Technically speaking, there’s very little wrong with Lost Odyssey. While it has some negative aspects of a nearly twenty-year-old RPG, it’s a solid experience that’s extremely well-executed. The story is great, the soundtrack is amazing, the characters are convincing, and the game’s turn-based combat is sound. So why in the name of all that is good and proper am I just not vibing with it?? Could it be because I got stuck in a high-level area that I didn’t know was high-level, and I just don’t feel like backtracking? (Yes, probably.) Could it be that I’m not in the mood for the mental taxation of a turn-based game? (Maybe.) Could it be that, despite everything that’s really, really, really good about the game, I just can’t get over its few age-related flaws? (Nitpicky but honest.) In the end, it’s some combination of all of these issues. I put in nearly thirty hours before lack of…something…caused me to backburner Lost Odyssey. Though, I did recall something vitally important – why I have the game in the first place!

It’s because of The Last Story. It came rushing back to me as I was watching Lost Odyssey’s opening credits and the name “Mistwalker Studios” showed up. Oh my goodness, of course! They were the folks behind The Last Story, which I absolutely loved. After finishing that game, I caught wind of the studio’s other outings, which included Lost Odyssey. Released a few years before The Last Story, Lost Odyssey felt right up my alley at that point, and it promised loads of Final Fantasy vibes. The Lost Odyssey became mine, and then…save for apparently watching the opening scenes once, I never played it. That story is already on the books, which brings us to today.

In a world of Final Fantasy clones, Lost Odyssey is awfully close to the universe. There are mechs and magic, crystals and industry, mana and HP, and an overworld map with spots here and there to explore. Most notable and similar, however, are the characters, from the seemingly stolid main character of few words, Kaim, to outspoken and quirky Seth, to loveable doofus Jansen, they all play their parts. Each, along with the rest of the characters in the game, are voice-acted to perfection. The cutscenes, any moments shared between characters, or Kaim’s “dreams” through which his backstory is revealed, are so far my most favorite parts of the game.

Therein may lie the truth behind my inability to full connect with Lost Odyssey. It’s a game that I’d almost rather watch than play. And if I were to continue it, I’d probably seek out a guide. The controls and movement are stiff and awkward, and game’s camera is awful. The linear gameplay is fine, and so is the lack of hand-holding, but I wouldn’t mind at least little direction every now and then. And boy oh boy, I get that random encounters are part and parcel in turn-based games, but the ones in Lost Odyssey are burdensome. Some of this comes down to the obvious and perennial issue of having limited time to play games – it’s difficult to want to jump into a game when you know you’re going to spend most of any given session just spinning your wheels.

It’s a little bit funny when everything about a game resonates except the gameplay. Playing Lost Odyssey now reminds me a lot of Dragon Age: Origins. Both have dated systems that can be hard enjoy. With Lost Odyssey, there may come a point where I’m able to push past it’s traditional way of doing things for the sake of the excellent story and characters, like I can do now with DA:O. Time will tell, I suppose. I’m not yet ready to say that Lost Odyssey’s ship has sailed, but it may have to wait until I feel I’m able to sink my teeth into it properly.

Video and images, including lede, were captured by author during Xbox gameplay of Lost Odyssey (© Mistwalker, Feelplus.)