Genre: RPG
Year: 2008
Developed by: Mistwalker/Feelplus
Published by: Microsoft Game Studios
Platforms: XBOX 360
#31
Feeling Like: Lost and found
I have a soft spot for writing teams who work on video games. It can’t be easy – writing in itself is hard (see The 500), but to do so well is even more difficult. Writing for a story where you don’t control the pace, or the editing for a game that can last over 50 hours must be borderline impossible. Whenever I see a critique of a video game’s writing being “bad”, I roll my eyes a bit. It’s not a novel, it’s not TV, it’s not a play, it’s not a movie. Cut them some slack.
Then I remember Lost Odyssey exists and puts nearly every piece of video game writing to shame. It’s the single best selection of writing found in any video game, ever.
That claim is cheating a bit; there are 33 short stories found all across Lost Odyssey, mostly triggered automatically or by speaking to a specific NPC. The game shifts to essentially a Powerpoint presentation, with its own accompanying music and animated text. Doesn’t sound that special, and it’s not intertwined gracefully with the in-game dialogue, or exposition.
But it didn’t matter, at least to me. The point of these beautifully written short stories was to add flavor to Kaim’s expansive backstory. The major focal point of the story is that it features a few characters that are immortal, though they have lost some of their memories. Their personality fits that of somebody who has loved and lost a dozen times over: they’re not quick to emotion, they’re smart, they’re experienced, they’re unflappable and they’ve seen it all. I liked how Feelplus specifically made it so you could tell who was an immortal and who wasn’t almost right off the bat.
The Thousand Years of Dreams were so expertly crafted, I looked at a guide just to ensure I didn’t miss a single one. I’m not even sure if they led to any in-game bonuses, they were that satisfying to read. Most of them painted an incredible picture, usually a tragic tale, regarding Kaim and his past goings. Whether it featured a pilgrimage against the wind, breaking out of a jail cell or the death of a young child (I’m not kidding when I say some of these are real tear-jerkers) every story weaves an incredible tale. They inspired me to try my own hand out at writing for a gaming publication, and then to start the 500. I cannot overstate how good they are.
We have Kiyoshi Shigematsu to thank. He’s no normal video game writer – he’s one of Japan’s best selling authors who would only agree to write for Lost Odyssey if his stories didn’t depict war positively. A reasonable request, considering that much of the game involves fighting and destroying enemies for experience points. I can’t say the Dreams seamlessly integrate with the rest of the game (they feel almost like a guest-host spot), but I cannot think of a single game, RPG or otherwise, with this level of quality of writing. These bite sized, didactic, hopeful stories are flawless. Masterful. Learning about Kaim being a silent observer to extraordinary events that happen to regular townsfolk is addicting. The more you read, the more you understand why Kaim feels the way he does about humanity. Brilliant.
Where would Lost Odyssey be without these short stories? Lower on the 500 naturally, but I’m not sure how much lower. The rest is standard JRPG fare, but done exceptionally well. You can’t button mash against bosses, each one seem to have a gimmick requiring maximum attention. There’s enough skill balancing and party selection to satisfy even the most ardent weeb. The graphics haven’t aged all that well, but the aesthetic feels unique enough to the genre that they’re still interesting to look at. The soundtrack is good, not quite on par with something like Final Fantasy 10, but close. The Capital of Uhra’s theme encapsulates the bizarre nature of this ever-changing world, seeped in magic but undergoing an Industrial revolution. I also loved “Neverending Journey“.
While the faces and character models exhibit some uncanny valley, Mistwalker didn’t shy away from hitting some truly emotional moments. The two youngest characters in your party have to see their mother on her deathbed. She passes away right in front of them. The camera doesn’t cut away at first, we have to see both of them burst into tears and screaming for her to wake up. It’s a surprisingly effective moment.
I’ve heard Lost Odyssey is the best non-Final Fantasy Final Fantasy and yeah, I can get on board with that. They even have a Cid! Ok, it’s Sed, but it’s obvious where his name came from. The game wears its inspiration very close to its chest, but I’m totally fine with emulating a good formula. The experience is large, and epic. It spans dozens of cities and a cast of hundreds. It’s got all the usual JRPG fare: buying items from merchants, random battles, treasure boxes, dungeons, an overworld map, offensive and defensive spells, equipment and boss fights. I know for some this is a warning sign, but it’s all I’ll ever need. At this point, we’ve probably hit the limit as to what RPGs can do in terms of pushing the medium. There’s a reason other video games are becoming more like RPGs and RPGs are becoming less RPG-like; developers have figured out the meat of what players enjoy about them and tossing aside the rest. But I’m still drawn to them, even with the fluff or filler.
Lost Odyssey is a time capsule. Fifteen years ago, this is exactly what players expected and wanted from a new RPG. It plays it straight; while Jansen is one of the funnier characters I’ve ever controlled, the events and consequences are dead serious. It borders on melodrama often, but I cared enough about the merry band of heroes enough to see them through to the end. I’m shocked Lost Odyssey had such a tumultuous production, it certainly doesn’t show on the screen.
Combat is silky smooth, the timed ring button press was right up my alley. Anytime you can add extra interaction beyond pressing A to attack means I’m going to be that much more interested. It wasn’t done to the extent seen in Super Mario RPG, but it was pretty close. Being able to equip specific accessories mid-combat to address a specific boss strategy was another wise choice. With every passing hour, my affinity for Lost Odyssey grew.
And that’s that. It was a strange time to be a JRPG fan with the XBOX 360 all of a sudden being home to many exclusive, must play titles like Blue Dragon or Tales of Vesperia. It’s the only reason I eventually purchased the console, to be honest. But Lost Odyssey would have warranted the purchase all on its own, and the Thousand Years of Dreams short stories warranted the purchase of Lost Odyssey. I can’t recommend reading them enough, and that will be the only time I recommend reading a game instead of playing a game on the 500.
The 500 