Claude C. Kenny

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Claude C. Kenny is the son of Ronyx J. Kenny, the protagonist of the original Star Ocean. The game takes place in S.D 366, twenty years after the original game. Claude's first mission under his father's supervision is to survey the planet Milocinia, where a mysterious energy field has appeared. Ignoring orders to keep away, Claude examines a mysterious device on Milocinia, which activates and teleports him to the planet Expel. On Expel, he meets Rena Lanford, who takes him back to her village, Arlia, believing him to be the 'Hero of Light' from local legends. Claude explains he is not the hero but offers to investigate the Sorcery Globe meteorite in hopes of finding a way home. The game gives the player the choice of playing as Claude or Rena, with the journey evolving and ending differently depending on the choices one makes. There are 87 possible endings in the original PlayStation version.

In Their Own Story

Claude C. Kenny, an Ensign in the Earth Federation, is given his first mission under the supervision of his father, Ronyx J. Kenny. Their mission is to survey the planet Milocinia, where a mysterious energy field appears. Despite orders to keep away from a mysterious device found there, Claude approaches and examines it. The machine activates, teleporting him to the planet Expel. Stranded on an undeveloped, medieval-level world, Claude meets a girl named Rena Lanford. She mistakes him for the 'Hero of Light' because he wields a 'Sword of Light' (his standard-issue Phase Gun) and is dressed in 'alien raiments'. She takes him to her village, Arlia. There, the villagers explain that a meteorite called the 'Sorcery Globe' crashed into Expel, causing monsters to appear and natural disasters to increase. Though Claude insists he is not the Hero of Light, he offers to investigate the Sorcery Globe, hoping it might help him return home. Rena assists him as his native guide, hoping to learn about her own origin as an orphan. Their journey takes them across Expel to the Sorcery Globe, where they encounter the Ten Wise Men. The Sorcery Globe, which the Ten Wise Men call the 'Quadratic Sphere', is a device they planted to steer Expel into a massive energy formation called Energy Nede, from which they were exiled. They succeed, and the entire planet of Expel is destroyed by its collision with Energy Nede. Claude and Rena survive due to being within the teleportation zone cast by the Ten Wise Men. They are met by Mayor Narl, who explains the Ten Wise Men's history and their plan to destroy the universe using advanced Heraldry (magic). Narl announces that Energy Nede can restore Expel by using powerful Heraldry to turn back time, but only if the Ten Wise Men are defeated. Claude and Rena agree to help the resistance, embarking on voyages to strengthen themselves and learn about the enemy. Eventually, they assault the Ten Wise Men's stronghold at Fienal and put an end to them. The ending is composed of scenes describing the fates of the party's characters, changing slightly depending on if the player discovered the Ten Wise Men's true identity through Private Actions.

Reader's Guide

Claude C. Kenny is one of two selectable main characters in Star Ocean: The Second Story. The game gives the player the choice of playing as Claude or Rena, with the journey evolving and ending differently depending on the choices one makes. There are ten other playable characters in the game, though the player can only recruit six of them to fill out their eight-member party, and some recruitment choices will make other characters no longer available. Battles play in real time, during which the player has manual control over their character, as opposed to choosing options from a menu. Battles take place on a broad battlefield, over which the player's character can move without limit, allowing them to trade blows face-to-face with the enemy or circle around for a flanking attack. The other party members (up to 3 others) are controlled by the game's AI; the player may change an ally's strategy to one of six different pre-determined options (such as 'Spread out and attack', 'Save your Magic Points', and 'Stand Still and Don't Do Anything'). Nine different batches of skills are sold in in-game shops; once unlocked, they must be learned by committing battle-earned 'Skill Points' to them. Some skills raise a character's statistics, some unlock Specialty abilities, and some provide bonuses in battle (such as the ability to counter-attack). Specialties allow the characters to create a wide variety of items, including Herbal medicine, Cooking, Writing, Composing and Musicianship, Pickpocketing and Training. The entire party can contribute to 'Super Specialty' skills such as 'Master Chef', Blacksmithing, Publishing and 'Reverse Side', which allows the character to counterfeit valuable items at the risk of lowering their allies' opinion of them. A mechanic called 'Private Actions' allows the player to influence the relations between their characters. During a 'Private Action', the player's party temporarily breaks up during a visit to a town, with each character going their own way. The player's main character (either Claude or Rena) can then interact with their allies, often with the option of making one of those allies like another character more or less. This 'relationship point' mechanic can have a major effect in battle—if Character A's close friend is felled, Character A will get major combat bonuses for a short time—and also determines what ending the player will see, as each party member's scene plays out differently depending on who they befriended. There are 86 possible endings.

Did You Know?

• Claude C. Kenny is the son of Ronyx J. Kenny, the protagonist of the original Star Ocean.
• The game takes place in S.D 366, twenty years after the original Star Ocean.
• Claude's standard-issue Phase Gun is mistaken by the people of Expel for a legendary 'Sword of Light'.
• There are 87 possible endings in the original PlayStation version of Star Ocean: The Second Story, determined by relationship points earned through Private Actions.
• Claude is teleported to Expel after examining a mysterious device on the planet Milocinia, despite orders to keep away from it.

The Protagonist's Origin and Mission

Claude C. Kenny serves as the primary protagonist for players who choose his perspective, hailing from a futuristic Earth Federation as a newly commissioned Ensign. His narrative arc begins twenty years after the events of the original Star Ocean game, placing him in the year S.D. 366. Under the watchful eye of his father, Ronyx J. Kenny, Claude is assigned his first official duty: to investigate a mysterious energy field on the planet Milocinia. During this survey mission, he discovers an enigmatic device that, despite explicit orders to maintain distance, he approaches for closer examination. This act of curiosity triggers the machine, which instantly teleports him across space and time to Expel, a primitive world with medieval-level technology. Upon arrival, his advanced Federation gear is misinterpreted by locals as legendary artifacts; specifically, his standard-issue Phase Gun is mistaken for a mythical "Sword of Light," leading the local girl Rena Lanford to believe he is the prophesied "Hero of Light." This misunderstanding sets the stage for his journey from a stranded officer to a key figure in a multi-world conflict.

Revolutionary Real-Time Combat Mechanics

The game distinguishes itself within the action role-playing genre through its innovative real-time battle system, which grants players direct manual control over their character rather than relying on traditional menu-based commands. Set across expansive battlefields, this freedom allows for dynamic tactical maneuvers such as flanking enemies or engaging them face-to-face while party members are managed via AI with six selectable strategy options. A defining feature is the deep customization offered through nine distinct skill batches purchased in shops and unlocked using battle-earned Skill Points. These skills range from statistical boosts to unlocking "Specialties" like Herbal medicine, Cooking, Writing, and even Pickpocketing. Furthermore, the game introduces "Super Specialty" mechanics where the entire party collaborates on complex tasks such as Blacksmithing or counterfeiting valuable items through a risky skill called "Reverse Side." Every crafting attempt consumes resources and carries a chance of failure, adding a layer of resource management that directly impacts the party's combat effectiveness and economic stability throughout their adventure.

Narrative Branching and Relationship Dynamics

A core pillar of the experience is the unique ability to choose between playing as Claude or Rena, with each choice altering the story's progression and final outcome. The narrative is heavily influenced by a "Private Actions" mechanic that occurs during town visits, where party members disperse for individual activities while the protagonist can interact with them to influence interpersonal relationships. These interactions adjust hidden relationship points, which significantly impact gameplay; for instance, if a character's close friend falls in battle, they receive substantial combat bonuses due to emotional distress. This system culminates in a staggering 86 possible endings, as every party member's final scene is determined by the specific bonds formed during the journey. Additionally, the recruitment of companions is strategic and limited; while ten characters are available, only six can join the eight-member party, meaning certain choices permanently lock out others, forcing players to weigh their tactical needs against narrative desires.

Legacy Through Remasters and Expansions

Since its initial release on PlayStation in 1999, which marked the series' first expansion outside Japan, the title has maintained a cult following and is frequently cited as the best entry in the franchise. Its enduring popularity prompted multiple enhanced re-releases that significantly updated the original experience. In 2008, Star Ocean: Second Evolution arrived on the PlayStation Portable, featuring newly animated cutscenes by Production I.G, a re-recorded soundtrack, and additional story content. This version was later ported to PlayStation 3, Vita, and PS4 in 2015 with further graphical enhancements and new music, though this specific iteration remained exclusive to Japan. Most recently, a full remake titled Star Ocean: The Second Story R was developed by Gemdrops and released globally in November 2023 across modern platforms including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation consoles, and Windows. This latest version continues the game's evolution, ensuring that new generations of players can experience this science fantasy epic with contemporary visuals while preserving its defining gameplay elements.