The past few decades have been kind to the role-playing genre, offering a broad variety of experiences. Some franchises have stayed with us for most of that time, including the obvious standouts like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Others have operated largely in the background, building followings before fading away, like Suikoden and Grandia. Or, they quietly add new entries that serve a devoted niche, like Legend of Heroes or Shin Megami Tensei, without enjoying mainstream success.

One series that all too often gets left out of discussions is Star Ocean. The series has continued to receive new entries in the decades following its July 1996 debut, including Star Ocean: The Divine Force in 2022, but JRPG fans don’t pay nearly enough attention to it. That’s a shame, especially considering the impact the series had when its very first installment offered a twist that forever changed the genre.

Star Ocean came into existence when development of Tales of Phantasia, the start of another long-running franchise, prompted........

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