Star Ocean: First Departure Review

As I was playing First Departure, I felt like an archaeologist discovering a missing piece of a long-lost civilization. From a historical perspective, it's interesting to finally play the first game in this series, but the genre has evolved a lot since Tri-Ace first made the game during the 16-bit era. I can't say that the game is executed poorly; the combat works well and the revamped visuals make it look like the PSone sequel, Star Ocean: The Second Story. Regardless, the gameplay and plot show their age, blending into the sea of modern role-playing conventions. First Departure's main value lies in giving Tri-Ace fans like me an avenue to see Star Ocean's origin; for players who aren't interested in a history lesson, there isn't much here that is surprising or engaging.