600°
8.0

IGN - Star Ocean: The Last Hope Review

Star Ocean: The Last Hope is not an RPG for the ages, but it is a lot of fun to play. The way the story is delivered, through awkward dialogue and drawn out cutscenes, could be a lot better. The strong points of The Last Hope, namely the combat and level progression, keep things lively and engaging and help make this one a good way to kick off your JRPG gaming for 2009.

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xbox360.ign.com
N4Sony5958d ago (Edited 5958d ago )

Just finished up reading and now watching the video review. Finally! A JRPG from Square-Enix worth picking up. This site isn't going to take kindly to this, but I'm hyped man! Pre-Ordered in full and to be played for a long, long time!

One thing from the review that has me a bit concerned though: You have to swap discs to return to previous planets? Hmmm...that kinda blows. However, just the fact you CAN go back is something uber! Big improvement over SO3. The voice-acting complaint is nothing, the graphics statements means nothing (it runs smooth, that's all that matters) and the story? Come on! lol, it's Tri-Ace, this isn't Final Fantasy X people, it's a different type with heavy anime emphasis. In other words, RPG fans, we finally have a winner....on the 360, lol.

sonarus5958d ago

Lol @ 7.5 for graphics. Thought the game looked better than that

u got owned5958d ago

@ sonaurus

agree. I thought it look better than 7.5 but i haven't played it so what do i know. Anyway, good overall score.

La Chance5958d ago (Edited 5958d ago )

Star Ocean 3 was great and this one looks just as good.
Good story , the graphics are quite good though those characters look way too banal and Sci Fi universe ! Day one purchase for me !
I'll be giving Fallout 3 a break

@N4SONY above : well LO and Eternal Sonata were very good jrpgs too.

Aquanox5958d ago

It seems that the game DOES look good (character models for example) but nothing to really impress.

I honestly prefer this to framerate problems that have been plaguing JRPGs for a while now, and according to IGN, this one runs smoothly.

Ghoul5958d ago

Judging from screenshots

The graphics are nice and stylish but the arenas are sometimes horribly stale, but still a great game worth picking up

meepmoopmeep5958d ago

i think the graphics look awesome from the screenshots
still getting this one.

GameGambits5958d ago

The game is 40-50 hours on a FAST play through. Which means every 10ish hours you'd have to get off your bum to switch discs if you aren't doing any side questing.

People are dumb to ever mark a game as, "bad" due to multiple discs. You must be new to RPGs and didn't own a PS1 ever huh? Didn't touch Lost Odyessy either I assume?

Seriously why do people have to comment on game genres that don't entice them. If you don't like JRPGs, then go to where you belong and have nice things to say folks.

The rest of us who are JRPG fans will be picking this game up. The only JRPG so far this console generation that stunk was Infinite Undiscovery IMO. The rest has been solid packages, even Last Remnant. While Last Remnant isn't the best example of the JRPG genre, it had sooooo many hours of gameplay in a challenging game.

8/10 from IGN means I need to play this and play it I shall. :)

N4Sony5958d ago

hmmm...Eternal Sonata was okay. LO had some great points, and some terrible ones. It's design choices at times were painful and the games battle system was far too slow for me these days. I found FFIX to have a faster play pace, not good for a 2-generation newer game.

Vesperia was my top-ranked JRPG up to this point on 360. Let's see how Star Ocean racks up. Judging by this review, the countless vids I've seen and the fact I've played, did everything and LOVED the previous 3 Star Ocean games, I'm guessing this one will be numero uno, probably till FFXIII...whenever THAT gets released.

Bnet3435958d ago

Great review, I might pick this up when it goes cheap.

Panthers5958d ago

I agree the graphics look better than 7.5, but apparently the games has slow downs and stuff.

Hiruma Youchi5958d ago

how stupid this agree ,disagree system as become?

N4G staff yall should maybe get rid of the disagrees and agrees.

The person in the 1st comment wrote awsome and got 9 disagrees?

Doesnt make sense to me.

Danja5958d ago

im a huge SO fan and was looking forward to this game since it was announced...day one buy...

titntin5957d ago

Good score!

I have to admit I'm slightly concerned about the story delivery - thats the very thing thats drives me to playing RPG's and something I had really hoped they got right.

Everything else leads me to believe this will be a great experience, and one I'll pick up for sure as I just dont get enough JRPG fixes anymore and I've been a little disapointed with 'big guns' so far.

I actually agree with 'La Chance' for once in my life - Eternal Sonata was a brilliant title, and though I appreciate not many will agree with me, its my fave JRPG on the current gen machines so far - I think its a way superior title than Blue Dagon or Lost Odessey, and it reminded me why I like the genre in the first place!

More please, and Sony pull your finger out and give me some more of this stuff on the black box too please! :)

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Pootie Tang5958d ago

Yea works for me, i def be picking it up,
This is a great score

locos855958d ago

Pretty good review. I would like to see more before I decide to pick this game up. So far I've seen a 7 from GI and 8 from IGN. Definitely worth at least a rental.

Godmars2905958d ago

So GI gives it below 7.5 - don't really care - and fanboys have to console themselves with its failure. Now it gets a solid 8 and again is in the "win" column?

No, fanboys aren't fickle at all...:/

N4Sony5958d ago

The only people "caring" about the GI review were the Sony fanboys declaring victory. You're completely out in left-field in your analysis.

Panthers5958d ago

Both of you dont make sense. What is the difference between a 7.5 and an 8? I bet you couldnt tell me other than .5 points. Both are good scores. This game is one of those that if you like JRPGS or Star Ocean, than get it. If not, rent and see.

TheColbertinator5958d ago

Good score but I honestly expected more from Tri-Ace.

Pennywise5958d ago

From their 360 game record, I am shocked it got a solid 8 from IGN.

CID5958d ago (Edited 5958d ago )

8.0 sorry but thats a flop. An 8.5 is respectable but anything below that score from IGN isnt worth bothering with.

Also heard this game runs at 510p

Aquanox5958d ago

8/10 is not bad. It could've been better but still is one good title to the Xbox 360 RPG library.

To the guy above ^^, this isn't a flop. We're not talking about FF here, however, it still managed to score better than its closest competitor which was White Knight Chronicles.

Erotic Sheep5958d ago

Really Aquanox?
I didn't know IGN already reviewed WKC.

-______________-

TheColbertinator5958d ago

@Pennywise

What does the 360 have to do with anything? Its all on the developer.Valkyria Chronicles would have been great on any console just like The Last Remnant would have been bad on all consoles.

We'll see what happens

Pennywise5958d ago

Well, Tri-ace has been releasing games on the 360. Thats all I am saying. Isnt this running on the UE3?? I am so sick of that engine.

Handsome_Devil5958d ago

"The Last Hope is plagued by a number of problems, but if you can invest the time needed for this game to blossom (that's a big if), the combat system and mysterious plot reward you well for your time."

Game Informer, 7.0/10

I really do hope this game turn out good, I'm going to play it in a friend house. I loved the old once :)

so far it is not doing great, but doing good enough so far.

TheColbertinator5958d ago (Edited 5958d ago )

@Pennywise

No its not running on UE3 or Crystal Tools.I have no idea which engine it is.Either way IGN and Game Informer are often the most trustworthy when it comes to RPG reviews.

Gamespot and Gamedaily on the other hand are horrible at reviewing RPG games.Just look at their Last Remnant or Disgaea 3 reviews.Those guys were obviously playing RPGs casually before

Sir Ken_Kutaragi5958d ago

They really gave it a 6/10, but saw it was xBox 360 only and put on 2 more points!!! ;-D Ahh...the internet...full of C.........

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frayer5958d ago (Edited 5958d ago )

An 8? Three discs? 510p? $60.00? No buy...

CID5958d ago (Edited 5958d ago )

An 8.5 is respectable but 8.0 sorry but thats below average

Edit; 3 discs and still runs at 510p!?! I wonder how the FF13 port will turn out

Pennywise5958d ago

Oh wow, I thought the 3 disc cracks were a joke.

WhittO5958d ago

me too lol, sureley they could have put it on 2.

Makes me wonder how many FF will have.

DelbertGrady5958d ago

Is it whiney in here, or is it just me?

NaiNaiNai5958d ago

3 discs so what, LO was 4.
the 510p will still be upscaled to 1080p. so i have no issues with it. and th 60$ only a poor person would complain, i already have it paid off, getting this and KZ2 on the same day, so im good for awhile.
-nai-

Reeperdotcom5958d ago

40+ hours of content, awesome battle system = $60. Stop dwelling on stupid things like resolution and the amount of disc there are. Is it really that hard to get up and switch out a disk? seriously...

DelbertGrady5958d ago

+Bubbles for that comment.

Killzone 2 and SO4 sounds like 2 great games to swap between.

WhittO5958d ago

ye $60 is normal for a game in US isnt it ?

would be annoying keeping track of them discs, i wouldnt care that i had to change them when playing, just worry about losing one haha i have discs everywhere

Elven65958d ago

Disc space has little to do with what resolution a game runs at, its more so the programs who are in charge of that, not the discs.

8 is a great score, I might pick this game up, so far the only JRPG I've picked up is Blue Dragon.

Reeperdotcom5958d ago

you might want to check out LO and some of the tales games, your missing out! ;)

frayer5958d ago

I'm sorry I can only afford two full priced games a month. SF4 and KZ2 are the only standouts in Feburary. Don't worry, though. If the earth keeps rotating, I'll be able to get this for $29.99 in April.

NaiNaiNai5958d ago

oh would you look at that. i was hit by the mighty SDF mutiaccounts. even though i throw KZ2 in there they still give me negatives for supporting a 360 game, how pathetic.

locos855958d ago

How do you know it wasn't the 360 fanboys giving you a disagree for supporting a PS3 game???

NaiNaiNai5958d ago (Edited 5958d ago )

because the 360 fanboy would have posted a reply. XD
-nai-

ukilnme5958d ago

@ NaiNaiNai

All of N4G knows the SDF took your bubbles. Yes they are pathetic. I'll help you out.

r2kcipher5958d ago (Edited 5958d ago )

this could be why NaiNaiNai.

"and th 60$ only a poor person would complain"

did you know alot of people cant afford much these days. people are losing their jobs. only an ignorant person would not know this.

NaiNaiNai5958d ago

really, yet people have the money to buy KZ 2 and other 60$ games.
-nai-

r2kcipher5958d ago

now if u said that instead of the poor thing, you would have gotten an agree from me.

there are some games that people would not want to spend $60 for. its a matter of opinion. i am still waiting for some games to get price reductions. not because i can not afford them but i would rather have other games, that i know i would play more.

thereapersson5958d ago

Not necessarily, Nai. I've posted a few comments in the past that appeared as though they were downplaying something related to the 360, and always recieve a ton of disagrees without any reasoning.

Cowards are cowards, no matter what side of the fence they sit on.

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90°

10 Most Overlooked RPGs That You Should Play Now

Many overlooked RPGs lie dormant in the catalogues of gaming, but players can pick up their swords and shields with these amazing JRPG hidden gems!

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thenerdstash.com
150°

PlayStation Plus is a secret paradise for RPG fans

From games that digitaltrends DeAngelo Epps has always wanted to play but missed out on, like Odin Sphere, to newer titles that he'd love to re-experience like Yakuza: Like a Dragon, there was enough there to justify diving back in. And those titles aren’t even a small percent of what’s available here. Vanillaware titles, Square Enix games, NIS franchises he’d never even heard of — there’s a whole lot to dig into.

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digitaltrends.com
Eonjay563d ago

PSPlus is Amazing for RPGs and NIS America, Square Enix and Vanillaware games are perfect for PSPortal.

LG_Fox_Brazil563d ago

Not really a 'secret' but a paradise indeed, I just finished Soul Hackers 2, pretty good, and started Labyrinth of Galleria and I am having a blast. Tons of great RPGs in the PS4/PS5 family

Mr_cheese563d ago

Secret is the click buzzword. Can't have a title without bait these days.

anast563d ago

secret, shadow, hidden

OtterX563d ago

Perfect for playing on the Portal, since rpgs can be such timesinks. For those people who can't stay glued to the TV, it's good to give some freedom around the house, out on the porch or whatever. I haven't picked up a Portal yet, bc of life priorities, but I definitely anticipate picking one up asap and playing more rpgs!

ziggyzinfirion563d ago

I'm currently playing Final Fantasy VII:Remake for the first time on PS5 and I am freaking blown away by this game so far. I don't know why I waited this long or due to my huge backlog but had to be honest, this game exceeded my expectations.

OtterX563d ago

Yea, story pacing aside, the combat system is pretty killer, especially if you slow it down to play it more like a tactical turned based jrpg!

I actually wish FF16 had gone this route, instead of the DMC route. The FF7:R system gave enough action for those who wanted to play that way, while still appeasing us old school turn based jrpg fans.

Glad you're enjoying!

crazyCoconuts563d ago

Some of the best in game HDR I've ever seen in that game. I liked it a lot too. My first final fantasy game believe it or not

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140°

A beginner's guide to Star Ocean

Star Ocean is one of those series that did, and still does, things that others don’t. Think of it as a JRPG for fans of series like Star Trek. The casts regularly involve people from more advanced civilizations getting involved with those who are still growing, even though there are various measures in place to allegedly stop that sort of interference. As a result, people get energy weapons, cyborgs, magic and people who can turn into cats. It is a lot to take in.

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michibiku.com
autobotdan2020d ago (Edited 2020d ago )

Let's see here. There was another classic JRPG series that started this SCI Fi. It was Phantasy Star by Sega. Before Star Ocean, there was Phantasy Star 1-4 on Sega consoles

Bhuahahaha2020d ago

a beginners guide to star ocean....after playing the 3rd game
you've been told that the universe (SO lore) is just a ------------------- and close the book

VsAssassin2020d ago

Yeah, that plot twist didn't work for me. I wish SO3 isn't canon, but it is. Anyway, SE can just sweep SO3 under the rug perhaps by soft rebooting the franchise.

Nerdmaster2020d ago

The first two were so great, among the top RPGs on 16 and 32-bit era. I wonder why it went downhill after that...

LiViNgLeGaCY2020d ago

I still regard the 2nd Story as one of the greatest JRPG's of all time.

ChronoJoe2020d ago

Play the PS1 game and then the PS2 game and then the rest probably aren't worth your time unless you're a superfan of the series. I think that's all you need to know.

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