Star Ocean: The Last Hope International Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

Star Ocean: The Last Hope International box art

System: PS3	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Tri-Ace	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Square Enix	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Feb. 9, 2010	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Teen	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

Another area that has been improved is the visuals. Though the game looked great on the Xbox 360, several bugs have been fixed, and you will notice much less clipping and better character animation. The hair glitch which caused stray patches of hair to fall under a character's eyes (and happened way too often) has also been fixed. However, both the International and the Xbox 360 version do share an unfortunately large amount of pop-in, especially in the game's opening hours. Although the amount of pop-in is a relatively minor complaint, I still would have liked to have seen it cleaned up in the International version.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope International screenshot

An additional feature that is exclusive to the International edition of Star Ocean 4 is the ability to change the voiceover to the original Japanese language. This is a great option for those who enjoy playing JRPGs in their original language, and was a greatly missed feature in the original Star Ocean.

Rereleasing games can be a dicey subject. Sure, games like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3 can be rereleased successfully when bundled with extra content. However, games like Left 4 Dead and LittleBigPlanet make less sense, since they don't contain much bonus content beyond the original game, free DLC, and new box art to justify the new purchase.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope desperately wants to fall into that first category of rereleases. However, the new International version doesn't really offer enough new content for fans of the first. The game's new home on the PlayStation 3 does a great job of opening up the universe for fans on the new console, and the new features may entice a select few super-fans to dive back in to the Star Ocean universe. But if you were expecting new characters or expanded endings (as was rumored to be included in the game pre-release), then you will be disappointed with this repackaged effort. I still recommend Star Ocean: The Last Hope International edition to those who haven't played it yet, but I can't say the new features offered in this version will get most normal fans excited enough to merit a second purchase.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.1

Graphics
Several subtle improvements have been made to help the International version look slightly better than its predecessor.

4.0

Control
Controls work perfectly, and the improved targeting system helps things run even smoother.

4.1

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The English dub sounds just as good as it did in the original, and the Japanese voiceover is a nice addition.

3.2

Play Value
If you have played the Xbox 360 version, then the International version probably won't be worth your while. If you haven't played the previous release, the extra features on the International version make it superior.

4.2

Overall Rating - Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Choose between English and Japanese voiceovers - only available on the PS3 version.

A prequel that combines sci-fi and fantasy elements, spanning multiple planets and the vastness of space itself to recount the origins of the Star Ocean universe.

Exhilarating combat expands upon the franchise's famous real-time battle system, including amazing graphics and visual effects

Feature breathtaking CG movies by Visual Works, the cutting-edge studio whose previous work includes cutscenes for the acclaimed Final Fantasy series.