#Gemdrops

[fostersffff]

They simply do not make them like this anymore, so I'm glad they're remaking it.

(from this twitter thread)

[satoshi-mochida]

Star Ocean: The Second Story R opening movie.

[demifiendrsa]

Star Ocean The Second Story R - Announce Trailer

Japanese version

Star Ocean The Second Story R will launch for for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on November 2, 2023 worldwide. It will launch both physically and digitally for $49.99.

Pre-orders for the standard digital edition are available now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. Digital edition pre-orders for Switch will open at a later date. Players who pre-order the physical or digital editions will receive the following digital content as a pre-order bonus:

Pangalactic Federation Longsword

Forest Knuckles

Sunrise Ring

Set of recovery items (Mixed Berries x20 + Resurrection Potion x20)

A $199.99 Collector’s Edition will also be available exclusively via Square Enix Store as a special, limited quantity set. It includes the following content:

Star Ocean: The Second Story R standard edition game

Collector’s Edition goods box

**Star Ocean: The Second Story R original soundtrack Collector’s Edition

**Star Ocean: The Second Story R art book

**Star Ocean: The Second Story R mini acrylic stand collection box

Title logo

Key visual

Character artwork

Pixel artwork

Screenshots

Overview

About

Brought to life with a unique 2.5D aesthetic, this remake includes everything that made the original release so great while adding new elements too!

Story

Two worlds, one fateful encounter.

In an endless sea of stars, at the edge of the universe, two people who live in different worlds go on a journey to save planet Expel.

Choose your path and witness an awakened destiny.

Key Features

Fantasy and Science-Fiction Collide in a Unique Visual Style – From dangerous dungeons to bustling towns, the world of Star Ocean: The Second Story R is depicted in beautiful 3D graphics with nostalgic 2D pixel characters.

Experience a Story with Dual Protagonists – Start your journey with either Claude or Rena. Depending on your choice, the perspectives and the allies you can recruit will change. Get to know party members via the unique Private Actions system, grow relationships and unlock various endings.

Thrilling, Visually Explosive Battles! – Enjoy fast-paced combat and use new mechanics to strategically defeat foes. “Break” by continuously dealing damage and order your allies to follow-up with an Assault Action to deal massive damage.

[capsulecomputers]

Star Ocean: The Second Story R Review

Developer: tri-Ace, Gemdrops Publisher: Square Enix Platforms:PC, PlayStation 4, Playstation 5 (Reviewed), Switch Release Date: Available Now Price: $49.99 USD

When the original already is seen as one of the best #classic RPGs, can Square Enix top it with their latest version of #StarOcean: The Second Story R? Check out our full review of this #RPG inside to see what we think.

[frankjs]

#Crystar #NIS #NISA #NipponIchiSoftware #Gemdrops #FuRyu #SpikeChunsoft #RPG #JRPG #ActionRPG #ARPG #Action #ActionAdventure #Nintendo #Switch #NintendoSwitch #NSW #CustomSpine #BelmontsSwitchPrints #Etsy #EtsyShop #InternalArtwork #Geek #Videogames #Gaming #Collector #Collection #Gamestop #GamestopCanada (at Etobicoke) https://www.instagram.com/p/CdGxraOJCjb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[shadowqueen402]

How I Would Make Balan Wonderworld A Better Game

Before I start, I will let everyone know that I loved the game and always will. I have played it several times and read the novel several times. I even have the Tim plushie whom I lovingly called 'Cotton'. That was how much I loved the Balan Wonderworld franchise.

That said, despite it being an awesome game, I know there is still room for lots of improvements. I am well aware of what Yuji Naka went through with Square Enix and the fact that the game wasn't really finished. So it's safe to say that this game definitely deserves a second chance.

Without further ado, let me explain to you guys some ideas on what I think should be added in the game in order to make it better.

CAMERA FIXED: One of the few things I took notice was the camera. If you stand in a certain part of the Chapter you're in, the camera blocks most of your view. This is bad, especially if you're either fighting Negati or standing near the edge of the pits. So you pretty much can't see what you're doing or where you're going. So I believe the camera being fixed should be the first thing that needs to be improved.

CONTROLS: This one is pretty obvious, but almost all of the control buttons cause the player to just…jump. That's pretty much about it. You can't really do anything else except for either move or jump. Another thing I would like to be added in the game is more action. For example, if you press the Y button on the Switch while holding the left controller down, you can make Emma/Leo walk instead of just running. Or pressing the X button alone will cause them to grab things with no costume required.

DIALOGUE: Another one of the few things I took notice is the dialogue. Balan is the only character that has the most speaking roles in the game. Lance only has one line and the other characters have no speaking role. I believe more dialogue should be added in the game. That way, it would give us more insight of Emma and Leo's relationship with Balan, Balan and Lance's relationship with each other, or the Inhabitants thanking the player for saving them before telling their backstory. Plus, more dialogue will also mean character development as well.

MINI GAMES: The reason why I think these should be added? To help get more gemdrops and unlock modes and cool stuff. We'll get to that in a bit, but for now, let me explain the mini-game idea. If mini-games were added, I would like to imagine them being unlocked after you save the Inhabitant. For example, after you save Fiona Demetria, the mini-game you unlock is a dolphin race. In the mini-games, you can play as either the main protagonist you chose, the rescued Inhabitant, or Balan himself. The mini-games will include stuff such as racing, collecting items, hide and seek, protecting the costumes from the Negati, maze games, etc. The more points you collect, the more gemdrops you'll receive. If you hit a Negati, you'll lose points.

UNLOCK CHARACTERS: I would also love the idea where, after you rescue an Inhabitant, you can choose to play as them. Regarding the dialogue section, each Inhabitant will say something depending on what they're doing. If they're feeding/holding the Tims, they'll say something nice to them. If they're fighting off Negati, they may either grunt while battling or say something about wanting to protect the Chapter. If they're defeated, they would either groan in pain before passing out or possibly refuse to accept defeat. But it would all depend on the Inhabitant you play as.

ENDINGS: I like to believe that Balan Wonderworld should have four endings in general: a good ending, a true ending, a hidden ending or a bad ending. Here's what I believe would happen in each ending and how you would obtain it. Also, when the player is about to fight Lance, they should be given the option on whether they wish to fight him or save him. Options will be explained in a bit.

—In the Good Ending, the player must not only save all of the Inhabitants and have good relationships with them, but their relationship with Balan must be high. However, their relationship with Lance must not be at maximum. And in the finale, the player must choose to fight Lance. It will end up with a similar ending to what we saw in the game. But I would like a cutscene where Balan speaks to himself, saying how he wished things would turn out differently for Lance, but he is still proud of Leo and Emma for saving Wonderworld and everyone.

—In the True Ending, all relationships with Balan, the Inhabitants, and Lance must be at maximum. In other words, the player must earn both Balan's and Lance's friendship throughout the game. After saving all of the Inhabitants, the player must choose to save Lance instead. After Lance is saved, the true ending will play out and everyone will be sent home while Lance will start his road for redemption.

—In the Hidden Ending, the player's relationship with Lance must be high. Their relationship with the Inhabitants must either be high or not at maximum. Their relationship with Balan must not be at maximum, but it can't be low. This would be the only ending where the player does not fight Lance automatically. Upon entering his domain, Lance will reveal to the player the truth about Balan just like in the novel. At this point, the player will be given the option to either save Lance or fight him. Regardless of the choice, after everyone is sent home, Lance will reappear and warn Balan about ending up like him.

—And finally, in the Bad Ending, the player's relationship with Lance must be low. But their relationships with Balan and the Inhabitants must be either not at maximum or low. Also, in the finale, the player must choose to fight Lance. Without the Inhabitants' help, Lance will trap Emma and Leo in Wonderworld along with the others. Balan will be unfortunate enough to witness Wonderworld get corrupted by Lance as he sadly laments the two teens' fate before going off to try to save the Inhabitants.

For the Inhabitants, I would like for them to have secret endings for them as well. After you complete the whole game, Act 3 will appear. If you play Act 3 as a certain Inhabitant, you can unlock their secret ending. For example, Iben's secret ending will show her introducing her son to his baby sister while a picture of her late parents can be seen. But the secret ending can only appear if you get either the good ending or the true ending.

OPTIONS: I would also love for both Emma and Leo to have options on how they should respond or react in a certain situation. In a conversation cutscene with, let's say, Jose, they would have either two or three options. If options were implemented, I would like for them to affect the ending that you're going to get. Positive responses increase your chances of the good or true endings while negative responses increase your chances of a bad ending. Neutral responses won't do anything.

RELATIONSHIPS: I would also love for each of the characters to have a relationship meter. Each meter will have a symbol that represents them at the top. The more positive responses you choose, the higher it will grow. Playing mini-games with the Inhabitant can also increase their relationship meter. If the player chooses a negative response, the meter will decrease. Once the meter reaches up to maximum, the symbol will glow and you may unlock something.

MODES: I would like a few modes to be added into the game that could make it interesting. Each of these modes will not only increase your relationships with the characters, but they can also help you practice your skills to fight stronger enemies. Here are some of the modes that I think should be added.

—Daycare Mode: This mode will allow the player to practically adopt either a Tim, a Negati, or both. Any Negati that you adopt will not cause any harm. When the player adopts the creature of their choice, they will be given the option to give them a name. The player will be allowed to not only pet their creature(s), but also feed them, bathe them, or dress them up. Owning a Tim/Negati will increase your relationship with Balan/Lance. The more you take care of them, the better.

—Inhabitant Mode: This mode will cause you to play as any of the Inhabitants that you've rescued. It will unlock the moment Jose Gallard is saved. But once you've selected the Inhabitant of your choice, a cutscene will play that will show how they found the theater. They will then have to navigate through their Chapter to complete a quest that Balan assigns them. A cutscene will show their reaction to seeing Lance for the first time.

—Customization Mode: In this mode, the Inhabitants that you've saved will have their own wardrobe. Any outfits that you've unlocked will appear in their wardrobe. Plus their default outfits will appear in Emma's or Leo's wardrobe too. Wearing the default outfits of the Inhabitants give an increase to the relationship meter of the Inhabitant. There will also outfits for Emma and Leo. Also, you can decide on the hair color and eye color for your character. Hairstyles for the female characters can also be unlocked.

—Balan's Mode: This is kind of like the Balan Bouts, but with some more twists to it. The player will play as Balan in this mode. Like the Balan Bouts, you will have to enter the mode by approaching a floating Balan hat. Once the player touches the hat, Balan will appear and you will begin to play as him. But this time, Balan will stay in the Chapter and complete his quest. Completing Balan's Mode in every Chapter increases your relationship with him.

UNLOCK ITEMS: I would definitely like for the game to have items hidden around each Chapter that can be unlocked. Some of the items will require the player to complete each Chapter as well as win mini-games. The items that can be unlocked include some of the following: outfits for the player, the Inhabitants' default outfits, accessories for the Tims and Negati, certain types of snacks for the Tims and Negati (aside from gemdrops), etc.

STATUES: I took notice that the Balan Statues which are usually hidden around in the Acts of every Chapter require costumes from later Chapters in order to get. Let's think about the dancing scene after you saved an Inhabitant. I have this idea where, instead of just trying to risk losing a costume by getting the statues, the dance level is a game that you play in order to earn statues. If you time the moves right, you get a better chance at earning one.

ENGLISH VOICE ACTORS: Yes, I would love for english voice actors to be in the game. Especially if there was more dialogue to begin with. In an earlier post, I wrote which of the voice actors that I headcanon the characters being voiced by. I would love to hear the talents of those voice actors if they ever starred in the game.

And that's pretty much it. Let me know in the comment what you guys think!

[cerealsensei]

This game has been hurting my feelings but I’m enjoying it

Cogen: Sword Of Rewind

Published By Gemdrops Inc

Release Date: Jan 27th 2022 (Nintendo Switch)

[7ooo-ru]

Star Ocean The Second Story R получит крупное обновление с новым геймплейным контентом и многим другим

Square Enix и Gemdrops объявили о выходе бесплатного обновления для Star Ocean The Second Story R, версии 1.10, добавляющего новый игровой контент.

Подробнее https://7ooo.ru/group/2024/03/27/363-star-ocean-the-second-story-r-poluchit-krupnoe-obnovlenie-s-novym-geympleynym-kontentom-i-mnogim-drugim-grss-293807858.html

[goatlingsvent]

cant wait to see mercurialfox’s dotd goat suddenly stop leveling up in strength because they can’t dupe their gemdrops anymore

🛖

[terras-diary]

game review - star ocean the second story r

context: i played the original ps version back in highschool. i found it fun enough but i couldn't actually beat it, my brother had to do it. there were definitely areas that were a slog. and honestly i don't remember the finer details of the story, but i remember the general plotline.

i took the same party that i did in my original playthrough: rena, claude, celine, ashton, bowman, noel, chisato

story: it's actually a lot sillier than i remember. it's also pretty corny and it takes a while to get to the 'real' plot of the game. i didn't mind that, but i was really surprised at how much i had forgotten. and it's sci-fi near the end but you really do spend a lot of your time being a normal person on expel. energy nede really comes at you quick.

characters: for a playstation game, the characters are very memorable. in today's time, they are pretty one dimensional, or maybe just simple is a better way of putting it. but still enjoyable.

but claude was like such a dickhead in a way that i do not remember. it made me laugh actually. like you were not like that before.

also a lot of the dialogue near the end of the game was an npc explaining something then either rena or claude just repeating what the npc just said. it became kind of apparent near the end. and kind of annoying.

the villains - even if you do the extra real ending - are kind of a cop out i think. the wise men were just there to be evil. gabriel/indalecio i think is a good enough villain but in modern times it becomes evident that the others are just kind of there.

battling: every issue i had with the original battle mechanics and level progression has more or less been solved with this remaster. the ability to put spells on the back triggers, other characters in the reserves gain exp, separating the bp and sp, being able to summon your back members for an attack, different formations giving boosts, the ability to fast travel, the ability to see where p.a. and other non-story events took place, and the friendship meter is visible!!!! that was a mouthful but geez it made the game such a breeze. and it was still fun considering all the changes which you might think would make it less challenging.

other odds and ends: you know tri-ace didn't actually do this remake. it was a company called gemdrops. who the fuck is gemdrops? i honestly just bought this game because of the branding, i was fully expecting this to be trash. i could not have been more wrong, it's awesome. so who is gemdrops? the guy who founded the studio was the battle programmer at tri-ace for valkyrie profile and star ocean. suddenly it all makes sense. the people who made all those good games, they left the company. i always knew tri-ace wasn't what it used to be, but this really cements it. all the greats left. it's that simple. tri-ace may own those ips, but they are nothing without the employees who made them great.

the voice acting - which i learned for the english dub was just the psp voices from like 2006 reused - were really good. i was even more impressed to learn it wasn't a dub made today but rather 15 years ago. i wish they leaned into the more iconic, corny lines from the original dub. (burn!! oh it's hot!! and 10 seconds.... are sorely missed)

the difficulty settings. in the original, earth was the normal difficulty but on this version that was the easy version. well i played on earth because i thought they were going to pull a sneaky or something but not really. i wonder why they bothered to rename the difficulty settings, instead of just making a new name for the easy difficulty. because there was galaxy and universe - both difficult, so is there only one difficult now? dunno.

conclusion: this is the ideal way to play star ocean 2. i don't think i will ever start another playthrough using my playstation copy ever again. that is what makes a good remake - the original version is now obsolete in all ways. pretty much every issue was fixed because the people who worked on this game actually worked on the original version of it. they knew this game in and out to be able to fix all the issues with it. you could tell this was a labor of love and not something that just needed to be done and pushed out. star ocean is good again.

[fostersffff]

This was a pleasant surprise!

I follow Gemdrops because they developed COGEN: Sword of Rewind, which is an “Inti Creates-like” that came out last year that I really enjoyed. Since then, though, the only thing they’ve been posting about are some less interesting projects- various VR experiences, a Kizuna AI rhythm game- so finding out they’ve been developing a full-scale remake of one of my favorite PSX RPGs is fucking incredible.

[satoshi-mochida]

Star Ocean: The Second Story R releases today for the PS4, PS5, Switch and Steam.

[blaze-n-rekka]

Rena and Claude on the overworld map. Star Ocean The Second Story R was released worldwide this past November 2nd. Originally developed by tri-ace and released by Enix (now Square Enix) on the original PlayStation in 1998, this new remake/remaster was developed by Gemdrops, breathing fresh new life into what had been considered the heart of the Star Ocean franchise. Some fans are even hoping…

[capsulecomputers]

Star Ocean The Second Story R – Gameplay

After a meteorite crashes into the planet and starts causing strange events to occur around the world, Rena hopes to meet her "Hero of Light" to save the day only to encounter a powerful and strange ally in the form of Claude. We begin to investigate the strange events happening in the world, making a new ally on the way in the beginning of Square Enix's Star Ocean: The Second Story R.

If you enjoyed the video, give us a thumbs up and subscribe!

In this science fantasy RPG, choose between Claude or Rena, play through their perspectives, and unlock various endings. Recruit allies and defeat foes in fast paced real-time battles.

Star Ocean The Second Story R Developer: Square Enix, Gemdrops, Inc. Publisher: Square Enix Platform: Windows, PlayStation 5|4 Release Date: 3 Nov, 2023 Price: $49.99 USD

Available here - https://starocean2r.square-enix-games.com/en-gb/

[gameforestdach]

Das legendäre JRPG "Star Ocean: The Second Story" ist in einer überarbeiteten Version unter dem Titel "Star Ocean: The Second Story R" zurückgekehrt. Mit dieser Anpassung an die moderne Spielelandschaft hat das Kampfsystem eine bedeutende Veränderung erlebt. Lasst uns tief in die neuen Änderungen eintauchen, einschließlich der Einführung von Angriffsaktionen und der Aufnahme von Charakteren aus anderen Star Ocean-Spielen. Angriffsaktionen: Eine der bemerkenswertesten Ergänzungen zum Kampfsystem. Es ermöglicht Spielern, Reserve-Party-Mitglieder auf das Schlachtfeld zu rufen, die dann einen vom Spieler ausgewählten Zug aus ihrem regulären Fähigkeitensatz ausführen. Crossover-Charaktere: Spieler sind nicht nur auf die Hauptcharaktere des Spiels beschränkt. Sechs Charaktere aus verschiedenen Star Ocean-Spielen können freigeschaltet und in die Spielerparty integriert werden. Jeder dieser Charaktere bringt leistungsstarke Fähigkeiten mit, die die Vielseitigkeit der Gruppe erhöhen. Alle Standorte der Charakterjuwelen Das Finden von Juwelen im Spiel ermöglicht es den Spielern, Charaktere aus anderen Star Ocean-Spielen herbeizurufen. Jedes Juwel entspricht einem bestimmten Charakter und kann einem der vier mit den Richtungstasten verbundenen Angriffsaktions-Slots zugewiesen werden. Charakter Spiel Erhaltungsmethode Roddick SO1 30 verschiedene Gildenmissionen abschließen. Fayt SO3 50 Angriffsaktionen im Kampf verwenden. Edge SO4 Einen Harbor Amago, Divine Char oder Spring Child bei Reel eintauschen. Der Divine Char, der im Fluss der Southern Krosse Region zu finden ist, ist am einfachsten zu fangen. Fidel SO5 Einen der optionalen Raid-Bosse auf der Weltkarte besiegen. Diese Bosse sind die im Nebel verhüllten kolossalen Gegner. Raymond SO6 22 verschiedene Fischarten fangen und mit Reel sprechen. Laeticia SO6 Die Truhe im hinteren Teil der Krosse Höhle während bestimmter Story-Ereignisse finden. Standort von Reel Für Spieler, die Reel finden möchten, um Gegenstände zu handeln oder Quests zu starten: In der Anfangsphase des Spiels befindet sich Reel in Harley. In der nachfolgenden Phase kann man ihn in L'Aqua finden. Ausführliche Betrachtung: Überblick über Star Ocean: The Second Story R Entwickelt von Gemdrops, Inc. und veröffentlicht von Square Enix, zielt "Star Ocean: The Second Story R" darauf ab, das klassische JRPG einer neuen Generation vorzustellen und dabei die Essenz zu bewahren, die das Original zu einem Hit gemacht hat. Mit den Protagonisten Claude C. Kenny und Nedian Rena Lanford im Fokus bietet das Spiel mehrere verzweigte Erzählungen, die durch Spielerentscheidungen beeinflusst werden. Spielmechanik Das Spiel bietet eine Reihe von einzigartigen Features: Spezialfähigkeiten lassen Charaktere in Aktivitäten wie Angeln, Kochen und Alchemie glänzen. Das Trainings-Fähigkeit bietet einen Erfahrungsschub, erhöht jedoch den erhaltenen Schaden und verringert den verursachten Schaden. Private Aktionen beeinflussen die Beziehungen zwischen den Charakteren und machen soziale Dynamiken zu einem integralen Bestandteil des Gameplays. Das Kampfsystem, nun dynamischer, integriert das neue Angriffssystem und zeigt optisch beeindruckende Symbologie-Künste. Einblicke in die künstlerische Leitung Bei der Anpassung an die moderne Zeit bemühte sich das Entwicklungsteam, Nostalgie mit Innovation auszubalancieren. Die Charaktermodelle behalten ihren charmanten Sprite-Stil bei, während die Hintergründe zu einem eindringlichen 3D übergehen. Ansichten aus der Spitze Die Produzenten und Direktoren des Spiels legten Wert darauf, den Charme des Originals zu bewahren.

Ihr Ziel war zweigeteilt: älteren Spielern ermöglichen, geliebte Erinnerungen wiederzuerleben und Neulingen ein fesselndes Erlebnis zu bieten. Wir laden alle Spieler, sowohl erfahrene Veteranen als auch Neulinge, ein, in die reiche Welt von "Star Ocean: The Second Story R" einzutauchen und ihre Erfahrungen zu teilen. Was haltet ihr von der Überarbeitung des Kampfsystems und der Aufnahme neuer Charaktere? Wir freuen uns, von euch zu hören!

[shadowqueen402]

Just for the sake of more wacky shenanigans with the flower, can you do yuri being affected? (I also headcanon that she has a little pollen allergy which results in small sneezes)

Ooh, okay! That is an interesting headcanon of Yuri.

Yuri knew that flowers bloomed on her stage. So she was able to identify which ones they were. She remembered seeing the butterflies fly over to drink the nectar of the plants.

But while she was on her way to gaze at the dragonflies, a single flower stood out from the rest of the group. Yuri hummed in curiosity as she approached the flower. It resembled lavender but instead of purple, it was indigo.

"I never seen a flower like this before," Yuri said to herself. "What kind of flower is this?" Without thinking, she bent down and took a sniff of the flower. It suddenly sprayed a cloud of lavender-scented air that was laced with pollen.

"Ack!" Yuri yelped as most of the air got into her nose. She found herself starting to sneeze uncontrollably. "Ugh, I hate when this happens. Especially in the spring time and pollen falls from the trees."

Yuri sneezed again frequently. "I better look for Balan," She said to herself. "Maybe he has something that I can use like tissues or medicine." She turned around and left her stage.

Balan stood on the Isle of Tims, feeding his Tims gemdrops. He perked up at the sound of sneezing and turned around. There was Yuri, approaching him while sneezing rapidly. Her eyes were red and watery with irritation.

"Yuri, what ails you today?" Balan asked. "You're not looking well, I will say."

"I made the mistake of smelling this one flower that somehow got on my stage," Yuri said, sniffling. "It's made my allergies act up. Do you have some medicine or tissues I can use?"

"I have something that can help as you say," Balan said as he snapped his fingers, forming some allergy medicine. "Take some of this while I take that flower away. Though, there is a side-effect you see. This medicine can make you rather sleepy."

Yuri nodded and took some medicine while Balan went to her stage. The medicine immediately started to kick in and she began to feel drowsy. She walked towards a Tam and decided to lay down. Then, she closed her eyes.

Balan came out of her stage with the flower in his hands and saw Yuri passed out on the sleeping Tam. He quietly walked past the girl, letting her rest. He placed the flower somewhere where nobody would get it.

He would soon check on Yuri when she woke up.