Review: Odin Sphere (PS2)
If there is one single reason the PLAYSTATION 3 isn't selling well - it's that the PLAYSTATION 2 is still coming out with some pretty damn stellar titles. Take Atlus' Odin Sphere - it's a unique blend of RPG, action platformer and storybook that surprisingly does all three incredibly well. In a landscape of copycat RPGs with lame storylines and no real interesting visual style, Odin Sphere stands out above the crowd. It's one of those games that you can just tell is going to become a cult classic. It feels like the way the Mana series should have ended up, which really isn't a bad thing at all. Hit the jump for all the reasons why you should pick this game up (or just go get it, because I'm going to recommend it to you anyway).
Shininess: If there were ever a game I would use to say "here is the most shiny you could possibly be" it would be Odin Sphere. This game is the toppemost (the bottom being, maybe Superman 64). Every sprite is not only hand drawn, but BEAUTIFULLY animated. The animations are just plain stunning and will take you aback on multiple occasions. Truly, at times the game looks like a next-gen title. It could easily be released for the Xbox 360 to much fanfare. At first the characters look like they are too big for the screen, but when you start getting into the action it's perfect. It has that arcade feel that is just so satisfying.
But the shininess really lies in the details. From the subtle effects your weapon makes in combat, to the shopkeeper gently pulling out items from his pouch as you scroll through the list in the shop menu. Your character will look back slightly, just watching her step as she runs. The dragon sighs heavily as he begins to devour you. These little things just show the effort and love that's put into the game, and every time I see something clever like that it makes me smile. I live for those moments.
The voice acting is superb, at least by video game standards. While the lines can be cliche, the delivery is entertaining and creative. The music feels appropriate and catchy, very reminiscent of a Final Fantasy game. I can continue to gush about all of this shininess, but you just have to experience it for yourself.
Funness: Odin Sphere operates on a very interesting play system. It is action based with RPG elements, so you do level up like a normal RPG. You have to absorb "psyphers" to use magic, and you can use these little glowing orbs to actually grow seeds, which produce fruit for you to eat and recover HP. I have never seen an RPG so reliant on item use, which is a fantastic addition to the strategy of battle. Combat is exciting and action packed, with a multitude of very satisfying combo moves unleashed by your upgradable weapons.
Map navigation is unique as well, each "room" in an area is wrapped around a sphere, so as you walk from side to side, eventually you will come back around to the place you started. Exits are placed throughout, so you can go to the next sphere quite easily. It's hard to explain, but it works very well. Exploration is fun and not tedious, and there's just so much to do in the game - explore, cook, battle, advance the storyline... yet it's in no way tedious.
Worthiness: Odin Sphere is the perfect game for a player like me. It is completely unique, gorgeously rendered, has a stellar soundtrack and bits like the cooking that will keep completionists quite happy. It also showcase the true power of the winner of last gen's war - the Playstation 2. There truly is no reason to pick up a PS3 at this point with gorgeous games still coming out like Final Fantasy 12, God of War 2 and Odin Sphere. The game isn't going to get much press, but I am sure you will be able to find it at your local game store. If you loved games like Secret of Mana for the SNES or just want to show off an incredibly breathtakingly beautiful game to all your friends, pick it up now.
Score: 3/5 Rent it!
