Star Ocean: The Second Story R was originally released on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC. Square Enix has finally brought the game to Switch 2 with a native version, but there is one major drawback: there is no traditional upgrade path for existing owners. Still, if you haven’t experienced Star Ocean: The Second Story R yet, is this the best way to play it?
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is one of my favourite entries in the series. A big part of its appeal is its incredible visual style, blending 2.5D sprites with 3D environments in a way that beautifully captures the charm of the original game. I think this is the perfect approach for remaking older titles, particularly SNES-era classics like Chrono Trigger. While I have enjoyed Square Enix’s HD-2D games, I feel we needed something a little different, and the visual style used in Star Ocean: The Second Story R achieves that perfectly. In fact, some scenes reminded me of Chrono Trigger, and I hope Square Enix uses this same approach for remaking more of its classic games in the future.
Coming to the point of this port, I was really impressed by how well it holds up alongside the PS4 and PS5 versions. The console releases of Star Ocean: The Second Story R run at 1080p and 60 FPS, and the same resolution has been carried over to the Switch 2 version. This results in much cleaner visuals than what you get on PC handhelds like the Steam Deck. On top of that, performance is now practically locked at 60 FPS, making for a much smoother experience. By comparison, the original Switch version ran at 30 FPS with a lower resolution, so the Switch 2 version is a significant upgrade.
While the lack of an upgrade path is a major disappointment, this is still a solid port that stands shoulder to shoulder with the PS5 version. The only technical drawback I noticed is the shorter draw distance, which causes objects to pop in as the camera gets closer. It is noticeable at times, but it is far less distracting than in a traditional fully 3D game. Image quality is excellent thanks to the game’s gorgeous art style, which blends its 2.5D sprites with detailed 3D environments. Those 3D environments benefit the most from the Switch 2 upgrade, as they often looked noticeably blurrier on the original Switch.
Coming to the main game itself, you can read our review of the original release for a more detailed look. In short, Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a remake of Star Ocean 2 that lets you choose between two protagonists, Claude or Rena. Claude is an officer from an interstellar federation who is accidentally transported to a world called Expel. While he comes from a science fiction setting, Expel is a much more traditional fantasy world. Rena is a young woman who lives there and has the ability to use magic. The story follows familiar anime tropes before eventually revealing a universe-ending threat that forces Claude and Rena to work together to save the world.
The combat system is one of the game’s biggest strengths, and the new 60 FPS performance on Switch 2 makes the fast-paced animations and movement feel even better. Battles take place entirely in real time, with a combat system similar to the Tales series. Encounters begin in a confined battle area where players are free to move around and attack at will. While the original game played quite differently, the remake significantly overhauls many of its core mechanics. The result is a combat system that is easy to learn, satisfying to master, and supported by a rewarding progression system. New mechanics such as Shield Break and Dodge make battles feel more active and improve their overall flow. The only minor drawback is the party AI, which doesn’t always make effective use of these new mechanics.
If we talk about replay value, the game offers plenty of reasons to come back. Since there are two protagonists, their storylines both intersect and diverge, giving each playthrough a different perspective. To get the most out of the story, it is worth experiencing the game from both Claude’s and Rena’s viewpoints. There are also many recruitable characters, and it is impossible to obtain all of them in a single playthrough. On top of that, each protagonist has exclusive side content that can easily be missed, so seeing everything the game has to offer requires multiple runs.
Overall, I would rate this Switch 2 version of Star Ocean: The Second Story R highly. The game itself remains one of the best entries in the franchise, and this is an excellent port. The biggest downside is for owners of the original Switch release, as there is no upgrade path or even a discount for the Switch 2 version. Aside from that, it is a solid release in every respect.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R Game Information
- Price: $49.99
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Developer: Gemdrops, Inc. / Square Enix
- Platform: Switch 2 (Reviewed)
- Disclaimer: A review code was given by the publisher
