A tale of two protags

But I'm the mage!

Star Ocean 2 has been one of my favorite games since I bought it off my friend's brother for six bucks in 1998. I wound up scratching the disks at some point, so I had to buy it off the usual friend (I've brought up a few times) some years later. But it's been a long time since I played the PS version. I've played the PSP remake a few times, even as recently as 2018. I was going to play that again, but I own the original, so why not play it? There are a few differences, so let's consider this a comparison. I'll do that later, though...

As we boot up the game, the menu scene shows a meteor flying through space. It lands, presumably, peacefully on a large, green planet. Pressing "new game" takes us to the option to select the main character. Star Ocean 6 recently came out, and I hear it has two MCs too, but this is where it started for the franchise. We can select the Earthling, Crawd, I mean, Claude Kenni, a space force ensign, or the Expelian, Rena Langford, a girl with mysterious powers. Both stories are pretty much the same, but there are a few scenes one gets that the other doesn't. Claude is rad and all, but I like Rena's story more, so I pick the healer!

The camera cuts to a green world and zooms down onto a landmass. We go through the clouds, down a fjord, and into a forest. A small ball of plasma appears over the woods before sinking into the canopy. We cut again to a small hamlet nearby, and a house with a blue roof seems important.

We head to actual gameplay scenes and see a young girl exit her home. Her mother, Westa, is worried about her daughter, Rena, and her antics. Our MC spends a lot of time in the nearby Shingo Forest, but it's not safe anymore. Animals are getting aggressive, and earthquakes are becoming common. Rena tries to assure her mom but runs off mid sentence. We explore the village of Arlia to learn more about the world and the influx of natural disasters occurring. We also hear the legend about the Warrior of Light!

Rena makes her way into the forest and decides to go deeper in. The forest has always made her calm and relaxed. Maybe too much... We (the player) see a giant ape sneak up from behind, and a voice calls out, telling her to run. Rena notices just in time for a blond man to have the first battle of the game. Had we picked Claude, we could fight this, but not now. ???? shoots a blinding light at the ape, killing it in three shots. The man tries to speak to Rena, but she's shocked at his appearance and weapon of choice and runs off. She stops in the next area, remembering he he asked, and our savior runs to us. Both apologize to each other for their strange behavior before finally introducing themselves. This is Claude, and both stories are synced up at this point. Rena thanks Claude for saving her and invites him to Arlia. Just outside, the two have a conversation about Claude. He says he's a traveler from Earth. Rena has no clue where "Urth" is, so she assumes he's from the continent of El across the ocean.

We enter Arlia, and Rena shows Claude around. We can meet the priest, the lovey-dovey couple, and the kids who've been alone for two weeks. We also visit the shop, where we can learn Claude doesn't know what a herb is. Eventually, we get to Rena's house. She asks Claude to wait outside while she tells Westa what happened. She also informs her that she believes he's the Warrior of Light! Westa starts to make dinner while Rena gets Claude. She finds him on the bridge, and they talk about the air quality. Urth isn't a comparable place, it seems. But the two return home and see a gigantic dinner waiting on the table. It's been three minutes, Westa! Is that Rena's mysterious power too?

An hour later, Claude is full. Rena's annoyed that her mom made too much, but Claude compliments her. His mom is a terrible cook. Rena needs to see the mayor, Regis, so she heads to get him. She tells the old man the Warrior of Light is at her house. He's suspicious but knows he needs to check it out. As they enter, Westa is in a tizzy. She admits she's told Claude who she thinks he is, and he's confused.

The four of them sit down to have a talk. Regis asks Claude who he is, and Claude's cagey. He reiterates that he's a traveler, but he doesn't give any specifics. Regis calls him out for lying but agrees with Rena. Claude must be the Warrior of Light! They've confused his laser gun for a sword, his army uniform for "alien raiments," and the catastrophe afflicting Expel. Three months ago, a large asteroid, which they call the Sorcery Globe, landed in El. Since then, the world has been in turmoil. Even after this, Claude denies he's the WoL. Eventually, everyone drops their ideas. Everyone except Rena, who runs out.

The next day, Rena wakes up and goes to the forest. While there, she asks her father what to do about Claude. We see a flashback from the night her dad died. She eavesdropped on Westa and Regis' conversation to learn she's not Westa's child. The pendant is important. Claude walks up to her, and they have an awkward conversation. Once again, both apologize for last night. Claude understands her confusion, though. But he leaves her with her thoughts after a moment. She returns to Arlia, but a sketchy dude is waiting for her. An old friend named Alen is on the bridge. During their interaction, Rena realizes he's gone mad. Alen calls for three knights to kidnap Rena because he's going to forcefully marry her! The village tries to stop him, but Alen assaults Westa, and Regis gives them passage. We cut to Alen's mansion in Salva, and he goes to prepare for the ceremony. We get control of Rena as she tries to escape the house. It's locked, and the servants try to help us, but there's nothing they can do. After a maid suggests a secret passage in the study, Rena finds a basement behind a bookcase. Inside is Bossman, a worker from Arlia who warns us what's in the Drift. Alen found a stone a few weeks ago and has been acting strange ever since. Behind us is a cave, the Salva Drift, and he suggests finding the mine exit.

The Drift is the first dungeon. As Claude, all the monsters are easy to kill. As Rena, though, it's a lot harder. She's a mage and not supposed to attack. She can perform DPS very well if you build her for it, but that's not doable now. Alas, she has no other option... After a few level ups, it becomes a breeze, though. If you need to, run off to a side and cast Heal. Rena's not just a mage but a healer! After exploring, make your way to the back. Alen's waiting for us in a chapel and is thrilled his bride found her way in. Rena tries to run, but soldiers stop her. They tie her to the podium, but Claude arrives to save her, and the first boss battle begins.

Alen-Tax has no strategy, so just attack.

We think we killed Alen, but he wakes up after a moment. He has no idea what just happened! During the fracas, we destroyed the green stone that Alen was holding. When we meet back with Bossman, we wonder if that stone was the cause of this. But we'll think about it more later because Westa is worried sick.

Back in Arlia, Claude and Rena are in Regis' house. Regis asks Claude to investigate the Sorcery Globe. Claude agrees, but Rena gets worried. He promises not to over exert himself and to stay away from things above his strength. But then Rena asks to come along! Regis tells her to get Westa's permission first. Reluctantly, Westa relents. Rena and Claude have an impromptu talk on the bridge about why Rena wants to go on this dangerous journey. It's not just to be a guide and a healer but to find her biological mother. "I'm going not to leave but to return." In the morning, the village sees us off, and the journey begins! Our destination is Cross Castle. Apparently, Rena knows the King! But I'll do that...

...tomorrow!

The coolest thing Star Ocean does is the Private Action mechanic. We can split the party in town and interact with them living their own life. Claude compares Arlia to Earth, and he seems to like it here more. SO2 was my favorite game for a while, and I think it holds up. As you can tell by the massive amount of stuff I typed, I'm excited!