Star Ocean: First Departure R Limited Run Physical Switch Release Announced

As much as I dislike Limited Run I'll definitely be getting the standard edition.

Wait, what? Now Square Enix is teaming up with Limited Run Games? Or did this happen before and I didn't notice?

Nice to see that another game, especially a JRPG is getting a physical! Hopefully anyone who wants one can get their hands on it.

Oh no now the actual Square Enix games are doing Limited Run versions 😭

If companies want to put the whole game on a switch 2 cartridge then maybe use video games plus or limited run games if they dont think enough people are not interested in fully physical games and watch how many people will buy it physical

How does this game compare to Star Ocean: The Second Story R? Many seem to consider SS to be the pinnacle of the series. I believe the original version of First Departure is the first game?

Sigh. Why did it have to be LRG?

I'm surprised that SE never released a physical version in East Asia. That's how I got my hands on Chrono Cross, Final Fantasy 9, Legend of Mana, Saga Frontier 1+2, World of FF Maxima etc without dealing with LRG's nonsense.

Lmao. Monkey paw wish for people who didn't like Square doing game key cards. I'm sure this is somehow Nintendo's fault still.

I think this is LRG first SquareEnix game, which means it's possible that more will follow.

where is star ocean 3 remaster ..for switch ??

@Tyranexx
I think the game is ok. it's in all disciplines simpler than SS. The story and character writing is a bit simpler, the pre-rendered backgrounds are very static (which is a big minus for me) etc.
But it's not a bad game. Maybe on a level with the Lunar games

The thing about First Departure R is that a lot of fans prefer the SFC original, which never saw a western release. That is a gorgeous game, and the pre-rendered backdrops in First Departure R just didn't capture the look of the game at all (though as a series fan, it's cool to have a few different versions of that game). Easy to find a translated rom, but it's not the same.

@ShieldHero They don't do limited runs anymore. Open pre-orders for a lengthy amount of time. So I'm sure folk will be fine

Lol. What an unexpected thing to happen. At least, I got it before on eShop for... 6,24 or 6,74$USD. Still, it's sad that it didn't receive PC port.
@Tyranexx Well, it's weaker than the 2nd game, but still not bad. Or even good... Some consider it to be the second best game in the series, after Second Story. And yeah, it's the first game in the series. Original game was released simply as Star Ocean, on Super Famicom. Later, it got remake (subtitled First Departure) on PSP, with the new seiyūs cast. And in the end, it got a remaster (First Departure R) on Switch and PS4. This version has new recorded voice lines from the Super Famicom original cast, dual audio option, and both PSP and Super Famicom seiyūs cast to choose from. 😃

@jojobar https://youtu.be/Nf6zYDCxpHs?si=lRCzACpsE3RRuWY2
Star Ocean on the SFC (what First Departure is based on) is a really vibrant game.

Finally, I had being waiting for this game to get a physical release for a long time since Square Enix stupidly never physical release this. This and The Last Remnant Remastered definitely needs some physical release love.

@Tyranexx The difference between Star Ocean: First Departure R and Star Ocean: Second Story R is that Star Ocean: First Departure R is just a port of the PSP game, Star Ocean: First Departure (which is a remake of the Super NES original) whereas Star Ocean: Second Story R is an HD remake of the PS1 sequel Star Ocean: The Second Story. It was not a direct port of the PSP Star Ocean: Second Evolution (which is also a portable remake of Star Ocean: The Second Story).

@HammerGalladeBro This had happen before but only for lesser known games, that's how I got my physical copy of Forgotton Anne via Limited Run Games cause Square Enix never distribute that one themselves.

@SearchingS It's likely they may remake that one next, still with Tri-Ace gone from Square Enix now I doubt a remake of Star Ocean: Til the End of Time would happen and if it does it likely won't have the same magic as the PS2 original.

@Coalescence Uhhhh I hate c-k cards, but since they're not offering smaller card sizes for S2 titles.... Yeah, it is largely Nintendo's fault.

Square, the multibillion dollar legacy publisher, are also awful sellouts for needing LRG to release SO physically in NA. Ridiculous. 🤡

This is cool news. It always bugged me to possess the second one in physical and not the first. Will surely order that one !

Oh, and if we can have a Switch 2 upgrade of Second Story, with a bump in fps and all, that would be nice. Let's hope !

Awesome! Hopefully LRG will rescue Square Enix's Switch 2 catalogue from Game-Key Card hell.

Here's hoping this is a sign of more S-E digital-only games getting physical releases. Collection of Saga, Actraiser Renaissance, Paranormasight, etc.

I do like the 1st game, even this version of it, but it is pretty short...

im pretty sure playasia will have the physical versions as well.

@Serpenterror, @Vyacheslav333, @jojobar Thanks all, I appreciate the informative responses. I'm trying to gauge whether I want to preorder First Departure R. I've yet to play a Star Ocean entry, but the series caught my interest when Second Story R released on the Switch. SS is on my radar, but I've been waiting for the right time (because backlog) and a physical discount. SS seems almost universally loved, but it seems the franchise's overall quality depends on who you ask.

@Magician ActRaiser Renaissance should definitely get a physical release someday. If that one gets one soon, then it's a day one buy for me. I don't care who distribute it, I take any physical version of that game guaranteed.

As a huge Star Ocean fan myself, I will absolutely try to pre order the collector’s edition to show my support for the Star Ocean series!

I love the Star Ocean series so much. It would be great to see even more of them come to Switch 2! We have First Departure R and The Second Story R, both of which are fantastic! I would love to see Switch 2 ports of Star Ocean: The Last Hope and Star Ocean: The Divine Force as well! And of course, I hope one day we can see a modern remaster of Star Ocean: Till the End of Time as well!

I think the Star Ocean series as a whole is awesome and deserves a lot more love and attention. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I do feel like a lot of people who haven’t tried the games might really enjoy them if they did. I’ve loved all of them, personally. Well, the only one I didn’t absolutely love was Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness. That one wasn’t quite as good as the others in my opinion, but it still definitely had a lot of enjoyable aspects to it and a lot to love too.

@PKDuckman yes, I’ve been buying multi language and physical copies from that region as often as possible to avoid them when I can.

@PKDuckman what nonsense? Physical games you can't get physically otherwise?

@Corvus96 LRG's problematic business practices are well known, from unfulfilled orders, missing collectables, and delays, to PC games being sent out on CD keys, to 3DO games on CD-Rs. The Doom collection in particular has DRM and doesn't even have the latest updates which requires another GB download. And they're not some small indie publisher, but owned by the Embracer conglomerate which also releases many of LRG's supposed exclusives under the THQ brand. So in case of physical releases, I generally import them from Asian countries, and only purchase from LRG as a last resort.

https://seafoamgaming.com/2021/11/25/limited-run-games-quality-control-is-out-of-control/