History VideoGame / StarOcean

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Unsurprising, given the series' anime-ish style; in fact, at least two party members in every game have literal blue hair, including the male leads of the first, third and fifth games. In most cases, this can be justified by the fact that they are aliens [[spoiler:or genetic experiments]], though not always.

* ''VideoGame/StarOceanAnamnesis'' (2016)
* ''Star Ocean: The Divine Force'' (2022)

* AlienNonInterferenceClause: The Undeveloped Planet Preservation Pact ([=UP3=]).
* AnachronicOrder: The events of the series as a whole do not happen in the order of the games' release and can be quite confusing if taken as such. The in-universe chronological order is: ''The Last Hope'' (S.O. 4), S.O. 1, ''The Second Story'' (S.O. 2), ''Integrity and Faithlessness'' (S.O. 5), and ''Til The End of Time'' (S.O. 3).

So far, every game except ''The Last Hope'' and ''Integrity and Faithlessness'' has had a manga adaptation.

* WitchSpecies: While most species require specialized tattoos to use symbology, there are a few that already have the symbols etched into their very DNA:
** The Featherfolk, Nedians, and Morphus are some examples of species that see this happen in most, if not all, of their members.
** Lemurisians occasionally see this happen in a small minority of their women.
** This also started happening to a small minority of Expellians [[spoiler:after they absorbed the remnants of the Nedians.]]

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/starocean.jpg]]

* HeroicLineage: The Kenny family has a record of either great Federation officers or sometimes saving the galaxy/universe. Known chronological members include [[VideoGame/StarOceanTheLastHope Stephen]], [[VideoGame/StarOcean1 Ronyx]], [[VideoGame/StarOceanTheSecondStory Claude]] and [[VideoGame/StarOceanIntegrityAndFaithlessness Emerson]].

* KiManipulation: The third game's in-game dictionary reveals that all Killer Moves are performed by the user drawing on their physical energy, as opposed to the mental energy that powers symbology..

* OneSteveLimit: Averted: the Ten Wisemen in ''The Second Story'' all have angel names, including Lucifer and Gabriel, but the boss of the bonus dungeon in the same game is ''also'' named Gabriel. ''Till the End of Time'' also has another Lucifer (Luther in the English version), who is of no relation to the one in ''The Second Story''. ''Till the End of Time'', at least the Japanese versions, use various demonic names for the Sphere staff (Azazel, Beelzebub, Belial). The same also applies to ''The Last Hope''. Apparently, the names of the Grigori are based on fallen angels from biblical apocrypha.
* OptionalPartyMember: In most ''Star Ocean'' games, there are several optional party members; you can have up to 8 characters, and usually 4-6 are permanent, leaving the extra slots to be filled up by a moderately extensive list. Getting some help you get others, and they ultimately affect the outcome and ending.

* RecurringElement: Much like its [[VideoGame/TalesSeries spiritual predecessor]], there are some recurring skills within the series. Most notably Air Slash (Kuuhazan) and Double Slash (Sougazan), usually considered [[AlternateCompanyEquivalent equivalents]] to [[VideoGame/TalesSeries Demon Fang (Majinken) and Tiger Blade (Kogahazan)]]. If there's a swordsman in the series, expect them to have one of these or both.

** The second game was given a port for PSP in 2008, with similar enchancements that the remake of the first game for same console had.

* VideoGameRemake: The first game was remade in 2007 with ''The Second Story''[='=]s style for PSP, and in 2008 it got the first official release in North America and Europe.

* WitchSpecies: While most species require specialized tattoos to use symbology, there are a few that already have the symbols etched into their very DNA.

** This also started happening to a small minority of Expellians [[spoiler: after they absorbed the remnants of the Nedians.]]

* GenreShift: For a series that's supposed to be set in outer space, you spend an awful lot of time on undeveloped fantasy planets. The fact that the fourth game has space travel as a core gameplay concept could almost be a GenreShift in and of itself.

There is also a 2001 game for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor titled ''Blue Sphere'' ([[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant not to be]] [[SimilarlyNamedWorks confused with]] [[VideoGame/BlueSphere that one]]), taking place two years after the events of ''The Second Story'' with all twelve party members available. In December 2016, Tri-Ace released ''Star Ocean Anamnesis'', a mobile RPG game featuring both original characters of ''Anamnesis'' and returning characters of all five ''Star Ocean'' Games.

* RecurringElement: Much like its [[VideoGame/TalesSeries spiritual predecessor]], there are some recurring skills within the series. Most notably Air Slash (Kuuhazan) and Double Slash (Sougazan), usually considered [[{{Expy}} equivalents]] to [[VideoGame/TalesSeries Demon Fang (Majinken) and Tiger Blade (Kogahazan)]]. If there's a swordsman in the series, expect them to have one of these or both.

* RecurringElements: Much like its [[Franchise/TalesSeries spiritual predecessor]], there are some recurring skills within the series. Most notably Air Slash (Kuuhazan) and Double Slash (Sougazan), usually considered [[{{Expy}} equivalents]] to [[Franchise/TalesSeries Demon Fang (Majinken) and Tiger Blade (Kogahazan)]]. If there's a swordsman in the series, expect them to have one of these or both.

Finally, there is a gacha game on the iOS called ''VideoGame/StarOceanAmnesis'' that came out in Japan on December 7, 2016, and in english on July 10, 2018.

There is also a 2001 game for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyColor titled ''Blue Sphere'' ([[IThoughtItMeant not to be]] [[SimilarlyNamedWorks confused with]] [[VideoGame/BlueSphere that one]]), taking place two years after the events of ''The Second Story'' with all twelve party members available. In December 2016, Tri-Ace released ''Star Ocean Anamnesis'', a mobile RPG game featuring both original characters of ''Anamnesis'' and returning characters of all five ''Star Ocean'' Games.

[[redirect:Franchise/StarOcean]]

[[quoteright:275:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/so_protagonists_7632.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:275:Top to Bottom: Edge Maverick ([[VideoGame/StarOceanTheLastHope SO4]]), Fayt Leingod ([[VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime SO3]]), Claude C. Kenny ([[VideoGame/StarOceanTheSecondStory SO2]]), and Roddick Farrence ([[VideoGame/StarOcean1 SO1]])]]

A series of {{Role Playing Game}}s developed by [[{{triAce}} tri-Ace]] and published by SquareEnix (Enix before the merger). All of them are set in the same universe, a high-tech SpaceOpera, but all of them spend a significant amount of time focusing on a [[MedievalEuropeanFantasy low-tech, high-magic world]]. The games are known for their fast-paced, real-time battle system, and for the Private Action system that allows the main character to interact with party members in towns, which can affect the ending through changing RelationshipValues.

The games in the series are:

* ''[[VideoGame/StarOcean1 Star Ocean]]''
* ''[[VideoGame/StarOceanTheSecondStory Star Ocean: The Second Story]]''
* ''[[VideoGame/StarOceanTillTheEndOfTime Star Ocean: Till the End of Time]]''
* ''[[VideoGame/StarOceanTheLastHope Star Ocean: The Last Hope]]''

There was also a game for the Gameboy Color called ''Blue Sphere'' ([[IThoughtItMeant not to be]] [[SimilarlyNamedWorks confused with]] [[BlueSphere that one]]), taking place two years after ''The Second Story'' with all twelve party members available.

So far, every game except ''The Last Hope'' has had a manga adaptation.

There is also an [[TheAnimeOfTheGame anime]] based on the second game's manga adaptation, entitled ''StarOceanEX''.

Most famously, the creator of this series were the original creators of the TalesSeries, leaving Namco due to too much of ExecutiveMeddling getting on their nerves during the development of TalesOfPhantasia. The first game is practically a SpiritualSuccessor to TalesOfPhantasia where the battle engine is concerned.

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!!This series as a whole provides examples of:

* ActionGirl
* AlienNonInterferenceClause: The Undeveloped Planet Preservation Pact (UP3).
* {{Bishounen}}: In every game. To name just one example from each, there's Ioshua from ''First Departure'', Dias from ''The Second Story''/''Second Evolution'', Albel from ''Till the End of Time'', Faize from ''The Last Hope''...
* BlackMagicianGirl
* BonusBoss: And how! This series is infamous for the amount of grinding you'll need to engage in if you want to stand a chance against them. The fact that your [[{{Cap}} maximum level]] in the first three games is '''255''' doesn't help things.
* BonusDungeon: Sometimes multiple, almost always ''huge''.
* BrokenBase: ''Maaa-aaaaa-aaaan.'' ''Till The End Of Time'''s plot twist managed to split the base like a lumberjack splitting a log and things are ''still'' split. ''[=TTEoT=]'' might just be one of the best examples of a base-breaker ever.
* CallingYourAttacks
* CatGirl: The Lesser Fellpool race.
* ConflictKiller: Too many to list. There seems to be a veritable revolving door of villains in this series.
* DoingInTheWizard: Anybody from TheFederation in all three games will have a {{Technobabble}} explanation for magic - or "symbology" or "heraldry", as it's usually known. For instance, Claude's "Sword of Light"? Actually just his phase gun.
* DayOldLegend
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt
* EvolvingAttack: Many of the Killer Moves, especially in ''The Second Story''.
* TheFederation: It's rather obvious in the first game they're not even pretending not to rip off ''StarTrek''.
* GameBreaker: It's almost an art for ''SO'' players to find the fastest and most efficient ways to remove any challenge from the games. In ''Till the End of Time'', for example, doing so will almost certainly involve either Orichalcum or Boots of Prowess, depending on where you are in the game.
* GenreShift: For a series that's supposed to be set in outer space, you spend an awful lot of time on undeveloped fantasy planets. The fact that the fourth game has space travel as a core gameplay concept could almost be a GenreShift in and of itself.
* GuideDangIt: Could very well be renamed ''GuideDangIt: The Series'' due to the sheer amount of stuff (including items, skills, and ''recruitable characters'') that can be missed unless you know ''exactly'' what you're doing at any point.
* HelloInsertNameHere: Completely averted in the PSP remakes: no matter what you rename your characters, the voice acting still uses canon names. [The funny thing is that StarOcean games let you rename your characters from the Status Menu, meaning you can do it any time you want.]
* HeyItsThatVoice: Japanese version only. Seiyuu Hiroki Touchi (Ovan in ''[[DotHack .hack//GU]]'', Lasse Aeon in ''{{Gundam 00}}'') is known to voice one character in ''every'' installment of StarOcean. He has voiced Cyuss in the first game, Ernest in the second game (both remakes still use his voice), Cliff in the third game and Arumat in the fourth game.
* HumanAliens
* InevitableTournament: All four games, though only the second game ''forces'' you to compete.
* InfinityPlusOneSword
* InstantMessengerPigeon: Used as the main postal system, and to go shopping in the field.
* ItemCrafting: Each game has an Invention system that varies in mechanics from game to game.
* LimitedMoveArsenal: Type 1.
* LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards: Somewhat averted. The first two games (especially the enhanced remake) let you surround tough enemies and just beat them up with melees while the mages try to cast their symbology.
* MultipleEndings: The franchise is known for this.
** [[spoiler: Which is then averted in the fourth game in favor of an unlockable WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue for each character.]]
* NeverLiveItDown: Many fans still have trouble getting over the third game's infamous plot twist.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero
* NoExportForYou: The original and ''Blue Sphere'', coincidentally the only ones released on {{Nintendo}} platforms (SuperFamicom/SNES and GameBoyColor, respectively).
* OneSteveLimit (Averted: the Ten Wisemen in ''The Second Story'' all have angel names, including Lucifer and Gabriel, but the boss of the bonus dungeon in the same game is ''also'' named Gabriel. ''Till the End of Time'' also has another Lucifer (Luther in the English version), who is of no relation to the one in ''Second Story''. ''Till the End of Time'', at least the Japanese versions, use various demonic names for the Sphere staff (Azazel, Beelzebub, Belial))
** (The same applies to ''The Last Hope.'' Apparently, the names of the Grigori are based on fallen angels from biblical apocrypha.)
* OneWingedAngel
* OptionalPartyMember: In every game.
* PettingZooPeople: Fellpools are humanlike in appearance, but have heightened senses and tails like cats.
** In fact, the series is full of these. [[CatGirl Fellpools and felinefolk]] are the most prominent, probably followed by [[WingedHumanoid featherfolk]], but less-common species are represented, too - one of your party members in ''Till the End of Time'' is a LittleBitBeastly raccoon.
* PowerGivesYouWings
* RareCandy
* RelationshipValues
* SavingTheWorld: Or universe. No spoilers needed.
* SequelFirst: ''The Second Story'' was the series debut outside of Japan.
* StuckItems - Phia and Ioshua's accessories.
* SpaceIsAnOcean: The name of the entire series. [[TitleDrop Directly referred to]] in [[StarOcean1 the first game]] and the trailer for ''The Last Hope''.
* SpiritualSuccessor: There are major similarities between ''Star Ocean'' and the ''TalesSeries'' in gameplay and design: real-time battles with combat skills that burn MP, item creation, food-based healing items that heal in percentages, Private Actions / Skits, RelationshipValues leading to MultipleEndings, and so on. This is because ''StarOcean'' was created by the company tri-Ace, a company whose founding members are best described as "Basically everyone who designed ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia'' at {{Namco}}."
* TimeTravel: The Guardian allows this. Again, not even bothering to differentiate from ''StarTrek''. However, its function is expanded greatly in the third game.
** Time Travel becomes a part of the plot of ''The Last Hope'' when [[spoiler:a wormhole within a black hole sends the crew back in time to planet Earth in the year 1957. After the crew escapes from Earth as the planet itself is being reduced to antimatter, the crew realizes that the Earth through the wormhole was nothing more than an alternate dimension. Of course, this doesn't make Edge feel any better knowing that handing over the ship's energy core for research to save the future led to the planet's complete destruction. Cue HeroicBSOD.]]
* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: See Genre Shift.
* TitleDrop: ''The Last Hope'' is very guilty of this, though ''First Departure'' does it too.
* {{Tsundere}}
* UpdatedRerelease: The first games in the series were posted to the PSP, marking the first release of the first game in the U.S. The fourth game was later released for the PS3 with some new features and characters.
* WingedHumanoid: The Featherfolk race.
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair (Unsurprising, given the series' anime-ish style; in fact, at least two party members in every game have literal blue hair, including the male leads of the first and third games.)
** Possibly [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in the third game, where [[spoiler:both characters with blue hair are genetically-engineered weapons.]]
*** Doesn't explain the blue hair on the main character's mother.

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Most famously, the creator of this series were the original creators of the TalesSeries, leaving Namco after too much of ExecutiveMeddling got on their nerves during the development of TalesOfPhantasia. It's practically a SpiritualSuccessor to TalesOfPhantasia where the battle engine is concerned.

Most famously, the creator of this series were the original creators of the TalesSeries, leaving Namco after too much of ExecutiveMeddling got on their nerves during the development of TalesOfPhantasia to form tri-Ace. It's practically a SpiritualSuccessor to TalesOfPhantasia where the battle engine is concerned.

Most famously, the creator of this series were the original creators of the TalesSeries, leaving Namco after too much of ExecutiveMeddling got on their nerve during the development of TalesOfPhantasia and forming Tri-Ace. It's practically a SpiritualSuccessor to TalesOfPhantasia where the battle engine is concerned.

The people who have participated in this series would later go on to produce the steadily popular TalesSeries[[hottip:*:TalesOfXillia has sold over 500,000 in its first week, making it the best-selling PS3 game]]. It's practically a SpiritualSuccessor.

* AlienNonInterferenceClause: The Undeveloped Planet Preservation Pact.