The hardest of the hardcore have been all over this game since it first surfaced, mostly because it’s so similar to a fairly popular import title for Sega’s doomed Saturn – Princess Crown.

Folks who’ve never heard of that little gem are interested in Odin Sphere as well, however, since it’s just a damn pretty-looking game. Luckily, developer Vanillaware has backed up the gorgeous visuals with some solid game play.

Welcome to the Second Dimension

Odin Sphere is basically a side-scrolling action game with role-playing game trappings. You travel around each level fighting enemies, speaking with allies, and eventually finding and defeating (hopefully) gigantic, screen-filling bosses. Rinse and repeat.

But there’s a lot of inventory management, leveling and exploration to do along the way. Each level is made up of different, spherical areas, with a few different exits. Moving from area to area requires clearing it out of enemies by using the various moves, items and spells available to you. Growing and eating food along the way is how you level up your character – well, technically, you level up her “HP,” but it’s all the same thing.

Micro-Management

Odin Sphere suffers from some niggling issues. First and foremost, the game play can get a bit repetitive early on, since you really are just clearing out each area and moving on. But as the game progresses, it’s fun to learn how to deal with specific groups of enemies; learning which techniques are going to get you through each encounter with the least amount of trouble. So as long as you have patience enough to work through the first part of the game, you’re fine.

One issue that only seems to get worse throughout Odin Sphere is the endless amount of inventory management. Accessing items and spells in the game requires opening menus during the action, which really breaks up the flow of the game. And you’ll unquestionably be constantly dropping or using items at random just to make room for all the stuff you can pick up along the way. It gets more than a little irritating.

Back to the Alternate Future

But even despite the issues Odin Sphere suffers from, generally it’s a very solid, unique, and fun game. It’s nice to see something this different from the norm come out feeling so polished and playable. If the hobby had never taken the turn from 2D to 3D games back in the mid-90s, this is what all games would look like today.

Article by: Greg Sewart 
Video produced by: Scott Robison