Once
famous for its brand of turn-based combat and unique storytelling,
Japanese role playing games (J-RPG) have lately been as rare as an
empty train to Virar in the evening. Thankfully, creator Hironobu
Sakaguchi, the father of the Final Fantasy series, has not given up on
the genre, bringing a classic J-RPG to the Xbox 360 with Lost Odyssey –
a gorgeous game that gets the formula right, but leaves you thinking it
could be so much more.If you ever wondered what it would be like to live forever, Lost Odyssey lets you find out by playing 1,000-year-old immortal Kiam, who – in a classic storytelling clich – has lost his memory. Your journey to find who or what Kiam is lasts four DVDs and over 40 hours of gameplay, all the while presenting some eye-popping cinematics in developer Mistwalker’s picturesque world. Right from the beautiful opening movie, you know you’re in for something special. As he searches for his memories, Kiam is joined by a colourful cast of mortals and immortals alike: from the alluring Queen Ming to the drunken, staggering, womaniser Jansen. But while the characters are great, it’s the storyline that grabs you: Some scenes will make you guffaw, while others force a lump in your throat. Still, there are points where the story takes you on a high, only to drop you with a painful thud as it takes an absurd twist. In fact, this is the most annoying part of an otherwise great game. These sudden switches between “Wow! Brilliant!” and “Well, that was downright silly” are quite a dampener. However, you tend to overlook these once you get used to it. But the best part of the game has to be the memories, revealed as you rest at an inn or at certain situations you encounter. All these flashbacks are presented in short text stories. Yes, text! This may send most people crawling for the nearest exit, but believe me, the writing will have you hooked. Penned by award-winning Japanese novelist Kiyoshi Shigematsu, these stories are written for a mature mind, talking of the pain of losing people, the happiness of finding love, etc. Beautifully penned and almost lyrical, the text stories provide a wonderful contrast to the stunning art and design. And with the game having standard turn-based gameplay, it’s the enemy design that stands out – the most beautiful and diverse I have seen in this genre. Of course, that isn’t to take anything away from the gameplay. As you select your actions from the menu, strategy will be your best friend: The attacks need to be meticulously planned based on the enemy’s elemental status, and your position on the battlefield . In the end, Lost Odyssey may not be the best game in its genre, but it’s still a must-have. If not to experience the first breed of next-generation J-RPGs, the game deserves to be picked only to immerse yourself in one hell of a good story. PRICE: Xbox 360 – Rs 1,895 RATING : * * * * Group Moderator for [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Connect your World with Us join Now - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dimpill_gang/join Affiliated group from dimpill_gang for Only Adult Mails - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fantazies/join Affiliated group from dimpill_gang for Only Health and Food Mails - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Health_and_Gourmet/join Forgot the famous last words? Access your message archive online at http://in.messenger.yahoo.com/webmessengerpromo.php
