Star Ocean<\/em> titles, is about as satisfying a hack-n-slash-style combat system I\u2019ve experienced in an action-RPG this console generation. Your AI teammates are actually pretty smart and help out as they should, and the lock-on mechanics function properly. tri-Ace even snuck in some surprise elements of variety with short action sequences that pull you away from the melee combat into other activities, like in one instance manning catapults to break through a castle door or in another where you carry a companion while on the run from an attacking dragon.<\/p>\nHowever, with such a huge virtual landscape to explore it\u2019s disappointing that there is so little to actually do. Even though it spans two DVDs, the game only takes 15-20 hours to complete, and there is very little side content to dig into after that. The achievements are fun to go after and the game has a fairly deep crafting system that\u2019s easy to get lost in for extended periods of time, but other than that there isn\u2019t much to do to extend the life of the game. Yes, there are optional dungeons and side quests sprinkled in throughout, but they are few and far between and not nearly rewarding enough to sink additional time into. Unlockable difficulties are great and all too, but you can\u2019t carry over character data from your completion saves, so starting all over again from square one defeats the purpose.<\/p>\n
Certain control elements could\u2019ve been streamlined better as well. Using items in battle, for example, is far too cumbersome. Opening the menu system does not pause the game, so while you\u2019re bringing up the item screen and scrolling through your inventory, combat continues on around you. Bad things often happen when you stand idly by. You can tap the Y button to request aid from a teammate, but I still would\u2019ve preferred a simpler real-time menu system or at the least a pausing of the action. The Connect system is awkward as well. During gameplay you can link up with a nearby companion and gain access to their special skills, but to do so you first have to press the right bumper, then the button associated with the party member you want to connect with, and then the button for their special attack you wish to use. Again, you have to do this all in real-time. It\u2019s such a hassle.<\/p>\n
Really though, many of the complaints I\u2019ve laid out thus far are minor in the grand scheme of things. My main beef with this game is actually how weakly its narrative elements come together. The core concept behind the storyline, while certainly not venturing beyond traditional good-versus-evil fantasy themes, is pretty strong. The problem is that none of the characters (and there are a lot of them; 17 in total I think it is) ever develop beyond superficial boundaries, particularly the star character Capell. He comes into his own a tiny bit at the very end, but in general he\u2019s an uninteresting, sometimes even unlikable, protagonist. That hurts a lot.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s more, the game\u2019s production values simply don\u2019t live up to Square Enix and tri-Ace\u2019s typically high standards. The voice acting in particular is dreadful, made even worse by equally woeful lip-synching. Many serious moments in the storyline that have the potential to leave an emotional impact are continuously undermined by bad writing and voice over performances so bad that they become a distraction. These two twin 10-year-olds Rico and Rucha are the worse offenders. They\u2019re like annoying knockoffs of Final Fantasy IV<\/em>\u2019s Palom and Parom. Thankfully the game fares much better graphically. Nothing that\u2019ll blow you away, but it\u2019s certainly attractive.<\/p>\nMy expectations going into Infinite Undiscovery<\/em> weren\u2019t all that high, so I can\u2019t honestly sit here and say it\u2019s some colossal disappointment. But after giving it 20 hours of time and seeing how well certain elements of the game were designed I can\u2019t help but come away feeling let down by the overall underdeveloped nature of the experience as a whole. This game could\u2019ve been something truly special, but unfortunately tri-Ace just missed the mark this time out.<\/p>\nBasically, Infinite Undiscovery<\/em> is the appetizer course for the RPG feast Square Enix has lined up with The Last Remnant<\/em>, Star Ocean: The Last Hope<\/em> and Final Fantasy XII<\/em>. It\u2019ll stimulate your taste buds just enough to be worth consuming, but it doesn\u2019t have enough meat on its bones to fully satisfy your appetite.<\/p>\n![\"TryIt.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ReviewRatingGraphics\/TryIt.jpg\" "\\"TryIt.jpg\\"")
<\/p>\n
Pros:<\/strong>
\n+ Fun, satisfying real-time combat system
\n+ Well designed MMORPG-style world structure<\/p>\nCons:<\/strong>
\n– Absolutely terrible voice acting
\n– Shallow character development limits your ability to really involve yourself in the story
\n– Not enough side quests and other optional content to supplement the relatively brief campaign<\/p>\nGame Info:<\/strong>
\nPlatform: Xbox 360
\nPublisher: Square Enix
\nDeveloper: tri-Ace
\nRelease Date: 9\/2\/08
\nGenre: RPG
\nESRB Rating: Teen
\nPlayers: 1<\/p>\n\n\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s pretty remarkable how the console RPG scene has shifted this generation. For the two previous generations, the PlayStation consoles absolutely crushed all competitors with their staggering libraries of all-time great RPGs. This generation, though, roles have reversed entirely. Eternal Sonata, Fallout 3 and Valkyria […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[490,3,173,21],"tags":[6261,699,6142,6079],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3955"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3955"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3955\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3955"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"InfiniteUndiscovery.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/www.vgblogger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/15\/InfiniteUndiscovery.jpg\" "\\"InfiniteUndiscovery.jpg\\"")
It\u2019s pretty remarkable how the console RPG scene has shifted this generation. For the two previous generations, the PlayStation consoles absolutely crushed all competitors with their staggering libraries of all-time great RPGs. This generation, though, roles have reversed entirely. Eternal Sonata<\/em>, Fallout 3<\/em> and Valkyria Chronicles<\/em> are coming (as are White Knight Chronicles<\/em> and the Final Fantasies<\/em> further on down the road), but as of this moment Oblivion<\/em> is the only RPG the PS3 has to offer of any significance. That\u2019s just sad.<\/p>\n