For those avid JRPG fans out there, Square Enix has released some new images of their upcoming PS3 conversion of the previously Xbox 360-exclusive intergalactic role-playing adventure. This upgraded PS3 release is entitled Star Ocean: The Last Hope International – which is another bizarre quirk the Japanese have, adding the word “International” to the end of the title to denote the enhancements, much like the other words they’ve used: Plus, Black, Slash, Sigma, Reload, Substance, Subsistence, Max and EX Plus Alpha Ultra. You’d swear that everyday titles like “Game of the Year Edition” weren’t interesting enough or something.
Anyway, for those who don’t know, the Star Ocean series is a series of futuristic Japanese-style RPGs that began on the Super NES, with the main draw-card being the real-time combat system. It was a big deal the first time round, but real-time combat in JRPGs isn’t so unusual any more. That (and the much lower budget) is probably why the series has always existed in the shadow of Final Fantasy – but it has its fans. Anyway, this PS3 release contains a whole bunch of extras and enhancement, you know, to placate and entice the PS3-onwers whose noses are a little out of joint because the game came on the 360 first. Sometimes a little wait is not a bad thing, eh?
