The fans of Star Ocean: Till the End of Time

[Arcana]

I know this game is a bit old, but hey, some games don't truly expire.

Anyone into Star Ocean III? While, ironically, I didn't really care much for the game's layout or even its main story, I rather adored a number of its characters and how they interacted with each other. That's always a Star Ocean classic.

I particularly liked Nel (in battle and out of it) and her interactions with the other members of the Crimson blades.

However I've noticed that the fan establishment for this game is rather weak now... is it just that it's too old and people have moved on to other things? Or, perhaps it's that people who like this game are scattered to the four winds. I finished the game about six months ago, but kind of forgot about it until I looked at the manga on a recent trip to Japan and was endeared by the silliness of the end-of-volume joke stories. They have stories like Nel going on a date with Tynave, Sophia getting Fayt drunk, and Nel looking through Ameena's underwear drawer to see if she's actually Sophia! They're entirely special.

Anyone have an opinion about this game and its community?

[Cless]

My biggest beef with this game was its iteration of the item creation system. That took a huge chunk of my enjoyment out of it. I probably would have put a lot more time into the game if that aspect was a lot more agreeable to me.

There were some other little things that got to me that totally artificially inflate playtime that were just got a tad ridiculous. But for all intents and purposes they were optional...

I did enjoy a lot of the improvements to the battle engine though. Of course there are a few nitpicks I could make there as well.

Well as a long time tri-Ace fan, I was mostly disappointed by the direction it took. After seeing Tales refining all the systems in (most) every successive game, I just expected a little more. Especially a much more customizable member AI. I kinda used to consider Tales and Star Ocean unofficial sister series, but SO3's ideas shattered that image.

Really, it wasn't a bad game. I enjoyed it more on my second playthrough. I guess I was just a little underwhelmed overall.

As far as the community is concerned though... I never really paid much mind to it, aside from a few GameFAQs board visits.

[Phren]

Same here. I really hated a lot of things about it. Well, maybe not hated, but I was definatly expecting more, and that probably set me up for dissapointment already.
I'm an obsessive So2 fan, so I had stellar hopes for3, but it let me down.Most notably was the being grounded on the backwater planet was annoying, because it was much less interesting in it's own right then I found Expel/E-Nede to be. It was all about stuff happening outside of it, and the need to find a way *off* it to deal with them, instead of it being about a problem occuring where you are, in front of you.
And villains? There's no really motivation or backplot, they are just dumped on you. "Here's the final boss and why you have to fight him, here you go, have at it."

There's also sequel-killing events that really didn;t do it for me.
Item creation was a little dissapointing, but wasn't *terrible* once you got the hang of it.

[Seni]

Star ocean 3 wasnt that great for me, it started good I but lost my interest after a while. I wonder if there series has died after this game.

[Arcana]

Aw, that's too bad to hear. I liked a few of the locales, though I admit that the whole planet Elicoor was incredibly dull after a while, since you simply spent so much time on it. I was hoping for more space... but, it's Star Ocean. I should have expected a planet-wide romp.

I didn't like the item system either and I got annoyed with some of the experience levels in the game (you got some experience from easier enemies, then once you go through a certain area, all of the enemies give you LESS experience than before, which was incredibly infuriating, as it made fighting not worth it). So it had its drawbacks. I was almost not going to beat the game and was about to let it rot on the "I got to the final dungeon but didn't have the heart to finish the game" shelf, but someone encouraged me to get to the end and I'm glad that I did.

I enjoyed it more the farther I got. I thought the plot was actually there, unlike 2's (what was 2's plot anyway? Some planet gets destroyed, you go back in time, there are 12 wise men who hijack you, so you kill them and your planet's restored??) and much of the game's negative elements could be ignored (you don't actually need to invent anything until close to the end when you have good inventors).

It's too bad there doesn't seem to be a big fan base for this game, because I'm looking for other fans.

[Goshi]

You don't go back in time, you get warped to some other planet. Although I sortof thought that considering that idea was somewhat reused from the first game.

I agree though SO2 needed heavy work on the plot. Espicially on character development.

[Cless]

I agree though SO2 needed heavy work on the plot. Espicially on character development.

Rena and Claude were fine, the problem was with the optional characters. Optional characters didn't MATTER AT ALL in the main story. There's no meaningtful interaction in it. At story points, the CPU will just randomly choose an optional character to give out a generic line that often somehow feels disconnected.

It would have been really cool to see some slight branching and different events depending on your party.

SO3 was much, much, much better at character interaction. Although that game had many more madatory characters. There were no optional characters in the original version of it. Although the director's cut and foreign versions added Mirage and Adray (as well as made them mandatory). Nel, Albel and Roger became optional

[Xeroma]

Peppita also became optional.

And... I liked SO3 more than 2, honestly. It had its flaws, but I didn't spend over 100 hours on it for nothing, certainly. I liked the way they handled battles, and it was a generally pretty game with a good soundtrack. Also had waaaay better plot/characters than SO1 and SO2.

Granted, the Item Creation system was dumb, and I feel that battle skills needed some more balance. Also, some of the secrets were just stupid. *punts the HELL out of bunny races, as always*

But all in all, I liked it.

[Arcana]

I liked, in general, the way that private actions were handled in SO3 (i.e. you didn't even notice that they were separate events). It felt more natural to do it like that instead of running around in town because you specifically hit the "PRIVATE ACTIONS!!!!!1!" button. Although there were a few that were difficult to find, the private actions were never integral enough to the game to make it frustrating if you happened to miss one or two.

What I wish there was more of was a way to tell if someone liked you or hated you! I didn't know who the characters in my party liked, and I was a bit upset when I got the Fayt and Adray ending. I hardly used the old man, either. Bleah.

I think Star Ocean 2 might have been entertaining because I was much, much younger then and therefore more tolerant of badness in games. I mean, honestly. Star Ocean 2's plot was pretty nonexistent and nonsensical, and its characters were poorly utilized in the story. Star Ocean 3's story was much more character-driven, and that really helped bring up the quality of the game.

Star Ocean 3 had some retarded dungeons, though.

[Goshi]

Rena and Claude were fine, the problem was with the optional characters. Optional characters didn't MATTER AT ALL in the main story. There's no meaningtful interaction in it. At story points, the CPU will just randomly choose an optional character to give out a generic line that often somehow feels disconnected.

It would have been really cool to see some slight branching and different events depending on your party.

I agree, Claude and Rena were fine and the other members like Percis and Leon needed work but what harms it more is that practically all the characters you get are like that. Although the Private actions help fix that (The drinking with Ashton one is one of my favourites) but in the main storyline work is needed.

Although I'm pretty sure some events in SO2 change depending on certain circumstances. Like if you chose not to keep Celine and then go visit her hometown for example. But then again, how can you not want to use Celine?

[Phren]

*keeps his mouth shut about not using Celene*

All in all, I like so2, despite, and maybe even in places, because of, its flaws. And I kind of liked the 'private action' button. It was something more to do, and it let you kind of know what the hell was going on in terms of affection point vlaues, instead of wondering what was going on with them in the background. (how would you even do it without a guide to tell you what characters were feeling what about what the hell you decided to name your virtual battle team?!?) You got to know and talk to who you wanted to.
The main plot, yeah, they naver played much of a part, but - I kind of ignored the main plot a tad, I have to admit. Though, it had it's moments.

[Goshi]

Actually to be honest I prefer Leon over Celine. Its such a shame you can't get him Rena's story though

Instead your stuck with Dias and he sucks

[Sa$uk3]

I'm a fun of SO3.
I ended the game 4 times
Freya was good but not good enough to me -.^
I have 255lv of all character is the game..
Who will beat me??
I plays in every RPG on ps2 and psx
Who play in BOF4?
Please REPLY

[supersonic1453]

^ I really hope that English is not your first language.

I liked SO3, not enough to sit through the extra dungeons though.  Mostly because I hated the ending with a passion.  Mirage and Adray should have also been optional.  I much rather would have had Nel, Albel, Peppita, and Roger.

I played BoF4 too, but what that has to do with Star Ocean or tri-Ace, I don't know.

[Tsukimoon]

I loved everthing about SO3, I only wish I hadn't saved Roger though, Albel didn't come back... T_T I quit a little through the 2nd disc because of that. I want to see what's so special about universe mode, that's what's mainly driving me through. The plot is absolutely wonderful.
Edit: I realize this might be a dead post but posting here means I'm a SO fan, too. I left some things out as well, I think SO1 was the best, at first i didn't but it grew on me, (playing SO3 first and then playing SO1, it was pretty nostalgic seeing all the cool stuff, like the chairs, in SNES graphics.)