Star Ocean: The Second Story is one of the finest examples of late-’90s action RPG design, and it remains a fan-favorite entry in the Star Ocean franchise. Building on the systems and themes introduced in the original Star Ocean on the Super Famicom, Second Story is bigger, deeper, and more ambitious — a game that truly shines with its layered mechanics, beautiful presentation, and massive replayability.
Set 20 years after the events of the original Star Ocean, The Second Story offers players the choice of two protagonists: Claude C. Kenny, a young officer in the Earth Federation, and Rena Lanford, a girl living on the underdeveloped planet of Expel. Depending on your choice, the perspective shifts, offering different scenes and insights into the unfolding narrative.
The story blends science fiction and fantasy in a way that’s distinct to the Star Ocean series. While the plot begins with a simple “stranger in a strange land” premise, it escalates into an interplanetary conflict involving ancient civilizations, divine forces, and a looming universal threat. It walks a fine line between JRPG melodrama and sci-fi mystery, and it works surprisingly well.
The writing is sincere and character-focused, with surprisingly emotional moments — particularly if you take the time to engage with the optional Private Actions.
Star Ocean: The Second Story’s real-time combat is its biggest hook. Battles play out in full 3D arenas, but with 2D sprite-based characters, creating a hybrid visual style. You control one character while the others are handled by AI, and can assign killer moves to button combos. Combat is fast, strategic, and often frantic — especially during boss fights.
Outside of combat, the game is a stat-cruncher’s dream. The Item Creation system is absurdly deep: you can cook, forge, compose music, write books, craft weapons, and even create a publishing house. Your party members’ hidden talents, learned skills, and specialties all interact in interesting ways. Want to break the economy and sell infinite high-value goods? You can. Want to fight the hardest bosses with crafted god-tier weapons? That’s here too.
Then there’s the Private Action system, where you split up your party in towns and trigger character-specific scenes that affect relationships and the ending. With 12 recruitable characters and over 80 possible endings, this game was built to be replayed.
Visually, the game still holds up as one of the most beautiful 2D/3D hybrids on the PlayStation. The backgrounds are richly pre-rendered, the characters animated and expressive, and the battle effects dazzling for their time.
The music, once again composed by Motoi Sakuraba, is outstanding. It ranges from sweeping orchestral themes to frantic battle tracks and peaceful town melodies. While some tracks get repetitive, others — like “The Divine Spirit of Language” or “Mission to the Deep Space” — are unforgettable.
Voice acting is present during battles and special attacks. It’s cheesy by today’s standards, but charming in its retro JRPG way.
The Second Story helped cement tri-Ace’s reputation for deep systems and ambitious storytelling. It remains a standout on the PlayStation and is considered by many fans to be the best in the Star Ocean series. Its 2008 PSP remake (Star Ocean: Second Evolution) added updated visuals, cutscenes, and voice acting, while the recent Star Ocean: The Second Story R remake in 2023 reimagined the game with HD-2D visuals and new gameplay refinements.
If you’re coming from Tales of Destiny, Valkyrie Profile, or Lunar, Second Story will feel like a rich, complex cousin with an obsessive attention to detail.
Star Ocean: The Second Story is a masterclass in late-’90s RPG design. It offers a deep, replayable, and engaging experience that rewards experimentation and exploration. Whether you’re in it for the layered combat, the relationship building, or the sci-fi-meets-fantasy narrative, it’s a game that leaves a lasting impression. It’s not just a standout Star Ocean title — it’s one of the best RPGs on the PlayStation, period.
