I never played the original Odin Sphere when it came out. My first experience with VanillaWare was watching Muramasa The Demon Blade being played on a livestream. I liked what I saw and then tracked down videos of their other games. Odin Sphere struck me as unusual, as it was game that told a fairytale story with characters from all sorts of mythology, beautifully told and with excellent gameplay.
When a remake was announced, I knew I had to play it. This was my chance to experience the game on my own and not through watching someone else. I knew that changes had been made to the way the game was played in this remake but that was all I knew.
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is a beautiful game for sure. It makes full use of what the Playstation 4 can do, with stunning 2D graphics that look CGI at times. I think of this less as a remake of the original Odin Sphere, and more of a retelling, which is fitting given how the game is the telling of a story. The visuals are amazing and fluid and really makes you just stare at times. The framerate is stable and I encountered no screen tearing at all. This is one of the most beautiful games on the PlayStation 4 and needs to be seen to be believed. Youtube videos cannot do it justice, it needs to be seen on a TV screen. No frames of animation were wasted and every last action is animated so well that it seems too good to be real.
There were concerns about how combat worked in the game, given how it worked in the demo. However, let me reassure you that the demo was not fully indicative of how the game actually plays. The combat is fluid, but requires thought. You need to plan your course of action so you do not accidentally find yourself in a bad situation by just running in, Hack’N’Slash style. The game’s RPG elements cannot be ignored, unless you want to do poorly. The game’s combat is intuitive and well explained and more importantly, fun.
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir has an excellent mix of RPG elements and action in its gameplay, but the story deserves mention. It combines different folklores and mythologies and does it well. You will find yourself caring for these characters and their journey. The framing narrative was done well and I feel it is something more games should look into.
The music is absolutely gorgeous and really helps move the story along. It just feels right for the game. I don’t know how to explain it, but some video game music just feels right and this is an example. With some games, the attempts to create an atmosphere with the soundtrack can lead to an overdone sound. Odin Sphere doesn’t make that mistake and perfectly creates that atmosphere for the game that gives it an epic feel.
Now as for flaws, there are some, mostly with the writing since it feels like the game can go on a tangent with the narrative. It creates pacing issues and can cause some annoyance. I also disliked the way the game shows you its mechanics and felt it could have been done a lot better.
Still, the game is excellent and I have to recommend it. This is a retelling of a classic, with wonderful new look.