Five hours into Mistwalker’s new RPG for the Xbox 360, Lost Odyssey. I am no stranger to the turn-based-combat system of traditional Japanese RPG’s. In fact, I’m a big fan of the concept. Perhaps that makes my impressions of Lost Odyssey a little biased. Okay, I’m biased. I like amazing games. So far, Lost Odyssey is proving to be the culmination of many wonderful things. Gorgeous graphics and art design, a solid and entertaining combat system, and a story of immense intrigue.
In regards to the loading times mentioned in almost every review of Lost Odyssey, I’m finding myself baffled. Yes, the loading times are there, and yes they occur somewhat frequently. But I don’t recall much whining about the loading times in Oblivion, which seem to me to be just as long or longer and almost as frequent. The loading times in Lost Odyssey have done nothing to dampen my experience, or have they bugged me in the least. In fact, the opening of Lost Odyssey blessed me with a sense of gaming nirvana that I haven’t felt since the opening of Final Fantasy 7. That’s high praise indeed.
Unless the game takes a dramatic downfall in later hours, I’m going on record as saying that Lost Odyssey has been severely underrated by a number of reviewers. Time will tell if it can maintain the brilliance demonstrated to me in the first five hours. I sure hope it does. Look for my full review soon.
-James Wilson
