must be playing a different game than i am.  ive only been playing for about 12 hours or so, but this game is really good.  one of the few jrpgs this gen that got it right.  it might even be my favorite in the series, ill have to complete the game to find out for sure.  the first two games in the series were both great.  many say that the third is the best, but i just didnt like it.  it had a different feel than the first two did for me, but the fourth one makes me feel like  im playing the first two again.  it started out a little slow, but the story picked up relatively soon and now i just cant put the game down.  the battle system flows very nicely.  the only downside to me is that some of the trophies look like a real bitch to get.  i heard some people and reviews say the voice acting is kinda dull.  it sounds fine to me, yea there are a few characters who could have better acting (*cough* lymle *cough*), but all games have one or two characters that are just annoying.  all in all though i say star ocean 4 is a very well crafted game and all jrpg lovers should definitely play this game.  hell, even some action/adventure gamers could play this game if they are willing to play a game that is 4 or more time longer than what they are used to playing.

The thing that seems to turn people off to this game is the thing that makes me want to play it even more: The annoying, anime inspired voice acting.  I loves me some crazy anime women and this game seems to have it in spades.  I'm deep into Blue Dragon right now and I just grabbed Red Dead Redmption yesterday but I wouldn't be surprised if I end up jumping in over my head and trying to tackle Star Ocean 4, too.  It looks unique and fun!

I really liked S04. Also i've been told S03 is a shitty game, and it is probably my 3rd favorite game of all time. Definitely not the same games I play. I love Star Ocean!

do you mean so3 or so4 is your 3rd favorite game.

i absolutely loved Star Ocean 4 (ps3) it's one of them games that i'll never get rid of. I also really liked the battle system. I was gutted when i completed it, it sort of felt like a sad goodbye to the characters that i came to know i like in my 80 hours of play.

well you stopped playing eternal sonata for SO4.... everything is better then eternal sonata so your opinion might be clouded..

S03

if i could have thrown lymle off a cliff everything would have been right in the world, or i would have settled for taking her tongue

btw lol @ the trophies

lol, there might be some truth to that.  i'll eventually get back to eternal sonata, i was just a little disappointed by e.s. and so4 is just so refreshing.

SO4 would have been great, if not for the Emo Edge folding into Emo Faize moment. 

That entire sequence destroyed the game for me. 

And SO3 > SO4 as far as Im concerned.