Star Ocean The Divine Force

Star Ocean The Divine Force is an action JRPG blending sci-fi and fantasy elements, in which the player switches perspective between the earthbound captain Raymond and Princess Laeticia from a technologically underdeveloped planet, who, after a ship crash, find themselves forced to cooperate to save her world from an impending war. The combat system plays out in real time on open battlefields, where characters fly freely using a special device, combine physical attacks with special abilities called Blindside that allow them to effectively dodge attacks and open up an opponent's defenses, and use synergy actions with other party members for devastating combined finishers. Characters can also be equipped with a range of weapons and accessories that affect their stats and available combat techniques.

On PlayStation 5 the game offers sprawling environments to freely explore, including vertical movement above the ground thanks to a short-flight ability, and the option to freely switch between two protagonists with different perspectives on the same story, which also affects which scenes, dialogues, and side quests the player experiences during their playthrough. The technological and magical sides of the Star Ocean world create a distinctive genre blend the series has cultivated since the nineties, accompanied by orchestral music typical of the whole series, alternating epic battle themes with calmer melodies during free exploration of the planets and their distinct civilizations.

Divine Force was received as a return to a more action-oriented and open take on the series after previous, more linear entries, and it was praised especially by loyal fans for its ambitious storytelling from two different points of view on the same events. Today it serves as a reminder that, even after all these years, Star Ocean keeps its own identity on the border between JRPG and sci-fi adventure, though it remains more a matter for the series' devoted fans than a mass-market hit.

Why play it: For devoted fans of the series longing for a more action-oriented and open take, with ambitious storytelling from two points of view, rather than for those seeking a mass-market hit.