Square Enix has surprise-released a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Star Ocean: The Second Story R, its sci-fi RPG that launched on Switch (and PlayStation and PC) in 2023. This Switch 2 version boasts 1080p resolution, both docked and in handheld mode, with a 60 FPS frame rate, making it a big improvement over the significantly lower resolution and 30 FPS frame rate of the Switch version. But, this edition comes with the usual Square Enix caveats.
Similar to the Octopath Traveler and Octopath Traveler II Switch 2 editions announced earlier this week, anyone who wants to play this Star Ocean remake on Switch 2 will have to pay $49.99; there is no upgrade path for owners of the Switch 1 version, and your save data does not transfer. It’s another step down this disappointing trend for Square Enix, which expects players to fork over more money to play a game they already own on a new system – the company doesn’t even opt for low-cost upgrade paths, something even Nintendo itself does with games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and more. Maybe Square Enix is seeing enough purchases to justify it, but it’s not a player-friendly practice either way.
Check out the Star Ocean: The Second Story R Nintendo Switch 2 edition trailer below:
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a remake of the original Star Ocean: The Second Story, which launched on PlayStation in the U.S. in 1999. It’s about a Federation officer named Claude C. Kenny who is mysteriously transported to a mystical planet. There, he searches for a way home but is drawn into a quest to save the planet by a young girl who lives there, becoming wrapped up in an ancient prophecy in the process.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch 2, Switch, and PC.
[Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to remove mention of Star Ocean: The Second Story R being an HD-2D game, as that is incorrect]
How do you feel about the way Square Enix handles Switch 2 re-releases? Let us know in the comments below!
