If there's one thing Square Enix will always be known for, it's their skill at developing some of the best Role-Playing Games in the history of gaming. From Final Fantasy to Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix fans across the globe love their RPG masterworks. Now, the US is finally getting Square's most recent, oft-delayed RPG, Star Ocean: Till the End of Time.

You may be wondering why a game that was released in Japan some time ago took so long to make its way across the ocean. For one, we're not getting the standard edition of Star Ocean: Till the End of Time. Instead, we're getting the reworked Director's Cut that was released in Japan, which has a plethora of bonuses to the original while fixing the numerous bugs and glitches that plagued the first release. There's so much added goodness in the Director's Cut that Square Enix had to put everything on two DVDs. We can't tell everything that was included due to spoilers, but trust us, this is some good loot.

Now let's get down to the good stuff. Four hundred years have passed in the Star Ocean universe. It's now the year 772 SC (Space Calendar) and you play as Fayt Leingod, a boy who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. As you're vacationing on the resort planet Hyda with your parents and girlfriend, an unknown military force attacks. You're soon separated from everyone and left stranded on a planet several light-years from Hyda. This is where the story of Star Ocean: Till the End of Time begins.

The main draw of Star Ocean has to be the game's intricate battle system. You can spend thirty minutes or more in the tutorial and you may still miss a number of details. In fact, you might even be a little lost because there's so much to do. There are no random battles in Star Ocean. Instead, the player is able to see all of the enemies on-screen and determine if they want to fight or simply run by.

If you choose to fight, everything happens in real-time. Your player will run around a 3D battlefield attacking enemies with the press of a button. Up to three characters can be in your party at a time, and you'll be able to switch between them by pressing the shoulder buttons. The computer will control the other two characters, while you control the third. You can set various attack patterns for the computer-controlled characters that best suit your style of play.

During battles, players will have the ability to sidestep, strafe, use strong or weak attacks, perform defensive skills, and even add a touch of magic. Many attacks can be chained together to create some of the most unique attacks seen in an RPG. We've learned all of this while only playing through a very limited portion of the game, but it shows you the depth of what's in store for gamers.

Visually, Star Ocean isn't quite on par with Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2, but that doesn't mean it's not looking good. It's certainly one of the better-looking PS2 RPGs and can hold its own against most of the competition out there. In addition, the numerous CG cut-scenes are all spectacular in standard Square Enix fashion. Plus, home theater enthusiasts will be happy to know that the game offers widescreen support with a 16:9 aspect ratio. However, there is only Dolby Pro Logic II instead of Dolby Digital 5.1, but we can't have everything.

From our limited time with the first disc of Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, things are looking very promising. On top of the intricate battle system, all new extras included in the Director's Cut version, and wonderful 16:9 support, we've still hardly scratched the surface or touched the story. While it's picking up a bit slower than one would hope, all of the pieces appear to be in place for an interesting jaunt across the galaxy. We'll have more on Star Ocean, including a full review before the game ships in late August.