20.3.2008

The first games I ever really fell in love with were Final Fantasy games - so I was really excited when I heard about this, and couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I've had it since the day of release, and play it whenever I get the chance.Plot:* You play Kaim, an immortal, who has lived for a thousand years or so - but strangely enough he has no memories of those years. As you progress through the story you meet other immortals, and mortals, along the way - and begin to understand why all this has happened.* As far as the story goes, I don't feel totally engrossed as I have done in other Final Fantasy games (I know this isn't a `Final Fantasy' game by name, but it pretty much is in all but name),it isn't rubbish, it's just not as engrossing. I still want to play on, but I'm not thinking about it every day like other Final Fantasy games have in the past - it's still addictive though.Graphics/sound:* Yeah pretty good, some scenes are better than others. But if you bear in mind that this is a long story/long plot, you can't have the most fantastic graphics in the world as it will just eat up disc memory - so I think they've struck just the right balance. The graphics aren't as good as `Mass Effect', but that's only a 1 disc game - this is a 4 disc game.* Voice acting is OK, not quite Mass Effect standard, but pretty good none the less. Apart from Kaim, who constantly sounds as if he's depressed and just woken up with a hangover; and Queen Mings annoying `Posh' English accent. Jansen is genuinely funny, and some characters you meet later are genuinely cheesy (don't want to give the game away too much ;-) - you'll understand when you come across them).Game play/Longevity:* I completed Mass Effect in about 14 hours (doing the more interesting side quests - some of them were dead boring), so far I'm over 40 hours in to this game (start of disc 4) and it doesn't feel like I've even scratched the surface.* In contrast to Mass Effect, you really have to level you characters up and explore every inch of the world; otherwise you will find yourselves struggling against a boss because you don't have some particular ability. This isn't annoying, so long as you don't mind searching around and exploring - and if you do find it annoying, then why have you bought an RPG?* Boss battles will get the old grey matter going, as they do really take some tactical forward planning as to how you are going to beat them. And if you think there is no way you can possibly beat a boss (like me a couple of times), if you just sit down and think and plan - or google it, you will beat it.* There is no `Summoning' in Lost Odyssey - I don't know why, as that aspect was really cool. Summoning has been replaced with Composite magic (magic that effects all party members) - which just isn't as exciting.* Random battle encounters take place, but in the most part they aren't too bad. You quickly learn from experience which ones to take on, and which ones to run from. They are annoying when you are in a place where you don't know where the exit is, but my advice is to buy as many items as you can before you leave - which can be a big help.* As always with the old FF games, there is a total lack of save points. Why can't I just save my progress wherever I am? You can do it on the world map, why not elsewhere? This is something that really bugs me, as there has been a few occasions where I've played for nearly 2 hours only to be killed - and lost all the character levelling in the process. However it does add to the excitement - and (I may be alone in this one) it does make you want to come back for more, just to prove to yourself that you can do it.* Because of the lack of save points, don't attempt to start playing this game if you have got less than 2 hours to spare. You will regret it - trust me.* I may be alone is this, but this game seems to crash a lot. So far, on every disc, I've had the `Disc is unreadable...' message with regular frequency. If I start the game it usually crashes after about 30-45 mins of play, then after I restart it its fine and I can play all day. I hope this isn't my Xbox - it hasn't happened on any of my other games - would like to know what other people have experienced.Overall:Yeap this is a good game, it will keep you amused for a long time. It may not be everybody's cup of tea, but I think you should give it a try either way. For 50+ hours of game play, I think it's a bit of a bargain.

28.3.2008

There have been a few rpg's on the next-gen market, titles such as Mass effect, Oblivion, enchanted arms, eternal sonata blue dragon and that complete mock up which was two worlds.The over all favourates out of these have been Mass effect and Oblivion, because they were made by westerners by westeners, like wise the Japanese prefer theirs, easteners for easteners. The east rpg's prefer turn based combat, dramatic story lines, distinctive charachter and landscape designs and xp. We prefer medieval landscapes with Goblins or aliens, with a free roaming combat system.I believe it's this combat system wich sets these rpg's apart. The bottom line is if you prefer turn based combat, you'll like lost odessy,other wise you'll prefer the western rpg's. It's best the Japs stick to their roots, last time the east tried a Western style rpg, they came out with two worlds. Give them a talented Japanese music, or film artist, and it's pure magic.There are a few things i like about Lost Odessy, It's stlye, both visualy and cinematically, the slightly varied turn based combat and the plot.The style is undoubtedly Japanese, the look is in a word "stunnung" to look at, very different to Oblivion. It is reflected in objects, architecture, landscapes, creatures and planets. Although similar to final fantasy, who cares? Is that a reason to mock it? In that case no one should buy GEARS OF WAR 2 because the charachters look identical to those in UNREAL TOURNAMENT III, and the other ones. It's just a distinct look which represents or suggests that companys affiliation with the product, like the trade mark Lamborghini colour is Yellow, should you not by a Gallardo because the Murcielago is also distinctly yellow?This game, as most of us know, is made by the unreal engine, and has been in the works since before the consoles release, it was one of the first games, along with Too Human and Gears of war to be used with the first unreal 3 in about 2003.The game play is spot on for those who like it. It's similar enough to other games like this, creating that pick up and play element, like fitting into a worn glove, but subtle inovations require thought, like the correct time to release the trigger in a sword attack, making the charachets hit more precise and powerful.The timing of the fights are well placed, not too many or too few, like Enchanted arms (Japanese, i hated it) that engages you in a fight every three steps. Also i find the creatures you find amazing, there is a huge variety, some organic, others robotic, and the creatures match their enviroments, the theirs a range of those too; Ghost towns, hilly mountains, beaches, forests to name a few.The plot, i think is truly incredible, the concepts and inspiration in this game are truly inspiring, boosted by the fantastic musical score.I AM NOT one to give plot twists away, but the story will take many interesting turns, some good, bad, unexpected, curious occurences that unravel as you play. I'd prefer you experienced these your selves, instead of me telling you in a review.So, we've all agreed LOST ODESSY is great. It doesn't take the genre any where new in game play, but the story, voice acting (in english) and music are breath taking and never get boring.Take time to appreciate this master piece, it's not hard.To let you know, I thought a game very similar to this (at first glance) called enchanted arms was awful, which incorperatyed the same factors as this, minus the brilliant story, music and voice acting. This means don't judge the turn based rpg genre only on that, judge it on this, which i think is excellent.

3.2.2008

I have managed to get my hands on a copy of the Asian release of this game which has full english audio and menus and text, and I have to say that it if turn based RPG's are your cup of tea then this is an absolute must own.Lost Odyssey is made by the creator of the Final Fantasy series and the Xbox 360 game Blue Dragon. While I didn't think Blue Dragon was a fantastic game (very enjoyable but not the killer RPG the 360 was looking for) I think that Lost Odyssey is absolutely brilliant.The story for Lost Odyssey is excellent. It revolves around Kaim who is an immortal but can't remember his past. I'm not going to go to much into the story as I don't want to inadvertently spoil it for anybody.However I am half way through the second disc at the minute and have already found myself almost reduced to tears on a couple of occasions. So far it has been a fantastic story and it is very moving indeed.The graphics on this game are also top notch. Some of the bosses look absolutely amazing and there is only a few times when there is any slow down so no real worries there. The graphical style of the game very much reminds me of Final Fantasy X but with HD clarity.The sound is also an area where this game truly excels. The music is from Nobuo Uematsu who provided the music for most of the Final Fantasy games and this is probably some of his best work. The English dub for this game is absolutely brilliant as well. I haven't even checked out the Japanese dub yet it is so good. The characters actually sound like real people rather than people reading from a script. The stand out character in this game is Jansen he is probably one of the funniest sidekicks I have ever encountered in a game. The only niggle I have with the sound is that at times the characters voices can't be heard of the background sounds. Thankfully this doesn't happen too often but it can be annoying when it does.The gameplay is very like the Final Fantasy games with its turn based combat but as with the other Final Fantasy games Lost Odyssey has its own little differences to call its own. In this game it is the "ring system" where you have to time your attacks to get them to do the optimum damage. Lost Odyssey also has little to no grinding which I find to be a very welcome inclusion. This isn't to say that the game is easy as it isn't, against boss characters it isn't unusual to die but as there is a save point before most boss characters that isn't really a problem. The most important thing in dealing with boss characters is to have a good strategy to beat them. Another area where people have been concerned is the loading times. While sometimes these can seem a bit over long they aren't really that troublesome. Lets face it if your prepared to put in over 50 hours to complete the game (which it will take just for the main story apparently, which is believable as it took me just over 10 hours to complete the first disc) then a slightly longer than normal loading time shouldn't be anything to worry about.In reply to a previous "review" no it doesn't require a subscription service I have heard that pre orders of the game get a special bonus item which you download off Xbox Live using an activation card.All in all as you can probably tell if you have stuck with me this far I think this game is absolutely amazing. It just saddens me to know that it probably isn't going to sell as well as some of the rubbish that gets best seller status but I just hope that it sells enough to see Mistwalker make more top Rpg's like this for the Xbox 360.

9.6.2009

Pros:+Astonishing graphics+Even better music score+Well performed voice actors+A well told story that spans four discsCons:-Load times are long and frequent-There's some slowdown to deal withHironobu Sakaguchi, the creator and producer of the Final Fantasy series, left Square-Enix and formed Mistwalker along with several of the staff members who made the Final Fantasy series. Their first effort, Blue Dragon, was, for the most part, a decent RPG but not what you'd expect from the man who brought you Final Fantasy. Lost Odyssey is a much better effort than Blue Dragon. From the creators of Final Fantasy comes another sprawling epic that's far better than Blue Dragon could ever hope to be.If there's one thing Mistwalker has solidified themselves in doing,it's the ability to make a beautiful game with some decent production values. The story of Lost Odyssey centers on Kaim. An immortal who has lost his memory. As the game progresses, you learn more about Kaim and who he was. In spite of having several overly done moments, Lost Odyssey doesn't feature a bad storyline at all. Much of it is well written, the dialog well spoken and acted by their voice cast. Even better is that there are a lot of emotional moments going on that make the game a thrill to play. While there isn't anything too stark about the story itself, the characters are likeable enough to keep you going. And they should be. This game spans four discs.Lost Odyssey doesn't do a whole lot to separate itself from a lot of JRPGs. It has a few good elements to it, but in truth, this is really just your average turned based battle system. There are a few tidbits to separate it from other JRPGs, however. Such as placing your characters in the front or back row. While Final Fantasy has already done this, Lost Odyssey puts much more emphasis on this. There's a guard gauge you must keep an eye on, and once it runs out you'll take much more damage from attacks. Learning skills is also somewhat different. Kaim, like other characters who will join you, is immortal. Immortals can, however, learn abilities from their mortal allies by battling with them in combat.There are also attack rings. When a character attacks you can hold the right trigger and then release at the right time to do extra damage. While it doesn't really add much of anything to the combat, it keeps you focused. Combat isn't too hard to learn. Neither is the rest of the game. In fact, Lost Odyssey plays pretty much like a standard RPG.Lost Odyssey looks absolutely beautiful, though. Helped along, of course, by a well told story. The characters and environments are absolutely beautiful. To compliment all this, the music score is astonishing. Done by former Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu The voice acting is also pretty good. If there was anything that might keep the game's production values down, it might be that it just doesn't run all that smoothly. Blue Dragon suffered similar problems. While the slowdown people may not mind, the frequent and somewhat long loading times might be problematic.In short, Lost Odyssey is so far the best JRPG you can get on the XBOX360 at the moment. It's deep emotional story and focus on its characters make it a more memorable RPG. While it suffers briefly in the technical department, it's certainly not a bad game by any means. JRPG fans should definitely pick up.

20.4.2011

As the title says, I think this RPG is right up there with Final Fantasy. There were times when I forgot that this wasn't an FF game, it is simply that good. I prefer Lost Odyssey to Final Fantasy 13, and even that game is awesome.There is plenty to do in this game. The storyline is great and pretty easy to follow but you can step away from the story for some parts and focus on a plethora of side-quests and achievements. I racked up over 120 hours of gameplay on my run and ended up with 980 gamer points. It is very addictive. The graphics are lovely and the scenery is fantastic. There are three main cities to explore; Uhra, Numara and Ghotza. Each city is vastly different, with differing architecture etc.

9.8.2012

I'm going to start off by saying that my youth from the age of 12 through to present (I'm nearly 27) I've longed for Final Fantasy releases.I was disapointed when Sqaure Enix started changing the classic turn based battle system and started adding extras to complicate things, Lost Odyssey though it goes back to the old school system which I love, this alone would make it one of the best RPG's to date in my eyes personally but I won't stop now...The story in this game is immense! the main character has you asking questions in your head with his 'closed book' personality and his subtle laid back 'hard as nails' attitude.

2.5.2009

This game is probably the best JRPG on the xbox360 at the moment. It has a huge story that keeps the style constant instead of switching between dark drama and a lighter tone in what is known as the "GTA 4 syndrome". The characters are realistic and varied enough to make you care about them. The fact that the protagonist is not an angst ridden doe eyed teenager like most JRPGs helps a lot. I particularly enjoyed parts where the protagonist instead of brooding over a fight with the major bad guy, attacked instead. The story is pretty basic but very well written and there are optional short stories that are shown in a series of texts with beautiful music and are really emotional.The combat is

5.3.2008

The other reviewers have captured the content and broad outline of this game, so I won't add to that. I have tried to give you a feel for whether this game will be one for you or not.This game is great for:- those with long stretches of play-time available- people who like cut scenes- those who want a game that has an easy gamer-interface without too much complication- someone who is injured or immobile and wants to spent around 60 hours watching what is effectively an engaging interactive movieIt is not great for:- those who like to save/leave the game more frequently than once per hour- those with little patience for linear gameplay and cutscenes- those who really liked Oblivion because of the freedomGraphics are amazing - I really recommend HD viewing for this game.

9.3.2008

I've delayed a review until I've been playing this for a few hours.I love the FF series, my favourites being FF7 and FF8. This could really be the next game in that series. Everything seems very familiar and I managed to pick it up and play without reading the manual once.The graphics are great but not as good as some of the recent titles to hit the Xbox. The biggest down side for me is the lack of true 3d. For instance your right control will only look around a little, whereas on most 'modern' games you get full 360 views now. Also (in typical FF style) the paths aren't very clear in some sections which means you need to use the navigation system to see where exactly you should be going.The

23.5.2008

I remember when i first played final fantasy and just couldn't put the thing down for weeks. It was like a good book, i just had to know what was going to happen to Squall and co. next, even when the combat started getting a tad repetitive. More modern RPG's i've played just seem to lack this seem appeal and when i heard the masterful creators of Chrono trigger were making an RPG for 360 i was green with anticipation. That was until it arrived and i realised that blue dragon didn't actually have a plot at all somewhere near the end of disc one.I was therefore a little sceptical of LO but tried on recommendation from a friend and wow. Such an improvement on mistwalker's previous game.

10.8.2008

Lost Odyssey is quite possibly the best RPG available thus far on the Xbox 360. It doesn't break many boundaries, but is a very solid game that can be recommended to any fan of the genre.The game's battle system takes the form of rando encounters and turn-based combat. I disagree with some complaints that this is outdated, for me this system still works and is classic rather than cliche. Each to their own of course. The addition of rings adds a more exciting element to the battles however, as well as a good touch of originality.The storyline for me was good, but not great. The classic "save the world from a big baddie" scenario still works, but there is some magic missing to fully engage me and grab my full attention.

2.5.2008

Lost Odyssey is in itself a marmite game, you love it or u hate it, there is no in between. This is the first turn based game i have played since FF7 years ago, and actually found myself really enjoying it. The characters are slightly over emotional in a 'no matter what' kind of way and it gets really soppy in parts, but they are very engaging, and i found myslef smiling at a later plot that develops within your squad, since you kinda see it coming, but damn, this game has HOURS of play in it even if you only intend to carry out the main quest.Against - The play can get frustrating sometimes when your trying to navigate round a maze type area, and your being constantly brought into monster fights,

12.10.2008

This game is incredible in so many different ways it's not even fair to any other game out there. All other reviews on here are nice and long and detailed, so I'll just summarise them in an ugly pros/cons table, so apologies for that.Pros:Unbelievable story- compelling, interesting, engaging, emotional, heart-breaking.The BEST cinematics I have ever seen- Just like a movie.. (links in with previous point.)Delicious, Jaw-dropping graphics (especially in cut scenes) but also in the main game and fight sequences.Fighting- proper RPG turn based combat, interesting, cool and fun moves to do.Maps/Environments- Big, different, sweet graphics and effects in each.Cities/NPCs/Town folk- Lots of NPCs and things to interact with.

26.3.2010

I quite fancied a Jap RPG. Sitting at the top of a bargain bin was this. From the makers of Final Fantasy it says. Final Fantasy clone it seems to be. In fact, this game is very good if you plenty of time and patience.The first couple of hours are a prologue, involving wandering about, a bit of a scrap and loads of cut scenes as some sort of fantasy story is told. Phase two involves wandering up a path, meeting some baddies, a turn based bout of thumping and if you survive, the opportunity to repeat it all again. In between times you get lengthy cut scenes and soppy stories about dreams.I did start to get into the game and could live with the movies and the tear jerking memoires but found the fights to be slog.

19.3.2008

I couldn't wait to get stuck into this game on release date. Unfortunately, there aren't that many rpgs out on the 360 (or PS3), so I was looking forward to playing this game.And, yes, it is a very good rpg. The story is great, and well thought up, the graphics are outstanding, and I love the battle system too. There are many side quests in this game, and to complete them all you would probably have to get a guide, as they aren't all easy.There are two things I have against this game (which why I only gave it a 4 star). Firstly, the loading times between cutscenes, etc... are way too long. At times it felt like I could go make a cup of coffee and not miss anything. And secondly,

Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360) - Reviews

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