From the characters to the combat, here’s everything you need to know about the new RPG from Tri-Ace and Square Enix.
Star Ocean The Divine Force will soon touch down on PS5 and PS4! This action-packed science-fiction RPG presents a bold new vision for the beloved RPG series, with a powerful story, innovative traversal mechanics, and a combat system that’s just… *chef’s kiss.
That said, we suspect that some of you may still be wondering what this game is all about. Read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know:
It’s the sixth mainline entry in the Star Ocean series…
You may have played a Star Ocean game before – or at least heard of it. The series has been around since 1996 and has won many fans thanks to distinct science-fiction trappings. While many RPGs lean into fantasy tropes, the Star Ocean series embraces space opera wholeheartedly – think spaceships, interplanetary travel, advanced technologies, and the like. Even now it feels very unique in the genre.
Star Ocean The Divine Force is the sixth mainline title in the series and brings with it excitingly fresh ideas, including unparalleled freedom of movement and a blisteringly fast combat system.
…but it’s completely standalone
Similar to other RPG series like Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, each entry in the Star Ocean series works as a standalone adventure. There’s no need to have played through the previous games to work out what’s going on – the entire narrative from start to finish is contained within the game. Of course, if you are a fan of the previous games, you may spot a reference or two…
It’s an epic adventure that fuses science fiction and fantasy
The adventure begins when starship captain Raymond Lawrence crash lands on the planet of Aster IV. This dangerous world is like stepping into a long-forgotten past for the young spacefarer – people still live in castles, wear plate armor and kingdoms wage war against one other. Joining forces with a warrior princess named Laeticia, he sets off to find the rest of his crew and get off the planet… unaware that he will soon find himself embroiled in a conflict that threatens the entire universe.
The dual protagonist system returns from previous games
At the beginning of your adventure, you’ll be able to choose between two main characters: Raymond or Laeticia. This isn’t just a cosmetic decision – the events that transpire and the allies you can recruit will differ depending on who you play as.
You can play as Raymond …
Raymond is the captain of the merchant vessel Ydas, operating under Lawrence Logistics – a company run by his family. He’s a friendly guy with big hair and a bigger heart. He can be brash and reckless, which often gets himself into trouble – but he’ll throw himself into the heart of danger to protect his friends. He’s a protagonist who’s easy to love.
…or Laeticia
Laeticia is Princess of the Kingdom of Aucerius: a large territory located on the underdeveloped planet of Aster IV. She’s a knight and highly skilled with the dual blades, something that makes her greatly admired by her people. Laeticia is insatiably curious and her encounter with Raymond opens her eyes to a bigger world than she knows… but more than anything she loves her kingdom and will do whatever she can to protect it.
You have incredible freedom of movement
Early in the story, Raymond and Laeticia encounter a mysterious mechanical life form called D.U.M.A. It gives our heroes access to supernatural powers, including the ability to go… well, almost anywhere. With a press of a button, characters can soar into the sky to quickly scale cliffs or buzz over buildings – the vast environments of Star Ocean The Divine Force are now yours to explore from all angles!
Combat is blisteringly fast…
The Star Ocean series is known for its fast-paced combat, but The Divine Force takes things to another level entirely! You’ll have access to a party of up to four characters at a time, each equipped with an ever-expanding collection of skills and abilities. You can equip different commands to your controller’s face buttons, letting you access commands, layout combos, use items and more in an instant.
…and agile…
D.U.M.A. doesn’t just help you get around with style – it completely transforms combat by giving you the ability to run rings around opponents… or more accurately fly rings around them. Your ‘Vanguard Assault’ powers let you charge toward an enemy at spectacular speeds. Change your direction at the last moment to perform a Blindside attack – you’ll zip behind your bewildered foe and leave them utterly defenseless. Yes, it’s as wildly entertaining as it sounds!
But you can slow things down if you want
All the above makes for an intense combat system, but if you’re the type of RPG fan who likes to think through their actions, you can use ‘Wait Mode’ to freeze the action so you can give your allies instructions, change targets, or just take a breather while you plan your strategy.
You can recruit multiple allies – and get to know them
As you play through Star Ocean The Divine Force, you’ll recruit various allies, all with their own distinct personalities and combat styles. All are playable, and you can switch between them seamlessly, both in and out of combat. Private Actions let you spend time with these eccentric individuals, discover unique character storylines and even special endings – so it’s worth getting to know your team!
That’s just a very broad overview of Star Ocean The Divine Force – there’s so much to discover in the game, but frankly we don’t want to ruin any surprises (and oh boy, are there surprises).
The game’s launches for PS5 and PS4 on October 27. If you want to try it out for yourselves right now though, a free demo is also available to download (note that progress does not carry through to the full game).
We hope you enjoy the game – see you in the sea of stars!