Hey there! Welcome to our section for various "Tips and Tricks" to Star Ocean 2.

Star Ocean 2 has a lot of different systems working behind the scenes, as well as a lot of different skills you can play with. So, if this is your first time playing the game (or even a Star Ocean game), check this page out for some helpful tips!

These tips are in no particular order! Let's get into them.

• The first skill you should invest in is Determination, all the way to Level 10. Determination lowers the skill requirements for every skill, so this is purely a skill-points saving choice.

• You can use the fast-travel shortcut (down on the D-PAD) to see if any towns have any Private Actions or Sub-Events available. Always check after story events or getting new party members.

• Picking your character actually matters in this game! It affects who you can recruit along the way and some story sections! Recruiting characters matters as well as recruiting certain characters means you can't recruit others! You should plan who you want in your party before starting the game if you don't want any surprises or regrets!

• You can chain enemies in the field for consecutive fights. This can help when trying to grind EXP and levels. Remember that if you hit an enemy from behind, you begin the battle with the enemy stunned. The same can be done to you however!

• Formations in the game give different bonuses. Be sure to check them whenever you get new ones. The "Free Form" formation in particular gives bonus EXP, so it's worth checking out.

• There's a few ways to "break" the game and later on in the guide we highlight a few. That being said, try to save your skill points with your main character and that will help you later on.

• You can use items in the middle of battle! This includes healing items as well as battle items. Do so to replenish HP/MP and use items like the experience card to double your EXP during boss fights.

• You can command party members to use certain spells during battle. This can be good for healing and/or status spells.

• Be sure to check out the Guild Missions. They help you realize what you can do in this game, which ties in with the point below.

• Be sure to check out the IC skills available in the game. Many of these let you create items that can really help. Some of them, like Customize, can upgrade your current weapons and armor too. It's always a good idea to save before item creation, just in case of failure.

• There are some Super IC skills that give you special effects. Be sure to check all of those as well. Some of them can give you random items periodically, stop enemies in their tracks, and help you create better armors and weapons. Some of these skills also up your experience gained or even your skill points gained. Definitely look into every IC / SUPER IC skill!

• Each character has certain "Talents" you can view on the status screen. By using certain abilities (like crafting), characters can gain new talents. For example, crafting can teach your character the "Nimble Fingers" talent (helpful for other things like pick pocket).

• Check out each character's skills before you dedicate points into leveling them up. You can only put two skills on your main character anyways, so you may as well level up the skills you like.

• For battle skills, there are several melee-focused and magical-focused options to choose from. Of course, tailor your purchases to what your character already specializes in!

• Have more? Post them below and we'll add them in!