In 1999, the most well-liked recreation within the Star Ocean sequence, Star Ocean: The Second Story, graced the unique PlayStation console and made a technology of gamers intimately aware of the idea of choosing considered one of two protagonists to operate as a perspective character. The hero and heroine, Claude and Rena, respectively, meet one another inside minutes of the sport; they’re the co-leads, regardless of your selection. However large variations nonetheless separate their POV story from their operate as secondary teammates.
Star Ocean: The Divine Power repeats this trick, compelling people to choose both Raymond or Laeticia. Is one route higher than the opposite? Is both route greatest for first-timers? Let’s have a look.
Ought to You Select Raymond Or Laeticia As The Lead Character?
Selections, decisions.
It most likely will not shock you that there isn’t any proper or flawed reply right here. It might be fairly tough if the builders made one route considerably poorer than the opposite, in spite of everything. However then, does all of it boil down to private desire? Sure. Principally.
See, it is essential to notice that you possibly can management both character virtually from the very first battle, simply as you possibly can management each get together member. If one individual’s fight fashion sounds cooler to you — Laeticia is a swift swordswoman and Raymond’s a considerably slower, heavier hitter — simply know which you could swap to the character you did not choose because the lead at any time.
On the identical time, you will lose out on one thing (and acquire one thing in flip) when making your choice. Think about their origins: Ray’s a service provider area captain who’s effectively conscious of the larger image, a veritable ocean of stars (ha) stuffed with superior civilizations. Laeticia is not, as she’s a local of the underdeveloped planet Aster 4. However as such, and given her royal standing inside her kingdom, Laeticia is aware of all kinds of issues about her world that might be better-explained to gamers earlier on by her perspective. Because of this, there might be a good variety of scenes, primarily within the earlier hours of the sport, wherein particular therapy is given to both Laeticia or Ray, with further cutscenes occurring from their POV at the price of lacking out on the others.
You are within the psychological area of 1 or the opposite, and the specifics of Star Ocean: The Divine Power’s sci-fi or fantasy components, respectively, might be more durable to discern for some time. An excellent instance of that is the rationale Laeticia and Albaird are touring collectively. Ray’s proper when he says he can ‘piece issues collectively’ considerably, however a number of issues are murky for him, and by extension for you, till plot moments make clear them. However, gamers who choose Laeticia aren’t going to know concerning the Pangalactic Federation Battleship that fires on Ray’s ship, or rapidly acknowledge any indicators of superior expertise on Aster 4, till, once more, plot moments make clear them.
OK, However Whose Story’s Higher?
Each paths coalesce virtually fully, in order that’s not a query that may really be answered. That mentioned, the true query is: do you like Star Ocean’s Star Trek components or its extra conventional epic fantasy components? You will get a heaping serving to of the previous by Ray, and the latter by Laeticia, earlier than finally settling right into a rhythm the place they’re balanced as a result of each characters totally perceive one another’s origins.
Selecting Ray may even add a way of the cavalier to the sport; his devil-may-care, considerably wise-cracking angle makes him a bit much less curious to be taught the small print of Aster 4’s strife and the princess’ clandestine mission. He’ll be taught, after all; it can simply be at a tempo that his circumstances dictate, moderately than him asking a ton of inquiries to his native companions.
Laeticia is extra inherently inquisitive, however there are issues Ray leaves purposefully… we’ll name it opaque, as a result of he is unsure how a lot he ought to say. Nonetheless, we’ll go so far as to say Laeticia’s path most likely provides you slightly extra comprehension of the worlds past her personal than Raymond’s path gives you for Laeticia’s personal setting. We will not emphasize sufficient that, in time, it is a non-issue. However if you wish to know as a lot as potential, as early as potential, Laeticia’s simply barely the stronger choice. Simply count on to really feel such as you’re lacking little cutscenes right here and there regardless, since you very a lot are.
We might like to let you know to replay Star Ocean: The Divine Power through New Sport Plus after ending it with a view to expertise the opposite aspect of those preliminary occasions. Sadly, there is no such thing as a New Sport Plus characteristic, so you will have to as a substitute begin from scratch.
Maybe one of the best recommendation for gamers who wish to see all of it, with out compromise, could be to play two separate information up till a bit previous the introduction of Midas Felgreed, after which proceed with one of many information. You will not be lacking a lot thereafter. It is a tall order, after all, but it surely’s doable. (Alternatively, simply look issues up on-line proper? Certainly, YouTube’s acquired you lined…)
One different factor to think about when selecting your protagonist is that the playable characters JJ and Theo are solely out there by the Raymond and Laeticia routes, respectively. We’ll replace this information with additional info ASAP, however the cause we have not included it in larger, bolder textual content is that, frankly, newcomers aren’t going to know sufficient concerning the plot to find out who they’d desire, and why. It is Star Ocean custom so as to add slightly wrinkle like this typically, however relaxation assured, you will expertise each characters to some extent regardless!
Information Abstract:
- Star Ocean: The Divine Power – Ought to You Begin As Raymond Or Laeticia?
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