Star Ocean

Square Enix has dropped a substantial new update for Star Ocean: The Second Story R, which released for PS5 and PS4 last year. Already an incredibly well-made remake of a classic RPG, this patch adds some welcome features, such as a new difficulty level, new endgame bosses, new options for starting New Game+, and more.

Square Enix appears to have cancelled or at least rescoped the size of multiple unannounced games as a result of an internal review into its development process, with a «content disposal» loss totalling 22.1 billion yen, or $141 million. As a result of the investigation, the publisher shall «revise the Group’s approach to the development of high-definition (HD) games with the intention of being more selective and focused in the allocation of development resources».

Square Enix have announced 22.1 billion yen (around £112m) in "content abandonment losses" for the fiscal year ending March 2024. The loss is the result of the publisher being "more selective and focused in the allocation of development resources," suggesting they have cut funding to or cancelled undisclosed projects.

Square Enix today warned investors that its next earnings report will include a significant hit due to a number of cancelled projects.

Plenty of modern games have tried to recapture the nostalgic retro vibes of early 1990s RPGs. And some are more successful than others.

Square Enix has launched a new update for Star Ocean: The Second Story R, adding more content and a new difficulty level. The free update brings Star Ocean: The Second Story R up to version 1.1 and is now available on all platforms for which the RPG has been released.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R is getting one of the beefiest post-launch updates I've ever seen for a JRPG, pushing the already-stellar remake to new heights.

Square Enix’s Star Ocean: The Second Story R has received its version 1.1 update, adding the new Chaos difficulty, the most challenging mode yet. It also features the Ten Wise Men, the story’s main villains, as new raid enemies. Check out the trailer below.

Publisher Square Enix and developer Gemdrops will release the version 1.1 update for Star Ocean: The Second Story R on March 27 at 3:00 a.m. PT / 6:00 a.m. ET / 19:00 JST, the companies announced.

With its anthology structure and oddly-titled seasons, it can be a tough task to watch JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in order if you're a newcomer.

Nvidia revealed in a blog post that Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws will be on GeForce Now and use some of its proprietary technology when it launches sometime this year.

As a bargain hunter, nothing pleases me more than the continuing slow orbit decay of that Starfield fancy edition. Why? Because I need that watch in my life, but I'm sure not going to pay 500 bucks for the privilege. Personally, my event horizon for a purchase is the $200 off mark. Will it get there before stocks deplete fully? Who knows, fellow space cadets.

Anticipated mobile gacha game, Love Live! School Idol Festival 2 Miracle Live finally had its release date announced on Twitter. The very same post confirmed the game will only be live for about three months.

Square Enix president Takashi Kiryu believes the company needs to diversify its gaming output, but also focus on fewer releases.

The quality of video game releases in 2023 has been discussed in detail by many, and it will absolutely go down as one of the best years the medium has experienced, strictly in terms of the excellent games that were released. The larger industry and its members will always look back on 2023 with justified frustration.

Our Game of the Year coverage continues with the Best PS5, PS4 Art Direction of 2023, of which a top four has been put together by the Push Square editorial team. Here we'll highlight titles that pushed the boundaries of game visuals, whether that's through near photo-realism, a stylish look, or unique artistic elements. These games are a joy to look at just as much as they are to play.

2023 was an absolute unit of a year for gaming. No one could possibly have played all the awesome titles that came out across platforms. I certainly didn’t. But that also means that you have options for grabbing a last-minute gift for that gamer in your life! I’ve gathered a few of the best titles that happen to be the type someone might have put off while playing the latest Final Fantasy or Call of Duty.

2023 brought a lot of classic games back into the fold, but I always knew one certain title would inevitably take the crown for best remake/remaster. Resident Evil 4 rides a fine line of feeling old and new to an impeccable degree, and I’ve got to admit, it’s a heck of a remake.

It should come as little surprise, but the disappointing launch state of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 didn't stop it from being the best-selling game of November in the USA. New data from Circana confirms the FPS topped the charts last month and instantly become the second best-selling title of 2023, just behind Hogwarts Legacy. Interest in the latest entry made the overall Call of Duty series the second-most-played game on PS5 in November, though Fortnite did claim first place.

The former NPD Group (now named “Circana”) has released its full North American sales data for November, typically the biggest gaming month of the year, and surprisingly, the results weren’t that great. Players spent $5.9 billion on games, additional content, and hardware in November, a 9 percent year-on-year decrease. This was largely driven by a 24 percent drop in hardware spending, with all consoles being down double digits year-on-year. The PlayStation 5 was the #1 console, followed by the Xbox Series X/S, with the Switch really dropping off this season. It seems like inflation, and rumors that a new Switch is right around the corner, likely impacted hardware sales this year.

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Famitsu has published its estimated physical game software and hardware sales data for Japan for the week of November 13, 2023 to November 19, 2023.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R has plenty of cool and useful characters you can add to your party throughout the game. One who should not be overlooked is Opera Vectra; follow this guide to learn how to recruit this cool and versatile character for your party.

Whether you’re looking to unlock new weapons or make some extra money in the game, it’s a good idea to quickly learn how to unlock the Appraisal Skill in Star Ocean: The Second Story R. Read on to learn how to unlock this useful skill and how to use it once you’ve got it.

Famitsu has published its estimated physical game software and hardware sales data for Japan for the week of November 6, 2023 to November 12, 2023.

There are powerful party combinations in . Some setups can quickly destroy enemies or are tough enough to prevent dying. While there are optimal teams, any team will work to beat the game on easy and normal difficulties called Earth and Galaxy. A planned party is best for the hardest Universe mode.

Money, or FOL, in is just as important a resource in the game as it is in real life. Unlike in real life, it is quite easy to get a lot of money very quickly and very early into the game. It is a nice way to practice a bit of escapism and enjoy seeing your bank account rise quickly and efficiently without joining a pyramid scheme.

The Sword of Marvels is an exceptionally strong weapon in . It is among one of the best early-to-mid-game weapons for either Claude Kenny or Dias Flac. If you plan on using one of the two in your main party, it is worth acquiring.

In , there are a lot of NPCs around with temptingly full wallets just asking to be Pickpocketed. Players who want to take full advantage of this will want to get that ability as early as possible. Those hoping to do so will be happy to hear it is fairly easy to achieve this goal as soon as the party leaves Krosse City for the first time.

There are 13 total party members in . Compared to the original PlayStation release, this now includes reoccurring series character Welch Vineyard — she was also in the older PlayStation Portable remaster. The other party members have also received a few tweaks to speed up their performance in combat.

Famitsu has published its estimated physical game software and hardware sales data for Japan for the week of October 30, 2023 to November 5, 2023.

The Aeterna Sword in is one of the best weapons for Claude in the entire game. Getting this weapon is possible reasonably early in the game, but there is a word of warning to go along with it. The Aeterna Sword is so good that it might make the rest of the game a bit easier, so equip the sword with that knowledge in mind.

For many, may just be another remake of a highly revered PlayStation title, but in all honestly, it is one of the must-play JRPGs of the year. In many ways, the remake successfully retains the characteristics of the sci-fi/fantasy themes from the franchise while introducing new features that bring it up to par with modern titles. The game’s visuals have also been overhauled and inspired by ’s aesthetics, making it a very charming world to get lost in.

Assaults are instant attacks made by characters outside the party of . They act as a form of striker or summon that will perform a move and then leave. This includes characters in reserve and even cameos from other Star Ocean titles.

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Super Mario Bros. Wonder has enjoyed widespread praise from critics and audiences since its release, and as you’d expect from a Mario game, it’s also enjoying commercial success to match. The game debuted strongly in the UK’s weekly retail charts upon its release, while last week, it climbed into the charts’ top spot. This week, as noted by GamesIndustry’s Christopher Dring on social media platform X, the game has held on to the top spot (though its physical sales are apparently still “quite low”.).

Super Mario Wonder remained at the top of the UK boxed charts for a third week, keeping EA Sports FC 24 at No.2.

Square Enix’s Star Ocean: The Second Story R, a 2.5D remake of the 1998 classic RPG, is now available on PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch. It features revamped visuals, high-quality portraits for characters, a rearranged soundtrack, quality-of-life features and some new content.

Immutable operates both games and a Web3 gaming platform. And today it announced it is working with three upcoming web3 games: GensoKishi Online, Cursed Stone, and Sailwars.

"Star Ocean" is a fantastic name, evoking a sense of adventure, 16-bit blue skies, the majesty of space. "The Second Story R" is a terrible subtitle, evoking WhatsApp messages where I accidentally press 'send' too soon. Combined they produce Star Ocean: The Second Story R, a beautiful-seeming 2.5D remake of a Square Enix PlayStation JRPG. It's out on Steam now and there's a demo.

Whenever I revisit my earliest RPG loves, I often find that the thick fog of ’90s nostalgia does more harm than good. I’ve spent far too much time fondly recalling the way I saw certain games as a kid with a big imagination, only to realize some of those adventures don’t quite measure up in the same ways now.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R strikes a good balance of retro and modernity with its throwback visuals and new combat mechanics.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC, and WarioWare: Move It! for Switch are the highlights of this week’s Japanese video game releases.

Gemdrops’ Star Ocean: The Second Story R launches next week, and as a remake of the 1999 PlayStation One classic, it looks very good. A launch trailer is available, showcasing stunning visuals, high-quality character portraits and more. Check it out below.

Publisher Square Enix and developer Gemdrops have released the launch trailer for action RPG remake Star Ocean: The Second Story R, as well as details on the rest of the game’s party, the Ten Wise Men, Assault Actions, and New Game+.

October’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue titles have been revealed, via a reliable leaker.

Next month, the holiday season will be in full swing, and there are many November 2023 games to look out for. From a classic returning to a new Call of Duty approaching physical and digital stores, you better prepare your wallet.

RPG fans are in for a treat.

Following up on the recent Switch release of Baten Kaitos I & II HD Remaster, Nintendo posted an interview with some of the original developers. Director and art director Yasuyuki Honne, planning director Koh Kojima, character designer Nakaba Higurashi, and composer Motoi Sakuraba all joined in to wax nostalgic. Thankfully, they shared relief while looking at how well both games have held up over the past two decades.

As gamers know quite well, there are plenty of remakes being made right now across all the major publishers. That includes Square Enix, who right now is working on at least three remakes and is possibly doing even more that gamers might not know about yet. One of those remakes is the classic Dragon Quest III from the earlier days of consoles. However, this one isn’t getting the 3D treatment, unlike other modern remakes. Instead, it’s getting the 2.5-HD treatment that Square Enix has made popular. The style is fitting for the title, given its sprite-based origins, and many are eager to play it when it releases.

Sony has today announced the full list of PS5, PS4, and Classic games coming to PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium this month. A partial selection was leaked at the start of this week, but the complete lineup is significantly larger. This is also the first title refresh since Sony increased the price of both tiers, putting the company's picks under more scrutiny.

As massive Vanillaware fanboys, we think September's PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium update is especially tasteful, but as always, we want to know what you think of the selection. Just to recap, this month's line-up is headlined by NieR Replicant, Star Ocean: The Divine Force, and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim. And then you've got a whole bunch of other Star Ocean titles, most of Vanillaware's back catalogue, and a handful of interesting indies, like Unpacking and Call of the Sea.

If the bevy of Star Ocean titles about to hit PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium aren't enough for you, a newly published PS5, PS4 demo for upcoming remake Star Ocean: The Second Story R should be on your radar. Available to download now ahead of the game's November launch, you'll be able to sample three hours of the JRPG. While you wait, a lengthy gameplay trailer has also been uploaded by Square Enix for you to watch — viewable above.

Many new games, including NieR Replicant and Civilization VI, are joining the PlayStation Plus Extra October 2023 lineup, as per the PlayStation Blog. Some retro games, including the Star Ocean series, will be available for PlayStation Plus Premium members as well. All of these titles can be downloaded to your PS4 and PS5 on September 19.

is an upcoming remake of the classic JRPG that was released over two decades ago. Developed by Gemdrops, Inc. and published by Square Enix, the title intends to stay true to the core pillars of the original while also updating key facets for new players. is slated to release later this fall, introducing a whole new generation of fans to the beloved PS1 game.

A demo for action RPG remake Star Ocean: The Second Story R is now available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC Steam, publisher Square Enix and developer Gemdrops announced.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R, a remake of the second game in the Star Ocean franchise, has received a free demo available now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. Also, a brand new gameplay trailer has been released, showcasing a variety of new features, including upgraded visuals.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R turned a fair few heads with its announcement earlier in the year, thanks to its promise of a visually stunning ground-up remake of one of the best instalments in Square Enix’s sci-fi role-playing franchise. With the game out in less than a couple of months, Square Enix has also dropped a demo for those who want to dip their toes in the water to see how it’s taking shape.

We're thrilled to announce the return of GamesBeat Next, hosted in San Francisco this October, where we will explore the theme of «Playing the Edge.» Apply to speak here and learn more about sponsorship opportunities here. At the event, we will also announce 25 top game startups as the 2024 Game Changers. Apply or nominate today!

Sony has announced the next wave of titles coming to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers, starting September 19th. As rumored, the headliners include NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim on PS4, whileStar Ocean The Divine Force is playable on PS4 and PS5.

Sony Interactive Entertainment has revealed September 2023’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue and Classics Catalogue titles.

Square Enix has lost nearly $2 billion in value since the launch of Final Fantasy 16 in June, and a new report has cast doubt on the company’s ability to recover.

Bethesda has a pretty long history of releasing slightly buggy titles that have all sort of weird exploits that players can use. Starfield is admittedly a lot more polished than the studio's previous titles, but fans have already managed to find a relatively simply way to get infinite cash, and it harkens back to the good ol' days of scamming shopkeepers in Skyrim.

An incredibly rare 1998 Pikachu Silver Trophy card has just sold for $444,000 in the TCG's second-highest sale of all time. This card was originally the second-place prize in a 1997-'98 Lizardon Mega Battle tournament event. The only card to sell for higher than this is the Pikachu Illustrator which Logan Paul bought for $5.275 million.

Mortal Kombat 1 is almost upon us, yet developer NetherRealm Studios hasn't quite finished showing off its main cast of characters. We've had a drip feed of character reveals over the past couple of months, and the latest has confirmed that Mortal Kombat 1 will bring back Nitara for the first time in over 17 years. Not only that, but she now has a new voice actor too, and it's none other than Transformers and Jennifer's Body star Megan Fox.

Star Ocean 2's remake has a lovely anime opening movie courtesy of the studio behind the Azur Lane and Arknights animes.

With the back-to-back launches of Sea of Stars and Starfield, it’s easy to forget that another star-themed RPG is coming this year. To hype the release of Star Ocean The Second Story R, Square Enix has uploaded the remake’s new anime intro to YouTube.

A little over a couple of months ago, Square Enix unveiled Star Ocean: The Second Story R, a remake of the classic PS1 RPG sporting a gorgeous new 2.5D aesthetic, and with the game now approaching its early November launch, the publisher is beginning to reveal more details on it.

Publisher Square Enix and developer Gemdrops have released the animated opening movie for action RPG remake Star Ocean: The Second Story R.

Square Enix has been doing a lot in the last few years to ensure their presence was felt in the gaming community and that they’re using as many of their franchises as possible within a small period. To do that, they’ve been not only furthermore their most beloved franchises but creating new ones and putting a fresh coat of paint on ones you might not have thought about in a while. For example, in November, the remaster/remake of Star Ocean The Second Story R is coming to console and PC, and it aims to make a mark on the industry.