Star Ocean The Second Story R reimagines one of the most influential RPGs of all time, bringing a fresh coat of paint and a wealth of changes that make the experience more dynamic and approachable. Just as with the original release, a key feature of Second Story R is its dual protagonist options, something even the series’ most recent entry copied. Your choice of main character can alter quite a bit about your experience, and you’ll need to decide before you jump in. Luckily, we’ll help you decide whether to choose Claude or Rena in Star Ocean The Second Story R.
Should You Pick Claude or Rena in Star Ocean Second Story R?
While the overarching narrative of Star Ocean 2 remains the same no matter who you pick, both Claude and Rena get exclusive events and cutscenes that dive into various parts of the story.
Claude’s side dives more into the main parts of the story, giving you a better sense of the history of the galaxy and larger happenings in the universe rather than hyper-focusing on the specific planets you explore. If you pick Claude, you’ll get a better handle on the overall story, but miss out on specific bits of lore. That’s where Rena’s tale comes in. Her story explores the lore that affects her specifically as well as the two main planets in the game. Ultimately, Claude focuses on the sci-fi elements, while Rena hones in on the fantasy details.
At the same time, Claude is much easier to use in battle as he’s a high-attack and high-HP melee fighter with a lot of versatility. Rena, on the other hand, is primarily a healer, which makes her more difficult to get the hang of. Because of this, Claude is typically the better choice for a first playthrough, though Rena is excellent for a second playthrough that enhances your understanding of the story.
There is one other factor to take into consideration, however, as both Claude and Rena have one exclusive party member. Claude gets Leon, a spellcaster who’s slightly more powerful than the game’s standard caster, Celine. Rena gets a powerful swordsman named Dias, who’s one of the best party members in the entire game as he has devastating abilities and power. While we’d recommend Claude for a first playthrough, if the party member options really sway your choice, Rena gets the better one.
