Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

Long ago when the SNES was still the gaming king there was a game created by Tri-Ace. This game was Star Ocean. Released in 1996 in Japan, Star Ocean takes place in the future time of 346 SD (Star Date). The story revolves around a young Fellpool named Ratix Ferrence, and his quest to save his planet from a disease that turns everything and everyone into stone. Two Earthlings from the Sol System arrive on the planet and discover Ratix, Milley and Dorn, who have scaled a mountain for a plant that they thought would defeat the disease.

Unknowing to them their comrade Dorn has been slowly infected with the disease by touching a bird that held a note. Aboard the starship Calnus there is a attack in the teleportation bay. Monsters had laid eggs on Ratix and his group, but the Earthlings are not able to understand why their machines are being destroyed. Ratix and Milly engage combat with the beasts, and by their blood splashing onto the beasts the Earthlings are finally able to see the defeated monsters.

Ronixis Kenny, the commander of the Calnus who brought Ratix and his group aboard the ship decide to take them back to Earth. Dorn's condition turning worse he asks the commander if they would transport him back down to the planet into his bed, where he could succumb to the disease in the comfort of his own bed. Allowing this request Ratix and the group warp back down to the planet and say their goodbyes to Dorn. The group travel to Earth aboard the Calnus and arrive at Earth.

There they discover that another group of species used Ratix's planet as a experiment to test their new weapon. Wanting to do everything they can Ronixis decides to break the rules knowing well he could be arrested for what he's about to do and takes his ship towards the Planet Styx. On the planet there is a device, that can warp anyone to any time and any place. Discarding all their weapons as the device tells them to Ratix, Milly, Ronixis and Iria jump into the device, being thrown centuries in the past on Ratix's homeplanet in hopes to find a way to save his planet in his own time.

Star Ocean was one of the first Snes games to use full voice acting along side Tales of Phantasia created by Namco. The game uses the active battle system in where when engaged in combat enemies, as well as you and your teammates run freely around the battlefield attacking each other using various skills and magics instead of the classical turn based system. Character development, as well as character recruition are done though the use of events known as Private Actions. In a private action all your characters leave you and travel around the town doing their own things instead of staying with the main character.

In private actions you can unlock certain characters, special events for certain characters, and even get insights on what that characters feelings are towards everything around them. Star Ocean uses a skill system to increase your battle and field commands by buying certain commands. Gaining a level after battle gains you a certain amount of SP, which can be uses into increasing ones strengths and other options.

On December 27th, 2007 Star Ocean was remade and rereleased in Japan for the PSP. The game was renamed Star Ocean: First Departure. The game uses updated graphics that were seen in Star Ocean The Second Story. The story is basically the same as it was in the original with a few new added features and plots. Star Ocean: First Departure brings in a new playable character that was not seen until Star Ocean: Till the End of Time. This character in the third game was a NPC the player would encounter through the course of the game. Even if you cannot understand Japanese the game is a great game to pick up. You can check out the official website here to see the general updates from the original Snes version of the game.

Star Ocean: First Departure Official Website

Hm, I wonder if there are any plans to bring this to the states? I don't have a PSP, but in the past year or two I've heard about a lot of games for it I would like to try out sometime. This is another one of those.

This most likely will see the states one day, its only been out for a few months though.. I believe Star Ocean: Second Evolution will also come over here since we were lucky enough to the Star Ocean: The Second Story for the psx. But even if we don't get First Departure I'll still import it because I understand japanese and everything.