Parents' Guide to

Lost Odyssey

By Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

A very good fantasy RPG with a few glitches.

Game Xbox 360 2008
Lost Odyssey Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

Gimmick
Gimmick Parent of 10, 12 and 14-year-old
March 6, 2011
age 12+

Nobody knows this game. WHY?!?

This is a very good game with a few glitches. Sadly because of these minor glitches, this game has gone unrecognised and unloved by the public, which I find annoying as this is a pretty good game.
See all 1 parent review

What’s It About?

Created by renowned Japanese designer Hironobu Sakaguchi of Final Fantasy fame and penned by award-winning Japanese novelist Kiyoshi Shigematsu, this lengthy single-player adventure follows an immortal warrior, Kaim Argonar, who has lived for more than 1,000 years but doesn't remember his past. War between dueling nations is about to reach a dangerous climax, where might and magic are being used to fight for supremacy. The turn-based combat will be familiar to seasoned RPG fans, but it's handled very well here. When it's their turn, players select an opponent to fight against, which battle command to use (such as Attack, Spell, Item, Defend or Flee), and then players watch as the action unfolds. An \"Aim Ring\" system adds extra power to those who wear special rings, causing more damage to human or non-human enemies.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This story is decent, as the longhaired lieutenant struggles to unlock his memories and shape his future, but it's the character development, dialogue, and movie-like sequences that will keep players intrigued throughout the course of the tale. This game world is so big it ships on four DVDs, and takes place between many locations, though they're mainly clichéd RPG environments including towns, forests, and caves.

While LOST ODYSSEY showcases gorgeous graphics, complete with very unique "costumes" worn by characters, the frame rate – referring to how smooth the onscreen motion is – stutters quite a bit during busy scenes. Also troublesome is having to sit through many load screens and swap discs to continue the adventure. These technical shortcomings remind you you're playing a game and detract from the overall experience, but they are not enough to give the game two thumbs down. Lost Odyssey feels derivative but even so, it is a very good fantasy role-playing game that should satiate demanding fans of the genre.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether long load times distract from the gameplay. How do you feel about turn-based combat? Is it the combat or the role-playing that draws you to this title?

Game Details

  • Platform: Xbox 360
  • Available online?: Not available online
  • Publisher: Microsoft
  • Release date: February 13, 2008
  • Genre: Role-Playing
  • ESRB rating: T for Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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