10 Upcoming Video Games Being Sent Out To Die

4. Star Ocean: The Divine Force

Gotham Knights
Square Enix

The Star Ocean franchise has been having a tough time for a while, with critical and fan reactions to the fourth and fifth games proving wildly mixed, enough that many are praying that the upcoming sixth mainline entry, Star Ocean: The Divine Force, will put the series back on solid ground.

Sadly the trailers and gameplay footage released to date don't really suggest that. The Divine Force certainly doesn't look terrible, but it simply looks like another standard, unremarkable entry into the flagging IP.

With many players noting the worryingly low framerate, generally dated graphics, and abundance of questionable voice acting in the gameplay footage, this feels like a thoroughly "mid" offering that Square Enix likely knows won't break out beyond the hardcore fans.

And so, that's probably why its presence on the gaming slate feels so low-key. But the biggest indication that Square Enix is sending it out to die? They're daring to release it less than a week after a decidedly more anticipated RPG - the next-gen, PC, and Switch versions of Persona 5 Royal.

Yeah, good luck with that.

Even if The Divine Force is a return to decency for the franchise, it's abundantly clear that the publisher isn't giving it much thought at all.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.