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Star Ocean: The Last Hope Official thread
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So I'm thinking about getting this game. I've never played a Star Ocean game before (currently debating about picking up 1 and 2 for the PSP). I liked FFX and I loved FFXII (even though I never finished it...eeep). Terrible question to ask, I know, but will I like this game? Really the only JRPGs I've played are Final Fantasy games so I don't know if I can go so far as to say I love all JRPGs, but I really want to get into one right now since that last one I've played was, well, FFXII.
Basileus777
Member
MotherFan said:
You can find them pretty easily by mining on Roak.
BlueTsunami said:
I think it has something to do with 1080p. We have two of these going at once. The one running at 720p has never crashed (the one I'm playing). The 1080p is a crash MONSTER. Seriously, I thought my son was going to rip the walls out after it crashed for the THIRD TIME in a ROW on the spider-looking boss. Seemed to happen mostly when switching characters, something like 10 crashes to that point. Changed to 720p on that XBOX, and problem disappeared (so far). Both these are running off discs, no HD install.
Why? The draw of the game isn't even close to being the story. Which is terrible.RSLAEV said:
On that note, comparing it directly to Vesperia, the gameplay is just as good, maybe even a little better, give or take a little according to taste (applies to basic combat, character customization, Item Creation, how most characters are balanced and more importantly fun for you to control by yourself). A couple things are not as good (namely, character customization doesn't really show up until you get the ability to synthesize equipment, which happens about 2/3 of the way through the game), and some other things are quite a bit better (there's way more to do after you just beat the game, more unlockable difficulty levels, Battle Trophies, etc).
However, technically, I don't think it's nearly as good. It's still good, but loading time for battles and such is just "short" instead of nonexistant in Vesperia, the graphics are a lot more uneven and you get a lot of aliasing whereas you had to squint to see jaggies in Vesperia (although to be fair, the lighting in SO4 is really nice and some of the areas are just downright beautiful). The combat in particular takes a really huge and noticeable hit to the rendering resolution, and looks really blurry although it does run really smooth and, like I said earlier, is fast-paced enough to really need it.
Story and writing-wise though, I said it above, it's awful, on just about every level. If that's an important part of a video game to you, I would absolutely not buy the game without renting it first to see if you like the gameplay enough to get you over that hump. Total opposite of Vesperia in that regard. There's maybe one character in the main cast that I'd think about saying was written competantly, a few that I'm indifferent toward, and the others are just horrid.
Personally, I'm still enjoying it quite a lot, having played through it once on the normal difficulty and again on the first unlockable difficulty, including both bonus dungeons, and I'm thinking that once I do everything I still want to on this playthrough I might have another go at the highest difficulty. Full disclosure though, I'm the kind of person who can completely seperate the story of a game out from the "game" of a game, and if I wasn't, I think I would have been hard-pressed to limp my way through one playthrough of the game without bonus content before shelving it for a good long while.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
Big-E said:
Not only is the last dungeon long but the boss has two form, the second being giant HP sink.
I think my biggest disappointment with the game was the fact that the Battle Programming was outsource to some random studio... Explains a bunch of technical issues in battles if you ask me.
What happened with tri-Ace veteran, Yuichiro Kitao? He was really fucking good at Battle Programming, then he just disappeared like that...
What happened with tri-Ace veteran, Yuichiro Kitao? He was really fucking good at Battle Programming, then he just disappeared like that...
Ok I am pissed off.
The game crashed on me while on Roak. Fine, it was at the beginning.
The next session is far smoother, till I get to the second loading point. I got all the chests, leveled up, the mining etc... and the game fucking crashed without a save point in sight. I take my time to beat the game and it won't even let me. Fuck this.
Does installing help?
ALSO: Running at 720p.
The game crashed on me while on Roak. Fine, it was at the beginning.
The next session is far smoother, till I get to the second loading point. I got all the chests, leveled up, the mining etc... and the game fucking crashed without a save point in sight. I take my time to beat the game and it won't even let me. Fuck this.
Does installing help?
ALSO: Running at 720p.
I think I'm done with this game.
Whatever joy I was getting out of it has been sucked away by the tedious dungeon design, constant fights, weak story, and Welch.
I'm pretty sure I'm done with Tri-Ace now, too... the only game of theirs I've ever actually liked is the first Valkyrie Profile. I haven't played the second yet, but seeing how they changed the gameplay, I feel like I'd almost enjoy playing VP1 on hard more than chancing disappointment again.
Whatever joy I was getting out of it has been sucked away by the tedious dungeon design, constant fights, weak story, and Welch.
I'm pretty sure I'm done with Tri-Ace now, too... the only game of theirs I've ever actually liked is the first Valkyrie Profile. I haven't played the second yet, but seeing how they changed the gameplay, I feel like I'd almost enjoy playing VP1 on hard more than chancing disappointment again.
Just finished with Roak, and I have to say that maybe these games aren't for me anymore.
A lot of the item creation is a cock-tease - you don't get any of the items to make the good stuff until much later if at all. I don't know where you're supposed to get the metals to make the better armor/weapons.
Like people have said, the story in this game is so-so, it would have been even better if the voice acting was decent for more characters, which it isn't.
The side quests don't really add anything to the story or give you big advantages like rare ore or anything; just party points and a little bit of experience.
The Dunegon designs are too big, too long, and the puzzles are just annoying and complicated.
I'm still unsure about some of the stuff of the battle system. The tutorials don't do a very good job about explaining chain combos (they never did in the other games either). It's very inconsistent for me to get the X + specials moves going where you mash the A button.
I'm also very unimpressed with the MMO aspects of this game. The large maps, the item farming for synthesis. Going all the way back to your ship to synth makes sense, but drags the game down and is inconvenient.
Overall, I'm very disatisfied with this game, but then again, its similar to 3, and I haven't liked the series since then. Or maybe it's just I don't like next-gen RPGs in general. I will be selling this when I beat it.
In terms of gameplay and side quests, this game does those well, it's just I don't like a game that's overly complicated and has a bad story.
About how many hours minimum is this game? I"m about 27 hours in.
A lot of the item creation is a cock-tease - you don't get any of the items to make the good stuff until much later if at all. I don't know where you're supposed to get the metals to make the better armor/weapons.
Like people have said, the story in this game is so-so, it would have been even better if the voice acting was decent for more characters, which it isn't.
The side quests don't really add anything to the story or give you big advantages like rare ore or anything; just party points and a little bit of experience.
The Dunegon designs are too big, too long, and the puzzles are just annoying and complicated.
I'm still unsure about some of the stuff of the battle system. The tutorials don't do a very good job about explaining chain combos (they never did in the other games either). It's very inconsistent for me to get the X + specials moves going where you mash the A button.
I'm also very unimpressed with the MMO aspects of this game. The large maps, the item farming for synthesis. Going all the way back to your ship to synth makes sense, but drags the game down and is inconvenient.
Overall, I'm very disatisfied with this game, but then again, its similar to 3, and I haven't liked the series since then. Or maybe it's just I don't like next-gen RPGs in general. I will be selling this when I beat it.
In terms of gameplay and side quests, this game does those well, it's just I don't like a game that's overly complicated and has a bad story.
About how many hours minimum is this game? I"m about 27 hours in.
JAM Co. Ltd. actually isn't that random, it's headed by Makoto Yamamoto who was involved in the first Star Ocean as well. But yeah, the staff lists of the tri-Ace games since VP2 look like they either purged the employee base once again (not unlike what Level 5 or most bigger Western developers do) or all the better ones are working on a secret project (not holding my breath).Error said:
At this point I think it's clear that Hino is a more capable businessman than Gotanda.
The fight with the six straight rounds of Phantom soldiers made me want to launch my controller out the window last night. I don't mind having to think a little more carefully about battle prep before a big fight (in fact, I enjoy it), but I wish there was more of a steady build up in challenge to this point. Until now, almost every fight save for maybe Tamiel was a breeze, and then suddenly they drop this on you and you're like ARGH.
I will grind a bit, and I will destroy them. For the sake of my 360 controller.
I will grind a bit, and I will destroy them. For the sake of my 360 controller.
neoism
Member
What level are you, and where is this battle at in the story, I'm level 40 and I'm just before the dungeon before the Colosseum.john tv said:The fight with the six straight rounds of Phantom soldiers made me want to launch my controller out the window last night. I don't mind having to think a little more carefully about battle prep before a big fight (in fact, I enjoy it), but I wish there was more of a steady build up in challenge to this point. Until now, almost every fight save for maybe Tamiel was a breeze, and then suddenly they drop this on you and you're like ARGH.
I will grind a bit, and I will destroy them. For the sake of my 360 controller.
I got stuck there as well for a while....auto guard,critical hit and Myuria spamming her skills finally help me beat them...at level 40 you should be ok...just check your healers so they don't get silenced,i gave them a sacrificial doll just in case also...
Neoism...at your level right now you should be fine for the soldier part,and if you didn't beat the Purgatorium yet? you should be around 45 by then so it should be easier.
Neoism...at your level right now you should be fine for the soldier part,and if you didn't beat the Purgatorium yet? you should be around 45 by then so it should be easier.
I tried to get back into the game this weekend but the story arc on Lemuris just made me say "WTF" and turn it off.
Town Elder: Saves our people, here take my fucking annoying 5 year old kid.
You: OK! I always wanted more friends.
Three hours later...
You: Sorry elder, I just went through this huge dungeon and fought a boss (who even gave me less XP than the normal enemies in the area!!!) and went to another town and did a bunch of other shit, but I couldn't find out what's happening on your planet.
Town Elder: Hmm. Now that I think about. A FUCKING ALIEN SPACESHIP crashed here just before the sickness showed up. I wonder if that has something to do with it?
You: Oh thanks for that awesome piece of information. There is no reason I would have needed to know that three hours ago. Hey, can I take your whiny granddaughter to some other planets when we're done?
I turned it off there but I'm a whore and ended up playing for another couple hours later.
Town Elder: Saves our people, here take my fucking annoying 5 year old kid.
You: OK! I always wanted more friends.
Three hours later...
You: Sorry elder, I just went through this huge dungeon and fought a boss (who even gave me less XP than the normal enemies in the area!!!) and went to another town and did a bunch of other shit, but I couldn't find out what's happening on your planet.
Town Elder: Hmm. Now that I think about. A FUCKING ALIEN SPACESHIP crashed here just before the sickness showed up. I wonder if that has something to do with it?
You: Oh thanks for that awesome piece of information. There is no reason I would have needed to know that three hours ago. Hey, can I take your whiny granddaughter to some other planets when we're done?
I turned it off there but I'm a whore and ended up playing for another couple hours later.
I manned up and went ahead with the game. Scored like 2 hours of play time after doing some quests. Surprisingly, I got to Disk 2. Then I got scared shitless. I hadn't saved in a looong while and obviously Disk 2 was not installed. To my surprise it didn't crash in the 15-20 minutes I ran it off disc, and even better... it was all smooooth. No bullshit framedrops, battles did seem like 60FPS and the loading wasn't a huge decrease from the HDD loading.
I am gonna stick to the DVD loading for now, but if it crashes one more time I am switching to HDD again. *sigh*
Fix this please SE =(
I am gonna stick to the DVD loading for now, but if it crashes one more time I am switching to HDD again. *sigh*
Fix this please SE =(
I'm really liking this game a lot. I'm 50 hours in and just got to EN II. Soooo many quests in Roak and finally I've done almost all of them, except for some that requires some minerals that I still don't have.
Also, I just had the most intense boss batlle yet
. I spent like an hour in that dungeon and didn't see the save point before the batlle and that stupid boss had so much health. Finally a battle where I had to use some strategy. It took me 20 minutes to finish that thing. It felt really good.
PS: Can you create a machine or something that refills your rings? I'm getting tired of going to Roak every time just for that.
Also, I just had the most intense boss batlle yet
Aeos, the second time you arrive)
PS: Can you create a machine or something that refills your rings? I'm getting tired of going to Roak every time just for that.
Ok so just started this game. Finished off SO2. Is the Item Creation easier in this game? Can't remember if I asked this already. I didn't use it at all in SO1 and SO2 because it was basically just random. I could never figure out what to combine to make better weapons. Does this game take a more logical approach?
Basileus777
Member
Firestorm said:
There isn't any randomness in the item creation. You find or invent recipes and then you can create items if you have all the necessary ingredients. If you have everything it works 100% of the time. And the invention process is pretty straightforward.
Nose Master
Member
What an epic ending to disc 1. This game is so fucking awful. I tried to bear it because I spent $60 on the terd, but jesus christ. Every single cutscene could have 5-10 minutes of awkward pauses or repeating dialogue shaved off it.
Mr. Wonderful
Member
I'm really starting to despise the cliche of characters repeating words questionably when something important is said by another character.Nose Master said:
"You must go to the Purgatorium."
"The Purga...Torium???"
"The Purgatorium, an ancient building where our ancestors use to worship."
"An...cestors?"
"an·ces·tor: A person from whom one is descended, especially if more remote than a grandparent."
I'm done with this game. that
is pure straight up bullshit. I must've fought her for like 20 minutes and her health didn't go down. Add to that the constant poisoning and silence and extra enemies to fight and it's a pain in the ass. It forces you to do blindsides constantly and I can't do it.
This'll make for the 3rd 360 RPG I've given up on.
Gregori queen boss
This'll make for the 3rd 360 RPG I've given up on.
Yeah only those you control...the Nox Obscurus section is so annoying,I don't think i'll finish this game.The lack of save points in a huge labyrinth type area,with the ever enjoyable warp doors that completly block your view when you emerge from them,combined with respawning monsters as you try and figure your way through the area,with the freakin red soldiers,that if surprised by them, can wipe you out in seconds made me waste a good 2 hours of play for nothing last night...I wanted to stop and couldn't since I couldn't save and was lost in the huge labyrinth...I might try and grind somewhere or do the Colloseum for now I guess...
ROFL @
(disc 1 spoilers, about 10-12 hrs in). The story is atrociously bad that it's hilarious. I guess I can see why people who'd take this seriously would be disappointed, but this is firmly in 'so bad it's good' territory.
I'm quite enjoying the game. Battle system is pretty rad, and blindsides are fun. Dungeon pacing is ok; the main issue is the lack of save points. Is
the dungeon that was supposed to take 3 hrs? I avoid most battles for the challenge and to avoid getting burnt on fighting similar battles too often.
Two main problems: 1) being unable to actively switch targets except getting close to them, and 2) the AI wasting away Rush mode once they 100%
emo Edge http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrnV6kN-bxI @ 6:30
I'm quite enjoying the game. Battle system is pretty rad, and blindsides are fun. Dungeon pacing is ok; the main issue is the lack of save points. Is
Cardianon
Two main problems: 1) being unable to actively switch targets except getting close to them, and 2) the AI wasting away Rush mode once they 100%