When you begin the game, you’ll be sparring with your friend and then be asked if you’d like to view the battle tutorial. If this is your first time playing the game, as well as a Star Ocean title, then it’s a good idea to view it. After finishing up the training, you are free to explore the village. There is both an item and equipment shop in one section, but you don’t have any money, so you can’t buy anything yet.

Other than that, there isn’t really anything to do in the village, so continue waltzing around until you get told about another friend named Miki. Approach her to initiate a conversation about some suspicious people off in the distance, then head to the mayor’s place afterwards for some more dialog. If you have trouble finding the mayor’s place, open your map and it will be marked on it with a red star. There will be some conversation about the suspicious people from before, then it will transition to night time.

It all seems a bit too peaceful and once you gain control of Fidel, head north to meet up with your friend. While talking to him, the Eitalon bandits will attack the town, with a few running through, so get ready for your first, true battle. These enemies aren’t really strong at all, so take this time to become accustomed to the controls during battle. After taking out the first set, Miki will join you and there will be a few more to fight.

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You begin fighting alone (left), but Miki will soon join to help you out (right).

Once you’re finished with those, you’ll need to run around town and quell the rest of the invasion. If you have trouble finding them, you might see damage numbers pop up from some places. There will be one encounter at the arena where you sparred with your friend before, then one more a little bit to the south of the same arena. When you’ve finished off all of the enemies, you’ll reappear back in the mayor’s place, then be setting off to the capital. Feel free to stock up on any amenities before leaving town, which will be done via the northeast part of the map, with Miki rejoining you before departing.