When, in the world of video games, franchises are born, it can happen that it is difficult to see the conclusion. Although this thing can happen, the “great” ludic sagas tend to never end, in order to capture the constant interest of the players. A good example is the series “Star Ocean”published by Square Enix. It offers itself as a JRPGs which has won the interest of a specific part of the audience, due to its fluctuating quality.
After many years since the release of the last game (2016), the series has decided to take a new shape through a new chapter: “STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE”. The sixth video game in the franchise (not counting spin-offs), it aims to captivate audiences with its offbeat gameplay and curious new elements. This review analyzes some aspects and evaluates if the final result complies with expectations.
The story – set in a universe Techno Fantasy in which medieval and futuristic elements mix – tells the story of Raymond Lawrence and the princess Laetitia Aucerius. The world they live in is at war and the two characters are looking for a support figure who could be the incipit to upset the current events. Thus began a journey around the world, in which Raymond and Laetitia they will collaborate with other, potential heroes to achieve their goals.
The product in question, kind JRPG and Open World, has players use a group of characters in order to complete a series of primary and secondary missions. In this way it will be possible to defeat all the enemies that will appear in the game, including the powerful Bosses.
There are two main mechanics used (and, consequently, during the clashes): Gli AP (Action Points) and of IT GOES. The former have a main role and are actively used in battles, while the latter are used for exploration.
The fights featured in STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE occur simultaneously, without a “turn-based” approach. Players have a small “arena” in which to fight a variety of enemies, the number of which varies according to the situation. Each character can attack using buttons X, Y and B, performing different moves. When used, they decrease in value ap of the character which – if reset – does not allow you to continue the combos.
Highlighting this detail is very interesting, as it allows you to understand the game system that the development team proposes. Players won’t have to focus their attention on the most powerful damage, but they will have to look for the set of attacks that, if combined, allow you to empty very little the AP. The result is a combination of risks and rewards, which expands and becomes evident throughout the entire adventure.
The value IT GOES it can be used during battles, but has mainly an exploratory purpose. Within the first hour of play, players will come into possession of a called drome DUMA, available to each character. When used, players can fly different distances, based on certain factors. This detail reveals that STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE can also be explored with mechanics comparable to flight, allowing new roads to go from place A to place B.
VA can be used in battle. Among other functions, it is useful for approaching or running away from an enemyOne of the most interesting elements of STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE and the narrative sector and the setting. The franchise is often singled out for not being particularly original, and it must be admitted that this chapter also confirms these thoughts. Despite this, I appreciated the general context in which players have to interact, as well as the characters and environments. I appreciated the strong contrast between nature and technology, as well as I appreciated the design of the costumes of some main and secondary figures, which are intricate and simple at the same time. These elements make the world of this game pleasant to discover and worthy of attention.
But what are the flaws of this game? Omitting the absence of the Italian languagethe first detail I would like to cover is the choice of the “division of the narration”. At the beginning of the adventure it will be possible to choose whether to tackle the game using Raymond’s or Laetitia’s point of view. The decision has a narrative and mechanical role: each character obtains different information and each character may or may not recruit some figures. If on the one hand it is a pleasant idea – since it encourages you to play STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE at least twice – on the other it can make events alienating, as they are handled with more or less emphasis.
Another element to take into consideration is the explanation of most of the game mechanics. The franchise in question is known to be very precise in terms of content and technicalitiesso much so that the combat system explained in this review is only a fraction of its true potential.
The presence of extremely thorough insight can make veteran gamers interested in such a game STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCEbut may find the available explanations too general or fluctuating. If players decide to play this game on low difficulty, many of these problems will not arisewhile if you want to face the whole experience with a higher rate of challenge, it may be necessary to read up and obtain information through third-party sources.
A final defect – which can be connected to the previous one – can be linked to the theme of quality of life. The absence of information, explanations or details can be felt at various stages of the game, with mixed results. On the one hand, the choice not to “take the player by the hand” is appreciable, but at the same time I find it correct to highlight the fact that some game elements (such as side missions) may have generic and not very immediate requests to understand).
The “Quality of Life” theme can also be applied to the game menu interface, which is not always as intuitive and immediate as one would expectIn conclusion, what can I say about STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE? We are facing a good chapter in the saga, who manages – for better or for worse – to convince the public. It maintains the combat characteristics of the game, introduces the mechanics of flight (which, although temporary, is interesting) and improves the construction of the narrative context. These elements are pleasant to understand the potential of the game, but it would be a mistake to forget about the flaws.
The extreme technicality of the title (who can like and dislike) can only be filled on low game difficulties and the amount of explanations is quite limited and unsatisfactory. In addition, the choice of dividing the story into two points of view is excellent for encouraging replayability, but risks making the story confusing. All in all, I believe that STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE is a decent game, the purchase of which is recommended for fans of the saga. For everyone else, I would expect a discount.
3D adventure and combat (flight and full exploration of the environment); Two intertwined stories with two protagonists
3D adventure and combat (flight and full exploration of the environment); Two intertwined stories with two protagonists
3D adventure and combat (flight and full exploration of the environment); Two intertwined stories with two protagonists
Last Updated: 2022-11-19 at 18:22
STAR OCEAN THE DIVINE FORCE – Review
PRO
Compelling storytelling, as well as the setting
Outwardly technical gameplay…
VERSUS
Absence of the Italian language
… but it can be annoying (if you don’t play on low difficulty)
“Quality of Life” can be improved