tri-Ace returned to their roots with Radiata Stories, a medieval-fantasy JRPG with segmented real-time battling. But if it weren't for a few missing components, one could claim that they picked up where Star Ocean 2 left off (as later games turned decisively towards outer space & action controls). The reality is that SO's main merit - at its best, is the combination of talent system-based side goals and the party's doubled level cap, not the combat itself, and here they simply refurbished that system without the addictive, multi-purpose grind that gave it value. It's therefore no surprise that the result is almost as dull as their debut. Some additions (whether RPG like weapon mastery and ability levels, or action such as counters, super meter and Four Swords-esque formations) are nice but hardly a substitute for Talents; others (menu design, mid-battle dialogue, customizable movesets & chains) only prompt more Tales comparisons. Ultimately, it's the features that explore tri-Ace's 'career' (augmenting their partly-open world with a time system and a roster of 100+ characters, whose recruitment tactics compete with Suikoden in terms of sheer variety) and especially the impish humor (featuring the ability to kick objects and NPCs, with wildly different results) that save the show, or at least alleviate some of the boredom.