I tend to play on my handheld systems more than my consoles these days, so I'm always interested when something for the PSP hits. I may have hated that Godawful PS2 Star Ocean, but news of the first of the series arriving as Star Ocean: First Departure is enough to prick my filthy ears up. 

This will mark the first time that the original Star Ocean is available in Europe. It contains brand new voice acted cutscenes and has been rebuilt with the PlayStation Portable in mind. You can hit the jump for the full press release, and we also have some artwork for you to gloss over. The game is slated for October this year.

I'm continually impressed by Square Enix's support of the PSP, making the little system a must-have for JRPG fans. At least, I'm a JRPG fan and I'm glad I own the little thing, even if I do feel like a massive prat pulling it out in front of a load of DS users.

SQUARE ENIX ANNOUNCES STAR OCEAN FOR EUROPE AND PAL TERRITORIES

London (20th August 2008) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces that STAR OCEAN®: First Departure™ will be released across all PAL territories in October 2008, exclusively on the PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) system.

Follow the exploits of humankind's journey across the stars. The STAR OCEAN saga begins with the completely remastered STAR OCEAN: First Departure. Featuring a revised game engine, an improved battle system and fully-voiced, all-new animated scenes displayed in 16:9 widescreen. With a newly added layer of character interaction, players can enjoy their journey into the rich STAR OCEAN universe like never before.

John Yamamoto, president and chief executive officer of Square Enix Ltd. comments, "STAR OCEAN has already proved to be a popular series in Japan, we now hope that players around the world can discover why by experiencing the origin of the series. With STAR OCEAN: The Last Hope™ arriving in 2009, there's never been a better time to enjoy the STAR OCEAN adventure."

About STAR OCEAN: First Departure

Story

Space Date 346: The crew of the Terran Federation ship arrives on the planet Roak. With the help of a stalwart band of local heroes, the crew must work together to unravel a mystery and halt a galactic war. STAR OCEAN: First Departure marks the first time that the initial instalment in the STAR OCEAN series has been available in Europe and other PAL territories.

Features

• The game that launched the STAR OCEAN series – available in Europe for the first time

• Completely rebuilt for the PSP system, with real-time battles that keep players immersed in the action

• Brand-new, fully-voiced animated cut-scenes provided by anime powerhouse Production I.G

• The private action system adds depth to the story, introducing riveting subplots between characters