With 13 characters and a maximum party size of 8, choosing the right party members in Star Ocean: The Second Story R is tough.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is known for its large cast of characters. There are 13 in total, and they each have their own strengths and weaknesses that make them interesting additions to the team. Unfortunately, you’ll only ever have eight spaces in your party for these characters, so some will have to miss out.
Fortunately, on the other hand, there are two ‘routes’ to the game – one for picking Claude as your main character and one for picking Rena. This means it’s more than possible to experience every possible party member in just two playthroughs, so you needn’t worry about missing too much!
How To Recruit All Characters
Most of the characters in the game will be very difficult to miss, and you’ll be prompted to pick them up as party members eventually. Many of them are exclusive, however, to either a route or in opposition to another character. The table below lists every character in the game and provides the context and pre-requisites to recruitment for each one.
|
Character |
Recruitment |
|---|---|
|
Claude |
Claude is a main character and will be a party member regardless of your chosen main character. |
|
Rena |
Rena is a main character and will be a party member regardless of your chosen main character. |
|
Celine |
Celine will join you as a guest during the early quest to investigate Krosse Cave. After completing the events in the cave and then exiting, Celine will offer to join permanently. Refusing Celine at Krosse Cave does not make drastic changes to the events in Marze later on in the game. |
|
Ashton |
Ashton is only available to players who have not recruited Opera. If you have Opera in your party, you can’t get Ashton. To get Ashton, you’ll need to first progress the story until you hear rumours of dragons in the Salva Mines. Proceed back to the Salva Mines and explore the end of the area to find Ashton. After the events here, Ashton will offer to join the party. |
|
Opera |
Opera is only available to players who have not recruited Ashton. If you have Ashton in your party, you can’t get Opera. To get Opera, you’ll first need to witness a short event in which you meet a three-eyed man in Krosse. Then, progress the story until you reach Hilton – talk to Opera in the bar here when the event is active (you’ll be able to tell this by an icon being next to Hilton in the fast travel menu) and she’ll join as a guest for a quest to Krosse Mountain Palace. Progress through the Mountain Palace and then agree to help Opera find Ernest to have her join your party. |
|
Ernest |
You can only recruit Ernest if you have previously recruited Opera. You’ll need to discover Ernest’s lab in the Krosse Mountain Palace and then witness a cutscene in Arlia forest afterwards to recruit Ernest. After the events in the Hoffman Ruins with Leon, you’ll encounter Ernest upon leaving the area. As long as you have Opera with you, she’ll be able to calm him down. He will offer to join you. If you complete the side quest in its entirety (discovering the lab and witnessing the forest cutscene), it will be impossible to avoid Ernest asking to join you. If you reject him, though, Opera will leave your party. If you want to keep Opera but avoid Ernet, do not view the cutscene in Arlia. |
|
Welch |
To recruit Welch, you’ll need to view a Private Action available after completing the tournament arc in Lacuer. The Private Action is located just outside Lacuer Castle – keep an eye out for it in the fast travel menu. Welch will offer to join during this Private Action. This Private Action is time-sensitive and will eventually expire. |
|
Bowman |
Bowman is only available to players who have not recruited Precis. If you have Precis in your party, you can’t get Bowman. Bowman will offer to join your party during the story events in Linga as long as you don’t have Precis in your party. This will happen after acquiring the herbs that Bowman wants and after the meeting with Keith. |
|
Precis |
Precis is only available to players who have not recruited Bowman. If you have Bowman in your party, you can’t get Precis. When you enter the town of Linga as part of the natural storyline progression, pursue the chain of PA events that involve Precis and her father. As part of this chain, Precis will offer to join your party. |
|
Leon |
Leon is exclusive to the Claude route. If you chose Rena as your main character, you cannot recruit Leon. Leon will join your party as a guest for the events at the Hoffman Ruins, but will only offer to join your party permanently after the story events at the Lacuer Front Lines. |
|
Dias |
Dias is exclusive to Rena’s route. If you chose Claude as your main character, you cannot recruit Dias. Dias will offer to join your party during the events at the Lacuer Front Lines, but only if you chose Rena as your main character. |
|
Noel |
Noel will offer to join your party as long as you have a space remaining (in other words, you have seven or fewer party members) during your quest to tame a wild Psynard late in the game. |
|
Chisato |
To recruit Chisato, you’ll need to view multiple scenes once you reach Energy Nede. Basically, check the fast travel menu constantly once you reach Energy Nede and view every scene. When in the Cave of Crimson Crystals, make sure to pick up Chisato’s dropped ID card and return it to her at the Centropolis of Nede. As long as you have a space available in your party, she will offer to join. |