed that. Seriously, what's the point of making it a sci-fi RPG if you want to play it "safe" and stick with traditional fantasy stuff to not scare away people who like that? It's almost like trying to open a foreign cuisine restaurant only to mainly serve burgers and fries.

[Rpgmonkey]

Eh, I'd say it's more like a steakhouse which has the worst clown motif ever. Sure, the steaks are amazing, but rather than trying to serve it normally you have all the waiters dressed as clowns, trying to tell bad jokes, and have bad music blaring in the back ground. Sure, the steaks may be awesome, but when the place is so annoying do you REALLY want to eat there when there's places that are at least bland-yet-inoffensive?

That's pretty much Star Ocean in a nutshell.

[R_thanatos]

People say stuff like "Yeah, the story is abysmal BUBUBUBU the battle system and all the other systems are SOOOO GOOOD." Ok, fair enough, that might be true. But the way I see it is like this: You go to a steakhouse that everyone says has THE BEST steaks in the world, and you order you a steak. Out comes this big, juicy, 30oz Filet Mignon, but its surrounded on its plate by like 8 steaming hot piles of poop. Now the poop may not be touching the steak, and you could probably just swipe the poop away or something...But why would you?. Why not just go to a steak house, that may not have as good as steak but you don't have to deal with worrying about poop being on your steak. You can just enjoy your steak AND baked potatoes and all the other good shit.

you can have fun in a rpg with just the battle system ..yes it may seem silly but in the case of action rpgs it's easy to have fun

[Jigsaw]

Seriously, what's the point of making it a sci-fi RPG if you want to play it "safe" and stick with traditional fantasy stuff to not scare away people who like that?

well at least in so4 they made roughly the last 40% of the game pure sci-fi,though that's only after 3 boring underdeveloped/fantasy planets,so not many people will have played that far

loved so4,even beat universe and chaos mode,the battle system is unmatched to this day

[Pinko Marx]

you can have fun in a rpg with just the battle system ..yes it may seem silly but in the case of action rpgs it's easy to have fun

Yeah but the point is that I can also have fun in RPGs with a good battle system AND a story that doesn't make me cringe.

[Zuhzuhzombie!!]

Tri-Ace is basically only doing contract work these days, and I don't think Square Enix is interested in more console games made entirely by them.

So basically they're at the "Quintet" part of their career before disappearing completely?

[Seda]

I'd buy it.

[icecream]

The most unfortunate thing about that 2011 tech demo is that it symbolizes tri-Ace's ever commitment to improving their tech. Even now, they're still toiling away on their engine, oiling it, tuning it, and showing off bits and pieces of it now and again... in hopes that someday, someone will give them that one more chance...

I don't mind if there's no Star Ocean V, it would be good for Triace to free themselves up to try different combat systems in new IP. Provided someone would fund them..

Right, because that worked so well for their PSP and 3DS game, correct?

it remains a complete mystery what tri-ace's current state is at the moment.

It's not a mystery at all.

[encephalon]

It's true that Tri-Ace is very often a mixed bag, but the problem is this gen we're in a shortage of decent bags. And Resonance of Fate was at the very least decent.

[Mxrz]

Man, I'm still curious about playing SO4; I remember being hyped before release, but everything I hear about it makes me want to avoid it instead

Well, depends on what you want. If characters and writing are the most important things to you, eh best stay away. Otherwise, the actual battle / exploring / maps / crafting and post game are way ahead of that awful mess 3. Having replayed 2 recently, I'd go so far to say 4's combat is actually better overall. The only comparable weakness is the lack of combat variety with the smaller cast. Its worth the $20 it goes for. But the battle system has always been the main draw for me.

I beat SO4 and even though it did a lot of things right (visuals, gameplay) it was absolutely terrible outside of that. If you're the kind of person that can COMPLETELY turn off everything outside of that, then you can enjoy a good game. But the moment you take it seriously... you'll jump.

Spot on. PS3 version, Japanese voices. It solved the main problems for me. About the worst thing left was how long some of the cutscenes dragged on.

[SatelliteOfLove]

The most unfortunate thing about that 2011 tech demo is that it symbolizes tri-Ace's ever commitment to improving their tech. Even now, they're still toiling away on their engine, oiling it, tuning it, and showing off bits and pieces of it now and again... in hopes that someday, someone will give them that one more chance...

Which is doubly sad. First, visuals are one of their strong suits, and secondly HOLY SHIT JAPANESE DEV HOUSE WHO KNOWS THEIR WAY AROUND A HD ENGINE EFFORTLESSLY FUCKBALLS.

Pathetic that it's going to waste now, and went to waste earlier since they couldn't seem to muster the decency to approach VP's narrative quality on 3&4.

[Koroviev]

Which is doubly sad. First, visuals are one of their strong suits, and secondly HOLY SHIT JAPANESE DEV HOUSE WHO KNOWS THEIR WAY AROUND A HD ENGINE EFFORTLESSLY FUCKBALLS. Pathetic that it's going to waste now, and went to waste earlier since they couldn't seem to muster the decency to approach VP's narrative quality on 3&4.

Maybe they scared all of the other Japanese devs away from HD development :p

[Boss Doggie]

Well look, if you like a little shit on your steak thats fine. But some people don't. This restaraunt may have been my favorite before, but all it takes is one shit-covered steak and I ain't going back. The analogy doesn't exactly carry over now...But I've given SO two chances now. SO3 was an...Okay game I guess. I had fun with it, but it had a plot twist that was SO BAD that not only did it ruin the plot of its own game, it manages to ruin all other games in the series. And then SO4. Yeah, I'm done with this series. I don't want another.

Actually SO3 fixes anything that was broken in the old SO games.

Back then the villains in SO are only acting for evulz. At least the twist in SO3 makes it so that them acting cliche and weirdly is justified. Also, if you finish SO3 you realized that regardless of the plot twist, because they know the exist, then well... they exist.

[djtiesto]

If they can retool it so it isn't about backwater planet-hopping and into a real SF RPG, then I'd be glad to take another.

I thought SO4 was probably the most sci-fi heavy game in the series yet... so it seems like they were trying to go in this direction. You spent a lot more time on the spaceship in this one and the environments were varied in their technological levels - it wasn't just 2/3 medieval planet, 1/3 sci-fi stuff like the other SO games... A lot of people missed the datalog in the game with all its pseudo-science/technology stuff as well...

Though I'd love a fully sci-fi SO game, something reminiscent of the Phantasy Star series. Seeing a preview of the original SO in a Nintendo Power and hearing how it was a sci-fi/space travel RPG was what really turned me on to the series to begin with (it also didn't hurt that I knew someone who was a hardcore RPG import gamer and he raved about it).

[megalowho]

SO4 was not 100% terrible, but the parts of it that were terrible were so terrible that I literally said aloud at one point, "oh god, this is terrible!!" shortly before shutting it off for good.

The series' setting has always been intriguing to me so I hope that game didn't kill the series. If tri-Ace decides to do something competent with that universe, I'll still listen.

[Terra_Ex]

Like so many other japanese devs this gen, tri-Ace has lost it as far as developing for current gen home consoles goes (with RoF being a possible exception), I'm just glad they haven't sullied VP by putting out a substandard product. They (and many others) need to get a handle on what went wrong post-PS2 era before tacking any more projects.

[pancakesandsex]

I'd be down for more star ocean.

[Finalow]

I couldn't care less, SO4 was meh and I still have to play the old ones.

[Lime]

Much more tragic than SO5 ever getting funded, is the fact that the VP/RoF team isn't going to put their talent to use on console development.

I would love to see them getting greenlighted for another jrpg, but the desperate cry for funding with the tech demo last year was a major indication on how little a HD jrpg is in demand.

[Boss Doggie]

Much more tragic than SO5 ever getting funded, is the fact that the VP/RoF team isn't going to put their talent to use on console development. I would love to see them getting greenlighted for another jrpg, but the desperate cry for funding with the tech demo last year was a major indication on how little a HD jrpg is in demand.

Wait, they've been moved to handheld development? :/

[davepoobond]

Valkyrie Profile 4 is never going to happen is it? :(

There would need to be a 3 first.

so the answer to his question is no, it isn't going to happen. ;(

[michaelius]

I don't mind if there's no Star Ocean V, it would be good for Triace to free themselves up to try different combat systems in new IP. Provided someone would fund them. Ideal situation for them right now would be to go beg Sony and try to make a launch game for PS4.

Well they already did with Resonance - was another sales disaster.

[Tguy]

Even though I'm sure I'm not alone, sometimes I do feel like I'm alone in that I never cared for the story in any of the Star Ocean games. Always thought they were bad even though some were worse than the last. I never even knew 2 got praised for it's story till around 4 was announced which was when I payed more attention to internet basically. So 3 didn't really affect me much story wise, since I never cared for 2's story at all. I mostly play them for the gameplay and etc.

I do however wish they would stop going to medieval type fantasy worlds instead of sci-fi. I think the concept of the games are cool, but feel like they just take the safest approach and put them on medieval type worlds, I hate that so much.

[Esura]

Even though I'm sure I'm not alone, sometimes I do feel like I'm alone in that I never cared for the story in any of the Star Ocean games. Always thought they were bad even though some were worse than the last. I never even knew 2 got praised for it's story till around 4 was announced which was when I payed more attention to internet basically. So 3 didn't really affect me much story wise, since I never cared for 2's story at all. I mostly play them for the gameplay and etc. I do however wish they would stop going to medieval type fantasy worlds instead of sci-fi. I think the concept of the games are cool, but feel like they just take the safest approach and put them on medieval type worlds, I hate that so much.

Funny thing is, SO4 is the only one that feels more sci-fi like than the others.

[Tguy]

Funny thing is, SO4 is the only one that feels more sci-fi like than the others.

Yup, sadly SO4. Perfect example of getting the good with the bad haha.

[Skyfireblaze]

While I haven't finished SO4 yet (I'm currently in the underground caves after the attack on Aeos) I'm also in the camp who liked it, I just saw everything so far as a cheesy Sci-Fi story that shouldn't be taken too serious, 'kay?
Just flying around, seeing the characters getting out there into the wide and hostile space as "newbs from planet Earth" was fun to watch for me personally. So I would be happy about a Star Ocean V, especially after seeing the tech demo and if they keep the underdeveloped planets on the low side of locations.

[Famassu]

Hopefully never. I never quite understood the love for the series, not even for the supposed "good" games in the series (1 & 2?). The battle systems are cool, but the rest of the games have always seemed so lackluster to me, even 1 & 2. Star Ocean 3 was some horrible abomination and Star Ocean 4 was a small improvement (at least gameplay-wise) but still pretty mediocre.

Now... where are Valkyrie Profile: Hrist and Resonance of Fate 2 (or something that at least builds on its gameplay)?

[quickwhips]

So My friend had a star ocean IV copy he bought. He hated game and gave it to my brother. My brother played it for 1 day and hated it and mailed it to me. 56 hours and 2 months later I finally beat it. The funny thing is I didn't hate it and I've never played any other star ocean games so I have nothing to compare it to in that series. I would play another one if they made one but I would like to see another game with that sorta gameplay.

[BasilZero]

They usually do one new game per gen.

Star Ocean The Last Hope/international was already released on the PS3/360.

Bear in mind they also released the remakes of the first two star ocean games on the PSP.