Lost Odyssey (and JRPGs in general) - I give up

quarryman

Having not played many JRPGs I thought i'd give this one a go. Going from a first person RPG like Fallout 3 to something more linear like Lost Odyssey was the first challenge. Not being able to solve quests in my own way or go off the beaten track was tough.

But the biggest issue; f**kin random battles. Honestly, how do people find these enjoyable. Its impossible to plan the use of your health medicines or when to use up your best attack items. You'll just about escape from one battle with no way to boost your health only to run into another completely random encounter.

Also, the cutscenes are hammy and childish, i think this is the case with all JRPGs though.

I got past the Ipsilon mountains last night and don't expect to play the game again, such a chore.

JRPGs are for kids. There, i said it.

Retr0gamer

You are playing the wrong JRPGs to be honest. Lost Odyssey is pretty average for a JRPG. The game takes ages to get going, the battle system doesn't become interesting until near the end and the story isn't all that great. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but the most avid JRPG fans since there's a lot of poor design decisions to put up with.

A lot of people will also point to FFVII as the best of the genre but it's actually pretty average as well.

What you need to do is pick up a good one. The 360 and PS3 really don't have a decent JRPG yet unless you count Valkyria Chronicles which is more advance wars than JRPG (and probably the best game on the system). Get yourself Persona 3 or 4 if you want a really good JRPG, and neither game has random battles. Wonderful battle systems, interesting plots and excellently written characters. You'll change your tune afterwards.

quarryman

Just googled those titles. Anything decent on the 360 at all?

I've read mixed reports on Tales of Vesperia.

Retr0gamer

I haven't played it but I've played tales of symphonia on the gamecube and it was excellent. That didn't have random battles but they could have returned for vesperia. The stories in the tales of games are usually really good fun saturday morning cartoon fare but the battle system is excellent, playing more like a beat'em up than any RPG.

Not The Real Scarecrow

Odyssey really only gets good on disc 2.The first disc is tough cause you don't really have any great skills and the cut scenes go on forever.I struggled through the first disc and persevered.Was glad I did because the game dramatically improves as you level up and meet more characters.
To avoid the random battles just learn the flee from battle skill so anytime you're sick of random battles just leave the fight.I found it essential as in dome areas every 2 steps you take its another bloody battle which does get tiresome.

Retr0gamer

Still not a great RPG to start with though.

Headshot

I got to the 4th disk of Odyssey and I couldnt keep going,just sooooo repetitive

Vyse

Headshot wrote: »

I got to the 4th disk of Odyssey and I couldnt keep going,just sooooo repetitive

Yeah I felt it was a drag when it came to the 4th disk for sure. Great game though. The main problem I have with JRPGS is that they take too much time to complete. If you have the time to play enjoy but I just don't have that time anymore. Playing through Star Ocean III and Final Fantasy XII at the moment. Reckon I won't need a new game till Christmas.

quarryman

Vyse wrote: »

Yeah I felt it was a drag when it came to the 4th disk for sure. Great game though. The main problem I have with JRPGS is that they take too much time to complete. If you have the time to play enjoy but I just don't have that time anymore. Playing through Star Ocean III and Final Fantasy XII at the moment. Reckon I won't need a new game till Christmas.

its gotta be the random battles that sinks it for me though. every 2 f**kin steps at some points. i like to plan my game, save if i need to, level up when i want to. Sure the battle mechanics have it over Western RPGs in most cases but everywhere else Fallout 3, Oblivion et al have it in the bag.

Sephiroth_dude

quarryman wrote: »

Just googled those titles. Anything decent on the 360 at all?

I've read mixed reports on Tales of Vesperia.

Ive been playing this since it was released 2,3 weeks ago,its a great game,no random battles or anything,it has a good storyline.

Sephiroth_dude

Retr0gamer wrote: »

That didn't have random battles but they could have returned for vesperia. .

no,thankfully they did'nt return,I think op you would enjoy vesperia a lot more than odessey.

Headshot

Not trying to flog my games but the games in my sig are pretty good especially star ocean

Sephiroth_dude

Headshot wrote: »

Not trying to flog my games but the games in my sig are pretty good especially star ocean

I agree,the star ocean games are good too.

Shryke

Vesperia is going well for me. It's not Symphonia, which was my biggest problem with it in the beginning but I'm almost twenty hours in. It's come in to it's own by now and while there are still some retarded scenes and lines you only really get in jrpgs there have also been some fresh ones. The voice acting is rather good which helps a lot. The battle system is very similar to Symphonia and the way you encounter battles is the exact same (down to being able to stun them on the map).

I wouldn't ever say I'd give up on RPGs. I just play titles in moderation. And fewer jRPGs than others. Oblivion and Fallout bore me to tears unfortunately. I was in to them for a while but my interest never really took off. Now Mass Effect! There's a brilliant western RPG. I cleared Lost Odyssey and very much liked it by the end but it took a while to get into. I wouldn't call it near the best of what I've played.