[quote name='Darrcyphfeid']Graces outclasses it in every way. As does Vesperia, for those on the Xbox 360 side of things.
Star Ocean IV's only redeeming quality is its battle system and, while fun, even that's mindless. In the early going you'll use the game's "Blindside" mechanic to quickly dispatch foes, while later on that's used exclusively for bosses and everything else tends to get steamrolled by mashing the X button or one of the shoulder buttons. Higher difficulties present more of a challenge and, in turn, encourages experimentation, but unfortunately you have to clear the game once before the option becomes available. Unlike Graces/Vesperia, you also can't switch difficulty without starting the game over.
The story and characters are among the worst I've ever encountered. There may be some enjoyment to be had if you don't take the game seriously at all or otherwise accept it for the trainwreck it eventually becomes, but if you want something compelling or meaty you're out of luck.[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the reply. Even at $16, it sounds like a pass, especially since I have a new Vita and plenty of PSP RPGs that I'd like to catch up on.