Gaming company Limited Run Games has announced a collaboration with Square Enix to launch physical versions of the action RPG Star Ocean: First Departure R. Enthusiasts can look forward to placing their pre-orders from September 12, 2025, lasting until October 26, 2025. The products will be purchasable from the online store of Limited Run Games and will be released in three different editions, namely Standard, Steelbook, and Ultimate, ideal for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch users.
The Standard Edition, retailing at $39.99, will include a physical game and an instructional manual. The Steelbook Edition, costing twice as much at $79.99, provides users with a slipcase, a SteelBook casing, and a 12″ x 16″ reversible poster, besides the content from the Standard Edition. For fervent fans, the Ultimate Edition, priced at $199.99, maintains the contents from the Steelbook Edition with additions such as an acrylic battle cube, a soundtrack CD, a batch of acrylic stand figures, an enamel badge, a key fob, and a certificate for authenticity.
Star Ocean: First Departure R is a remastered version of the PlayStation Portable remake of the inaugural Star Ocean game. This refresh allows players to select between Japanese and English audio from the PlayStation Portable edition or the recently recorded audio from the original version played on the Super Famicom. Players also have the luxury of choice for character illustrations, with options ranging from the original First Departure artwork to new sketches by Katsumi Enami (Star Ocean: The Last Hope). Other notable features include a modern high-speed movement mode and tweaks to difficulty balancing.
Originally created by pioneering development company tri-Ace, Star Ocean made its debut on Super Famicom in Japan in 1996. Tose, another accomplished developer, recreated the game for the PlayStation Portable under the title Star Ocean: First Departure which saw its release in Japan in December 2007, with North America and Europe unveiling it in the following year. This game centers around the adventures of young Roddick, residing in the serene town of Kratus on the planet Roak. The tranquil existence of its inhabitants is disrupted as they mysteriously turn to stone due to an unidentified disease. In his quest for a rumored healing herb, Roddick, along with his comrades Millie and Dorne, encounter pangalactic Federation officers Ronyx and Ilia, who suddenly emerge from a beam of light.
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