Star Ocean: The Last Hope Review

Three hours. This is the approximate amount of time that Star Ocean: The Last Hope nuzzles players under the smelly armpit of protagonist Edge Maverick. Few game introductions drop players into such a repellent and uncomfortable atmosphere. Ham-fisted dialogue, character designs that make you say ''is he supposed to be taken seriously?'' and groan-inducing plot developments (I'm awarded the rank of Captain because the other Captain has a broken arm?) are just a few of the areas where this game gets off to a shaky start. As character introductions are made and the plot starts to take shape, players are thrust into a combat tutorial – a sequence that abruptly breaks up the flow of the story and seems to have been blindly placed by the development team, as the first combat scenario is not to be seen for another 20 to 30 minutes. Adding to the first taste misery, the introductory environment, a narrow-quartered ship, is in exact opposition to the game's bullish camera tracking and lightning quick character movement. I was running into walls and fussing with the camera to track my movements.

Three hours. Three long hours. If you weather this storm and don't succumb to playing something else, The Last Hope eventually pulls out of its train wreck state, rights itself on the rails, and gains a nice head of steam for the remainder of the quest.

This prequel story, which takes place before Star Ocean: First Departure, tells the tale of humanity scorching the Earth with World War III and in the aftermath searching the cosmos for a new planet to call home. This story fits nicely into Tri-Ace's canon. Although it never loses its knack for delivering painfully bad dialogue (including a ''pervert claim'' that comes out of nowhere), the plot captivates, mostly because it takes the road less traveled of not highlighting an antagonist. Like the TV show Lost, The Last Hope keeps its secrets shrouded long enough for players to build theories and invest in the lore.

Of the cast of characters, Edge Maverick is the most compelling. The voice actor fits him well, and his approach to situations often reflected my thoughts. Edge is a unique voice, however. The majority of the characters are comical, or worse yet, unintentionally comical, making them better fits for an episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force than a serious science fiction drama. They manage to pull drama out of the story, but at the same time, give it a fun side, whether it was intentional or not.

This tale bounces from one mystery to the next, but the combat in between those events points players down a clear and well defined path. This is the game's heart and soul, and the reason why you'll come back and play more. The hack n' slash combat has evolved significantly since the last Star Ocean game, expanding in areas that bring depth to the mix. New additions like the Blindside strikes, Rush mode, and Bonus Board – a system that grants combat bonuses for specific feats – change the dynamic, allowing players to formulate high end strategies, pinpoint enemy weaknesses, and dictate character development. This new combat system is exceptionally well made, and never something I tired of. Unlocking new skills and abilities, such as being able to pickpocket townsfolk or summon creatures, made me want to level up as much as I could. I didn't feel the urge to avoid standard encounters in the field for a change.

Combat is also enhanced by the support AI, which is intelligent and just as eager to drop foes as you are. Additional depth rears its head here, as you can tweak the protocols for your teammates.

Tri-Ace spares no detail in the character models and texturing. The worlds you visit are varied in design, and nothing short of breathtaking. Unfortunately, the same sentiment cannot be said of the animation. The running and walking animations skip as they loop, and little effort has been made in lining up the lip-syncing. In cutscenes, the characters end up looking like puppets with flapping jaws.

The Last Hope is plagued by a number of problems, but if you can invest the time needed for this game to blossom (that's a big if), the combat system and mysterious plot reward you well for your time.