This Stunning Tri-Ace Tech Demo Should Be the Next Star Ocean

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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This Stunning Tri-Ace Tech Demo Should Be the Next Star Ocean

Sadly, it seems like this gorgeous real-time tech demo isn't the next Star Ocean game - but it really ought to be.

I was not a fan [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/5897-Review-Star-Ocean-The-Last-Hope] of Star Ocean: The Last Hope, to put it mildly. My problems with the game, however, had nothing to do with its graphics: On the contrary, I found it to be a very nice-looking game with some colorful and well-rendered (if not particularly original) environments.

This tech demo from Star Ocean developer Tri-Ace for its "Physically-based Rendering version 0.1" technology only goes to show that in terms of graphics, the studio knows its stuff. According to Tri-Ace, this demo runs in real-time at 30 FPS in 720p on Xbox 360 and PS3 hardware, and we can only imagine that it'd look all the better with tweaking.

It looks like a Star Ocean title. It sounds like a Star Ocean title, thanks to work by series composer Motoi Sakuraba. Hell, the main character even looks at model figurines that appear to be of Fayt Leingod and Edge Maverick, the protagonists of Star Ocean 3 and Star Ocean 4, respectively. Unfortunately, Tri-Ace also firmly states that the "contents in the video are not related to our developing titles at all."

Well that's a bummer. Frankly, my biggest problem with SO4 was that the plot was execrable and the characters were irritating, underaged brats with grating voice acting. Yeah, the "protagonist" in this video looks like every other space marine (hello, generic Commander Shepard) but he's an adult, he seems reserved, and most importantly he doesn't say a single annoying word.

I'd totally play this game, because maybe it could actually make the Star Ocean series good again.

(Destructoid [http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/04/22/tri_ace_tech_demo/])

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Onyx Oblivion

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Sep 9, 2008
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Huge fan of 3. Thought 4 was good enough to finish, with the occasional surprisingly emotional scene. And mostly horrid characters. But the combat was ace...imo.

So, I'd welcome a new SO. I'd welcome it in an instant, after Tri-Ace previous work on Resonance of Fate.

Didn't care for 2...or play 1 at all. If anyone wonders.
 

wooty

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Aug 1, 2009
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Shall be keeping a eye on this one, I enjoyed 3 & 4 a lot, even with the "annoying" characters. I'm an anime fan, so I'm used to the quirkyness of these types of characters.
 

Tsaba

reconnoiter
Oct 6, 2009
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maybe they are hinting at another SO, it would be nice, the last one was kind of a disappointment.


NO IT WASN'T "KAY." NOW SHUT UP OMG JUST SHUT UP!!!!
 

Tony2077

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Dec 19, 2007
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looks good i wonder what going to come of it will it be a game at some point or just a a taste of what could have been
 

icyneesan

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Feb 28, 2010
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Am I the only one who played Star Ocean 4 with the Japanese audio enabled? Also we need a remake of SO1.
 

StriderShinryu

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Dec 8, 2009
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I just want another SO as good as SO2. That was easily my favourite JRPG, and one of my favourite games overall, from the PSX era. 3 and 4 were decent enough, I suppose, but they paled in comparison to the greatness that was SO2.
 

Rayansaki

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icyneesan said:
Am I the only one who played Star Ocean 4 with the Japanese audio enabled? Also we need a remake of SO1.
I played with J-audio, like every game that lets you do that.

I really want a new tri-Ace title. Star Ocean 4 had the perfect combat with crappy characters and Resonance of Fate had ok combat (Probably the best on a turn based game ever tho), and really good characters and story, so I know they can do something perfect.
 

Mehall

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Feb 1, 2010
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The only time Edge Mavericks name wasn;t completely ridiculous was when he was in the gladiator bowl.

EEEEEEEEEEDGE MAVERRRRIIIIICCKKKKKKK.

(think: RIIIIDGE RACEEEEERRRR)
 

sougo13

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Sep 11, 2009
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Onyx Oblivion said:
mireko said:
Looks like Resonance of SPAAAAAAAACE.
Now with tutorials that actually do a good job explaining shit!

Nah.
Screw the tutorials. I just what want to know what the f*ck is going on before being 20 hrs in
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
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sougo13 said:
Onyx Oblivion said:
mireko said:
Looks like Resonance of SPAAAAAAAACE.
Now with tutorials that actually do a good job explaining shit!

Nah.
Screw the tutorials. I just what want to know what the f*ck is going on before being 20 hrs in
I knew it all would be explained eventually, so I wasn't worried.

I was worried about the ridiculously annoying escort levels. FUCK YOU FOREST.
 

2xDouble

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Mar 15, 2010
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Lets see, a "new type" of space ship, grizzled twenty-something dropout with bad hair on a futuristic motorcycle looking at his old home, running out to watch crazy stuff blasting off... this isn't Star Ocean, it's Abrams' Star Trek. Too bad, it actually looks pretty good.
 

sougo13

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Sep 11, 2009
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Onyx Oblivion said:
sougo13 said:
Onyx Oblivion said:
mireko said:
Looks like Resonance of SPAAAAAAAACE.
Now with tutorials that actually do a good job explaining shit!

Nah.
Screw the tutorials. I just what want to know what the f*ck is going on before being 20 hrs in
I knew it all would be explained eventually, so I wasn't worried.

I was worried about the ridiculously annoying escort levels. FUCK YOU FOREST.
Oh I know that the story's going to happen eventually but waiting till chapter 6 to start telling me what's going on is kinda a d*ck move. Especially when it's not that easy to bulldoze through each chapter.

And was there many escort missions in the game? I remember one where you have to escort a moving statue. That mission made me want to do terrible... things to the developers.
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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sougo13 said:
Onyx Oblivion said:
sougo13 said:
Onyx Oblivion said:
mireko said:
Looks like Resonance of SPAAAAAAAACE.
Now with tutorials that actually do a good job explaining shit!

Nah.
Screw the tutorials. I just what want to know what the f*ck is going on before being 20 hrs in
I knew it all would be explained eventually, so I wasn't worried.

I was worried about the ridiculously annoying escort levels. FUCK YOU FOREST.
Oh I know that the story's going to happen eventually but waiting till chapter 6 to start telling me what's going on is kinda a d*ck move. Especially when it's not that easy to bulldoze through each chapter.

And was there many escort missions in the game? I remember one where you have to escort a moving statue. That mission made me want to do terrible... things to the developers.
No. Not many. But that statue one was a giant dick.
 

ReaperzXIII

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Jan 3, 2010
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The only thing that can ruin a Star Ocean like game is the voice acting, I remember wanting to commit so many atrocities against the developers for the brutal raping of my ears every cutscene