The Star Ocean series has always featured unique ways to develop a character's skills and abilities. Star Ocean: The Second Story R has a system focused on specialties that the party must learn before getting specific skills like cooking, crafting, and even lowering the price of goods at weapons and items stores. It can be challenging to know what to invest in particular skills and what they do. However, once players grasp the systems and unlockable abilities, the benefits and the possibilities show off the game's flexibility and replayability, making each playthrough feel unique in Star Ocean: The Second Story R and allowing players to experiment.