Square Enix has surprise-released a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Star Ocean: The Second Story R, the HD-2D sci-fi RPG that originally launched on Switch, PlayStation, and PC in 2023. This new iteration for the Switch 2 offers a significant performance boost, featuring 1080p resolution in both docked and handheld modes, coupled with a smooth 60 frames per second frame rate. This marks a substantial improvement over the original Switch version's considerably lower resolution and 30 FPS performance.
However, this enhanced version arrives with familiar Square Enix caveats. Much like the recently announced Switch 2 editions of Octopath Traveler and its sequel, players wishing to experience Star Ocean: The Second Story R on the Switch 2 will need to purchase it anew for $49.99. There is no upgrade path available for those who own the original Switch 1 version, nor does save data transfer between the two editions. This practice continues a trend that requires players to pay full price for a game they already own when moving to a new system, a contrast to approaches taken by other publishers, including Nintendo itself with titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a remake of the 1999 PlayStation title of the same name. The game follows Federation officer Claude C. Kenny, who is mysteriously transported to an alien world. While seeking a way home, he becomes entangled in a local conflict, joining forces with a young woman from the planet on a quest to save it from an ancient prophecy.
The game is currently available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch 2, Switch, and PC.