DGR : Lost Odyssey

[GloatingSwine]

I did indeed. I thought the dreams were well written but some could've been more concise and I found watching the cut-scenes painful even if I watched them all.

The trouble with the dreams is that they're almost too good. They were written and translated seperately from the rest of the game (written by an author who is pretty big on the literary scene in Japan, Kiyoshi Shigematsu, and translated by Jay Rubin, who has a Ph.D in Japanese Literature and also translated some of the novels of Haruki Murakami).

The rest of the story is quite good, and manages some really impactful moments, (Kaim is, if not exactly the most outgoing hero ever, a basically decent chap and it's made quite easy to identify with him through both dreams and gameplay), but the dreams are in a league of their own, and make me wish that Shigematsu's novels were available in English.

 

[D_987]

Bump.

 

[D_987]

The trouble with the dreams is that they're almost too good.

They were criticized by 1 up for being a "mis-use" of the media...

 

[Break]

The trouble with the dreams is that they're almost too good.

They were criticized by 1 up for being a "mis-use" of the media...

Er? After reading that, I immediately went to 1-Up out of sheer confusion - how can you not love those things, after all- and the review was positive about them. Where'd you get that?

 

[D_987]

The trouble with the dreams is that they're almost too good.

They were criticized by 1 up for being a "mis-use" of the media...

Er? After reading that, I immediately went to 1-Up out of sheer confusion - how can you not love those things, after all- and the review was positive about them. Where'd you get that?

Towards the end.

 

[Break]

The trouble with the dreams is that they're almost too good.

They were criticized by 1 up for being a "mis-use" of the media...

Er? After reading that, I immediately went to 1-Up out of sheer confusion - how can you not love those things, after all- and the review was positive about them. Where'd you get that?

Towards the end.

"If I buy a game, I don't want to have to read". Wow. Even though every time you unlocked one, it asked whether you wanted to read it or not. It's the fantasy story equivalent of Mass Effect's codex, and he's faulting the game for it.

Even then, the writing isn't the only reason the dreams are great. They combine music, sound effects, background graphics, all timed so they'd proceed as you pressed the button and turned the page. There... Are no other conventional storytelling mediums where it's possible to do that. The closest thing is a powerpoint presentation, and I haven't heard of people using those to tell a story - least of all as powerfully as Lost Odyssey does.

 

[GloatingSwine]

The trouble with the dreams is that they're almost too good.

They were criticized by 1 up for being a "mis-use" of the media...

1-up are a pack of idiots. Seriously. There are very few gaming publications I have less respect for. I think they get the work experience boy to do the reviews whilst they fuck off to the pub.

I could, were it not four o'clock in the morning, go on at length about the mental deficiencies of the 1-up review staff, but as it is I'll just have to point out that were it a print magazine, I wouldn't even wipe my arse with it, let alone base my opinion about games on it.

 

[D_987]

I'm not saying I agree with 1up - my own opinion is in my review - just thought I better focus on a critique I had heard.

 

[balimuzz]

Good review. You went through the pros and cons well, and even though I won't be getting it (hate JRPGs/turn-based combat + no money) you have been able to show some good arguments for it. I also liked the inclusion of video, particularly with the trailers and combat. I was glad you showed what the actual combat was going to look like, and most reviewers never bother with it.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I got to the very last dungeon and never finished it as I got distracted by Tales of Vesperia.

Shame I never finished it...And forgot key plot points now.

 

[GodsOneMistake]

This was a great game. I wonder if they'll ever make another

 

[D_987]

This was a great game. I wonder if they'll ever make another

I sure hope so =)

 

[CrafterMan]

I bloody loved Lost Odyssey, best RPG I have played to date, the right mix of likeable characters, and the combat never got old for me.

Cliches aside, the story was brilliant to.

Also, a great review, you took the best aspects of the game and explained them in detail.

-Joe

 

[Fritzvalt]

Nice review. Like the videos. Love the game.

 

[darkmushroomm]

I liked the review but sadly i couldn't finish the game because my last disk decided to stop working, I was really mad, almost broke my xbox.

 

[D_987]

I liked the review but sadly i couldn't finish the game because my last disk decided to stop working, I was really mad, almost broke my xbox.

Yeah, Microsoft made the foolish choice of enclosing the 4th disk in one of those little wallets instad of creating a special box - my 4th disk is playable but came with a nasty scratch.

On another note, Im thinking of reviewing this game again, after replaying it twice since this review - I will edit my original draft and create a longer in-depth review.