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Affinity (感情度, Kanjōdo? or 相性度, Aishōdo?), also called Emotional Levels (感情レベル, Kanjō Reberu?), is a recurring feature in the Star Ocean series, which dictates the relationship values between the characters. The scores can be raised or lowered depending on the player's actions and Private Actions viewed.

Overview[]

Throughout the games, several companions join the the party, and the bonds between them strengthen as they get to know each other, which is reflected by the "Affinity" hidden stat that each character has for each other. There is no way to check these values in-game, however, since there is no "right" or "wrong" story path according to the developers.[1]

All relationships start with a base score, although one character may not feel as strongly about another as much as he or shee feels about them. Certain choices during events, scenes, and Private Actions can add or substract points from the relationship. Relationship scores will affect may sometimes affect story progression, but most often it will dictate which of multiple endings involving the protagonist the player gets to see after the end credits. There are solo endings and paired endings, often having a priority system in case there are score ties.

Some examples of affects on character relationships include:

  • Recruitment choices.
  • Using certain specialties. Where present, Pickpocket and Contraband may lower scores.
  • Using certain items, such as Love Potion No. 256.
  • Some books will set the reader's affection for the author to a fixed score.

In The Second Story, its remake, and First Departure, if a character has a significant affinity—if the score is 9 or higher in First Departure, and 8 or higher in Second Evolution—with another character, he or she may become angered when the character they care about is incapacitated in battle. In this state, their attack power doubles for about 10 seconds afterward. This state will not be triggered if, when their companion falls, the character is attacking, is paralyzed or petrified.

Appearances[]

Star Ocean[]

In Star Ocean and Star Ocean: First Departure, ratings are linear and fairly easy to build up. Fighting bosses as a party increases each active member's affinity by 1 point. Pickpocketing townspeople outside of PA mode can randomly cause a party member to lose -1 affection toward a random character, whereas pickpocketing a party member (only in PA mode) has 5% chance of -1 to their relation with Roddick. In First Departure, use of Contraband has a 50% chance of -1 per relation, and Publication books will set affinity values for the author to 8.

The Second Story[]

In Star Ocean: The Second Story and its remake Second Evolution, the game keeps track of relations in the form of Friendship Points (友情値, Yūjōchi?), or FP, and Romance Points (愛情値, Aijōchi?), or RP. As with PAs unique to each hero's side, there are endings for Rena and Claude each, and between party members. The formula to determine the combined affection score is:

Characters will enter rage state only if this combined score is 8 or higher. Pickpocketing and Contraband lower affinity, Publication books come in two to set either FP or RP to 8, and only a select few boss fights raise scores in the active party. To get a paired ending, characters need to have a shared relationship value above 10 (FP for same gender characters, RP for opposite-gender); otherwise, they get solo endings. Any ties are broken in this priority order: Claude, Rena, Celine, Bowman, Dias, Precis, Ashton, Leon, Opera, Ernest, Noel, Chisato, and Welch.

Blue Sphere[]

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Till the End of Time[]

In Star Ocean: Till the End of Time, storyline choices and PAs raise or lower everyone's Affection Point values, including those of characters the player has not recruited yet. Character endings come in two types: solo endings and the couple ending. The paired ending, involving Fayt and another character, is chosen if: the partner character is a party member by the time of the final boss fight, and Fayt's affection stat for this person is 21+ while their affection for Fayt is 50+. Otherwise, Fayt gets a solo ending.

The Last Hope[]

In Star Ocean: The Last Hope, besides PAs, affinity is raised by sharing a room on the Calnus (based on scenario progress, characters gradually gain points this way, but opposite-sex characters cannot share rooms until they've earned a certain amount of affinity), or use Love Potion No. 256. Furniture, like Aroma of Love or Ominous Metal, may further affect shared room outcomes. Affinity is lowered when caught Pickpocketing (a 20-30% chance at that) or when using the Super Aphrodisiac item. Character endings can be seen if party members have sufficient affection toward Edge, and two special endings—Crowe's and Faize's—if certain criteria is met, mostly triggering specific PAs.

Integrity and Faithlessness[]

In Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness, affinity is gained by viewing PAs, and can be manipulated with the Love Potion No. 256 or Emotional Destabilizer items. After the captain's log monologue, an ending with the character who has the highest affinity with Fidel is chosen, the priority order being Miki, Fiore, Anne, Victor, Emmerson. Afterward, an additional cutscene involving Relia plays out if her affinity with Fidel is high enough, which varies slightly if Miki's ending was unlocked.

Anamnesis[]

In Star Ocean: Anamnesis, affinity was adapted into the Friendship system implemented in the second episode, Twin Eclipse. Through it, the captain can earn the affection of all non-collaboration 4-5☆ base characters for bonuses.

The Divine Force[]

In Star Ocean: The Divine Force, as before, PAs may raise or lower affinity, as do Love Potion No. 256 and Emotional Distabilizer. There are endings separate for Raymond and Laeticia. They get a paired ending with a party member if the partner character's affinity value for them is 80 or above, and is the highest amongst the party. In case of tied scores, the priority system is Raymond / Laeticia, Albaird, Nina, Midas, Elena, Malkya, Marielle, and Theo / J.J.[2] Should they fail to meet the requirements for a paired ending, they get solo endings.

Gallery[]

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References[]


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