| Star Ocean | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Star_Ocean_SFC.jpg) Super Famicom cover art | |
| Developer(s) | tri-Ace (SFC) Tose (PSP) |
| Publisher(s) | Enix (SFC) Square Enix (PSP/PS4/Switch) |
| Director(s) | Joe Asanuma |
| Producer(s) | Yoshinori Yamagishi |
| Designer(s) | Masaki Norimoto |
| Programmer(s) | Yoshiharu Gotanda |
| Artist(s) | Meimu |
| Writer(s) | Yoshiharu Gotanda |
| Composer(s) | Motoi Sakuraba |
| Series | Star Ocean |
| Platform(s) | Super Famicom, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 |
| Release | Super FamicomPlayStation PortableFirst Departure R Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4
|
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Star Ocean[a] is a 1996 action role-playing game developed by tri-Ace and published by Enix for the Super Famicom. The first game in the Star Ocean series, it was released only in Japan in July 1996, and was the first game developed by tri-Ace, consisting of staff that had previously left Wolf Team due to being unhappy with the development process for Tales of Phantasia with Namco in 1995. The game used a special compression chip in its cartridge to compress and store all of the game's data due to possessing graphics that pushed the limits of the Super Famicom. Additionally, the game had voice acting for the game's intro and voice clips that played during the game's battle gameplay, a rarity for games on the system.
The story involves three friends who, while searching for the cure to a new disease, come into contact with a space-faring federation that is locked in a war with another galactic power. Using advanced technologies and time travel, the group attempts to uncover the cause of the war and to find a cure for their planet. The Super Famicom version was never released outside Japan due to Enix closing its American branch shortly before the game was finished, as well as Nintendo's focus on supporting the then-upcoming Nintendo 64 video game console. The game was later remade by Tose for the PlayStation Portable under the title Star Ocean: First Departure,[b] and released in English-speaking regions in North America, Europe, and Australia in October 2008. A remastered version titled Star Ocean: First Departure R[c] was released for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 worldwide in December 2019.[5] The game was the start of the entire Star Ocean series, featuring six main games, 3 spin-offs, a remake, a remaster, and a manga.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
nintendolife1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "From CHRONO TRIGGER to THE LAST REMNANT: Square Enix Rolls Out an Exciting E3 2008 Lineup of New Epics and Fan Favorites" (Press release). Square Enix. July 9, 2008. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2015.
- ^ Gantayat, Anoop (October 5, 2007). "ORIGINAL STAR OCEAN PSP ANNOUNCED". IGN. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
- ^ Justin (October 3, 2008). "STAR OCEAN: FIRST DEPARTURE RELEASE DATE ANNOUNCEMENT". Gamer Investments. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
- ^ a b Jenni (September 10, 2019). "Star Ocean: First Departure R Will Launch Worldwide On December 5, 2019". Siliconera. Archived from the original on September 11, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
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