Lost Odyssey is one of my favourite RPG's. Underrated, and definitely worth a play! Directed by Final Fantasy's Hinorobu Sakaguchi, this Xbox 360 exclusive turn-based RPG blended a steampunk-esque setting, with a great story, and challenging, but enjoyable gameplay. When it was released as a backwards compatible game on the Xbox One, it was great to see people discover (or in my case, re-discover), this gem. One of the aspects of Lost Odyssey I love the most is the fantastic soundtrack. Scored by renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu, the soundtrack captured the games tricky battles, it's keen taste for adventure, and the elements of beauty, and sadness that Kaim's story presented. A regular CD that's found it's home in my glove compartment for car journeys, it's fair to say that I return to this music a lot. Check out my top 5 tracks from the Lost Odyssey soundtrack below!
It's Review A Great Game Day, a time where games bloggers, reviewers and gamers unite to enthuse about damn good games. This year, I am pleased to be joined by my friend and fellow Geek Mash writer Bradley Fish, who has reviewed his favourite game of all time, Super Metroid. For this years post, I am choosing one of my favourite under-rated titles, Lost Odyssey. A masterpiece, epic RPG with a beautiful soundtrack and a riveting story, there's a lot going for this, and I absolutely loved all four discs of it.
This guy, Jansen. I love the wise-cracking, cocky characters that deep down have a good heart. Jansen is definitely one of these, and for those of you that have seen Disney's Tangled, there is something a bit "Flynn Rider" about him. Flynn is one of my favourite Disney characters, so I guess it was a bit obvious that I'd pick Jansen as the best character! Favourite Song "Neverending Journey", which plays in the map/loading screen. Just wait until that guitar kicks in at 1.46! Epic. Favourite Enemy
I love the Kelolons. There's something very Zelda-like about these enemies; weirdly cute and quirky looking. In Summary... So, Lost Odyssey truly is a great game, one that deserves a play-through if you have never played it before. The characters are memorable, the story is easy to follow, yet somehow deep and beautiful. The soundtrack, (one of my favourite gaming soundtracks ever), is fitting, and is a brilliant one to listen to away from the game too. At 4 discs long, it is a bit of a time sink, but for me personally, I remember extra long stints of this game, with plenty of those "just twenty more minutes then I'll power off for the night" moments. After writing this, I'm tempted to jump straight into it again. I salute you, Lost Odyssey.
After getting a new iPod last week, I asked my followers on Twitter for some recommendations for game music to stick on it. I've got my fair share, but there is no harm in adding to the collection!
Well one follower, Mr. Bradley Fish of Fishy's View took this on board, recommended me some great tracks, then created a top 10 list of his own on his blog. Inspired by his top ten list, here are my top ten favourite game tracks of all time.
Pretty much all of these tracks hold some kind of memory, especially from my childhood.
Now bare in mind I love my Zelda music, so I have decided to do a similar list dedicated to Zelda tracks in a few days (keep checking back!). So, I hope you all enjoy my list! What would make up your top ten?
10. Never Ending Journey from Dragon Warrior Monsters
I have many good memories of playing this game when I was younger. This track in particular has stuck with me the most, as I'm instantly taken back to the wandering around in the various locations, picking up beefjerky, "an herb" (gotta love bad English in games) and encountering new monsters.
9. Hog Wild from Crash Bandicoot
One of my favourite levels in Crash Bandicoot, the Hog Wild theme brings back some great memories of taking it in turns to complete levels with my brother when we were first bought our PS1. Fun stuff!
8. Delfino Plaza from Super Mario Sunshine
Delfino Plaza is a cheerful, summery piece that reminds me of the hours I spent on this great Mario title for the Gamecube.
7. Fly Me To The Moon from Bayonetta
Whilst this may be a cover track, I had to include this. It's a fun take on a classic track, and reminds me of the crazy gameplay that Bayonetta had.
6. [Ending] Tribute from Halo 3
Halo 3 ends with this rousing, quite emotional ending theme. Great stuff.
5. Gerudo Valley from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
This one had to get a mention! No doubt a favourite for a large majority of Zelda fans, Gerudo Valley has a great guitar heavy sound.
4. Neverending Journey from Lost Odyssey
A truly under-rated game, not only is Lost Odyssey a joy to complete, but it has a fantastic accompanying soundtrack too. Neverending Journey plays during the map/location select screen, and whilst we only hear a snippet of it (unless you stay on the map screen for quite some time), it's a great piece that switches from a relaxing acoustic piece into a full-blown guitar riff by the 1.38 mark. Give it a listen.
3. Lullaby from Braid
The music in quirky time meddler Braid is in it's entirety beautiful, but this one seems to resonate emotion from me than the rest. A hauntingly beautiful piano piece.
2. Main Theme from Tomb Raider
Many tracks in my top ten make it there in the first place due to some kind of nostalgic gaming memory. This is definitely true when it comes to my reason behind choosing the Main Theme from Tomb Raider. As a child I had many fond memories watching my Dad (an avid gamer himself) play through countless games such as the Resident Evil series, and in this instance, the Tomb Raider series.
The main theme reminds me of the first time he loaded up that game back in our brand new PS1, and from that moment on, I was hooked. It's a beautiful piece with some great memories for me of my Dad having what we coined "Tomby Rage" (come on...that game has many frustrating puzzle moments!), freaking out at the mythological beasts and all of us working together to decipher where to go next.
1. Dragon Roost Island from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker.
Aww...of course when I think of my favourite game tunes, a Zelda one had to take the top spot. Although Link's Awakening was the game that started my love for Zelda, I adore the Wind Waker soundtrack. So, here's Dragon Roost Island.
Want to see me do more features? Feel free to email me any suggestions!
A new Wii bundle will be made available by the end of February. This new Wii bundle coincide's with the release of The Last Story on the 24th February. The Last Story Wii Bundle will include a copy of the game, an exclusive steel book cover, a soundtrack CD and art booklet.
The Last Story's soundtrack CD features seven tracks composed by Nobuo Uematsu, a composer famed for his work in other RPG titles, such as the Final Fantasy series and Lost Odyssey.
Check out the video below for more info. What are your impressions of The Last Story? Will it succeed, like Xenoblade Chronicles did last year? Let us know in the comments!
From the moment the main theme begins on the games menu screen, I knew I would fall in love with the Lost Odyssey soundtrack. Not only does the soundtrack carry a rich, cinematic feel, but it is somewhat moving-should I say inspiring at points. For me, the Lost Odyssey soundtrack is one of my favourite game soundtracks (although personally the Zelda soundtracks still hold the top spots). Composed by long-time musician Nobuo Uematsu, Lost Odyssey's soundtrack comprises of a whopping 55 tracks, and surprisingly, all but two are excellent.
Reviewing all 55 tracks will not only be an epic read for you all, but incredibly tiresome for myself, so join me as I discuss the highlights of this impressive soundtrack.
The soundtrack begins with "Prologue", the main theme of the game. The song is rather slow paced, but has a miltitaristic feel to it. This militaristic feel is continued in the games following song, "Battlefield", a rousing song that brought to mind rows upon rows of soldiers marching into battle. This theme runs all the way through the next two songs, until we suddenly reach a different feel.
"An Immortal Life", a melancholy track that serves as Kaim's theme. The track is reminiscent of "Prologue", but the pace has been slowed, and the militaristic feel has been replaced. This melancholy mood continues through the next track, "Wohl Highlands", which carries a more laidback feel than the long list of battle themes the album contains.
This slow pace does not last for long though, as the next track, "Battle Conditions" destroys the ambience the previous two tracks had created, in favour for a fast paced, frantic sounding battle track which makes it's debut in one of the games first bosses. For anyone who has listened to Uematsu's soundtracks before, this is much more faithful to his normal sound, and contains the usual arrangement of synths, guitars and drum beats. "Victory" is a track that would be heard constantly throughout the game, as this serves as the victory music for whenever a battle has been won. It's a rousing brass-led song that fades out towards the end into the games main theme. (My geek moment comes in sharing with you the fact that this one is my alarm tone, and rouses me out of bed every morning).
The next bunch of tracks comprises of a mixture of town/city themes. Each of these themes ranges from melancholic, relaxing to somewhat tense sounding, which helps to add a bit of variety to the proceedings. Each city theme really captures the essence of the city they represent too. For instance, "The Capital of Gohtza" sounds very sinister and cold, which reflects the cities ruler completely. Out of all the city themes, my favourite has got to be "The Capital of Numara", which is perhaps one of the most laidback tracks on the entire album.
In between the various city themes lies a few journey inspired tracks. "Neverending Journey" is an acoustic and panpiped led track that plays whenever the players next destination is being selected on the world map. The song starts with a definite folky, eastern sound, but the typical Uematsu guitars weave their way into the song by the end, thus changing the sound completely. For the most part it is an interesting song, where the instrumentals really shine above many other songs on the album. "The White Mother Ship" (a personal favourite), plays during the sea exploration sections. It has a real heroic feel, but also holds the laidback feel that many of the songs on the Lost Odyssey soundtrack hold. "Yosolo" is another track that plays during the boat driving game play. A particular favourite on the album, this track encapsulates the sense of adventure with a cheerful, pleasant on the ears sound. This one is placed between two other cheerful tracks, which help to break up the sinister vibe of those immediately surrounding them.
The album often dips back into this military theme that was hinted at from the beginning track, "Prologue." Every few songs a track is dropped in that fits with the war theme, such as "March of War", "The Mystery of the Death Machine" and "A Formidable Enemy Appears!." Whilst these are for the most part enjoyable, I prefer the more laidback tracks, or the songs that vary the album significantly. It is at this point that it is worth mentioning the more bizarre but fun sounding tracks on the album. The first of these being "Kelelon Forest", a goofy child-like track that has a Zelda-esque vibe to it. For those who have played the game and remember encountering the Kelelon's, I am sure you'll agree that the music fits perfectly with their characters. "A Tiny Memory", used frequently during the "A Thousand Years of Dreams" stories again adopts a child-like sound, and is a pleasant, smile-inducing track.
There are plenty of sinister tracks filling up the album that add to the overall doom and gloom feel of a world struggling through a war. "The Witches Mansion" is the creepiest track on the album, performed souly on what sounds like a honky tonk piano. The plodding pace and careful consideration of the tempo creates a tense and effective piece.
For the most part, the album is fantastic, but there are a few tracks that can be missed on occasions. The first of these being "What You Are" by Sheena Easton. The track may appeal to some, but I found it incredibly cheesy, and, if I am being honest, a little irritating. The same goes for "Kaette Kuru, Kitto", the song which kiddie characters Cooke and Mack sing at one point in the game. Again, this I just found a little too irritating for myself.
So, on the whole, Nobuo Uematsu has created an excellent soundtrack for Lost Odyssey. Whilst fans of his previous work may feel that it brings nothing new to his repertoire, it certainly works for this four disc game. The soundtrack is a perfect blend of battle, character, city/town and situation themes, meaning that it does not suffer from too much repetition. It's a solid score that I find myself enjoying over and over again.
A rather disappointing aspect of the Xbox 360 is that there is a very limited amount of good RPG's out there to experience. Yes, we have Oblivion and the Final Fantasy series to name but a few, but still, this game genre is very small when compared to the more popular first person shooters, such as Call of Duty or the Halo series. A few years ago, I was pleased to find out that there was a 4 disc Japanese RPG epic available on the Xbox 360, and for a good price. This game set me back a mere £5 from Gamestation, and is widely available for around the same price in other game retailers.
Released in early 2008 for us European gamers, Lost Odyssey was produced by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the hugely successful Final Fantasy series. Fans of the Final Fantasy series will probably get an idea of what this game is going to be like, and should enjoy the gameplay.
Lost Odyssey tells the tale of Kaim, a thousand year old immortal and the conflict that he finds himself involved in. Set during a magical industrial revolution during the future, Lost Odyssey tells of a world that is blighted by the heavy reliance on magical technology.
Pretty much everything is controlled by magic at this point in time, leaving human's roles rather redundant. Magic originally was hard to come by, with only magicians being able to possess powers, but soon this changed, with even the normal citizens gaining the ability to cast magic. This reliance on magic however caused two nations, the Kingdom of Gohtza and the Republic of Uhra to experiment with weapons of mass destruction, leading to Uhra building Grand Staff, which allows magical energy to be concentrated in it for powerful, dangerous means, whilst Gohtza hurriedly researched magical energy in a hope to match the weapon that Uhra was buliding.
In Kaim's one thousand year live span, he has witnessed many wars, and once again he finds himself caught in the conflict of two warring fractions. Whilst Gohtza and Uhra battle for the best weapon that technology can build, a third nation, Numara, is quietly taking a back seat, opting to remain neutral then get involved in conflict.
As the game progresses, we soon find out that as well as being immortal, Kaim has no memory of his past. We follow Kaim on his journey to recover his missing memories, whilst trying to piece together the evil motives of Uhrah's new ruler, Gongora. Kaim is accompanied along the way by an assortment of companions, including fellow immortals Seth and Sarah, and the smooth talking ladies man, Jansen. All of them have their own reasons for joining the journey, and we discover their motives, and unlock their memories as the game progresses. Each character is memorable, but some more so than others. I felt that Jansen was by far the best character in the game. Many of the lines he utters during game play and the cut scenes are hilarious.
Those already familiar with RPG's will probably welcome the turn-based battle system. I can sense some of you right now probably have no idea what this means, so in simple terms, the player and the enemy take it in turns to attack one another. In the players turn, they can choose to attack the enemy with one of their learned attacks, which are either magic or weapon based, or you can defend, use an item (such as healing herbs for when you find yourself in a near-death situation), the healers in your party can use their turn to heal one party member or the whole team via magic, or, if you have unlocked it, flee from the battle if it is proving too difficult. Once you have decided on what you are going to do in this turn, it is then the enemies turn, who will choose to do one of the same options if it has them available.
As you progress, you will earn money, which you can use to buy more items to help during battles, and higher level weapons which will definitely make your fights a lot easier to handle. Some bosses require certain strategies, which you will pick up when you are fighting them (such as one particular boss, who does not react to magical attacks, so what do you do instead?). Sometimes it takes several goes before you finally beat the boss, so I would say that for Lost Odyssey, patience is a virtue, and it is well worth the several retries, as the game gets even more spectacular as it goes along.
The difficulty slope can be a bit tricky at times. Lost Odyssey eases the player into the game with simple fights and quick levelling up. However, as you progress deeper into the game, the enemies get harder (some of the end disc bosses require a lot of patience, and many tries before you beat them!), levelling up slows down quite considerably, and item pick-ups can become a lot rarer. You are able to save the game whenever you come across a save game orange orb whilst exploring, but sometimes these can be few and far between, so I would suggest saving quite often encase you die before you reach a save point! I would also suggest trying to level up all the characters to around the same level as each other, as there are times when only particular characters are allowed to be used on a boss fight, typically the ones you chose to never use, and you will soon be wishing you had stronger characters to make this fight a little less impossible.
One aspect of the game that people may not enjoy much is the lengthy amount of cut-scenes, especially the final cut scenes of the discs. These videos can go on for almost 30 minutes at one point, without the option to skip at some points. However, I did not complain about these, as not only are they very cinematic, with a great musical score, they help to explain the story. After all, you are playing an RPG, so you have to expect a bit of an in-depth story to compliment the game play.
One of the elements I enjoyed highly was the musical score. I find that good music in a game really makes it more appealing for me. I do not want to play a game where the music will end up irritating me so much that I have to mute the television, thus missing out on lines the character says, and so on. Lost Odyssey, thankfully, was not like this. The music was composed by Nobuo Uematsu, a Japanese composer who is probably most known for his musical work in some of the Final Fantasy games. The music is mostly instrumental, and really compliments the beauty, suspense, action, romance and sadness of the game. I would strongly suggest trying to get a copy of the soundtrack and listening to it away from the game, as I found I truly appreciated the music more when I could concentrate on it solely, instead of during a tense boss battle.
For the most part, the achievements are quite generous. You will gain a large achievement after completing each disc, as well as achievements for unlocking each of the memories, levelling up all your characters, and more. Some may take some time, but seeing as you have four discs to work on these, you should be able to unlock most of them during this time. If you find yourself really enjoying this game, there is some downloadable content available via the Xbox Live Marketplace, which will add more to the game. This includes new weapons, and a new area to explore, and both packs are very cheap to pick up now. The download time takes no more than a few minutes, so impatient ones, do not fret!
Is it worth playing? So is Lost Odyssey worth playing? Definitely. Not only is it a highly enjoyable story, with great cinematic visuals and a beautiful accompanying score, but it is also a very engrossing game. Spread over 4 discs, the £5 spent on this game is definitely worth the money. It took me several months to work through from beginning to end, averaging at around 60 to 90 hours, and the game is packed full of things to do. Not only is there the main storyline to complete, but there are side quests, such as helping out villagers, and collecting all the forgotten memories. I was actually quite sad when I completed Lost Odyssey, as I devoted so much time to completing this epic RPG, that when I did finally complete the forth and final disc, I just wanted to go back to the beginning and experience it again! Sadly, this game got a little overlooked, especially as the Final Fantasy series is still going strong, which is a real shame as it is an excellent game that deserved more recognition than it received. If you are looking for a story-driven RPG, filled with fights, exploration and quests, then I strongly suggest giving this a go. There are not many games like this on the Xbox 360, so even if you have never played an RPG before, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised by this.
