Classic PlayStation 1 RPG is getting a remake set to release this year

Square Enix announced at yesterday’s Nintendo Direct that a remake of Star Ocean: The Second Story will be released later this year.

Titled Star Ocean: The Second Story R, the remake will boast HD-2D visuals, and will release for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC sometime later this year. Released for the PlayStation 1 in 1999, Star Ocean: The Second Story is the second entry in the series, and is an RPG that follows a Federation officer who finds himself stranded on a new world. He meets a girl who’s on a quest to save her home, and the game lets the player choose which of the two characters they’d like to play as in the story, offering a different perspective for each.

Take a look at the trailer below.

It received ports to modern consoles, but will now receive a full-on remake, in a similar style to previous Square Enix titles, like Live a Live. The description for the new remake reads: “The highly acclaimed second instalment in the Star Ocean series, returns as Star Ocean: The Second Story R … Brought to life with a unique 2.5D aesthetic, which fuses 2D pixel characters and 3D environments, this remake includes everything that made the original release so great while adding new elements too."

It continues, “Experience new battle mechanics, full Japanese and English voiceovers, original and re-arranged music, fast-travel and so much more! Discover the definitive version of a classic but modernised JRPG that's perfect for newcomers and long-time fans alike."

Safe to say fans are excited to see the game’s return, and many believe it’s a sign Square Enix could be planning more HD-2D remakes further down the line, updating beloved titles like Chrono Trigger.

Star Ocean isn’t the only critically-acclaimed Square Enix game getting a fresh coat of paint, as Nintendo also announced a remake of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars during yesterday’s direct, which was a collaborative effort between the two companies released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1996.