A new trailer has dropped for Star Ocean: The Divine Force, and a release date came with it. Square Enix and Tri-Ace are looking to give Star Ocean another shot after the fifth entry garnered a lukewarm response from fans and critics alike. Square Enix may be looking to pepper the year with smaller-yet-refined experiences to round out their 2022 calendar in a year lacking significant releases.
The last Star Ocean game left many fans wondering if the series was in jeopardy. Square Enix had rereleased a remake of the Super Nintendo JP-only classic Star Ocean: First Departure in December 2019. Still, even that was an upscaled version of the 2007 PSP release. With Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness netting low sales and low critic scores in both the Western and Japanese markets, it felt like the once-beloved series was about to be on ice indefinitely. Thankfully, last October, during a Sony State of Play showcase, Star Ocean: The Divine Force got a 2022 release window and was shown off with all of the sci-fi hallmarks fans have come to love.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force was announced with a release date of October 27, 2022, as a worldwide simultaneous release. This is a big deal for developer Tri-Ace, as the team has never shipped a flagship game of its own in multiple markets once. Though this is becoming more of a trend as the industry is expected to meet rising market expectations, it's still a welcome surprise for international fans. The new Star Ocean trailer shows off bombastic action combat similar to the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 releases of Tales of Arise in 2021 with a sci-fi twist. The sci-fi opera looks like it will reinvigorate traversal and speed up combat while bringing back many of tropes and series staples.
Star Ocean: The Divine Force Releases This Fall To Compete With Xenoblade Chronicles
Those unfamiliar with Star Ocean should know that the series typically puts players in the shoes of a protagonist usually aligned with an intergalactic government in the distant future. Cataclysmic events tend to surround the lead, causing them to be stranded on another planet that's underdeveloped compared to their own. The protagonist is always warned against intervening with underdeveloped worlds as it can upset what the Galactic Federation sees as "the natural order." The cast is usually rounded out by eccentric characters that range from medieval knights to space wizards, all coming together to deal with a universal threat. The game tends to share fans and features that the Xenoblade Chronicles series has, and it seems the developers are aware of this as it inches closer to release.
The new trailer for Star Ocean: The Divine Force highlights the game's new traversal system, which shows characters dashing and flying with a jetpack-like piece of equipment, allowing for freedom of movement in environments that harken back to the original Xenoblade Chronicles. Seeing as though the game will be released three months after Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Square Enix may be looking to capitalize on the high that Xenoblade fans will be on, banking on bringing in new fans looking for more open-world JRPG gameplay. Hopefully, Square Enix and Tri-Ace will hit the sweet spot fans have been looking for when Star Ocean: The Divine Force releases this fall for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
Source: Square Enix/YouTube
