Four hundred years have passed since the climactic battle with the "Ten Wise Men". Currently it is 772 (space calendar). Humans and aliens co-exist, some in advanced societies and others in less-developed ones. The Galaxy Federation continues to research the cosmos in order to gain more influence in Space. STAR OCEAN's protagonist, Fate Linegod brings his family and childhood friend, Sophia Esteed to the Federation-managed resort planet Hida for a long deserved vacation. Their dreamy holiday turns into a nightmare when Hida is attacked by an unknown space military. In the heat of the attack, Fate is separated from his family and Sophia and begins an emotional quest into the unknown to find his loved ones.

• The ultimate sci-fi epic for enthusiasts of space travel and discovery, overflowing with adventure, exploration, moving plot turns and frenetic battles.
• An advanced real-time battle system is implemented, allowing for a party of three to freely move around the 3D battlefield. Players can execute synchronized attacks and other collaborative actions. Players can also control of any of the three characters with a simple tap of the L1 button, or can choose to play as one character while the AI controls the others.
• For the first time, fully polygonal graphics have been incorporated in STAR OCEAN, made possible by the PS2. A spectacular world can now be explored in breathtaking detail.
• STAR OCEAN lives up to its reputation as an astounding visual cinematic experience. Players will enjoy stunning graphics in all aspects of the game, including cut-scenes, maps, battle sequences, character rendering, and futuristic environments in this sci-fi masterpiece.
• Significant enhancements have been made to "Item Creation" and "Private Action".
• Real-time Dolby Surround Pro Logic(r)II 5.1 channel sound is used in STAR OCEAN, adding yet another element of depth to the adventure. Players will hear detailed sounds such as far away waterfalls and the approaching footsteps of an enemy.