Metareview: Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360)
by Justin McElroy 
{ Feb 15th 2008 at 5:00PM }
- 1UP (80/100): "While Lost Odyssey's overarching tale is effective enough as a generic RPG plot filled with political intrigue, it really only serves to get the player from Point A to Point B. The storytelling is most compelling when dealing with the interaction between characters, whether it's Kaim and Sarah's intriguing relationship, Seth's pirate past, or the sexual tension (?) between Jansen and Queen Ming."
- Eurogamer (80/100): "Given the involvement of hotshot RPG superstars like Final Fantasy creators Hironobu Sakaguchi and Nobuo Uematsu, it should come as no surprise that Lost Odyssey is utterly, utterly traditional. ... Given the involvement of Mistwalker's hotshot superstars, it should come as no surprise to find that it's superbly polished."
- Gamespy (50/100):"While it's certainly playable, it feels like more of a relic than perhaps its creators intended. Basic features and dungeon design are handled with the graceful hand of a master designer, but that doesn't compensate for numerous gameplay, storytelling and technical issues. Fans of old-fashioned Japanese-style RPGs will doubtlessly find aspects to enjoy, but this is not the title that will vault Mistwalker to the triple-A status the studio's hype might suggest."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
james @ Feb 15th 2008 5:08PM
So much nit-picking...if this game was called "Final Fantasy: (Insert Number)" No doubt they'd be kissing it's @$$. >_>
ExMcloud @ Feb 15th 2008 5:14PM
I some what agree with you...But FF is a really good series...But on the other hand I think this game suffers from the Halo effect(Final Fantasy being Halo that is)....They get so deep into comparing games with FF that they forget to judge the game they're playing for wat it is.....Everybody I know who played Lost Odyssey loved it...So I guess if u like it u like it, if u don't u don't.
FidliousWong @ Feb 15th 2008 5:15PM
Really?!? So THAT'S why FFVIII started having these same comlaints lobbied at it long ago forcing SE to start truly renovating the core gameplay mechanics... because Final Fantasy = Free Pass...
I think you're confusing Final Fantasy with Dragon Quest...
ExMcloud @ Feb 15th 2008 5:20PM
Your right...Final Fantasy had to innovate becuz it does so well. People nitpick and try to find sumthing wrong with something thats perfectly good..FF12 seemed to take a cue from western developers...When they made live action turn based combat, But they didnt have to in my eyes...They still need to judge games for what they are...Every review I read for LO mentions final Fantasy just like damn near every FPS review I read mentions Halo....Stop the comparisons and judge games for what they are.
FidliousWong @ Feb 15th 2008 5:26PM
How is comparing this game to Final Fantasy unfair in even the slightest? Look, Hironobu Sakaguchi is behind this game and Uematsu did the soundtrack. This is the guy who designed Final Fantasy and the guy who made the soundtrack for Final Fantasy.
You cannot act as if these two series are unrelated. Hell, it's a selling point to many's eyes. Of course you're going to get comparisons to Final Fantasy. The box even states, "From the creator of Final Fantasy."
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 15th 2008 5:28PM
Final Fantasy is not that good... is a little overrated... I prefer the Tales series anyday.
ExMcloud @ Feb 15th 2008 5:34PM
Its not the comparisons thats the problem its the fact that the comparisons r basically the whole damn review...Its ok to compare but not to base your judgment on a game from another game. You tell me how thats ok...Every Lost Odyssey Review talks about how its not as good as FF while not talking about any of the positive aspects of the game at all.
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 15th 2008 5:37PM
How can they expect that this game is not compared to Final Fantasy? They put in front of the box "From the creators of Final Fantasy"
FidliousWong @ Feb 15th 2008 5:45PM
Methinks, ExMcCloud, you need to learn how to read reviews...
If everything they are complaining about seems like things that interest you, then where is the downside? The main bitch I hear about this game stem from two issues...
-Load times and unskipable animation sequences. Hell, Pokemon annoys me sometimes with their sequences but load times? Isn't this a HUGE game? Oh well, expected.
-Return of Random Encounters and at a severely high frequency. This is a valid complaint. Designers should be moving far away from this aspect. Give us the chance to fight or avoid.
But on average, I rarely let a reviewers opinion dictate mine and more often than not, I find information in the reviews. For example? A friend, some beer, and a Dynasty Warriors game is one hell of a fun time. Reviewers tear this genre, and this game series, apart everytime. But I find the areas where they added new things to decide if I buy or not.
Eggman @ Feb 15th 2008 6:01PM
WHOA WHOA WHOA.
The random encounter thing is COMPLETELY FALSE. The encounter rate for the game is extremely low. You can literally walk across entire areas getting in only one fight the entire time. The game even has a soft level cap for each area, meaning you stop gaining experience from enemies there, forcing you to move on.
The load times are also much lower than the reviews have stated.
ExMcloud @ Feb 15th 2008 6:31PM
U can't say that the reviews are valid till u play the damn game...And apparently u have not becuz everything they complain about is pretty nitpicky...The load times aren't that bad, the encounter rate isn't that high and since u can't level grind like in other RPG's the random battle thing is over played...And again they chose to put random encounters in game so u can't compare them to the newer FF's cuz they don't use the random battle sequences anymore...
B1gC72 - PSN: KillaKornbread @ Feb 15th 2008 7:12PM
Fernando beat me to it and hit the nail on the head. it says "From the creators of Final Fantasy" right on the box. how can they not compare it to FF? i will say that being compared to FF and still coming out with scores in the 80s is pretty damn good. it didnt look as good as FF from the videos i saw but it still looked like a pretty solid title.
Kaioh @ Feb 15th 2008 8:43PM
It seems alot of people who didn't even bother buying the game and playing it are bitching here. So, let me clear the record of a few things as someone who owns the game.
The case doesn't mention Final Fantasy at all. No comparisions are made between either series. So that is a false belief.
Two, the load time complaints are invalid. This stems from Gamespots review, in which they said the load times where long. However, they failed to mention that they were not playing finalized discs, but discs with test code.
The final games loading times are still pretty damn good, at only a few seconds per area switch, and maybe ten seconds for some other things. For an RPG, thats damn good time. There are no 60 second load times like the Gamespot review mentioned.
Lastly, randomy encounters do appear, but at a very slow rate. I've played about six hours into the game, and I am at the Sea of Baus. At this time, I have experienced MAYBE thirty battles. Theres a level cap so you can't grind levels. Because you eventually start getting crap for experience.
Lastly, I am sick of people bitching that RPG's need to change. They don't. They need to stop being lazy with certain things, yes, but RPG's will always have some sort of leveling system, and most likely some sort of turn-based battle system.
That is WHY they are RPG's. If you don't like that, get the hell out.
The point is, Lost Odyssey is a hell of a game. It's probably one of the best RPG's on the Xbox 360 (as there are few), but I would put this up there with Oblivion, myself.
The game does have faults, but that shouldn't stop RPGers from picking it up. It's a welcome addition to my collection, thats for damn sure.
The game provides TONS of options, too. You have about four or five different vocal languages you can choose to hear (including English and Japanese), and can play the game with captions (subtitles) on.
The music is some of Uematsu's best work, and mostly stands out during the 1000 Year's of Dreams sequences, which where written by an amazing author (they're certainly a standout in the game, itself).
Also, the game is by no means easy. Pretty much every fight requires a tactic or plan to win, this is especially true for the boss fights (the second of which has caused many of the Gamefaqs forum players to hate the game and refuse to play it, often returning it to the store).
Irregardless of all this information, everyone has to make their own opinion of the game. If you want to blindly and easily believe every review you read, go ahead. However, research the game yourself, at least that'd make it so your opinion is someone valid. Otherwise your just talking bullshit, and nobody likes that.
dsub @ Feb 15th 2008 10:21PM
Agreed. Every negative review of this game that I've read contains something like "it doesn't quite to (insert remark here) the way FF does, etc..."
There are still alot of people out there that enjoy the slower-paced turn based RPG's. Just like there were alot of people that hated the new direction that FFXII took things. No, this game doesn't do much in the way of progressing gameplay mechanics or developing new features (the ring system is kind of cool) but in all honesty, what games do these days?
Lost Odyssey gets chastised for being "to old fashioned" but yet companies like Infinity Ward, Bungie and Ubisoft can peddle out one random war-based FPS title after another that bring nothing new to the genre at all and their games earn 10/10 reviews.
In my opinion, Lost Odyssey is a breath of fresh air in the 360's over-populated with FPS games library. It seems that not only the 360 has been infected with this, as now the PS3 is becoming inundated with FPS titles as well.
Fans of FFVII and FFVIII will love this game. It's good old slow-paced turn based RPG fun, with great and seamless cinematics to boot.
Jerk Face @ Feb 16th 2008 12:31AM
@ Kaioh
You used the not-word 'irregardless' so I choose to believe everything else you said was stupid and probably a lie.
FidliousWong @ Feb 16th 2008 1:19AM
ExMcloud...
How can you say those reviews are not valid? Why?!? If Microsoft provided incomplete code as a review copy, certainly the review which reflects the product Gamespot was handed is not rendered invalid. A site reviews what they were given. This is why most Killzone reviews contain problems which did not show up in the final version such as LOD problems. Meanwhile, gamespot cannot write a review based on the good faith that every problem they ever had with the game will magically disappear within the next version...
That being said, the issues stated by Gamespot are not exactly a site exclusive. In fact, the Xplay review found many of the same problems. If Microsoft provided the reviewable copy, they are the ones responsible for reviews which hurt their products overall welcome.
Now, having said that, apparently you missed the part where I said you need to learn how to read reviews. Let's put it this way. Let's say you enjoy DDR games. Every review you read nowadays will bitch about how it's just another DDR game. To you, the DDR fan, this isn't a negative. However, within the review, you'll find tidbits on how the interface has changed, new songs versus returning tunes, or additional modes. The review could be tearing apart the game from ten ways to sunday, yet you'd still find everything you'd ever want to know about the game within that review. Likewise, you could find a review of a game rated very high. Yet READING the review, you could discover there is nothing in that 10/10 title that interests you.
YOU know your own gaming habits and trends. So YOU know how a game would be rated by yourself. What you like and what the reviewer likes are not exactly the same.
GreyFox @ Feb 16th 2008 1:34AM
Final Fantasy really is a free pass isn't it?
I haven't played the game yet but if they stopped comparing it to FF and solely on it's own merits I think it would likely get better scores.
Kaioh @ Feb 16th 2008 4:40AM
@ Jerk Face
Congratulations. You've added nothing to the conversation and completely lived up to your user name.
Now, go away while the adults have a conversation.
Oh, and for the record, "Irregardless" is a Nonstandard Adverb. It is a word. Deal with it.
Huey2k2 @ Feb 15th 2008 5:14PM
I think the only reason this game isn't garnering much better reviews is because the words "Final Fantasy" or "Dragon Quest" are not in the title.
Seriously, all the reviews I have read have read only complain about the fact that it is a traditional old school style JRPG. They all applaud it's high production values and generally solid voice work and sound as well as a competent story.
How is this any different then Dragon Quest VIII for instance, which was just an old school JRPG with anime style graphics... which got very very high reviews, and rightly so, it was a fantastic game.
This double standard for reviewing RPG's bothers me.
Ranus Studios @ Feb 15th 2008 5:15PM
A valid point, but Final Fantasy XII shoved the series off in a completely different direction, so it's not "traditional" anymore. I guess they're comparing it to Final Fantasy X and earlier.
Eggman @ Feb 15th 2008 5:38PM
Honestly, what I don't get is why games need to be compared to each other AT ALL. Why compare any RPG to any other? Why not actually CRITIQUE each game and ask whether or not the game achieves what the creator wanted the game to be. Most reviews are little more than, "I like games like this and this was not like that but it's really good anyway but since I don't like that anyway 5/10." I mean what the hell is that.
Knock it off with the comparisons people. You might actually *gasp* enjoy games more that way.
HighFiveJesus @ Feb 15th 2008 5:36PM
Probably because these games were created soley to lure and steal the fans away from those games, and some people might think its not doing a very good job.
FraGNeM @ Feb 16th 2008 12:43AM
So you think a reviewer should review games based on how well they steal fans from other, more popular ones in the same genre?
Why wasn't Resistance railed for not preventing 8+ million people from buying Halo 3 on 360?
Oh, that's right -- because that's a stupid metric.
HighFiveJesus @ Feb 16th 2008 2:07PM
Not in every case, of course not. This is actually one of the few times i'd consider it because i can't help but weigh it along with all the promise and pledging that was made when the studio was assembled.
Ranus Studios @ Feb 15th 2008 5:14PM
I'm considering getting it... I do like traditional RPGs.
Eggman @ Feb 15th 2008 5:24PM
The game is amazingly good. The load times are not NEARLY what the reviews say they are. I have yet to hit over 10 seconds for anything.
Not only that, but it contains more genuinely sad and depressing moments than pretty much any RPG in history. The end of disc 1 is just incredible.
Just play it with the US voice acting. It's lip-synched to it and everyone sounds a ton better. Especially Jansen.
Zeus the God @ Feb 15th 2008 7:09PM
ha! end of disk one. :P
tmacairjordan87 @ Feb 15th 2008 5:22PM
the game looks like a complete bore in every area. Seriously it's time for jrpgs to change their combat cause it's stale, been stale for years now. Guess i'll rent it for some easy achievements though.
Eggman @ Feb 15th 2008 5:26PM
Uh, yeah no. Just stay away from the game if you're going to be some ADD addled achievement whore retard. There's only 2 or 3 achievements you get easily anyway.
tmacairjordan87 @ Feb 15th 2008 6:09PM
ADD? please i've played many slow and boring rpgs before, including recent ones like blue dragon and enchanted arms. Sorry I prefer to be entertained when playing games and not playing boring turn based games where you hit 1 button and watch everything unfold and was new 15 years ago.
Eggman @ Feb 15th 2008 6:16PM
Hahaha god you are ridiculous. Go ahead. Rent the game and try to play it by pressing one button the entire time. I await your report where you lie about how easy the game is but you tooootally went through it anyway because that's how hardcore you are when actually, you will more than likely never even get through the first boss because he completely destroys because you can't figure out what you're actually supposed to do.
Try again some other day, troll.
tmacairjordan87 @ Feb 15th 2008 6:18PM
i will, and then i'll give you my gamertag after i beat the game so you can see the 500 points you get from beating it.
Eggman @ Feb 15th 2008 6:27PM
I really hope you understand that you renting the game at this point only supports the game I very very much enjoy and pretty much makes you look like a jackass for supporting something you just tried to explain your hatred for.
I mean really, if spending $8 on a rental and 50 hours of your time on something you won't enjoy (and by the way, I still find it hilarious that you actually think you'll play through the whole thing) is what gamers these days do, then hey, I guess we've found exactly why gaming communities and the entire industry are becoming so terrible.
Oh, and also provide proof that you ONLY USE ONE BUTTON (since those are your own stipulations, not mine). I mean really, I need proof of how amazingly hardcore you are here.
tmacairjordan87 @ Feb 15th 2008 6:37PM
I said it looks boring but I'm willing to try it since there are so few rpgs nowadays. Have no fear I will beat it, you're talking to someone who played RPGs back in the 70-100 hour glory days of the SNES and playstation 1 so these 40-50 hour games are nothing to me. I'll have energy drinks on standby in case it starts putting me to sleep like blue dragon did. I dont like not finishing games unless they're just bottom of the barell horrible.
Also, it'll be free. Having friends who work at rental places is a nice bonus.
I shouldn't have to provide proof you use 1 button in combat. If it's like every other jrpg which everyone says it is then all you do is select an action, target, watch, rinse and repeat all using 1 button be it X, A or w/e it is.
Eggman @ Feb 15th 2008 6:45PM
No no, you need to actually go through every battle by just pressing A and nothing else. No targeting, no skills, just attacking. I mean, if you believe all those people saying that the game is so mindless then surely it must be right? Surely you'll get through it just fine without any sort of strategy.
You don't get to ever use the skill system, no skill links, no equipping rings for the ring system, no changing formations, no spells, no items. Just attack. You said you'd use one button. So prove it, Mr. Hardcore.
tmacairjordan87 @ Feb 15th 2008 6:56PM
well if you want to go into details that small I can try it like that. I was referring to using 1 button for everything (meaning w/e the action button is). Of course you have to use the up and down buttons to highlight the different options, but I wouldn't call that complex or using strategy. I haven't come across a JRPG that was overly hard, specially in this generation of consoles.
rockintom @ Feb 16th 2008 3:56PM
You're both morons. :(
luckycharms711 @ Feb 16th 2008 3:03AM
yeah well that doesn't mean it doesn't suck, basically you are saying this is on par with some bad Final Fantasy game but just because it is not Final Fantasy they are actually speaking the truth in their reviews.
Easo @ Feb 16th 2008 7:12AM
Not really, I don't think an 8.0 is a bad score, but I do think it deserves better but isn't getting it simply because it's not FF.
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 15th 2008 5:25PM
The characters are not appealing... the whole game looks so bland.
I really like RPG's, I prefer a turn based combat that action bases... and strategy RPG's are good, but I prefer turn based traditional combat.
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 15th 2008 5:27PM
And the girl needs more Fructis in that hair.
FidliousWong @ Feb 15th 2008 5:28PM
To me, this game looks like a reason to pump my fists at Microsoft demanding they hurry up and release the Jaspers to the wild.
Raikage Apple freaking DF (Wii FC 5508 0487 4434 0992) @ Feb 15th 2008 5:33PM
Dood Fernando, the guy in the picture looks like you! Jajaja
Fernando Rocker @ Feb 15th 2008 5:35PM
Just 30 seconds ago I was post the same... he kinda looks like me! =)
Second tought... the game has very appealing characters.
NATO_Duke @ Feb 15th 2008 5:32PM
I have yet to see a review to dissuade me from buying this one. Its on my shopping list for this weekend.
Knight Marquise @ Feb 15th 2008 9:27PM
NATO-
If you like JRPG's, you'll like LO. I'm only in it about 6 hours so far, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Fantastic production values & minimal load times.
HighFiveJesus @ Feb 15th 2008 5:33PM
Well jeeze, this somehow managed to get worse scores than Blue Dragon, and its probably the better of the two in my eyes. But it is an imitator, an awkward one at that. I think this would have been awesome 10 years ago, great production values can't sell the entire thing.
When they stamp "from the creators of final fantasy" and "masters of the genre" on commercials and websites (and maybe even the box art, i dunno" its going to get compared. And I think its judged fair because there is a lot of expectations from that. And it doesn't deliver. Hence, don't spend more than 30 dollars on it.
Mr Khan @ Feb 15th 2008 5:38PM
You opened with a parentheses and ended with a quotation mark
I'm only saying that because i do that all the time too
HighFiveJesus @ Feb 15th 2008 5:46PM
Oh wow, i did. What have i UNLEASHED!?
capt_carl @ Feb 15th 2008 5:34PM
I've spent about eight hours with it, and I'm enjoying it thus far. Plays a lot like Final Fantasy X, however you can't see the CTB window when you're making decisions about your moves. Bosses are H-A-R-D. If you're not prepared for them, you get your ass handed to you.
JRPGs aren't for everybody but the most hardcore of the hardcore. The ones who don't like them, don't go preaching that they need to change and innovate. We like them for what they are: classic and cliché.