Lost Odyssey: B+ System: Xbox 360 Developers: Mistwalker and Feelplus Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
The Japanese-developed game, "Lost Odyssey," takes a different approach to the turn-based role-playing game genre, introducing a story with serious and dramatic overtones that is heavily influenced by games of the late '90s. Regardless, it is still a worthwhile purchase and an exciting game.
A magnificent opening introduces us to Kaim, a millennium-old immortal who is searching for his lost memories to stop an evil plot that threatens two worlds. The relatively simple story solidifies Mistwalker's habit of focusing less on making the story revolutionary, which turns out to be refreshing. While the main story might not be the most remarkable in an RPG, the characters have a unique level of complexity.
The gameplay and combat of "Lost Odyssey" are reminiscent of "Final Fantasy VIII." Your team and the opponents faced attack each other in turns, and health is displayed for each character as a numerical value in the lower right-hand corner. Though it may seem like standard fare, combat has some interesting tweaks. You can equip characters with aim rings, which allow you to time their attacks and have a greater chance of inflicting extra damage or gaining some kind of bonus.
As gamers progress deeper into the game, new features appear. The intuitive system of aim rings and spells are augmented by the unique blend of predetermined character role and developing one's own characters. Parties consist of mortals, who come with their own skills and seem suited for one particular role in battle, such as attacking or healing. Also, immortals come with very few of their own skills and are required to learn them. This makes party managing a much more interesting experience.
The world of "Lost Odyssey" is colorful and creative, if not in the same vein as "Blue Dragon." The environments are fun to explore, and even if a bit linear, dungeons have ambient atmospheres. The world enemies are also creative and well-attuned to the serious world of "Lost Odyssey." Magic spell animations are dazzling, and combat animation is fluid. The music, written by famed video game composer Nobuo Uematsu, is impeccable, and the sound effects are crystal clear.
The gameplay staggers, however, when Mistwalker decided to input a few unnecessary elements culled from earlier role-playing games. A few of the side quests are needlessly dull, and at certain times, the game seems to slow down due to some stealth-based objective. These problems aren't prevalent, but they can be distracting.
The ever-irritating problem of too many loading screens also arises. Even though there are four discs, loading can get very bothersome, especially when an immersive moment of exploring an environment is abruptly interrupted to wait for a new area to load.
"Lost Odyssey" is, at its core, a turn-based RPG with compelling characters that tweaks a decades-old formula to bring gamers a very enriching experience. The loading times and minor gameplay issues can be easily overlooked, leaving an entertaining experience that will keep gamers busy for at least 30 hours. For RPG fans, it will be time well spent.
