An immersive role-playing game that will be worthwhile for any gamer who enjoys a cinematic experience.
You are quickly introduced to combat, where a single warrior of excelled skill is fending off against several swordsmen. Lost Odyssey does have the generic feel of most turn-based RPG's, but the circle ring adds a different effect to combat. Your character (and characters at a later point) can equip rings that generate different effects using the "Attack" option in combat. This combat ring that requires a player's timing, can contribute to various aspects of the combat – and also add a level of strategy as different rings produce different results.
After the battle, and another cut scene, you soon take the role of Kaim, a warrior who is given a severe case of amnesia; not remembering anything about his past. Kaim is the character that Lost Odyssey is centered around, you will explore his past, present and what the future can hold.
The story is by far, hands down, the best aspect of Lost Odyssey. Kaim is soon thrust on a journey to discover who is he, and his purpose – which sounds a tad cliché at first, but soon grows to become far more complex. You will be introduced to Kaim's companions that are very real and admirable, and not just there to for the sake of "the party". Each character has their unique personality and really allows you to delve into this great story that is presented before you. You are also quickly introduced to Kaim's memoir of dreams, which are triggered at certain points of the game, or witnessing different things throughout. These dreams are small pieces of narrative text which you read whilst listening to some surprisingly effective background music. These short stories tell you more about Kaim, and some other characters later on, and are a driving factor in the level of immersion.
Game play and plot aside, Lost Odyssey holds some of the best visuals and audio for the Xbox 360. The characters look fresh, the monsters look formidable, and the scenery is not an eyesore. The sound always sounds realistic and fits the mood of the progressing story.
Overall, the Lost Odyssey is a great role-playing game, and the only reason why it's not perfect, is due to the generic, basic turn-based combat system. However, the game is still filled with hours of amusement which will keep you hooked the entire way through.