both tiring and tireless. It’ll never go away, though some games make us wish
it would. It comes in many shapes and forms (2D or 3D, third-person or
first-person), and is the first to bombard a new console.
In between the Grand
Theft Autos, God of Wars, and Halos of the world, where can we turn for a
spellbinding experience? We search, we hunt, we hope… But do we ever find what
we’re looking for? Or are all other games merely jokers to keep us occupied
until the return of the king(s)?
Yes, they are. That is,
until we find another king.
Today marks the release
of Odin Sphere, an under-hyped, under-advertised action game that most of the
world will never hear about. The game does not come with a multi-million
dollar marketing campaign, or 3D graphics that built media praise from the day
the first screenshot was released. Though beautiful and exceptionally
artistic, Odin Sphere could be overlooked by anyone who takes a glance. As a
2D action game, you won’t get much from looking at screenshots. Those who play
it, however, will be immersed in a way that’s worthy of being compared to
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
Cutting Edge
Equipped with a magical
spear and unusual powers, Gwendolyn – Odin Sphere’s heroine – is a very
special character. In addition to her flight capabilities (double-jump to
unleash her angel-like wings, which allow her to soar over half a stage), her
vicious attack skills, and ability to double her strength and create small
tornados, Gwendolyn is an interesting, likable, and heartfelt character whose
reason for fighting is far more complex than “to save the world.”
She, as we learn in the
first 20 minutes, is fighting for the love of her father – a curiously
uncaring old man who happens to be the king. The story spirals with plot
twists and high-caliber dialogue rarely seen outside of the Fox or ABC
primetime lineup. No, I do not suggest that Odin Sphere’s story is on par with
Lost or 24. No game, unfortunately, tells a story that good. But it is
as amazing and as addictive as other upper-echelon dramas, and could easily be
turned into a phenomenal anime.
Monumental
The simple way to
describe Odin Sphere’s gameplay is to say that it’s a mix of Castlevania,
Tekken, and Devil May Cry. Such an explanation does not do the game justice,
but it gives you an idea of what to expect.
Gwendolyn is gifted with
numerous abilities. They include the aforementioned tornado strike, which
rushes through 1/8 of a stage, thwarting multiple enemies in its path. Like
Dante many years before her, Gwendolyn has the strength to absorb the power of
fallen enemies. That power is dispersed into small floating and glowing orbs
called Phozons. After absorbing a certain number of Phozons (roughly ten), one
slot in Gwendolyn’s Psypher gauge will be full. That gauge is the key to
unlocking her strongest powers. It takes only one full gauge to unleash a
tornado, but it takes two full gauges to double her spear attack strength.
Gwendolyn’s standard
attack is limited to a four or five-hit combo, with the final hit occasionally
striking at triple strength. As rough as that may sound (only having one
combo), it does not ever come out feeling repetitive. It’s strange to think
that’s possible when there are games with 20 combos that weren’t able to avoid
repetition. But Odin Sphere is no average game. It achieves several highs that
other games were not able to reach.
The enemies are as unique
as our heroine. You’ll encounter poisonous frogs, arrow-shooting fairies, and
fireball creatures that explode after being destroyed. Many of them were
designed to appear harmless – such as the tiny men who drop life-depleting
bombs after death, and the violent bears that look like they just walked off
the set of a Snuggle fabric softener commercial.
Boss battles were
designed with the opposite effect in mind – make ‘em appear deadly to
intimidate, and then Gwendolyn will fall. The larger-than-life dragon,
armor-covered steeds, and ferocious (and somewhat creepy) end boss are quite
effective in that respect.
A New EXPerience
Odin Sphere takes its
name from the game’s stages, which are circular. This does not mean the game
takes place in some unusual, gravity-defying land. What it means is that if
you run long enough in any direction, you’ll end up right back where you
started. There is no official “end” to a stage until (A) all enemies have been
destroyed, and (B) you locate an exit. This keeps each stage short while
raising a concern: will circular stages be repetitive? Visuals aside, every
stage in this game is technically the same. But as with the combo system,
which defies typical video game logic, Odin Sphere’s stages are not
repetitive. This is partially due to the frequent enemy changes. Each enemy
set creates a different combative experience. The rest is purely game
development magic. Odin Sphere’s creators are geniuses, plain and simple.
Considering how often new
enemies arrive, the game had to give players a way to keep up. Thus, the
developers produced a unique Phozon and food consumption system for increasing
EXP. When devoured by Gwendolyn, Phozons increase her Psypher gauge while also
increasing her Psypher experience points. This does not affect her HP, which
may only be increased by consuming fruits and specially prepared meals.
Before you roll your eyes
and say, “That sounds ridiculous,” you must know how creatively this system
has been implemented. Fruit is grown by planting seeds, which absorb Phozons
automatically. By planting seeds at the start of the level, Gwendolyn can
begin harvesting a nice array of EXP-raising fruit that will also heal her
wounds. It grows quickly and allows you to raise her stats much faster than an
RPG whose EXP is earned solely from defeated enemies.
Toward the middle of the
game, Gwendolyn will gain access to a local cafe and restaurant. Each location
has a unique menu of appetizers, full-course meals, and desserts that may be
purchased by trading in specific ingredients and one coin. The ingredients may
be grown, won in combat, or purchased from a local vendor (found in a battle
shop or in between worlds), while coins are obtained from treasure chests.
Small chests are dropped by certain enemies; one large chest is left behind at
the end of each stage.
You may also earn extra
money by selling unneeded items, but it’s not necessarily worth it. The value
of coins, as it turns out, is not as important as the type of coin. For
example, many of the items on the restaurant menu require a specific $10 coin.
You could have two $20 coins, and a zillion $1 coins, and it wouldn’t matter
if the required coin was not in your possession. Regardless of your
wealth, you still would not be able to purchase those items on the menu.
Though it might sound
like a pain (and can be at times), this system is very satisfying. Meals
contain several times the amount of EXP as a homegrown piece of fruit. They
may also contain bonus health points that automatically raises your HP. Items
marked “takeout” can be taken with you and eaten at a later date, and are
crucial to your survival in the final stages of the game.
A Material World
Odin Sphere offers yet
another way to help keep the player alive: material mixing. Empty glass
bottles (marked “material”) are obtained from the start of the game. Select
one and you’ll notice that any other item in your inventory may be thrown into
it. Experiment and collect the mixture scrolls to learn how material can be
turned into Phozons, poison, ice, fire, a health replenishing juice, and
several other concoctions.
These books represent the game’s greatest surprise. Hint: the first centers on
Gwendolyn, our playable heroine.
Just Short Of…
Odin Sphere’s only flaw
is one that plagues most action games: slow down. When the action is at its
best, the frame rate is at its worst.
This flaw, though
damaging to the gameplay experience during those portions of the game, is not
so severe that you should be turned off. Odin Sphere is still a magical
masterpiece. Those who love action games – especially those with high replay
value – would be wise to stop waiting around for the next great sequel.
The next great game is already here.
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Gameplay: 8.9
Not since the
release of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night has a side-scrolling adventure
had such an enormous impact on a console. We are theoretically past PS2’s
golden days. And yet here we are playing golden gems like God of War II and
Odin Sphere. This game is the embodiment of greatness. While all other 2D
adventures copy a long lost soul, Odin Sphere takes its own, unforgettable
route.
Graphics: 8.8
Stunning 2D
artwork that will impress anyone who sees this game in motion.
Sound: 9
Top-tier
voice-overs, excellent dialogue, great plot twists, and a short but
mesmerizing soundtrack. (Yeah, dialogue and plot twists belong in the concept
category. But it’s the way each line was recited, and the way each scenario
was conveyed, that made Odin Sphere a masterpiece.)
Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Concept: 9
Creative in every
respect. Odin Sphere’s gameplay, story, enemies, circular stages, and leveling
system are in a class of their own.
Overall: 8.9
Odin Sphere is
the ultimate non-RPG. You will be immersed. You will be awestruck. You will be
inspired to play through every stage again and again.
The levels are visually
breathtaking, but every location runs on the same circular path. I constantly
look for games to offer something different around every corner. But these
developers, through undetectable mind tricks or merely a higher level of
game development than most studios will ever achieve, have created a
masterpiece that makes every action – every repeated action – an
unparalleled joy to execute.
