"...Although the game world is in a state of upheaval, Lost Odyssey cleverly makes Kaim's own existence the central theme of the game -what happens in the world is important, but nothing as crucial as discovering more about Kaim, his thousand-year past, and his apparently endless future."
"Kaim is quite a cold character too, and he doesn't seem impressed with those around him; he seems like an outsider, and that makes the player feel like an outsider. It's a clever trick, setting Lost Odyssey apart from 'funkier' Japanese RPGs. This one is primarily for older players."
On Thousand Years of Dreams > "Sometimes the text of these dreams is spliced with moving images of Kaim's past actions. It all works to great effect, and it makes for a much more interesting non-playable hook than the half-assed cut-scenes of lesser games... Lost Odyssey is the 360's most interesting application of non-game-related source material to date."
"The four dics each hold around ten hours' worth of play, and many minutes of voiced dialogue and cut-scenes, so Lost Odyssey can be regarded as an epic. And there's also the surreptitious delivery of 'A Thousand Years of Dreams', which can be viewed as a digital book in it's own right. In terms of play for pound (or dollars if you're American), Lost Odyssey is more generous than most."
Summary > "Definitely a story well told and a reasonably well produced RPG, Lost Odyssey is rooted in the genre's traditions but ultimately succeeds thanks to the strength of it's fantastic storytelling. Battles are satisfyingly difficult and there's four discs' worth of game to play through. It can be a bit heavy, a bit like 'War and Peace', but Lost Odyssey is well worth a look if you're after a Japanese RPG with staying power."
Final Score Given: 4 stars out of 5
17 years later, it still stands out.
Two of the few games I still own for Xbox360 . I have Magna Carta 2 , Last Remnant but also have the PS4 version so I may have got rid of it and I have the DS version of Blue Dragon. I think and a few others but I forget what they are since I don’t dust them off. that’s about it.
Another one I still havent got to try is infinite undiscovery. I read it was pretty linear but I usually fk with tri ace(star oceans are great).
Really my only issue with lost odyssey was the level cap they hit you with throughout the game. I enjoy just relaxing and doing some grinding every once in awhile. Could've atleast given the option. Other then that. Excellent game.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. The 360 imo had atleast half or more that Gen of being the better jrpg system. I bought one earlier then I normally would have for some, and Alan wake. Japanese devs really got in their feelings that Gen and dropped the ball(thanks Phil phish, cocky ass ign, etc)
You'd be better off playing Lost Odyssey on an XBO or Series X as no disc swapping and it looks and plays much better. Same with Blue Dragon. I still keep my 360 hooked up for games not on the bc list. for everything else, I use the series x now. Just last night I installed arkham origins as there is no 8th gen version like asylum/city.
I love having bc on xbox one/series hardware.
Darth
When I bought the the Xbox one off a couple worker. That was the first thing indid. Bought blue dragon and lost odyssey. Been waiting to catch infinite undiscovery on sale but I forget to check.
I used to own the 360 versions but I bought these digital. I'd like to track down the 360 ones again but no huge deal. I was actually playing through lost odyssey waiting for starfield to drop.
The game was indeed amazing. Great characters, gameplay and story!
But the dream sequences penned by Shigematsu were sublime.
I still remember many of these stories and I have integrated in the past in my D&D campaign many years ago.
Microsoft should have just kept pumping money into these guys. Same with a lot of the other studios... the blundered hard.
Lost Odysee deserved a franchise even though development wasn't smooth
Am I the only one who doesn't wanna see every good game get sequel after sequel? It was a great game, but sometimes it's better to just make a one off and then create a new universe. Sadly that costs a lot more money and publishers don't wanna risk it, but I would definitely prefer it
I'm fine with sequels in jrpgs, even in the vain of ff sequels, all new stories and characters. It does get old in other genres though sometimes. For the most part I just game by game basis it all.
They could have done it like Final Fantasy, kept the title name and just start with a new world/characters, it's not like the creator isn't familar with that.
Idk, Japan never bit for Xbox despite their best efforts around this era. Mistwalker never exploded either, despite future partnerships with Nintendo whichhad a much better chance at success
It's not like it has had any competition since 2007. Would really like to own the short stories from it in book form.
360 had some amazing JRPGs in it's early days, Blue Dragon, Eternal Sonata, Tales of Vesperia off the top of my head were all amazing games.
The problem with most MS games on 360 was they didn’t make the games they paid for them and that makes you less money in the long run and isn’t something you can continue to do especially with declining sales of consoles. MS should have been starting and growing studios from the beginning but they went for paid games and it leaves them without the knowledge and culture of making games.
Not to mention killing the Japanese market that had all sorts of crazy and fun releases up until 2009-2010. They could have gained momentum on Nintendo and kept that going into the Xbox One era, but decided to "unify" efforts and that all but ended their presents in the country. Now, PS4's outsell the Xbox Series S three years into the new system's life cycle, and the 2/3DS at one point was doing the same.
It’s quite hard to believe, but Lost Odyssey turns fifteen years old today. A curious product of the time, it has arguably only got better with age - and not just because of what it is, but also what it represents.
The short stories that Kaim collects/remembers are truly emotional. I remember one in particular made my eyes water.
If you've never played this, try to hunt down an original copy, or emulate it. This game was a gem.
I wish there was a remaster. This and Last Story. Sad these games were released on the...wrong platforms...
Considering all the early tech issues Unreal Engine 3 had combined with Japanese developers working with a foreign language engine Lost Odyssey on the PS3 would have been a tech disaster if it had used UE3.
Lost Odyssey's long load times and framerate drops are evidence of just how hard it was working with early builds of UE3, it's a miracle Lost Odyssey turned out as well as it did.
In a perfect world Lost Odyssey would have launched on the PS3 but I doubt Sony or anyone else would have funded the project if Microsoft didn't.
It wouldve sold better thats for sure and maybe dude wouldnt be doing mobile games now
These JRPGs stand up on their own.
their games just can't stop flopping can they? Blue Dragon sucked. Lost Odyssey was outsold by a PS3 demo. if these JRPG's aren't even selling where they're SUPPOSED to be selling, why keep going if it'll do even worse everywhere else? Mistwalker is supporting the wrong console. if they want their JRPG's to sell millions like FFXIII will, they'll need to put it on a Japanese console.
but I doesnt hold a candle to FF. Plus, 4 discs? Only 40 hours gameplay??
I need more JRPGs. Lost Odyssey will do me well, it appears.
.....are plenty of people in the world that own a 360 and want to play this game. I for one, am one of these people. The game looks great, plays great, and got a good review so what the hell is your problem whether or not its exclusive or not?! Does it affect you in any way, seeing as you dont give a sh!t about the game, why are you even in this thread, oh wait, thats why, just to stir sh!t. RIPHDDVD, im confused, so you are saying jrpgs dont sell outside of japan?! Judging by the 360's software attachment rate i would say that these games will sell pretty well especially with good review scores such as this one.
I will probaly pick it up. As I have gotten older I have not been into JPRG's that much. Most RPG's are to linear for me anyways. I like playing and not watching cut scene after cut scene. I am Elder Scrolls man myself. You do not get more wide open than Morrowind or Oblivion.
No doubt MS has struggled in Japan, what American companies/products don't struggle besides Apples' Ipod. MS will continue to push games in Japan until they break through, the only way they will stop is if they get out of the gaming business and seeing how they limitless funds, this will not happen in the for seeable future. They will push for more Japanese and European styled games.