Platform:
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher:
Bandai Namco
Developer:
Ilca
Release:
Rating:
Teen
I finished the Arlong Park arc of the One Piece anime this year and took a break to watch some other shows on my lists and play through some games I’ve been meaning to finish. That’s to say, I went into a hands-on preview session with One Piece Odyssey with just a dash of One Piece knowledge, knowing there are still 1000-plus episodes for me to watch to catch up on the series. After roughly two hours of playing Odyssey, I am rearing to jump back into the anime, and that’s the best compliment I can give the game. It doesn’t hurt that Odyssey is shaping up to be a great JRPG with some unique systems that will make playing easier for newcomers to the genre and more dynamic for fans of these games.
I was worried about my lack of knowledge heading into this preview, but it’s clear in One Piece Odyssey that it was important for the team to design an RPG that appeals to all players, not just One Piece fans.
Logs within Odyssey fill in the spaces for players like me, too. When I reach Nanohana in Alabasta, these logs help me understand the location’s importance. They don’t provide the full story of Alabasta, though, which I think is great. I don’t even feel spoiled of that arc; Odyssey gives me just enough information to understand the importance of reaching this place in the game. Games based on popular anime sometimes fall into the trap of retelling stories from said anime, but not nearly as well. That’s not the case with Odyssey, though, and I think it’s a great foundation upon which this story builds in-game. That’s because instead of retreading classic tales fans already adore, Odyssey uses those arcs to tell new stories in familiar places.
For example, upon reaching the sandy desert city of Alabasta, the Straw Hat crew – captain Monkey D. Luffy, Brook, Franky, Roronoa Zoro, Vinsmoke Sanji, Nami, Nico Robin, Usopp, and Tony Tony Chopper – is aware of their adventures here. They talk about past experiences, Luffy remarks about his love for the Spice Bean Restaurant, and more. It reflects what One Piece has done in the past, and the new adventure builds on that.
Before reaching Alabasta, though, Odyssey sets up quite a disastrous situation for the Straw Hats crew and the Thousand Sunny ship it sails aboard. A cinematic reveals a mighty storm has knocked the Thousand Sunny off course, crashing it into the shores of a mysterious island. The shipwreck splits the Straw Hats up, and I control Luffy while attempting to find everyone. It’s here that Odyssey introduces its unique, flashy, fun, and surprisingly in-depth combat system to me.
At this point, the entire crew is level 40, meant to demonstrate their prowess as pirates. And each member has nearly a dozen skills at their disposal, too, like Luffy’s various Gum moves. At its core, Odyssey as a turn-based RPG, and people familiar with the genre will quickly pick up on how the game’s combat works. But looking deeper at its systems, I find mechanics inspired by Pokemon and dynamic scenes and menus inspired by the Persona series.
You encounter each enemy in a Scramble Area Battle, a system that spreads enemies out based on field placement. Luffy might be dealing with two enemies directly in front of him, and Sanji might not have an enemy in his zone, but his long-range moves allow him to attack those by Luffy. Nami can ignore the enemies closest to her to help Luffy as well, or she can focus on those in front of her. I pay attention to every enemy on the field not just because they can strike at me from any position but because each has weaknesses and strengths dictated by a Pokémon-esque, rock-paper-scissors-like system.