Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Star Ocean: Second Evolution Review
After releasing Star Ocean: First Departure only months ago, Square Enix returns to its dwindling back catalogue to reissue the second game in the Star Ocean series. Second Evolution feels like an anonymous and formulaic RPG most of the time, but extraordinary moments occasionally rise to the surface. The involved skill system provides interesting character progression, and lots of unique camera angles frame the non-action segments in cool ways. Other than that, you can expect a stable of cliches to carry you through the story and real-time combat. Despite my usual affinity for developer Tri-Ace, I wouldn't have called this game a classic when the original version released on PSone. Time hasn't changed my mind.
Products In This Article
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
