Third time is not the charm in this case.
Second one was fairly on time.
Thid would be behind.
The game starts with a bang but ends with a whimper. That's how I should put it in this case.
I often think that Gamespot is way too critical when it comes to RPG games, but this time I have to agree with them. Ok enough of my babbling, and let's get down to details.
First thing I want to point out would be the most obvious negetive. The voice acting. I think by now the developers should've learned to at least put option to play the original voice acting of Japanese version. After all this game has 2 DVDs, there are room to spare to add Japanese voice acting, which technically shouldn't be difficult at all. Voice acting is very quick way to ruin a game especially RPGs where story and the mood is blood of the game. To be quite frankly I've heard much worse voice acting, but Star Ocean: Till End of Time also suffers from fairly bad voice acting. That small option could've saved this game from that same fate of other games.
The combat is more action oriented this time around. Star Ocean allowed players to move somewhat freely in battle field, but this time they allowed you to move even better, and the battle is more faster and more furious. Might sound good at first, but in actual play it ends up being more frustrating because quick mistake can lead to deaths of characters. Not fun. I have to say i'm more of traditional RPG gamer who likes to sit back and play the game. I also lack hand and eye cordination so this game did give me some stress, but many action oriented fans should be slightly more pleased, but to those fans the action is still not responsive enough to be satisfying. In the end to both types of fans it doesn't really fill their needs and wants.
Graphically, the designs are bit doll like or anime like. Characters look and move slightly stiff so I won't give very high points for their design. Some characters look quite nice and designs are well done, but too many character design are on the line of average. Also some backgrounds might look stunning, while others are eh.. Overall, the graphic and the design doesn't really shine like previous Star Ocean (relative to their time)
The music also doesn't really shine. It's by no means bad. It's actually quite good, but none of the music really sticks to you and leaves you impressed nor it really captures the mood completely like many other well done games. Too often it goes by without you really noticing it so musics is just above average, nothing great.
The story I have to say is where this game falls apart. It starts VERY strong. It gives great details to small things of that world to bring that world come alive like language translator to be used to communicate with other alien life form, but as the story goes it loses the excitement, and at the end when the big plot twist comes around, you are left being disappointed instead of being shocked. After that, the whole game becomes fairly pointless to you because of the story and left without as great motivation. Some might like it, but I personally didn't like that big twist of plot. It made my characters meaningless and their struggle to survive meaningles as well. Overall, the plot lacks balance of dramatic building and climax. Not to mention a twist of plot that actually relates to the previous story of the game. It does relate but doesn't relate enough to make you think back what you went through and appreciate the twist. That twist is nothing more than a shock factor and the shock alone can't magically make average story into great one, and in this time it actually reduces story into below average story.
Overall, Star Ocean: Till End of Time brings back enough elements from the past game to satisfy previous Star Ocean game. Some might be facinated with the story and some will despise it. There are some pacing problem as some dungeons might feel much bigger and some dungeons might feel like it has much stronger enemies so there are many aspects it lacks, but overall Star Ocean: Till End of Time has enough interesting elements to be decent to good RPG. It won't make you think it is classic like previous ones, but it will provide enough to not be a dud.