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The PS2 is far from dead!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 28 / 31
Date: May 26, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I've been an avid gamer since the Atari 2600 days. One thing I've noticed over those 2 and a half decades of console gaming is that almost always the best games for all of the systems come out at the end of the systems' life cycle. Look at the games the SNES had in its last year of life. Chrono Trigger anyone? And other games like Donkey Kong Country were displaying graphics that seemed inpossible for the SNES. I also remember playing a Batman game on the NES (forget the title)that came out as the NES was dying, it too had graphics that seemed impossible for the NES. One big reason this is is that by the time a system is about to be taken off the market, developers have had a lot of time to get to know the system's hardware and know all the ins and outs when developing games for it. Games have gotten more involved as years have passed, especially RPG's, so now the games that come out at the end of the newer system's life not only have the best graphics seen yet on the system, the developes have also had years to flesh out the story, combat and item systems. You'll understand this when you play the awesome Odin Sphere.

At its core, the game is an action/adventure RPG. You wander through areas going left to right and attack enemies in real time. It's a bit like the first Valkyrie Profile that came out for the PS1, but way more fine tuned. When enemies are defeated, they release spirits called Phozons that you can magically absorb into your weapon making it more powerful. All areas are set up in "Stages". When you get tot he end of a stage, Odin will drop a treasure chest from the heavens you can open to collect rewards. The cool thing here is, the faster you complete a stage, the better items the treasure chest will have. Also, the less damage you take within that stage will also grant you better items.

Speaking of items, you can get them in a variety of ways. There are vendors scattered throughout castles and battlefields, and you can also grow them. You find seeds all over the place, as well as sheep seeds and more. What you do is plant the seeds near some enemies, and defeat the enemies. Instead of absorbing into your weapong, the phozons will absorb into the seeds making a plant grow that will have various items hanging off of them depending on what seed you planted. It's a very unique concept. You can also cook in the game, and there's a fairly easy alchemy system you can use.

The story is all about Norse mythology, and the graphics that are hand painted reflect that. You have the option to play the game with English voiceovers or in the original Japanese with English subtitles. I selected the English option, and the voice acting is actually pretty good.

If you're a fan of RPG's at all, especially if you're looking for something that's different from anything else out there right now, Odin Sphere should be a game you should pick up as soon as you can. The game seems very involved, and it is, but the game also lets you select from three different difficulty levels at any time.

The Ultimate Swan Song for PS2

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 10 / 15
Date: May 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

If you are a real video game fan, and not just the type who buys an XBOX so they can play "Madden", then you owe it to yourself to play this game. In the nearly seven years the ps2 has been on the market, there has never been a more sumptuous argument for the notion that there is plenty of gaming still left to be done in two dimensions. The aesthetic detail is absolutely mind blowing; the animation: exalted. Really, still images will do this game very little justice. You have to see it in motion to appreciate it, and even then, you will wonder how the hell they pulled it off. The game play is no less sublime, offering the kind of robustness,in terms of cause and effect, that is seldom seen outside of the Street Fighter series: When you hit something in this game, you feel like you connected and your avatar has weight, presence. The story line mixes elements of Norse Mythology with marionette style stage play to interweave five equally poignant tales, all to the backdrop of some of the finest gaming music you are likely to hear until the end of the "Next Generation." You will hear naysayers gripe about load times in this game, or slowdown; listen carefully: NEITHER IS NEARLY AS MUCH A HINDRANCE AS YOU MAY HAVE BEEN CONVINCED OF! The slowdown is infrequent, and the load times, though commonplace, are snappy. There is so much more to describe, but it's better you discover the intricacies of this title for yourself; if you love games, 2D, and anything old school with a touch of the new, your game has arrived.

People who dont like this game aren't really trying

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 11
Date: June 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User

There are plenty of great reviews here, so I wont go into too much depth. I simply want to give you a bit more information on the negative points people seem to bring up about this game.

First, I must say I love the game. The graphics are beautiful, the bosses are larger than life, and the audio is excellent. I honestly had to make myself put the controller down on many occasions, or I would have stayed up all night playing, and missed work. :D

Now some people complain about having to plant seeds to grow health items, because the seeds use up phozons, which are the magical energy released from defeated foes. Your character also absorbs this energy to use for magic attacks. Well there is more than one way to gain phozons. One is from defeating foes, another is in the process of making potions.

There are many potions that you can make to aid you in your battles. Everything from Nitro that burns your enemies, to Health potions. Potions are created by combining items you gather, along with a base "material" flask that can be found after every battle, as long as you complete the battle with a good "grade". These base material flasks have a number value which can be increased by combining them with unused seeds and other items you no longer need. Raising the base value of a material flask means that when you finally use it to create a potion, excess phozons are released into the air. The higher the base value of the material flask, the greater the number of released phozons.

Yet another way to gain phozons is via one of the seeds you can find and plant, that grows and releases phozons. And finally, in later stages of the game you will gain a spell that allows you to release a small portion of your own stored phozons to feed the plant's growth. So you see there are many ways to gather and release phozons.

Another complaint I heard was about money and inventory. There are several merchants that sell larger bags for storing gathered items. Once you have several large bags, inventory isnt such a problem. And once you finish an area of the game, you are able to revisit it at anytime, and as often as you like, to gather more items. So once you have several large bags, it's rather simple to make a few runs into previously visited areas, gather up a lot of seeds, vegetables, material flasks, etc. and return to your home to sell them all off to a vendor. This will raise your money rapidly and is a simple task, unlike some RPGs that have you "grinding" or "farming" for hours and hours. I have to say, if people find the gathering of items in this game tedious, then they are not very familiar with RPGs.

The ability to revist areas you have already been, means that once you make your way through a couple areas, your character has leveled up and is stronger. Returning to the first area of the game means you are running through it again, but now your character is much stronger, making it easy to defeat the foes quickly, garner a high battle "grade" and be rewarded with lots of money, seeds, flasks, potions, etc. Since your character is stronger, you do not have to use magic to defeat these enemies, and can collect all of the released phozons to use in the next stage of the game where you fight more difficult foes.

The last complaint I saw was about the game slowing down when there is a lot of action on screen. I only noticed this in the final battle. It did slow down while I was fighting and there were many enemies on screen, as well as the HUGE boss. (My 62" TV really makes these GiNoRmOuS! lol) But this slow down really does not affect the player that I could see. You slow down, so do the enemies. It actually helped me because I could see what was going on and make decisions as to how to attack, when to retreat, time magic attacks to do the most damage to the most enemies at one time. I really didnt find it to be a negative and it in no way affected my opinion of the game.

This game is very unique in it's handling of combat, magic, and items and I simply love it. I have just about had my fill of all of these games that have beautiful 3D cut scenes, and horrible gameplay. Atlus has made a truely wonderful game in Odin Sphere.

now for my review....

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 7
Date: August 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

okay.. i'll give a full detailed review without trying to give away any spoilers for people who might buy it....

Odin Sphere is a very good game. It is so so pretty with the graphics. Its 2D with some 3D effects to it..it really is beautiful.. especially with the super-huge bosses that you fight....

the game is actually set in story books. you play as 5 different characters and their stories all connect with one another. you play one character at a time, and cannot choose what order you want to play them in...

the story is different from most rpgs.. it is very dark in some parts..and quite serious too. there is zero humor in it. really. and a lot of the story is built around prophecies and such that effect the way the charas in the game live...

the style of the game is very different from other rpgs....there are not a lot of cutscenes... the only cut scenes that you really see are: at the beginning of a charas story, before you go to a new level, and before and after you fight a boss, and then after you finish the charas story.

the gameplay. ... it is somewhat repetitive, but that's not really a bad thing. each level is set up like a web that leads to a big boss fight. you end up fighting sub-bosses as well. there is no such thing as sidequesting in the game, or doing things to go collect important things(well kinda.) but its not like your final fantasy games, or other rpgs games with common traits...
you basically go to a level, and fight your way to the boss, yet each stage is different from the other as far as difficulty, and how many monsters show up. now.. this may bore people, but the fighting isn't as easy as button smashing and just hacking away at the enemies...

the game is actually..pretty hard. xD... you can't just beat the monsters to a bloody pulp with your weapon. you have elemental-type attacks you can use against them, and using items is a HUGE part of the game. you use alchemy to create all sorts of things, weapons, healing items, protector type items, etc..you really rely on items a lot. you can also grow things like fruit, chickens, and lamb. for healing purposes. but you can only grow them in battle...or there are a couple other methods to make the stuff grow. and sometimes when fighting, if you are not careful, you can get K'OD immediately. some monsters can nail you with a single attack that will strike you dead, even if you have a high HP/full health. and sometimes you can get overwhelmed by enemies and have to back off. to be successful in battle you really have to strategize and be smart cos its so easy to get killed instantly if you don't watch yourself.

now i said there was so such thing as sidequesting, but there is one thing that is kinda like that. you can cook. at one point in each charas story you gain access to this little village with two restaurants(one for pastries and one for other food) where you can bring some ingredients and the cooks make meals for you that gives you lots of EXP which raises your HP level. you find recepies when you go to different levels. and you can end up collecting quite a lot of dishes.. o_O

the downsides to the game.. there are several i found bothersome, but it didn't stop me form playing the game, you just get used to it.

-the game could be really laggy, and loading times could be really long.
-in battles, such as boss battles and especially in final boss battles, everything would suddenly go in slow motion but only on your part. which was EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING cos you became more open to getting attacked.
-the instant KO's from monsters with just one hit. i mean really...
-the repetitiveness of the levels. there are really only 9 levels you go to in the entire game. and each character goes thru almost all of them. its kinda repetitive, i mean, its kinda different with each chara, the purpose they are there for, but the scenery, monsters, and bosses are the same of course, so you may end up fighting the same boss 5 times. xB

the really good things about it:
-entertaining gameplay despite the repetitiveness
-beautiful beautiful graphics
-good gameplay for a side-scrolling style of play
-the way the charas stories connected was nice, after you played a charas story, things from the previous characters story, made more sense..and the more you played, you could put all the pieces together, and realize how characters actions in their story effects/effected another chara..
-being able to change the audio to Japanese. :) the voice overs weren't bad for all the characters, but i played the whole thing in Japanese.
-the music is nice, the same music is used for each sub-boss and boss you fight, but its fine.

but yeah, i found it to be a very entertaining game to play, i recommend it to anyone..!

Odin Sphere gets it all right

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: June 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Odin Sphere is a triumph of game design, plain and simple. The hand-drawn art and character designs definitley take the cake, as every screen of Odin Sphere is lush and gorgeous. But add quality voice acting, beautiful music, intuitive gameplay, and 40+ hours of gameplay with 5 charming playable characters to an already impressive game and you've got an absolute classic.

Odin sphere is a unique sort of action-RPG which definitely requires tactical thinking. You aren't just going to mutton-mash your way through this game. As you enter a new level or approach a boss you've got to think about your inventory and how you can make what you've got work for you-- or go back to previous levels to gather more items (you can combine items to create healing as well as destructive potions; or plant seeds that grow into healing edibles). And since inventory space is limited, you've really got to pay attention.

The fighting is intuitive, each character with various strengths and weapons that require you to consider your style of attack. Also to be considered is whether to power up your weapons by conserving the energy used in special attacks, or whether to go all-out with powers like becoming immaterial for a short while (giving you time to heal and gather energy, or avoid your enemies), or releasing a surge of energy that delivers massive damage. Again, strategic thinking is required.

Odin Sphere is a sprawling story of nations at war, told from multiple perspectives (a total of 5+ hours of theatrical cut-scenes) and inhabited by characters struggling to make difficult choices in the face of adversity, making for a rich and complex experience that won't quit your imagination just because you've put down the controller.

A must-play for anyone who's a fan of either RPGs or great games.

Just one word, AWESOME!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 6
Date: June 29, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I have played tons of RPG's, was getting tired of everything being pretty much the same old thing, but this was "fun". It's been awhile since i actually wasn't biting my nails off while playing a game and actually relaxed and enjoyed one. This was terrific, from graphics to the gameplay, even my two kids loved watching me play the game. It was like having a story book read to them, saved me the time of doing it..LOL...anyways, you will enjoy this game!!

Great Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: August 04, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is one of my favorite games, especially to come out in the past few years. The gameplay is very similar to the old beat-em-up games, but with a lot of strategy needed to actually be any good. The art work is unique and very well done, with each character and background having large amounts of detail. The story is also unique and very well done, with a lot of Norse mythology thrown in for good measure.

If you've ever played and enjoyed Legend Of Mana for the PS1, you'll like this. Similar fighting system, several interwoven smaller plots, and an emphasis on hand drawn artwork. The only flaw with this game is the slowdown during one particular fight, it's irritating but easily overlooked.

Another Addiction .....

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: May 29, 2007
Author: Amazon User

My goodness, I am addicted to this game. It is just soooo freaking good! I mean dang can this game get ever so HARD and sometimes curses come flying out of my mouth like there was no tomorrow. But seriously, this game is a true gem at the end of PS2 lifetime. I can easily see this game becoming increasingly rare by 2008. So pick it up while you can. I can not wait to go back to playing this. The storyline is amazing as well. Good find! Keep it up ATLUS. It seems you are one of the last companies that I still respect (besides Kojima projects, a division of Konami of course!) The ONLY true con about this game is the slowdown in some of the more hectic areas of battle. But again the story and presentation will keep you coming back for more! Addictive gameplay, awesome storyline and wonderful artistic feel. So what are you waiting for Pick it up!!!

A surprising story and game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: May 31, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game expecting to like it enough to play for a while and put aside. What I received was an ingeniously presented story, some of the most lavish art I've seen (I love sprites, which also helps), and a really enjoyable combat and level system. Telling too much about the game will spoil some of the joy, so I'll keep this brief. I have loved this game since I put it in; the story has kept me going - and the novel way they have you uncover it! - and the graphics are desperately pleasing to the senses. The music for the game is also a gem - pause on the "start" screen for a short bit and an "intro" video will play with the main theme song featuring vocals.

All told, this is one of the best games for any system I have purchased, and I greatly enjoy it. It is a story, an RPG, and a visual symphony.

2D Isn't Dead

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: July 06, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Odin Sphere is possibly the most beautiful 2D game ever made, and one of the most beautiful games I've ever played. Stunning visuals mix with an epic score by Hitoshi Sakimoto (FFXII, FF Tactics, Gradius V, etc.) to give the game an appropriately operatic feel. Most importantly, it's also ridiculously fun. The way it's structured allows you to re-try levels with no penalty when your character is killed, the alchemy system is interesting, and never gets annoying, and if you find you're getting hosed in an area, you can go back and re-do one of the previous areas for more experience and items. The combat ranking system encourages you to try to do your best in every battle without making you feel like you missed out if you didn't, and in the same vein, this is _not_ an easy game, but it is the kind of challenge that just makes you want to try that much harder to succeed.

There can be slowdowns at times (and hoo-boy, the framerate can slow to a crawl on one of the bosses) but it doesn't make it any more difficult, and really, can save your life in some parts. ;) Aside from that, I can't think of anything I'd call a "flaw" in the game.

I can't recommend it highly enough. It's definitely one of the best games on its generation of consoles, and not one to miss.

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