Lost Odyssey: First Impressions

I am sitting here this evening depressed. My 360 died. And the worst part there is something I am wanting to play terrible bad. A game that makes me want to run out and buy a second 360 console just so I can continue this adventure.

If you heard all the bad things about LO. Ignore them. This people are trolls and haters. If you like the way a game like ffX, then you will like LO. There is so much greatness in this 4 disc package that I think it killed my 360 because I was up til 3 am playing it, and did not want to stop.

Forget Blue Dragon. That game was a mistake. It may be one of the worst RPGs I have played looking back. LO is a more mature game. The package is just awesome. Wy do I think this. Well let me tell you what this game does.

The very first boss you fight in the game is hard. You may think a boss in a turn based RPG can't be hard. Well you would be wrong. The few bosses I fought took strategy. I did something I have not done in an RPG since fighting a boss in FFIV. I used the defense option.

The combat is fun, because it does take that extra strategy to play it. And I also think 1up.com and the 1up show did a great disservice to the game when they said the load times were long. And they show this 15 second clip of a battle loading up. That is one battle in the brief time I got to play the game. After that, battles take about 3 seconds to load up. Bosses may take a little longer.

Next up is the story. I am not too deep in yet, but what I have played I enjoyed. Its one of the first games that had me laughing out loud do to Jansen, and had me tear up after reading a short story...

Yes I said short story, there are times when you will enter into a conversation and the game tels you that a memory escapes your heart, and then gives you the option to read a short story. And these are some of the best stories I have ever read. These are powerful, moving pieces of fiction. Most are depressing, but go to tell a story of who your character is.

Please, if you like RPGs, buy this game. It is awesome, it is the best rpg I have played since Final Fantasy 10, and I am anxious to get to play it again. There are a few minor gripes (a stealth section that may leave you scratching your head) and some minor agitation with enemy encounter rates. But its a damn good game.