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Average old school RPG with a next-gen paint job

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 17 / 45
Date: February 13, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Lost Odyssey may be a next-gen game, but its roots are definitely in the old school world of turn-based, RPG gaming. Lost Odyssey follows the story of Kaim: a brooding immortal on a mission of self-discovery. Or something. The story is kind of hard to follow, with prolonged sequences that attempt to flesh out the game's story and characters. The characters of Lost Odyssey themselves are great and interesting on their own, but they're stuck in a run of the mill story we've seen in RPG's before, and will more than likely see again. The game's turn-based combat is where the real meat and potatoes of Lost Odyssey is to be found though, with some great animations and some excellent uses of spells and skills development. What really hurts Lost Odyssey though is that the non-battle gameplay elements are just plain boring. You'll feel as if you're doing a ton of backtracking throughout the game, which is nothing new to the RPG world, but here it just seems more noticeable than anything else. Also, there are some really long loading times that populate throughout the game and detract from the gameplay experience, along with some technical issues and frame-rate problems that pop-up from time to time. Flaws aside, Lost Odyssey is a mostly gorgeous, lengthy, turn-based RPG that long time fans of the genre should get some enjoyment out of, just don't expect anything real special here.

Excellent design, poor translation

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 19 / 51
Date: February 14, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Given the low number of RPG's available on the 360, I've been anticipating this game for quite some time now. Suffice to say, I was excited when I first popped the game in. From the art design to the seamless transition between cut scenes and player-controlled combat, the introduction was impressive. Though I didn't have access to skills or magic yet, the combat system seemed to be enjoyable.

My problem with the game occurred shortly after Kaim arrives at Uhra. I was starting to get a bit worried while watching the cut scenes featuring the debating Uhra Council. The dialogue just seemed...wooden. I don't know if it was the voice actors or the writing itself that irked me. It was probably a combination of both. Come to think of it, the only voice actor I was truly impressed with was the one that played Jansen. But I tried to ignore it. After all, I've played decent RPG's that have had their share of wooden dialogue.

The situation became impossible to ignore by the time Kaim had his first flashback of the past. I was initially hopeful. The brief cut scene was intense and emotional. It worked. But then the game launched into a bloated short story. The next five minutes were filled with screen after screen of text that transitioned in and out like it belonged in a PowerPoint slideshow. That wasn't really the problem. It was the writing itself that rubbed me the wrong way. Do you want melodrama? Look no further, folks. This little gem read like the premise of a Lifetime movie, except it was written by an eighth grader. I'd like to think the blame lies on the translation of the game to English. Maybe the Japanese version doesn't come across this sappy.

But man, is this bad. They beat you over the head with an over-abundance of flowery adjectives and cliché metaphors, all but screaming in your ear, "This is beautiful and poetic! Feel bad for Kaim! NOW!" I am sure that some of you out there may know what I am talking about. It was the kind of writing that made me think of Christopher Paolini's Eragon novel. It read a little something like this:

"The nighttime dew glittered on the delicate crimson flowers like a thousand twinkling stars in the shadowy midnight sky, untouched by the bitter harshness of the cruel world. Kaim felt his very soul cry out in eternal pain and sorrow as he glanced at her and saw the shimmering pearly tears gliding down her beautiful milky cheeks...blah blah blah."

Do you get my drift? My friends and I groaned as we struggled through this tripe. We were relieved once it was finally over and the game resumed. But no more than ten minutes later, we were treated with YET ANOTHER flashback story that was even longer and more juvenile than the first one. Except this one didn't have the interesting cut scene before it. If I were in charge of this game's translation, I would have smacked the person that wrote this junk with a giant "Writing for Dummies" book. This prose needs some relentless red pen treatment. The emotion they are trying to pound into your skull would have been a hell of a lot more subtle and effective if they had cut out the melodramatic flab.

From what I've seen so far, they treat Kaim like he's the emo poster boy for Immortals. I understand the game is full of these "dreams" of Kaim's past. I don't think I could personally handle that, no matter how cool the other aspects of the game are.

I already know some of you may bash me for this review. You may criticize me for rating the game this low without playing it the entire way through. Save your breath. I am entitled to my opinion. I'm certainly not going to play this game the whole way through if I have to be bombarded with wishy-washy middle school creative writing projects that take me out of the story rather than immerse me.

What is my final word on the game? If you can stomach this kind of stuff without being instantly turned off, go right ahead and pick it up. I'm sure the rest of the game is really cool. As for myself, if I want a dramatic RPG, I want one that doesn't try this hard. I want one that conveys emotion without making me want to puke all over my Xbox 360. Thanks for reading.

sucky service on amazon

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 37
Date: February 14, 2008
Author: Amazon User

i bought and preordered this game and put one day shipping on it to make sure i would get as soon as it came out and it also came with preorder bonus content. the game looks awsome. so now amazon says that they are expecting delayed on my account that it still hasnt been shipped 2 days after the game came out, and on top of that they are saying that if someone else gets the game today they will get it by the 15 what is that sh++ WHERE IS MY DARN GAME?????

Surprise!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 34 / 39
Date: February 15, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I got my copy of the game and I have to say I am shocked. The game consists of four discs. I'm on the fourth disc of the game at the moment, and the story is amazing. The graphics are a lot better than what I would expect from a JRPG and the cinematic scenes are even better (I am not playing the game in HD, so its hard to give a comparison, but I would say the graphics are on par with Gears of War) . It looks like the character designers spent a WHOLE lot of time doing each and every character ( I also like how every character has his/her own name, like Quest 64 lol) The battle system is a normal turn based battle system with some "press the buttons with good timing" feature that makes it not as boring as most turn based battle systems, the battles in the game are like candy for your eyes (the kind of candy that will give you a mind orgasm every once and a while). The farther I get into the game the deeper and more complex the story gets. I didn't know about this game until a few days before it released. I am so happy that I pre-ordered it. If you own an Xbox 360 and like RPGs, then I highly recommend purchasing this game. It feels a lot like a Final Fantasy game, but the story is unique and complex. The memories and the story combined will have you riding on an emotional roller-coaster. I have already been sucked into the game and I don't think I will be able to play many other video games until I finish this one. The sound and music in the game is also excellent; it adds more suspense to the battles and cinematic action scenes in the game and makes the whole game feel like a good "epic" movie. Some of the boss battles that I've experienced are pretty challenging, and you really have to strategize to beat them (A lot like Final Fantasy). Its not too hard either though, it feels just about right and overcoming some of the more challenging parts of the game feel very rewarding. Also, the voice acting is very good for a JRPG and some of the dialogue will make you laugh out loud. I am not going to give any spoilers about the story, so if this review has you interested in the game then I recommend that you ATLEAST rent it. Purchasing it will probably be worth it though (Each disc is around fifteen hours long, maybe longer if you take your time leveling up.) A basic reading ability is needed to fully enjoy this game (The memories are in a storybook style and very enjoyable to read).

Final Fantasy XIV

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 14
Date: February 15, 2008
Author: Amazon User

this game is absolutely amazing. first of all, this is basically a final fantasy game. it was made by the guy who made final fantasy what it is today, the music is done by Nobuo Uematsu, the legendary composer behind final fantasy and the Black Mages, it plays like final fantasy, and the story line is just like something I would expect to come from the makers of the FF series.
This is the only game i have ever played that has actually reduced me to tears. I am an 18 year old male, and this game has made me cry once and tear up 3-4 times already, and i have only been playing for 4 hours. the memories are where the story really gets to me, but the regular game storyline is just as good.
if you have ever played an arpeegee or want to see what arpeegees are like, this is the first game you should try. on second thought, this is the last game you should try because it will make every other RPG pale in comparison.
the fighting is quick, and requires skill, not just lucky button mashing, but it is still easy to get used to quickly.
the cinematics are great. so great, in fact, that when the first cinematic ended and went into a battle, i didnt notice until new things stopped happening on the screen. when the battle was over, the cinematic just kept on going. seamlessly.
one of my pet peeves in games is the poor voice actors for otherwise great games. the few exceptions are the metal gear solid series, the latest final fantasy games (IX, XII), and Lost Odyssey. sometimes the facial expressions seem lacking, but then characters burst out with hilariouls accurate looks that you would expect to come from a motion actor. the dialog goes along with what people in real life might say, but the story still maintains its fantastical charm.
it has been a long time since i have played a 4 disc game (FF IX), so this is a nice nostalgic throwback to when games were like interactive books. it really is worth the 60 bucks I paid for it. don't worry about the case fitting all 4 discs, because i am sure people will try to bash that in later reviews. they all fit fine in the case, and as long as you dont throw it out of a moving car or play frisbee with it, your precious discs will be FINE.
now go buy Lost Odyssey. you won't regret it.

final fantasy clone

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 5
Date: February 15, 2008
Author: Amazon User

It looks like a final fantasy clone cause its made by the same people that made final fantasy 10 i believe they left squaresoft and made their own little video game company and produced this game so their not "ripping"ff off cause they were the ones that helped make it hope this helps you understand.

Fan of FFVII + FF10 much?

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: February 16, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Well this is the game for you. Of course, if you own a 360, don't mind getting emotional, loves a good story and don't mind turn-based Jrpg's. With so few JRPG's on next-gen consoles, spending 60-70Hrs on this game is well worth it.

You can keep on waiting for FF13, for some but there is nothing else out there, that will rival the FF series, based on intriguing stories, gameplay and battle mechanics. I've played a bunch of w/jRPG's and this has been the only game that have made me felt somewhat emotional. Well ever since "Aries" died in FFVII of course.

1. [spoiler] - The whole part where "Kaim" and his "Much Older than him" Daughter and her kids. The mission changes right there..
[spoiler]

Anyhow, music in this game does evict emotion. Of course "Noubo Uemastu" at his best. You have to have the patience to read the dreams that are presented throughout. I know they can be Emotional but I feel like, it will all, tie in, at the end.

I heard some gamers cry fowl because they don't like to read but there is a reason this guy "Kaim" has lived and seen so much Much of it, has not been pretty with so many deaths. Anyhow, I'm only 19 Hrs in and still on the first Disc. Level 19..Long ways to go but I have not enjoyed an "JRPG" like this since FF10 and FFVII. I'm 40 Hrs on FF12 but has taken the back seat. If you like "turn-base" and have a 360, GET THIS GAME. Besides the "little flaws" mention on these reviews, it's been a masterpiece so far with the different ways of "Story-Telling" and "Music", as well as Visuals.

With "Hironubo Sakaguchi + "Noubo Uemastu" Combo, you can't go wrong. The best in the business.

A surprising Masterpiece!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 11
Date: February 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I'm sort of a ps3 fan that owns a 360. I grew up playing on playstation because of all the RPG's. Well, I didn't want to like this game, but I do. In fact, I love it. It is the BEST game on the 360 to date...the best game on ANY next-gen console IMO. Blue Dragon pales in comparison to Lost Odyssey...now enough praise, here's why.

1. Beautiful storyline--Starts out slow, but definitely picks up.
2. Loading tmes are NOT 30 seconds--more like 5-10 seconds
3. Great Graphics
4. I love the "Dreams"
5. Great battle system...I love it.
6. Great art direction--creature & world design is excellent
7. Tear shedder--the game can make you cry (in a good way)...seriously.

Anyhow, I'm 100% surprised by this game. I still don't like the 360 much and think the hardware is crap...but this game is top notch and a reason to overlook the RRoD...it's a must own title. If it comes to pc, buy it then...if not, you might want to borrow/rent (maybe even buy) a 360--it's that good. This will easily be the best RPG until FFXIII comes out. Easily.

Impressive

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: February 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Impressive,most impressive. I new when I first saw the trailer for this game that it was gonna be something special. This is the best RPG released on the Xbox platform so far,bar none. Gorgeous graphics an engaging story and spot on controls make this my favorite game so far for the Xbox. This is what every Xbox owning FF fan has been waiting for. The answer to our Japanese RPG craving is Lost Odyssey. What are you sitting here reading this review for when you could be playing this masterpiece?

Final Fantasy for the 360! Finally!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: February 17, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I've been waiting for the Xbox answer for FF since the original xbox came out. And my waiting has finally been rewarded.
Don't listen to the doomthinkers about this game. If you liked the Turnbased (important!!) editions of FF you will without a doubt like this game. This play's and feel like a FF game, The only downside is the beginning of the game, There is a lot of watching at first (the story is great so it is only a small downside)But once it picks up your in RPG heaven. With super graphics and sound, great story and a slick turnbased actionsystem.
The loadingtimes are really not that bad, not nearly the half a minute to a minute some reviews or people has been saying, they are about 5 to 12 secondes.
I'm not going to stretch this review, I'm going to make this simple if you like FF (once again the turnbased editions, i can't stress this enough!!)you can absolutely do no wrong here. Like some reviews says it doesn't do anything new, but does FF even does this? Nope FF is FF it doesn't need big changes. So why should LO have too then?
RPG lovers over the world. BUY THIS NOW!!!

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