Michael Szabo
“Lost Odyssey” is a Japanese role-playing game, a type that has been slowly slipping towards extinction. This latest spin on an old style of gaming was created by Mistwalker Studios, who also made the recent RPG “Blue Dragon”. It was created exclusively for the Xbox 360 and rated M.If this game seems like a recreation of “Final Fantasy”, it might be because Hirinobu Sakaguchi, the father of the “Final Fantasy” series, and Nobuo Uematsu, the composer of the “Final Fantasy” series, both contributed to “Lost Odyssey”. This game is by no means a remake of “Final Fantasy” with a facelift, but is its own game with a compelling storyline.Kaim Argonar (if it looks familiar, try spelling Aragorn) is an immortal who has lived in excess of 1,000 years. In a recent battle he lost his memory, which through the course of the game he slowly regains. He is not the only person to lose his memory, as other immortals like him have also lost their memory. Together, they set out to set right the wrongs and fix the problems plaguing the world.The game is not focused around its storyline, which is moderately predictable at best, but instead focuses on the characters and their development. Kaim’s past is told in dream sequences or stylized text accompanied by music, sound effects and images. These sequences usually require a fair amount of reading and can be skipped instead of read, but by skipping these sequences, the game’s most touching moments are missed. At times it seems as if the game is more about these sequences than the main story, as they provide more of a drive to uncover than the plot.No game is complete without a varied cast of characters-and “Lost Odyssey” delivers. Kaim, the usual strong silent type, is joined by a pirate, a queen, a noble and even a ladies’ man who provides the comic relief by managing to be both annoying and charming.Music is the final companion and this is where “Lost Odyssey” starts to stand out from other games. The music is always appropriate for the moment and defines what is happening. Whether it is a dream about a dying girl, fighting a boss, exploring or traveling, the music fits.This game doesn’t try to break any of the rules, but instead ops to stay safe with traditional style game play. It is the standard turn-based combat, which keeps the game friendly for beginners and veterans alike. The game has a ring battle system new to the style of game play. Match up the two rings for a bonus effect; the closer the rings, the stronger the effect.”Lost Odyssey” is estimated at around 40 to 50 hours and requires a bit of patience. However, for someone looking for a break from the usual hack-and-slash games, it provides an emotional storyline with some adjustments to the usual formula of RPG’s. This game is worth the money and the investment if you like turn-based RPG’s that rival “Final Fantasy”, “Golden Sun” and “Beyond Good and Evil.”
