I finally got around to finishing the damn game and beating the super hard optional uberboss, so I'll take a moment to jot down my thoughts about the game, going in to detail about some of the key elements of the RPG.
GAMEPLAY: The game's battle system is obviously old school; this was likely a conscious decision on Mistwalker's part, as they seemed to have been aiming for a game with a distinctly traditional feel. That is, the battles are turn-based without progressive time elements that other modern JRPGs are including. With that said, the game includes a "ring system"- basically, it's a timing thing where you hold down and release the trigger at just the right moment (Which reminds me of Final Fantasy VIII's gunblade trigger) for added bonuses-so the gameplay isn't pure decision-making. With that said, the gameplay may be traditional, but it isn't bad. I enjoy a good "old-school" JRPG romp every now and then; with that said, the game uses random encounters, and that subtracts from the enjoyability of the experience. Random encounters should have died with the PS2, methinks.
Throughout the main quest, some of the bosses will prove to be challenging but there won't be anything you'll have to spend hours of grinding for. You won't get much freedom in terms of exploring side content until disc 4; however, once you do get to that point, there's a ton of sidequests and optional bosses to experience. Unfortunately, most of the optional bosses are pretty easy (Save for the optional ultimate boss, who is pretty tough; however, even then, he isn't as hard as the optional superbosses in the Final Fantasy series.) As I said, though, there's a fair amount of side content to complete, so you'll be keeping yourself occupied with this game for quite a bit of time if you're a completionist.
As for character customization, you'll only be able to pick and choose the abilities for your immortal characters; they learn abilities from both mortal characters and items, in a way similar to Final Fantasy IX's character growth system.
But yeah, overall, the gameplay is enjoyable. However, it isn't for everyone; if you don't have the patience for a more traditional JRPG experience, you're probably better off playing something else. If you do, you will probably find the game enjoyable.
SOUND: The music is composed by Nobuo Uematsu, so yeah, it's pretty good.
The voice-acting is a different story, however, as it is very hit-or-miss. Some of the characters sound alright, others have a load of personality, but some are so bad that it comes to the point of ruining the game. Or making you mute the television whenever you play the game, at the very least. You know who I'm talking about if you've played the game.
STORY: Lost Odyssey is many things. One of the things it is, unfortunately, is a missed opportunity. With that said, the plot isn't bad. I've seen far worse in the videogame world. The protagonist is likeable, and you have some good supporting characters, as well. However, after the first few hours of the game, you're going to start feeling disappointed.
The set-up is strong, and when you're introduced to the game, you're gonna expect it to be a very serious and tragic moment. While the game is full of sorrow and drama, however, as the game progresses, the comic relief is going to overpower it. Heck, by the end of the game, there's so much comic relief that it's hard to enjoy some of the more serious moments, because even the serious moments are ruined by inappropriate comic relief stuck in. It turns from somewhat funny to just plain annoying, and again, as you get closer to the end, some of the characters will act more and more stupid for reasons unknown.
Another thing I'd like to point out is the villain. God damn is he a cliche; I knew that this game was trying to go for the "traditional" look, but that doesn't excuse extremely one-dimensional villains who are evil just for the hell of it. Video-RPGs, and games with stories in them in general, should have moved beyond this by now; *crag*, the villain even has a goatee and he certainly won't hesitate to show off his dastardly villain's laugh.
But with all this said, again, I stress that the game's plot isn't bad. It's just that I feel that it could have been so much more, especially with the set-up that the game has. Of course, these sour feelings are all remedied by the short stories.
The short-stories are optional (OPTIONAL) pieces of text that can be unlocked throughout the course of the game, detailing the immortal protagonist's 1000 years of life. They are well-written, and, as I believe, convey the mood the main quest's story should have had. Yes, they're emotional and good; however, they're long and wordy, so if you don't feel patient enough to view them, like I said, they're optional. You can skip them and go back and read them later if you want.
SUMMARY: So, yeah, if I were to give this game a rating, I'd give it a 4 out of 5. The game has some notable flaws, but those flaws do not equate to the inability to enjoy the game. It could have been better, but it is still among the few console JRPGs worth playing this generation. If I would have bought this game for full price when it originally came out and reviewed it then, I would have suggested to wait a while and buy a used copy (Which is what I ended up doing); you could probably find a used copy for a cheaper price now than when I got it.
The game missed some opportunities, but it did show promise. If Mistwalker ever pulls a sequel out of their ass or makes a game in Lost Odyssey's style again instead of just churning out Blue Dragon stuff as they are now, I'll be eager to buy it and see if it was the game Lost Odyssey could have and should have been.
Lost Odyssey (Finally) finished; time to play Valkyria Chronicles.
