STAR OCEAN: INTEGRITY AND FAITHLESSNESS (PS4)
For years a reliable rear-gunner to Enix’s Dragon Quest lineage, Star Ocean never quite garnered the same attention as the monster-hit series of JRPGs, but has retained a loyal community of fans. Perhaps a little underappreciated, tri-Ace’s fantasy space-opera hybrids have delivered consistently decent adventures down the years, and following the Square-Enix merger, it ably filled the gaps when Final Fantasy was absent or misfiring. Emerging at a rate of one new instalment per generation dating back to the Super Nintendo, the tortuously named Integrity and Faithlessness marked the series’ fifth outing.
By this point, a pattern could be charted amongst the games. Eye-catching settings, exciting combat and a deep item crafting aspect, combining to plaster over unremarkable storytelling. At the risk of rendering the rest of the review redundant, almost all of these tenets ring true for I&F. Unfortunately, it also regresses in a few areas, lacking identity, sparkle and, surprisingly, longevity.
There are occasional flourishes of grandeur, but Star Ocean's locations feel shallow
The player assumes control of blue-haired, hero-in-the-making Fidel. Alongside his childhood friend Miki, he distinguishes himself in the defence of his home town of Stahl. Before long, his world is thrown into chaos as it soon becomes the staging ground for a conflict between two space-age civilisations fighting over a magic-infused girl named Relia. Producer Shuichi Kobayashi wanted the game to evoke positive associations with PlayStation 2 instalment Star Ocean: Till The End of Time. In some areas, namely combat and crafting, the two games share key elements.
Things begin brightly. Whilst Integrity and Faithlessness won’t win any prizes for originality, excellent combat once again proves its driving force. Players can control as many as six different party members (a seventh participates autonomously), with a raft of skills and Sineturgy (the game’s version of magic) forming the backbone of some lively encounters. These real-time battles offer accessible fun, and present plenty of scope for tinkering. This is largely thanks to the ability to learn roles, of which there are more than one hundred. Some of these affect the behaviour of party members, such as having them target stronger foes, hang back and focus on healing, or defend weakened allies. Others grant stat boosts or benefits against specific kinds of enemies, whilst there’s also the odd riskier option, such as double attack power at the price of half defence. One particularly unusual role grants invincibility, with the caveat that the character’s health diminishes persistently.
Things begin brightly. Whilst Integrity and Faithlessness won’t win any prizes for originality, excellent combat once again proves its driving force. Players can control as many as six different party members (a seventh participates autonomously), with a raft of skills and Sineturgy (the game’s version of magic) forming the backbone of some lively encounters. These real-time battles offer accessible fun, and present plenty of scope for tinkering. This is largely thanks to the ability to learn roles, of which there are more than one hundred. Some of these affect the behaviour of party members, such as having them target stronger foes, hang back and focus on healing, or defend weakened allies. Others grant stat boosts or benefits against specific kinds of enemies, whilst there’s also the odd riskier option, such as double attack power at the price of half defence. One particularly unusual role grants invincibility, with the caveat that the character’s health diminishes persistently.
With more than 600 items to craft, there’s no shortage of options. As the adventure progresses, the player can augment weapons, armour and accessories, to create enhanced versions with additional buffs and benefits. You can even synthesise new items by chucking a load of random stuff into a pot, though be aware that acquiring some of the related trophies is a hassle, as the best outcomes are heavily reliant on luck. Yes, the crafting borrows from earlier instalments, but it’s still a really satisfying facet.
Fidel’s party looks the part, resplendent in extravagant, vibrant outfits that look great during dynamic battle animations. Similarly, towns showcase the occasional architectural flourish and a handful of detailed interiors, though there isn’t a great deal of personality to the locales. As has often been the case with Star Ocean, the story also isn’t great. Characters are about as cliched as they come: as well as a dependable, wet-behind-the-ears hero, you have a standard waifu, a femme fatale witch archetype complete with tail and hat, a lecherous ‘charmer’, an honourable knight, an introvert scientist and, of course, a monosyllabic magical weapon-child. They’re an inoffensive bunch, fitting their purpose but rarely generating significant chemistry. Fidel can get to know them through individual interactions around the towns, but rather than expanding their personalities, they reaffirm how stilted and dull the character development is.
Fidel’s party looks the part, resplendent in extravagant, vibrant outfits that look great during dynamic battle animations. Similarly, towns showcase the occasional architectural flourish and a handful of detailed interiors, though there isn’t a great deal of personality to the locales. As has often been the case with Star Ocean, the story also isn’t great. Characters are about as cliched as they come: as well as a dependable, wet-behind-the-ears hero, you have a standard waifu, a femme fatale witch archetype complete with tail and hat, a lecherous ‘charmer’, an honourable knight, an introvert scientist and, of course, a monosyllabic magical weapon-child. They’re an inoffensive bunch, fitting their purpose but rarely generating significant chemistry. Fidel can get to know them through individual interactions around the towns, but rather than expanding their personalities, they reaffirm how stilted and dull the character development is.
There’s a part of me that found the wordy, fan-fiction vibes of the game’s writing somewhat endearing, especially amongst the super-polished, made-like-a-TV-series efforts of recent times. Integrity and Faithlessness has a habit of blending oddly officious, overly descriptive language with hyperbole and wonky-sounding colloquialisms. The game loves starting sentences with “Conversely”, whilst there’s one villain who gets to try out “puissance” twice in quick succession, to the obvious delight of his voice actor. It’s not clear whether the fault lies with the original script, or with something being lost in translation. It’s likely a bit of both.
Speaking of voicing, it’s pretty standard fare, with Max Mittelman’s earnest effort as Fidel probably the standout. However, Miki’s pitchy squeaks, coupled with her hyper-saccharine nature and habit of following even the vaguest observations with “you know so much about [given subject]!”, become tiresome quickly. Though it isn’t blessed with the most original score, the music fares better. Borrowing heavily from Final Fantasy and Persona with a mix of orchestral grandiosity and funky guitar riffs, there are plenty of enjoyable accompaniments, adding further energy to the busy battle sequences.
Speaking of voicing, it’s pretty standard fare, with Max Mittelman’s earnest effort as Fidel probably the standout. However, Miki’s pitchy squeaks, coupled with her hyper-saccharine nature and habit of following even the vaguest observations with “you know so much about [given subject]!”, become tiresome quickly. Though it isn’t blessed with the most original score, the music fares better. Borrowing heavily from Final Fantasy and Persona with a mix of orchestral grandiosity and funky guitar riffs, there are plenty of enjoyable accompaniments, adding further energy to the busy battle sequences.
Scripting and character development are sadly not among Integrity and Faithlessness's strengths
Even accounting for some drawn-out cut-scenes, Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is short by JRPG standards. You can enter the end phase in a little over 20 hours, and this isn’t due to the pacing: there simply isn’t much of it. There are five towns to visit, a small handful of explorable areas including a coastal path, a mine, cliffs, a trio of open plains and a handful of laboratories, and that’s more or less it. It’s almost like a Gaiden, an extended side story. Additional quests (of which there are more than 100) potentially add another 10-15 hours, but are they worth your time? Fans likely won’t hate the process, but these errands add precious little to the world you’re exploring. The vast majority of quests involve gathering items in exchange for a reward. Of greater interest are bounty hunts, where you track unique foes. Unfortunately, these are a big let down. Not only are targets easy to find, nearly all of the hunts consist of battling recycled versions of existing enemies. Whereas games like Final Fantasy XII built a sense of anticipation to such encounters, in I&F, they’re utterly routine.
The game’s broader problem is, there’s not a lot under the surface. The greatest JRPGs have always rewarded gamers who explore, either through the discovery of new lands, hidden trinkets or unexpected events. Star Ocean’s visages look impressive at arms-length, but are ultimately bland and lack personality. Areas of exploration feel shallow, offering nothing beyond battles and standard item farming. Its super battle engine deserves praise, but Integrity and Faithlessness is a little too middle-of-the-road to recommend.
The game’s broader problem is, there’s not a lot under the surface. The greatest JRPGs have always rewarded gamers who explore, either through the discovery of new lands, hidden trinkets or unexpected events. Star Ocean’s visages look impressive at arms-length, but are ultimately bland and lack personality. Areas of exploration feel shallow, offering nothing beyond battles and standard item farming. Its super battle engine deserves praise, but Integrity and Faithlessness is a little too middle-of-the-road to recommend.
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