Star Ocean: Blue Sphere is one of those weird little Game Boy Color RPGs that somehow crammed a full sci-fi adventure into a tiny cartridge. You start off with this ragtag crew hopping between planets—some futuristic cities, some alien jungles—and the combat’s this weird hybrid where you’re running around slashing in real time but still managing skills and items like a classic JRPG.

The translation’s a bit rough (it never officially left Japan), but if you’ve played the other Star Ocean games, you’ll recognize the vibe—lots of weird tech, melodramatic space opera twists, and way too many optional cooking recipes. The sprite work’s surprisingly detailed for a GBC game, especially during battles where spells and laser swords light up the screen. Just don’t expect it to hold your hand—some of those dungeon puzzles are brutal.

It’s janky in that late-90s portable RPG way, but there’s charm in how ambitious it is for a Game Boy title.