Highlights

• Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is the worst-reviewed title in the series due to technical issues, but it still offers a fun sci-fi B movie-style adventure with endearing characters.
• Star Ocean: The Last Hope, as a prequel, may have cartoonish storytelling and awkward dialogue, but its entertaining combat, exploration, and side quests make for a enjoyable experience.
• Star Ocean: The Divine Force may not be a big-budget title, but it has charm, high-tech futuristic cities, fast and entertaining combat, and a brisk world traversal, making it a hit among fans of the series.

While the Star Ocean series hasn't enjoyed the same success as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, or even the Tales series, it gained a large following from JRPG fans with the sequel Star Ocean: Second Story. It was the first title in the series to make it to the West. The first Star Ocean launched in 1996, but Western fans didn't get to play it until 2008 with a PSP remaster titled Star Ocean: First Departure.

Other entries in the Star Ocean series have been hit-or-miss with critics, but fans have been more forgiving. The combat system has always been a standout for the series. It stood apart from the typical turn-based JRPGs of the time and offered gamers a fresh alternative to the genre. Moreover, the sci-fi fantasy setting still feels fresh in a genre dominated by Tolkeniesque fantasy in Western and Japanese-style RPGs. This list ranks the Star Ocean games from the worst to the best, focusing on the titles that made it to the West.

7 Star Ocean: Integrity And Faithlessness

Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is the worst-reviewed title in the series. However, this mostly boils down to technical issues. The camera is overly sensitive and awkward during combat and exploration. Furthermore, the frame rate is inconsistent, making the on-foot travel feel sluggish and boring.

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While it's a lot to ask a player to look past these significant flaws, Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is a fun sci-fi B movie-style adventure with endearing characters. Visually, it is one of the best-looking games in the series, with character designs that arguably look better than the most recent game, The Divine Force. The story takes a while to get going, but fans of the sci-fi genre and all its tropes will have a lot of fun with this entry.

6 Star Ocean: The Last Hope

As a prequel, Star Ocean: The Last Hope is chronologically the first story in the series, although each title standalone and can be experienced in any order. The Last Hope launched with a solid batch of JRPGs like The Lost Odyssey and Eternal Sonata on the Xbox 360 in an attempt to break the Japanese market. It later found its way on the PS3 and was remastered in HD for the PS4.

While the story is cartoonish compared to other games in the genre, and the characters have awkward dialogue, it's still a fun ride. More importantly, the combat is entertaining, exploration good, and the side quests will keep fans busy for hours.

5 Star Ocean: The Divine Force

After Integrity and Faithlessness failed to live up to expectations, it was on Star Ocean: The Divine Force to reignite fan's interest in the sci-fi fantasy series. While it wasn't a reinvention of the wheel or a darling in the eyes of many critics, its heart was in the right place, and most fans of the series enjoyed the action-packed JRPG.

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It's not a big-budget title like Final Fantasy or even Tales of Arise, and the character models have a somewhat PS2-era doll-like appearance to them. However, there is a ton of charm in its world and characters. The towns are a joy to explore, with high-tech futuristic cities complementing traditional fantasy settings. The combat is fast and entertaining, and world traversal is brisk, helped by the DUMA system, an artificial intelligence that joins the party on their adventures.

4 Star Ocean: Till The End Of Time

Star Ocean: Till the End of Time stands as a fan-favorite thanks to its compelling story, cast of characters, and excellent combat system. It is the third entry in the series. While it didn't reach the heights of Second Story in terms of narrative, it was, at the time, a step up in visuals.

However, it does show its age compared to newer titles, as the exploration is a bit of a chore. It was ported to the PS4 on the PlayStation Store, but it is a replica of the original with upscaled HD visuals and no quality-of-life improvements. Even so, Star Ocean: Till the End of the Time is still a solid entry in the series. Fans should be aware, though, that the third title features one of the most divisive "twist" endings in gaming.

3 Star Ocean: First Departure

Star Ocean: First Departure is a remake of the first game in the series that launched exclusively in Japan for the Super Famicom in 1996. It launched on the PSP in 2008, and was upscaled and ported to the PS4 and the Nintendo Switch in 2019 as Star Ocean: First Departure R. Visually, First Departure looks and plays like Second Story with its character models and pre-rendered backgrounds.

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The beauty of the PS4 remaster is that players can choose between the original designs from the PSP version, or the reworked details created especially for the enhanced port. Whether playing the PSP version of the PS4 or Switch versions, Star Ocean: First Departure is a nostalgic JRPG that stands the test of time.

2 Star Ocean: Second Story

Star Ocean: Second Story is one of the most popular entries in the series and a fan favorite from the PS1's era of classic JRPGs. It features dual protagonists, replay value, an arcade-like combat system that is surprisingly deep, and a complex item creation system that was simplified in later entries.

More importantly, Second Story has one of the best narratives in the series, with excellent lead characters in Claude and Rena. The pre-rendered background has aged well when exploring towns, and the multiple endings way ahead of their time, giving it more replay value than just dual protagonists. Star Ocean: Second Story is getting a stunning 2.5D remake set to launch in November 2023.

1 Star Ocean: Second Evolution

Star Ocean: Second Evolution is the first enhanced remake/remaster of the Second Story. It fits perfectly as a follow-up to First Departure. It is similar mechanically and visually to its predecessor, making the two games play as if they are part of one set. The combat system is more refined and fun to use with its combat system that carries over from First Departure.

Second Evolution features new artwork, voice work, and extra anime cutscenes. More significantly, the non-linearity has been expanded further, with 13 new endings on top of the original game's 86. Until the new remake arrives with its updated 2.5D HD visuals, Second Evolution is the best way to experience Star Ocean's second entry.

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