Star Ocean: The Last Hope
Encyclopedia
is an action role-playing video game
developed by tri-Ace
and Square Enix
who also published the game, initially only for the Xbox 360
, and the fourth installment in the Star Ocean
series. Famitsu
revealed that the battle system featured four party members, and was more team-oriented. The game also features more of a sci-fi emphasis than past titles with the ability to control your own ship. This ship is quite large, and is able to land on at least 5 planets or other space-based destinations. Players are able to travel through the "star ocean," jumping across planets. The game takes place a few centuries before the original Star Ocean
(around S.D. 10, or approximately 2087 AD). The game's plot revolves around Edge and his crew combating a mysterious threat called the "Grigori".
An international version
of the game was released by Square Enix as a worldwide PlayStation 3
-exclusive on February 9, 2010. Officially known as Star Ocean: The Last Hope International, the game contains both Japanese and English voices as well as new content that is exclusive to the international version of the game.
in the year S.D. 0010 where the world is on the brink of destruction. In A.D. 2064 World War III
broke out after several clashes between the World Republic Federation, the ruling government body on Earth, and its enemies around the world. Weapons of Mass Destruction
were utilized by both factions of the war without hesitation, razing the lands on Earth. The declining situation lead the people to believe that the end of the world was nearing, but the critical situation forced both factions to declare a ceasefire
. In the aftermath of the war, most of the Earth's population has been killed and the natural environment was deteriorating at an alarming rate.
The surviving population of mankind were forced to live in the confinement of underground cities and the countries banded together to form an organization known as the Greater United Nations. The Universal Science and Technology Administration or USTA was established by the Greater United Nations, its mission was to locate a new home planet for mankind in the far reaches of outer space. A.D. 2087, Professor Trillas Bachtein succeeded in his warp drive experiments which was a breakthrough in space travel. In S.D. 0001, the first year of the newly established Spacedate calendar, the USTA secretly put in motion its Space Reconnaissance Force or SRF project which would then in S.D. 0010 send the first human expedition into outer space to locate a suitable planet for the relocation of mankind.
, which allows the player and his teammates to practice combat. The crew's quarters allows the player to choose which characters share the same room, and the correct pairings can lead to special actions between characters known as Private Actions.
RPG Premiere. In a special interview with Xbox Japan, weeks before the game's release, game producer Yoshinori Yamagishi revealed that the team began planning out Star Ocean: The Last Hope immediately after they finished developing Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
, so actual development time took about 5 years. The game uses an improved version of the game engine used in Infinite Undiscovery
, where it is able to generate much better graphics, and the stunning expression of light in real time. He also mentioned that the biggest problem the team encountered while creating the game is capacity, as making a RPG on a latest generation console requires vast amounts of data and coding thanks to the complexity of graphics and animations. The game will also be running at a constant 60 frame/s. Pre-rendered movies are done by a collaboration between tri-Ace and Visual Works, while character design and illustration (only in the Japanese version) is handled by Katsumi Enami, best known for his illustration work in the light novel and anime series Baccano!
.
When asked whether the title would release on the PlayStation 3, Square Enix
producer Yoshinori Yamagishi replied "We can say that it will be released first [on the Xbox 360]. Whether we'll release it on the PS3 is undecided. We may release it, we may not." Square Enix and The Last Hopes development team later stated that there were no plans for a PS3 version. In an interview, Yamagishi said that Xbox 360 was the first seventh generation console to come out, and its "extremely well-made hardware", from a developer's standpoint, as the reasons why he choose it to develop Star Ocean: The Last Hope on. In a test play session held for Microsoft Japan employees and some prominent bloggers, when asked if Star Ocean: The Last Hope follows after Star Ocean: Till the End of Time's plot twist, Yamagishi stated in a Q&A session that the world of SO4 exists in a parallel universe from the one in the first three Star Ocean games. When asked if tri-Ace will remake the first three games on a new generation console, Yamagishi stated that he would rather work on a new sequel to Star Ocean than develop remakes, as the development time for them would be very consuming. Since then Yoshinori Yamagishi has stated that he finished with Star Ocean after achieving all he set out to do with the series.
On September 14, 2009 Star Ocean: The Last Hope International was announced in Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu
, exclusively for the PlayStation 3 including new content that was not included in the original Xbox 360 version. This put an end to the many rumors that The Last Hope would receive a PlayStation 3 port.
, who has worked on the soundtrack for the previous Star Ocean games and many other games developed by tri-Ace. The soundtrack will be released in two parts:
awarded the game a total of 34/40, composed of a 9/9/8/8 score.
Overall, the game was far better received than Square Enix's other next-gen console RPGs such as Infinite Undiscovery
and The Last Remnant
, both of which had mixed reviews from critics. IGN awarded the game a score of 8.0. In its review, IGN stated that despite the rough pacing in the storyline that could be told in a much more engaging manner, tri-Ace and Square Enix's latest RPG holds together quite well with action-packed gameplay. One of the small annoyances encountered during the game is the disc-swapping, which requires players to switch discs if they need to travel between planets later in the game. The review also feels that the Japanese voice track should have been included as an option in the North American version, as the English voice track and lip-syncing are horrendous. IGN gave The Last Hope International an 8.5, applauding the inclusion of the Japanese voices, and the original anime portraits. X-Play gave The Last Hope 4 out of 5, stating that the story is epic, engaging and well-paced from start to finish, and combat is frantic, complex and smooth. X-Play stated bad voice acting, and objectives that aren't always clear to lead the player, as the downsides of the game. TeamXbox awarded the game with a score of 8.5, praising the balanced and addictive combat which allows the player to bring both strategy and gaming skill to the fray. The Official Xbox Magazine gives a score of 8.5, citing the addictive mix of combat, quests and storyline as a plus, but criticizes the long stretch of cutscenes and a lack of save points around.
The game has sold 166,027 copies in its first four days on the Japanese market placing it in third place behind Blue Dragon and Tales of Vesperia
for sales of Xbox 360 games in Japan. 24,584 Xbox 360 units were also sold during the week of February 16, 2009. The Last Hope has since become the best-selling Xbox 360 game in Japan, with 208,438 units. As of May 31, 2009, the game has sold 450,000 copies worldwide.
GameZone's Steven Hopper gave The Last Hope International an 8.5/10, saying "With the inclusion of the Japanese voice track, this is the definitive version of The Last Hope, and a worthy purchase for Japanese-RPG fans. While the core game hasn’t changed from the original 360 version and there are a couple frustrating issues, this is definitely a solid RPG and a good investment of time."
PixlBit gave The Last Hope International a 4/5 stating, "If you own a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and are looking for the definitive version of Star Ocean: The Last Hope, look no further. The PlayStation 3 version has no disc swapping, while the Xbox 360 version spans 3 discs, and it also features Japanese voice-overs. Finally, the game features a variety of other small enhancements that improve the overall experience in the PlayStation 3 version."
1UP gave The Last Hope a letter grade of B- and The Last Hope International a letter grade of B stating about The Last Hope International: "The PS3 version of Star Ocean 4, while coming out a year after its 360 counterpart, at least brings a few highly desirable additions. For one, you can listen to all the game's dialogue in Japanese -- a feature more games should include (It even made me want to play through the game without the voiceacting turned off completely!). And you can swap the game's menus to a brighter, more anime-inspired look. If, like me, you thought the 360's 3D character portraits looked out of place, it's nice to switch over to the original Japanese art."
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
developed by tri-Ace
Tri-Ace
is a Japanese video game development company formed in 1995 by former Telenet Japan employees Yoshiharu Gotanda , Masaki Norimoto and Joe Asanuma . The name is a play on words regarding the "three aces" who formed the company...
and Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
who also published the game, initially only for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and the fourth installment in the Star Ocean
Star Ocean
is a franchise of action role-playing video games developed by tri-Ace and published and owned by Square Enix .-Creation and influence:...
series. Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
revealed that the battle system featured four party members, and was more team-oriented. The game also features more of a sci-fi emphasis than past titles with the ability to control your own ship. This ship is quite large, and is able to land on at least 5 planets or other space-based destinations. Players are able to travel through the "star ocean," jumping across planets. The game takes place a few centuries before the original Star Ocean
Star Ocean (video game)
is the first game in the Star Ocean series developed by tri-Ace and published by Enix, made for the Super Famicom and released in 1996. It is also the first game that was developed by tri-Ace. It was never released outside of Japan due to the closing of Enix's American division, Enix America...
(around S.D. 10, or approximately 2087 AD). The game's plot revolves around Edge and his crew combating a mysterious threat called the "Grigori".
An international version
International version
In video games, an international version is a relocalized version of a previously released title in its native territory that has gained additional features and contents in foreign releases...
of the game was released by Square Enix as a worldwide PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
-exclusive on February 9, 2010. Officially known as Star Ocean: The Last Hope International, the game contains both Japanese and English voices as well as new content that is exclusive to the international version of the game.
Plot
The Last Hope takes place on EarthEarth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
in the year S.D. 0010 where the world is on the brink of destruction. In A.D. 2064 World War III
World War III
World War III denotes a successor to World War II that would be on a global scale, with common speculation that it would be likely nuclear and devastating in nature....
broke out after several clashes between the World Republic Federation, the ruling government body on Earth, and its enemies around the world. Weapons of Mass Destruction
Weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction is a weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans and/or cause great damage to man-made structures , natural structures , or the biosphere in general...
were utilized by both factions of the war without hesitation, razing the lands on Earth. The declining situation lead the people to believe that the end of the world was nearing, but the critical situation forced both factions to declare a ceasefire
Ceasefire
A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces...
. In the aftermath of the war, most of the Earth's population has been killed and the natural environment was deteriorating at an alarming rate.
The surviving population of mankind were forced to live in the confinement of underground cities and the countries banded together to form an organization known as the Greater United Nations. The Universal Science and Technology Administration or USTA was established by the Greater United Nations, its mission was to locate a new home planet for mankind in the far reaches of outer space. A.D. 2087, Professor Trillas Bachtein succeeded in his warp drive experiments which was a breakthrough in space travel. In S.D. 0001, the first year of the newly established Spacedate calendar, the USTA secretly put in motion its Space Reconnaissance Force or SRF project which would then in S.D. 0010 send the first human expedition into outer space to locate a suitable planet for the relocation of mankind.
Gameplay
The Last Hope utilizes the same real time battle system like previous games in the series, new features include a new Rush Gauge and Blindsides. The Rush gauge allows players to perform a preemptive strike against his opponent or use a special ability or attack. Each character will have and utilize their own individual Rush gauge. Blindsides allow the player to counter attack an enemy who is targeting the player by slipping behind the enemy quickly out of his line of sight and launching a preemptive strike on the enemy from his back. One noteworthy change in the system is the increase in the number of characters that can be controlled and fought with in battle to four, as it was in the original two Star Ocean games.System
Calnus
A new feature in The Last Hope is allowing the player to take the role of captain of the spacecraft, the SRF-003 Calnus, which has been sent to scout new frontiers by the USTA. The Calnus possesses a flight deck where the player can select which planet he would like to fly to, a recreation room where the player's teammates can hang out and interact with one another as well as a conference room where the player gathers with the crew to come out with new ideas for Item Creation. The battle arena contains the battle simulator, a feature from previous games such as Star Ocean: Till the End of TimeStar Ocean: Till the End of Time
is the third main game in the Star Ocean series. The game was developed by tri-Ace and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2 console. It was released in Japan, North America, and the PAL territories. The original Japanese release date was in February of 2003 by Enix, its penultimate...
, which allows the player and his teammates to practice combat. The crew's quarters allows the player to choose which characters share the same room, and the correct pairings can lead to special actions between characters known as Private Actions.
Private Actions
The Private Action system (often shortened to PA) is a feature that returns from previous games in the Star Ocean series, where the main protagonist, Edge, can interact with his teammates. PAs consist of actions such as conversing with them during rest after exploration or battle, the player can form a rapport with him/her, which increases the member's affection or respect for the main character. Choosing the correct choices during actions would unlock special events or cutscenes between Edge and the team member. Placing characters in the same room also builds up rapport and unlocks even more PA events. If a member is severely injured in battle, a special "Rage" mode can be unlocked which allows close members to attack enemies with more power. PAs are also able to change the ending of the game with different cutscenes being shown, there are a total of about 100 PAs which can be unlocked in the game.BEAT System
The Battle Exalted Action Type (BEAT) System is a new feature in The Last Hope which allows the player to choose the preferred type of fighting styles of team members, these include offense, defense, sneak attacks, etc. As combat experience increases, the team can achieve higher combat rank statuses, which unlock advanced styles, known as Action Upgrades.- BEAT.S is a type of offense fighting style, which is actually a special Blind Sides technique. In effect, the team member forgoes defense and initiates multiple Blind Sides to confuse the enemy, then unleashes a flurry of highly damaging attacks while also raising your offensive stats (STR, INT, HIT).
- BEAT.B is a type of defense fighting style, a special Rush mode power play style. The team member fights the enemy directly in front with special attacks. During this time, the member is almost invulnerable to enemy attacks while raising your defensive stats (DEF, GRD, EVA).
- BEAT N is a neutral style of fighting as it doesn't upgrade any particular ability, but combines the stat enhancements from the other BEAT styles. It also does not upgrade with battles since it takes on the parameter boost of BEAT S and BEAT B. This is often used as the default BEAT for a character and the player can change it at will.
Special Attacks and Symbology
New special attacks can be unlocked for team members as their levels increase such as long-range, melee or area attacks can be performed. Link combos can be performed through chaining special attacks together. Symbology or Heraldry allows characters to cast magic which may use up more MP depending on the type of users; for example, melee-orientated fighters would use up more MP rather than spell casting orientated-ones. The casting times of symbology vary according to the statistics of the user, Link Combos can also be combined with Symbology to create multiple chains of magic attacks.Characters
- Edge Maverick (Earthling, Male, 20 years old, turns 21 in game.)
- Edge starts out as a ship hand but very early in the game becomes the captain of the SRF-003 Calnus, a spaceship, who is an honest young man with a strong sense of responsibility and justice. He initially volunteered to take part in the maiden voyage of the SRF to save mankind from the brink of extinction and soon becomes captain of the Calnus after the events of the first mission. He is rather impulsive and jumps into things headfirst without considering the consequences; his age has also caused him to be underestimated even by some of his inferiors in the SRF. Edge also carries a special arts sword as a weapon. He also learns Symbology (the Star Ocean version of magic). Edge's in particular is based around Light, making him a useful all around Healer/Battle Mage.
- Voice: (Japanese) Daisuke KishioDaisuke Kishiois a male Japanese voice actor. He is a member of Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society . Kishio changed his given name from 大輔 to だいすけ on June 1, 2007 with the pronunciation and romanization remaining the same....
(English) Matthew MercerMatthew MercerMatthew Mercer is an American voice actor, script writer, and independent film maker.-Biography:...
- Voice: (Japanese) Daisuke Kishio
- Reimi Saionji (Earthling, Female, 19 years old, turns 20 in game.)
- Reimi is the childhood friend of Edge as well as an inaugural member of the first SRF mission. She was chosen to join the SRF after she passed the USTA's examinations with flying colors. Her skills with a bow are like no other, having mastered both Western and Eastern styles of archeryArcheryArchery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
. Although she always appears to be a cheerful person to her friends, she treats herself very harshly. It is also assumed that she has had feelings for Edge since she was a child. Her parents serve as board members of the Space Development Division of the USTA. She is one of the only three characters that does not learn symbology. Her weapon is a special futuristic bow, and to make up for the lack of symbology, she learns many special attacks, making her the Long-Range Fighter.- Voice: (Japanese) Misato FukuenMisato Fukuenis a voice actress born on January 10, 1982. She is affiliated with Sigma Seven.-Outline, career, and person:* Formed a vocal group called TAMAGO in 2004 with fellow seiyū Mai Kadowaki....
(English) Laura BaileyLaura Bailey (voice actress)Laura Dawn Bailey is an American actress, voice actress, Singer, Line Producer and ADR Director. She has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films, television series, as well as video games...
- Voice: (Japanese) Misato Fukuen
- Faize Sheifa Beleth (Eldarian, Male, 18 years old)
- Faize is a young man from the planet Eldar and is part of its Planetary Exploration Team. He treats etiquette with the utmost importance and often holds in high regard those who possess skills and abilities which he does not. He is the first extraterrestrial that Edge and Reimi meet and was deeply impressed by Edge's swordsmanship and strong leadership. He is often calm and collected and possesses vast talents such as calculated reasoning and engineering talents which enabled him to build his own spacecraft. Faize uses a Eldarian rapier as a weapon & his symbology is centered around earth and ice, making him a formidable Battle Mage.
- Voice: (Japanese) Mitsuki SaigaMitsuki Saigais a female seiyū who was born in Saitama. Saiga works at Ken Production.-Anime:* .hack//Roots * .hack//Sign * 07-Ghost * Ashita no Nadja...
(English) Jason LiebrechtJason LiebrechtErnest Jason Liebrecht is an American actor and voice actor who works for anime series at Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, New Generation Pictures, and OkraTron 5000...
- Voice: (Japanese) Mitsuki Saiga
- Lymle Lemuri Phi (Lemurisian, Female, 15 years old)
- Lymle is a young girl who lives in the village of Triom on the planet Lemuris, she lost her parents at a young age and has since been raised by her grandfather, Ghimdo, the village chief. She has had the ability to use Symbology, a form of magic, from birth. She is a spoiled child who is often mischievous. She ends most of her sentences with "kay?" Due to an incident when she was younger, she has closed the world out and behaves younger than her age. She took an immediate dislike to Faize when they first met on Lemuris due to his first impression of her. Lymle's weapon is a wand and her symbology is centered around fire, wind and lightning. She can summon a flame Cerberus, who she affectionately calls "doggie" making her the only summoner in the party.
- Voice: (Japanese) Miyuki SawashiroMiyuki Sawashirois a female Japanese voice actress and singer who works for Mausu Promotion.She voiced Puchiko in the English dubbed releases of Di Gi Charat the Movie and Leave it to Piyoko, making her one of the few Japanese voice actors to have reprised a role in English in addition to the original Japanese...
(English) Hunter MacKenzie AustinHunter MacKenzie AustinHunter MacKenzie Austin is an American voice actress who has had roles in various anime. While she was in her teens Austin was a journalist for magazines like Tiger Beat, Glamour and LA Weekly....
- Voice: (Japanese) Miyuki Sawashiro
- Bacchus D-79 (Morphus, Male, 32 years old)
- Bacchus is a scientist from the planet En II, which possesses the latest cutting edge technology which is miles ahead of that of Earth. He is the oldest of the group and voluntarily transformed his body into a cyborg to handle more complex thoughts and calculations. However, this has led him to lose the ability to easily express his emotions, though he still has a strong sense of justice. His cyborg body has also allowed him to be the most resourceful of the group as he has the ability to camouflageCamouflageCamouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
himself. He is one of the three characters that does not learn symbology. His weapon is the laser arm attached to him, combining that with his high HP and DEF, he is the Long-Range Tank of the party.- Voice: (Japanese) Hiroki YasumotoHiroki Yasumotois a Japanese voice actor.-Television Animation:*Black Blood Brothers *Bleach , *Coyote Ragtime Show *Dōjin Work *Durarara!!...
(English) Travis WillinghamTravis WillinghamTravis Hampton Willingham is an American actor and voice actor who works with anime films, television series, as well as video games....
- Voice: (Japanese) Hiroki Yasumoto
- Meracle Chamlotte (Lesser Fellpool, Female, 16 years old)
- Meracle a.k.a. Merry, is a cat-like human female, she is always the most cheerful of the group. She was initially kept a prisoner on an alternate version of Earth as an experiment due to her alien origin. As she has an animal-like nature, she tends to have cat-like qualities such as higher hearing and smelling senses as well as a strong sense of curiosity. She has a big appetite and is constantly hungry, always shouting out "Yummy!" whenever she sees food or something similar to it. On occasion, she turns into a small house-cat (Cutscenes Only). It is heavily implied that she begins to develop romantic feelings for Edge, which results in several humorous cut scenes with Reimi who walks in on them "behaving inappropriately". She is one of the three characters that does not learn Symbology. Since Meracle is half cat she uses her claws as a weapon, making her the Hands-On Fighter.
- Voice: (Japanese) Megumi ToyoguchiMegumi Toyoguchiis a voice actress, born on January 2, 1978 in Machida, Tokyo, Japan. She is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce.-Trivia:* Toyoguchi is the only seiyū to have the distinction of appearing in every anime in the Saturday 6 p.m...
(English) Carrie SavageCarrie SavageCarrie A. Savage is an American voice actress, ADR Director, and Script Writer primarily known for her work for Bang Zoom! Entertainment, ADV Films, Funimation Entertainment, Bandai Entertainment, Geneon Entertainment, Media Blasters, New Generation Pictures, OkraTron 5000, and Viz Media...
- Voice: (Japanese) Megumi Toyoguchi
- Myuria Tionysus (Morphus, Female, 22 years old)
- Myuria is a researcher and combat fighter born on the planet En II, the same planet as Bacchus, though they have never met before. She has a very determined personality, never giving up on whatever she has set her heart on accomplishing, and is very agile and battle fit. She also appears to have a calm personality to her friends, but becomes serious in grave situations. Her ship crashed when she was on her honeymoon when it was caught between an alien spaceship and Crowe's spaceship, the SRF-001 Aquila. Myuria has a thunder staff, her symbology is not centered around a certain element making her the all around Red Mage of the party.
- Voice: (Japanese) Hitomi NabatameHitomi Nabatameis a Japanese voice actress. She is affiliated with Ken Production. When voicing adult games, she is known as , , , or . She also sings opening themes for Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu under the name Miran Himemiya and Chocolate Rockers.-Anime:...
(English) Jessica StrausJessica Straus (voice actress)Jessica Suzanne Straus is an American voice actress who works in the video game and animation industry. She has provided voices for such titles as .hack//GU//Rebirth and Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun...
- Voice: (Japanese) Hitomi Nabatame
- Arumat P. Thanatos (Eldarian, Male, 26 years old)
- Arumat is a warrior from the planet Eldar. After genetically mutating himself, he was gifted with extraordinary fighting abilities even by Eldarian standards. Unfortunately, due to the mutation of his genetics, his muscle cells are breaking down, which has forced him to choose between giving up his current body or dying an early death. He chooses to live out his life for the men he has lost along the way. He was 17 years old when his entire troop was destroyed after a battle with the phantoms, leaving him as the only survivor. Arumat has a giant laser scythe for his weapon. His symbology revolves around Fire and Earth, but his programing makes him prefer his Special Attacks, making him a Beserker Mage.
- Voice: (Japanese) Hiroki TouchiHiroki Touchiis a Japanese voice actor. He has frequently appeared in many anime and appeared in some video games mainly created by tri-Ace.-Games:* Aluze in Valkyrie Profile, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, & Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria...
(English) Kyle HebertKyle HebertKyle Henry Hebert is an American voice actor and podcaster who works with anime films, television series, as well as video games...
- Voice: (Japanese) Hiroki Touchi
- Sarah Jerand (Featherfolk, Female, 19 years old)
- Sarah is a Winged Featherfolk who grew up on the planet of Roak without ever leaving her village once, living in virtual isolation. Unlike other Featherfolk she is unable to fly for short periods of time for unknown reasons. She was later assigned as an envoy to the kingdom of Astral, as the Featherfolk are revered as sacred people. Though she is very naive, she possesses a great sense of kindness, love, and compassion, and often has a motherly attitude to those she comes across. Sarah has a scepter for a weapon. Her symbology is centered around Light, Wind, and Lightning, but she is primarily a White Mage.
- Voice: (Japanese) Noriko RikimaruNoriko Rikimaruis a Japanese voice actor and narrator.-Notable voice roles:*Class President - Seto no Hanayome*Sister Claire - Chrono Crusade*Elie's Mother - Groove Adventure Rave*Asuka Shiratori - Izumo: Takeki Tsurugi no Senki*Sugimoto - Jigoku Shōjo...
(English) Erika Weinstein
- Voice: (Japanese) Noriko Rikimaru
- Crowe F. Almedio (Earthling, Male, 21 years old)
- Crowe is not a playable character, and is a childhood friend, rival, and big brother to Edge beating him in almost every aspect most of the time. He is the captain of the SRF-001 Aquila and was also part of the maiden voyage of the SRF. However, he was separated from the rest of the fleet after a warp anomaly. Crowe attained the rank of Captain at the age of 21 due to his exceptional talent and leadership abilities. His quick thinking allows him to remain calm and analyze situations carefully. Crowe's reason for joining the SRF is to help open a new chapter for Earth and mankind in the aftermath of World War III. Crowe uses dual laser swords for weapons.
- Voice: (Japanese) Kenji HamadaKenji Hamadais a male Japanese voice actor from Fukuoka, Japan who is an affiliate of Mausu Promotion.-Voice roles:*07-Ghost as Hyuuga*Agatha Christie no Meitantei Poirot to Marple as Inspector Craddock...
(English) Kyle HebertKyle HebertKyle Henry Hebert is an American voice actor and podcaster who works with anime films, television series, as well as video games...
- Voice: (Japanese) Kenji Hamada
Development
Star Ocean: The Last Hope was originally announced at the "Star Ocean Special Stage" at the 2007 Square Enix Party as the tentatively titled Star Ocean 4 with no platform. An Xbox 360 release was revealed during the 2008 Xbox 360Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
RPG Premiere. In a special interview with Xbox Japan, weeks before the game's release, game producer Yoshinori Yamagishi revealed that the team began planning out Star Ocean: The Last Hope immediately after they finished developing Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
is the third main game in the Star Ocean series. The game was developed by tri-Ace and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 2 console. It was released in Japan, North America, and the PAL territories. The original Japanese release date was in February of 2003 by Enix, its penultimate...
, so actual development time took about 5 years. The game uses an improved version of the game engine used in Infinite Undiscovery
Infinite Undiscovery
is an action role-playing video game developed by tri-Ace and published by Square Enix exclusively for the Xbox 360. The game was released during September 2008 in Europe, Japan, and North America.-Gameplay:...
, where it is able to generate much better graphics, and the stunning expression of light in real time. He also mentioned that the biggest problem the team encountered while creating the game is capacity, as making a RPG on a latest generation console requires vast amounts of data and coding thanks to the complexity of graphics and animations. The game will also be running at a constant 60 frame/s. Pre-rendered movies are done by a collaboration between tri-Ace and Visual Works, while character design and illustration (only in the Japanese version) is handled by Katsumi Enami, best known for his illustration work in the light novel and anime series Baccano!
Baccano!
is a Japanese light novel series written by Ryohgo Narita and illustrated by Katsumi Enami. The series, often told from multiple points of view, is mostly set within a fictional United States during various time periods, most notably the Prohibition-era. It focuses on various people, including...
.
When asked whether the title would release on the PlayStation 3, Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
producer Yoshinori Yamagishi replied "We can say that it will be released first [on the Xbox 360]. Whether we'll release it on the PS3 is undecided. We may release it, we may not." Square Enix and The Last Hopes development team later stated that there were no plans for a PS3 version. In an interview, Yamagishi said that Xbox 360 was the first seventh generation console to come out, and its "extremely well-made hardware", from a developer's standpoint, as the reasons why he choose it to develop Star Ocean: The Last Hope on. In a test play session held for Microsoft Japan employees and some prominent bloggers, when asked if Star Ocean: The Last Hope follows after Star Ocean: Till the End of Time's plot twist, Yamagishi stated in a Q&A session that the world of SO4 exists in a parallel universe from the one in the first three Star Ocean games. When asked if tri-Ace will remake the first three games on a new generation console, Yamagishi stated that he would rather work on a new sequel to Star Ocean than develop remakes, as the development time for them would be very consuming. Since then Yoshinori Yamagishi has stated that he finished with Star Ocean after achieving all he set out to do with the series.
On September 14, 2009 Star Ocean: The Last Hope International was announced in Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
, exclusively for the PlayStation 3 including new content that was not included in the original Xbox 360 version. This put an end to the many rumors that The Last Hope would receive a PlayStation 3 port.
International version
Star Ocean: The Last Hope International is an international version of The Last Hope which was released February, 2010 exclusively for the PlayStation 3. It came on a single Blu-ray Disc and contains new additional exclusive content for the PlayStation 3 such as dual voices (Japanese and English), the original illustrated character portraits for dialogues, as well as multiple new soundtracks.Soundtrack
The music for Star Ocean: The Last Hope was composed by Motoi SakurabaMotoi Sakuraba
is a Japanese composer of video games, anime series, and television dramas as well as independent progressive rock albums.-Biography:Motoi Sakuraba was born in Akita Prefecture, Japan...
, who has worked on the soundtrack for the previous Star Ocean games and many other games developed by tri-Ace. The soundtrack will be released in two parts:
- Star Ocean: The Last Hope Original Soundtrack - A 3-CD set containing all the music tracks in the game, with a total of 71 tracks. It also contains a DVD extra of an interview with Sakuraba himself, plus video footage of his workshop and some original music performed by him.
- Star Ocean: The Last Hope Arrange Soundtrack - A selection of tracks from the original soundtrack performed in different remixes.
Reception
FamitsuFamitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
awarded the game a total of 34/40, composed of a 9/9/8/8 score.
Overall, the game was far better received than Square Enix's other next-gen console RPGs such as Infinite Undiscovery
Infinite Undiscovery
is an action role-playing video game developed by tri-Ace and published by Square Enix exclusively for the Xbox 360. The game was released during September 2008 in Europe, Japan, and North America.-Gameplay:...
and The Last Remnant
The Last Remnant
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix. The game is directed at both Japanese and Western audiences and had a simultaneous release in Japan, North America and Europe, on November 20, 2008 for the Xbox 360. The game was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows at the end...
, both of which had mixed reviews from critics. IGN awarded the game a score of 8.0. In its review, IGN stated that despite the rough pacing in the storyline that could be told in a much more engaging manner, tri-Ace and Square Enix's latest RPG holds together quite well with action-packed gameplay. One of the small annoyances encountered during the game is the disc-swapping, which requires players to switch discs if they need to travel between planets later in the game. The review also feels that the Japanese voice track should have been included as an option in the North American version, as the English voice track and lip-syncing are horrendous. IGN gave The Last Hope International an 8.5, applauding the inclusion of the Japanese voices, and the original anime portraits. X-Play gave The Last Hope 4 out of 5, stating that the story is epic, engaging and well-paced from start to finish, and combat is frantic, complex and smooth. X-Play stated bad voice acting, and objectives that aren't always clear to lead the player, as the downsides of the game. TeamXbox awarded the game with a score of 8.5, praising the balanced and addictive combat which allows the player to bring both strategy and gaming skill to the fray. The Official Xbox Magazine gives a score of 8.5, citing the addictive mix of combat, quests and storyline as a plus, but criticizes the long stretch of cutscenes and a lack of save points around.
The game has sold 166,027 copies in its first four days on the Japanese market placing it in third place behind Blue Dragon and Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Vesperia
is the tenth main title in the Tales series. It was developed by Namco Tales Studio and published by Namco Bandai Games for the Xbox 360. The title was announced on December 22, 2007 at Jump Festa, and was released on August 7, 2008 in Asia, and on August 26, 2008 in North America...
for sales of Xbox 360 games in Japan. 24,584 Xbox 360 units were also sold during the week of February 16, 2009. The Last Hope has since become the best-selling Xbox 360 game in Japan, with 208,438 units. As of May 31, 2009, the game has sold 450,000 copies worldwide.
GameZone's Steven Hopper gave The Last Hope International an 8.5/10, saying "With the inclusion of the Japanese voice track, this is the definitive version of The Last Hope, and a worthy purchase for Japanese-RPG fans. While the core game hasn’t changed from the original 360 version and there are a couple frustrating issues, this is definitely a solid RPG and a good investment of time."
PixlBit gave The Last Hope International a 4/5 stating, "If you own a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and are looking for the definitive version of Star Ocean: The Last Hope, look no further. The PlayStation 3 version has no disc swapping, while the Xbox 360 version spans 3 discs, and it also features Japanese voice-overs. Finally, the game features a variety of other small enhancements that improve the overall experience in the PlayStation 3 version."
1UP gave The Last Hope a letter grade of B- and The Last Hope International a letter grade of B stating about The Last Hope International: "The PS3 version of Star Ocean 4, while coming out a year after its 360 counterpart, at least brings a few highly desirable additions. For one, you can listen to all the game's dialogue in Japanese -- a feature more games should include (It even made me want to play through the game without the voiceacting turned off completely!). And you can swap the game's menus to a brighter, more anime-inspired look. If, like me, you thought the 360's 3D character portraits looked out of place, it's nice to switch over to the original Japanese art."
