Star Ocean: The Divine Force

Reach for the stars, end up on Aster IV

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Six years and one whole console generation have passed since the last entry in the Star Ocean series, so The Divine Force has quite a gap to fill. This time, the expected science-fiction theme is sharing space with elements of fantasy and magitek as dual protagonists Ray and Laeticia bring the 'underdeveloped' planet of Aster IV and life beyond the stars together in an eclectic team-up. Each of them has a separate mission, but they're heading the same way.

Gorgeous character designs, lush, detailed settings, and an excellent soundtrack from Motoi Sakuraba make this a feast for the senses, but there is a slight element of style over substance. The story is slow-paced and lacks drive. While there is the possibility that occasionally missing scenes depending on whether you're following Ray or Laeticia's route has a bearing on this, given the pair work closely together much of the story is the same, so it doesn't quite explain the surprisingly relaxed pace of the plot.