Lost Odyssey is Sakaguchi’s second title for the Xbox 360. RPG enthusiasts yearning for a more mature title than Blue Dragon may just be in for a treat.
The main character is Kaim, an immortal mercenary who doesn't remember much of his thousand-year life. At first he seems like a typical video-game tough guy, but as he regains his memories he evolves into a more sympathetic, tragic character. Along your journey, you will encounter nine different warriors, a few of which will be immortals like Kaim, and the others are immortal. And his journey, while cliched at times, includes some of the most genuinely moving events I've ever seen in a video game. The dream sequences in the game also are very compelling.
Along your journey, you will encounter nine different warriors, a few of which will be immortals like Kaim, and the others are immortal. At the core of the game are hundreds of turn-based fights that will make Final Fantasy fans feel right at home. It’s all turned based, requiring you to select through attacks, magic spells and items before making a move. Being a huge fan of old-school role playing games I enjoyed the combat immensely.
Graphically, the game is a gorgeous and fully-realized adventure, thanks to the Unreal Engine 3 that is firmly in place. The sound is equally good with music and effects playing in typical JRPG fashion. The only complaint I have is in regards to some of the cheesy dialogue. I am not sure if this has something to do with the localization but it is not an overall hindrance.
I can confidently say that Lost Odyssey is one the best RPGs I have played on the 360 so far. I would rate it neck and neck with Mass Effect and Oblivion. Each game is obviously a different take on the RPG genre though.
One other small complaint I have is with the packaging. I live in America, and I must say having all of the disks crammed onto one place holder and one in a sleeve is a blatant let down. Feeling a little cheap Microsoft?
With a main quest that is an admirably long, Lost Odyssey should more than justify the asking price. It doesn’t bring anything new to the genre. However, that is not what it is meant to do. My fingers are crossed for a sequel. Keep up the good work Sakaguchi and thanks for keeping the old-school RPG dream alive.
