Star Ocean TOS: The First Five Hours (part 1)

Folks, something I want to do here for important reasons: Im a Fan of Star Trek and TOS is being remade.

Not to Be Outdone – another remake is also dealing with the aspects of Trek – its called Star Ocean. This is the first in what the silly little shows over at TV land would say “mini reality series” That will review three JRPG’s – Star Ocean: First Encounter (US: Departure) Star Ocean: The Second Story (US PSP Remake: Second Encounter) and Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (Japan: Directors Cut) – it connections to Star Trek,  about the company that did these games and how far they have fallen from grace.

The Series started in 1996, on the SNES. It was subbed by DeJap in late 2001. The Next game came on the PS1 and then the Third on The PS2. But the upcoming 4th game is gonna take a detour to the past – we will explain more when this “mini series” ends

Note: There will be spoilers for all of the games: that why it will be split from here on in starting now:

Star Ocean begins in the year 346 (Via Star Ocean III – Mid to Late 23rd Century): Several months before an planet was destroyed, nearly taking a Federation ship with it. This sends a ship named the Calnus over to a planet:

Named Roak. 

There is the strange humanoid with cats ears and tail (yes, there cats – some have fuzzy tales, others dont) that runs down to a office. Turns out this office is a guarding post. The girl we later know is Millie. (Japanese Milli, DeJap Translation Milly) The two males are Roddick (Japanese Ratix, DeJap, Felix or Feyix) and Dorne (DeJap and Japanese Dorn) they guard the small town of Kratus (Japanese Clato, DeJap Clatos). Then, the Pirates attack.

The game then sends to a battle screen. In the SNES game – it was a flat board - similar to the Final Fantasy series back then, difference was that You could move around in it, and pause to send commands. In the Remake – Its a semi 3D battle area like the third game. (Second game of the series is very different though). You attack with the X button. Specials are with the corner buttons. 

After that battle, things start to change. A Virus is effecting the area of Colute (Japanese and DeJap Cool) and Millie’s father has to go there. But then after three days, a Carrier Bird arrives, it says that nobody should go to Coulte. Millie rushes down to see her father. The two males follow her. When they got there, Millies father told her to not to touch him. They now must head to Mount Metrox (Japanese and DeJap Metox) to get an important herb. Dorne is suffering the effects of the Virus. As the reach the top of the mountain, a weird light! Its two humanoids – with no tails. One is named Ronyx J Kenny (Japanese, DeJap: Ronixis – you mean to tell me that I had the WRONG FUCKING TRANSLATION of my former Internet Nickname…DAMN YOU SE!) and the other is Ilia Silvestri (Japanese, Dejap: Ilia Silverstori). The two state they came from the stars, and are from Earth (Note, Star Trek had only two episodes dealing with pre-development Humanity – and a movie dealing with the 20th century) They state that Leszonia (Japanese and DeJap – Resonia) used a BioWep on Roak (all translations). Lucky for the Humans, Dorne has not yet succumbed to the BioWep – and they all transport (after a bit of a warning that all three will not RETURN to Roak – something Star Trek has never done in any of the series as far as I know) and the Arrive on the Calnus. (Note – there is no Holodeck in this version – seems to me that the retroconned only that aspect to keep it in line with to the source material they have been influenced by) The Doctor inspects Dorne as the other two look over the ship. (Massive changes here – a bit smaller in some ways but a lot larger in others – more like SOIII than the SNES version). After a battle (where Ilia cant see the Fellpool Worm, because Human Blood is Iron and Roakian blood is copper based) – they are sent back to sick bay. 

The Doctor tells the two Roakians that they cant save Dorne. Its beyond on what he can do. They wonder if the Lesonians made this into a weapon because of the massive war effort (after some careful deliberation, the Lesonians are not the Klingons as first thought – they are the Romulans – and it sort of makes sense because the Romulans are kinda fighting a Proxy war with the Federation along with the Klingons until first Kihometer Accord.) Dorne and the rest are beamed back, but before they leave, Dorne asks Millie to take this sisters Music Box. They beam back. Then, as the two Roakians head to the bridge and back to earth – Roddick sees something…Its a Lesonian ship. They want a peace treaty?

So, they discuss the matter –  and found out there is a Third Party. (hmm – could be the Brassicans from Star Trek: Judgement Rights?) Seems that the Lezonians dont want to fight the Federation, but this third party has much more high tech than even the Humans. The Lezonians know where the Host is…

But the Host is actually a demon named Asmodus (Japanese and DeJap: Asmodee) and he was destroyed over 300 years ago. (hmm, right about the time the Forth Game Starts, give or take 50 years). 

In a earth Cafe – they Roakians are sad, they are the last of there race. But Ronyx decided to take a long shot – they scanned a planet called Styx (all three series, all translations) before and found the Guardian of the Time Gate (Star Trek Episode 28, City on the Edge of Forever) and desided that would be the best way to get save Roak. So they get on the Calnus – and head to Styx. Both Millie and Ronyx enter – but Roddick and Ilia enter late:

And that how it all starts.

Along the way, we met Cyuss (Japanese Cius, Dejap Cyrus) – Did a Job for him, visted the old places to find Both Millie and Ronyx.

The game is a little different than SNES version. While the first game dealt with visual motion, this game uses the sound and the backgrounds. Much much easer to navigate than in the SNES version. The colors are wonderful (even better on a great 3000 Class PSP with out the screen problems). The game needed a Xenogears like spin cam view – but Im not complaining. They should have asked for more memory for the GFX because the PSP can do much more than what (TOSE not Tri-Ace) did in some parts of the game. This game is a reminder of what Enix used to do. Before the Square came in. Now you sense a great feeling of “LACK” of will, of wonder and of nerve from the two combined companies.

They rather be knocking boots with Microsoft. 

And thats a Damn Shame – more later.