'Star Ocean: The Last Hope' announced for Xbox 360

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jun 10th 2008 at 5:30AM }

Are role-playing games the last hope for a struggling Xbox 360 in Japan? It's not really a question so much as a trite joke we'll be abusing over the next several months, as Square Enix and Microsoft have announced a new endeavor that's actually called, "The Last Hope." Oh, and those words are preceded by ones that may excite you: "Star Ocean." Now we know what all that "lineup" business was about.

According to IGN's liveblog of the announcement, made yesterday at a press conference in Japan, Star Ocean: The Last Hope has a "science fiction feel to it," with humanity heading into the universe after completely wrecking planet Earth, as usual. Important things like customization and battle systems were apparently not mentioned, but there's plenty of time for that yet. For now, Star Ocean: The Last Hope is slated "for Xbox 360," but common sense tells us if a PlayStation 3 version is in the works (and funnily enough, this game looks just like the PS3's "Star Ocean IV"), it probably wouldn't be trumpeted at a Microsoft conference.

[Trailer via X3F]

Tags: BreakingNews, JRPG, Microsoft, Square-Enix, Star-Ocean, Star-Ocean-The-Last-Hope, StarOcean, The-Last-Hope

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

KiraXD @ Jun 10th 2008 5:41AM

cool.. hopefully it will be different enough from Star Ocean IV so i can buy both this one for 360 and IV for ps3

goboColossus (LIVE, PSN - gobopop) @ Jun 10th 2008 5:52AM

Who's to say that "Star Ocean: The Last Hope" isn't "Star Ocean IV" ??

BananaBoat @ Jun 10th 2008 7:26AM

The chances of it being the same are pretty high at this point. One more game to buy on the 360 because of achievements if so ;p

bigsofty @ Jun 10th 2008 7:44AM

NO THANKS!!!

Out of date effeminate Manga characters, with 99.999% pre-rendered CGI, revealing simple mind numbing game play, usually ancient turn based combat... how is Square Enix still getting away with producing this crap... its not advanced since the PS1...

Ethan @ Jun 10th 2008 8:56AM

KAWAIII!

That's why.

RPGJock @ Jun 10th 2008 9:49AM

@bigsofty

I am to blame, I take full responsibility. Don't like boring games like Oblivion, I need characters to have.. I don't know, character. And a engaging story that I want to see what happens next. Item collecting and carrot chasing, yep I am the one. Sorry...

I'm just saying...

3cubed (4squared plus 2squared) @ Jun 10th 2008 10:26AM

Same here. I will keep buying Star Oceans and Disgaeas for as long as they make them. I was going to buy a PS3 this Winter but now that its coming out for th e360 I might as well buy it for htat instead.

Anonim @ Jun 10th 2008 12:10PM

http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/880/880441p1.html
"
Producer says PS3 version may or may not be released.:

Square Enix producer Yoshinori Yamagishi cleared things up during a roundtable interview session that followed the press conference. Asked if the game is 360-only, he said, "We cannot announce anything on that. We can say that it will be released first [on the Xbox 360]. Whether we'll release it on the PS3 is undecided. We may release it, we may not."
"

velocitySTRIKE @ Jun 10th 2008 5:44AM

Where are all the Wii RPGs? :(

Thello @ Jun 10th 2008 6:29AM

Two horrible developers combine to make one inevitably terrible game.

goboColossus (LIVE, PSN - gobopop) @ Jun 10th 2008 6:32AM

Star Ocean 4 website has been updated to be "Star Ocean: The Last Hope."

http://www.eternalsphere.com/so4/index.html

Officially Official that they are the same game...

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jun 10th 2008 1:47PM

Odd. Gamespot is claiming that the game is exclusively for the 360.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6192331.html?action=convert&om_clk=latestnews&tag=latestnews;title;0

Ebichu @ Jun 10th 2008 6:38AM

Man, having a 360 just keeps getting better and better.
It's ironic that Microsoft is showing off their Square Enix games out of the blue, while it's been ages since we last heard something about FFXIII for the PS3.

Maverick Saturn @ Jun 10th 2008 7:08AM

I think thats because development for FF13 is meant to be massive, don't forget online experince is supposed to be like an MMORPG, "apparently", dont quite see how thats possible with set characters though :S

But the countries in it are massive compared to former games

Khakionion @ Jun 10th 2008 6:39AM

It says "Star Ocean 4" in the trailer, guys....

Procris @ Jun 10th 2008 6:39AM

Please change his hair.. Looks so... whats the word i'm looking for?

Supino @ Jun 10th 2008 6:49AM

...is it "Gray"?

4MyFriends @ Jun 10th 2008 6:58AM

At least the PS3 still has FF13 exclusively, cheer up guys!

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 10th 2008 10:52AM

If it's anything like 12 they should probably be crying more than cheering

4MyFriends @ Jun 10th 2008 3:04PM

Aint that the truth.

Scott @ Jun 10th 2008 7:01AM

This is just saying the the previous ps3 exclusive...Isn't a ps3 exclusive anymore.

I don't see how it will compete against the same game on the ps3 though. Unless Square really considered changing exclusivity deals, which I doubt.

Scott @ Jun 10th 2008 7:03AM

You know what I hate? "Exclusive". The word itself

Its overused in the media! And I was a sucker just then too!

Maverick Saturn @ Jun 10th 2008 7:09AM

This game is on PSP too, guess its so called exclusivity never lasted that long.

ThePerfectCompanion @ Jun 10th 2008 7:45AM

They need to make the guy more manly...cool hair and eyes but his face seems way too girlish.

Still though I'm way excited for this title. Love the cinematics.

tmacairjordan87 @ Jun 10th 2008 10:54AM

"They need to make the guy more manly...cool hair and eyes but his face seems way too girlish"

Welcome to the world of JRPGs, where we use the same tired format for nearly 20 years and counting!

zero @ Jun 10th 2008 7:58AM

Those two chicks at the end were hot...

ianp711 @ Jun 10th 2008 10:45AM

Unless you meant your comment to be a joke (if so yeah, haha). One of those chicks was actually a guy...

On that note:

Bleh, no thanks!

Ghey written all over it, mismatched costumes look like they came from a dollar store, exact reason why so many hate JRPG's.

So we wonder why Square and other JRPG companies have been having severe financial problems, they need to fire their art department.

Seriously, I'm still a fan of anime and Japanesque stylings, but the more popular Anime series which have coming out in the past 2 years have been dropping this enfeminite style (get a clue). Hell, I still dig seeing cute anime chicks with big eyes, but the cross dressing guys who you would pass off as a chick if they put on a lingerie gotta go. Also add to that the way too intricate, over done, blindingly colorized outfits (if I was fighting legions of beasts I don't think I'd be wearing something out of a bad high fashion magazine ).

zero @ Jun 10th 2008 11:30AM

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to question the seriousness of that comment. It was indeed a joke. I was a swipe at the Japanese obsession with making effeminate male leads.

browntown @ Jun 10th 2008 8:08AM

If star ocean story carries on from previous games, this is retarted, but if not then fine. Ms is throwing something around or really helping them out. I think this is a bad mistake, they should have made this game for the ps3 or wii, or ds. Though ds woulda been the best money maker, they lost 28 millions dollars last year, and there looking to follow that trend this year. Lucky 360 owners. Don't know if ill pick this up when i get aroudn to that 360, don't like controller.

LameDuck @ Jun 10th 2008 10:44AM

{Poorly worded troll bate about how OP should STFU and accept the 360's dominance. Also, tits.}

Am I doing it right, guys?

Jody Anthony (cookingrebels.com) @ Jun 10th 2008 8:37AM

I hope to god that this comes to the ps3. i already promised the wife no more consoles till the next gen. SO4 was THE game I was looking forward to this gen

Superstar90 @ Jun 10th 2008 9:09AM

I love my xbox 360 even more now. I was going to buy a PS3 for Tales and Star Ocean (don't really care for FF), but now I can save that money.

Also, I doubt this is exclusive. Probably will come out months later for PS3.

Ninegauger @ Jun 10th 2008 9:52AM

If this is before all the other Star Ocean games does that mean that it still takes places in a Massively Multiplayer game?

Damn Matrix plot twist made stop playing and sell Star Ocean III.

finaldarklord @ Jun 10th 2008 9:52AM

Meh, I was never a Star Ocean fan so this doesn't really affect me at all.

One DOES have to wonder though, how many times will Japanese developers have to make these mistakes before they realize that there is nothing anyone will ever be able to do to make their games sell on that hardware.

I hope MS is giving them a shit load of money, because the sales are always abysmal over there.

LameDuck @ Jun 10th 2008 10:57AM

You'll never get American hardware to sell in Japan... ever...

Sony, despite having tacked PSN onto the PS3, has yet to fully realize why anyone would want online gaming. The Japanese market, and other Asian countries, has a high percentage of online games. So... Why do the Japanese buy a system that the creators themselves didn't fully support online play? Name brand. It doesn't matter if Sony shat a turd into a box and called it the Playvaluation 360, they would lap it up like dogs. Same goes for Europe. The only way that I could see anything other than a Playstation or Nintendo selling well in Japan is by Sony bowing out of consoles or dieing all together.

So that brings me to my point. Why do we care about Japan anymore? I mean really. When was the last time Japan came out with a game or console that made you cream your pants? I'll give you that we have probably had 3 games this generation from them that fit this criteria, but that's all. It's nothing like it was in the SNES or PS1 days, where almost every popular game had a Japanese team behind it.

tl;dr: No outsider will sell in Japan as long as Sony is around, who cares about Japan anyway, and we need more American/European/whatever console makers.

TwEE @ Jun 10th 2008 1:30PM

The hate coming from the xbox kids lately towards the japanese is a bit lameduck.

They have different taste then you, get over it already.

Not everbody thinks oblivion and mass effect are the pinnacle of gaming..

LameDuck @ Jun 10th 2008 9:15PM

I don't eather. I think Oblivian is ok, but boring and mass effect... I could could get myself to play it. Maybe I'll try again later.

Anyway, it has nothing to-do with taste. It has everything to-do with brand name. Unless you are talking about me giving them guff over online play or RPGs, then that is diffrent story. I'll give you that my RPG comments are purely opinion, but you got to face the facts that the big name RPG publishers haven't really wooed anyone in quiet sometime. If you are talking about online play, it's a givin. People want to do things with other people. I do believe that if Sony never introduced online, the PS3 would be DOA. Since the PS2 was first introduced, people have gotten use to playing games on the internet. They like it and want it. It would be stupid to not include it. And you can tell that PSN was tacked on. It's like what XBL was when it was first introduced. That is sad and I wish Sony would of got their foot out of their mouth and done something before now.

I try to be fair here, but give me a break. I'd take something new and interesting over "Generic RPG 53". As for online, I don't use PSN much and don't care for it ATM. Ask me when LittleBigPlanet hits.

Lance @ Jun 10th 2008 10:37AM

There was never a turn-based Star Ocean game. THey have all been action-rpg hybrids since the SNES days. If you like the 'Tales of' series you'll like this one Bigsofty.

Tarkington @ Jun 10th 2008 11:18AM

Did they reuse the Final Fantasy: Advent Children character models or what? I like Cloud's new haircut, though!

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Jun 10th 2008 11:45AM

If it's anything like Star Ocean: Till the end of time, I'll pass.

Superstar90 @ Jun 10th 2008 12:12PM

It takes place 100 years before the other ones, so stupid matrix plot twists are not involved yet. (I hope)

TwEE @ Jun 10th 2008 1:22PM

I havent played a star ocean since the ps1, the graphic style has changed so much. Which is part of the reason I stoped playing FF games. They just dont remind me of the games I fell in love with..

No wait.. I mean.. Stupid stupid japanese and thier stupid jrpgs.. Da J in jrpgs stands for joke.. I prefer real USArpgs with 3.5% more of the da emersion! Why do they keep making games? Dont they know I dont buy them? I want all my rpgs to be Oblivion.

MrXevious @ Jun 10th 2008 3:45PM

They're going to make me buy a 360 just for a few games, aren't they?

*sigh*

LaughingTarget @ Jun 10th 2008 8:33PM

In Ron Pearlman's voice from Fallout:

"War, war never changes. In the final days of World War 3, weapons of mass destruction has made humanity forget how to use weapons that fire projectiles. Now, humanity is traveling among the stars, but they are back to hitting things with formed hunks of metal. Seriously, what is up with that?"