Odin Sphere (ps2: 2007): Reviews

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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.

Odin Sphere


8.6

based on 33 reviews
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How did we calculate this?

based on 11 votes
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GameFAQs

Official Website

The nations of Erion had always held an uneasy peace, as the various kings and queens watched each other for any signs of weakness. When the country of Valentine is obliterated by the power of an ancient artifact, it sparks a bloody war between the fairies of Ringford and the warriors of Ragnanival. Little do they know that they are acting out an almost-forgotten prophecy: one that, if fulfilled, will lead to the destruction of the entire world. Take control of the warrior princess Gwendolyn, daughter of Odin, and follow the threads of an intricately woven story as you uncover the truth behind the prophecy – and how to bring it to an end. Five playable characters in all; each one's fate is intertwined with the others'. A robust cooking and alchemy system that can be used to create powerful attack and recovery items. [Atlus Software]

PUBLISHER:	Atlus USA
DEVELOPER:	Vanillaware
GENRE(S):	Action, Role-Playing Game
PLAYERS:	1
ESRB RATING:	T (Teen)
RELEASE DATE:	May 22, 2007

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Play Magazine

In the case of Odin Sphere, however, I am confident that this is a perfect game, and that anyone who comes to it will derive the same. [May 2007, p.16]

100

Deeko

Odin Sphere may have flaws and you might find yourself repeating areas over and over again as you play through the five different books, but the fact of the matter is that this is as close to perfection as you're going to get on the PS2.

RPG Fan

To sum up, never have I seen a game so visually pleasing. If you look past the heavy repetition, Odin Sphere is a fun game with solid concepts, along with a great musical score and interesting plot.

GameShark

While some players may ultimately find the combat and inventory limitations to be more than they can bear, Odin Sphere deserves much credit for its artfully elegant approach to a genre that is too frequently weighed down by yawn-inducing cases of déjà vu.

Game Chronicles

With a unique and deep battle and level system, a good storyline, interesting characters, well balanced gameplay and plenty of eye and ear candy, Odin Sphere is an awesome game that will most likely go on any action and RPG fan's list of favorites.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Take the time to savor Odin Sphere--they don't make too many like it anymore. [July 2007, p.92]

PSM Magazine

So, as you've gathered, Odin Sphere is an incredibly deep, incredibly detailed, spectacularly beautiful game--and it doesn't hurt that it plays like a dream, proving that gaming excellence doesn't necessarily require a third dimension. [July 2007, p.76]

TotalPlayStation

Gorgeous from top to bottom, simultaneously old-school and yet nicely updated and an absolute joy to play Odin Sphere is a monumental achievement in art design and execution. Now if we could just get it all in HD.

GameTrailers

Odin Sphere is a rare gem - fans of action games, RPGs or just good artwork are in for a treat. Its mix of gameplay styles is near-perfect and the art on display here will remind you that quality 2D visuals never go out of style.

Games Radar

Beyond its quality, its unexpectedness is what makes Odin Sphere doubly special. It came from absolutely nowhere and reminds us that people are still struggling to make the games of their dreams.

GameZone

Odin Sphere is the ultimate non-RPG. You will be immersed. You will be awestruck. You will be inspired to play through every stage again and again.

Game Almighty

One of the most enjoyable, unique, and visually appealing titles the veteran PS2 has ever seen. With a brawler foundation and borrowing from several other gameplay styles, Odin Sphere should appeal old-school gamers, RPG fans, and even button-mashers alike.

IGN

Simply put, this 40+ hour adventure, with multiple difficulty levels and extremely deep gameplay mechanics is one of the best RPGs to come out on the PS2 in a while.

GamerNode

Gamers old and new will enjoy it, and it's truly a fun and unique gaming experience from beginning to end.

Gamer's Hell

Odin sphere is a great game that I’m really enjoying and I think anyone with any interest in RPG's, action RPG's, or things from Japan in general will really enjoy this game.

Digital Entertainment News

If you’re looking for a PS2 RPG with a unique personality, Odin Sphere’s the game for you.

GamePro

With an involved battle system and so many different characters and stories, you're guaranteed to enjoy every second that you'll inevitably invest in Odin Sphere.

Game Informer

Odin Sphere’s story, systems, and combat mechanics are easy enough to describe, but the game’s biggest strength is the way it cultivates a sense of wonder.

1UP

What really brings the story to life is Odin Sphere's brilliant, flowing script, which is almost Shakespearean in places. Combined with the gorgeous art, the eloquent dialogue really cements the illusion that you're playing an animated fairy tale. I can't stress enough how important this is.

GameDaily

Atlus plucked another gem from Japan and brought it to the U.S.

NTSC-uk

A flawed masterpiece and one which will undoubtedly be as fondly remembered as its predecessor.

Gamer 2.0

Odin Sphere does a lot to show you that with the proper attention to detail, 2D can still provide for great-looking games that can stand out amongst the myriad of 3D games that occupy the shelves today.

G4 TV

One issue that only seems to get worse throughout Odin Sphere is the endless amount of inventory management.

GameSpot

Despite serious performance issues, Odin Sphere successfully brings together gorgeous, stylized visuals and satisfying gameplay in a lengthy and engaging adventure.

Cheat Code Central

Gorgeous hand-drawn artwork and animations.

Game Over Online

Odin Sphere ends up being an unforgettable game due to its graphics and unique gameplay, but ends up being riddled with some major problems and puzzling game design issues that greatly reduce the amount of fun that can be had with it.

The New York Times

The elaborate graphics cause trouble when too many things are onscreen at once; some battles are so overpopulated with monsters that the game runs in slow motion; it’s like trying to fight underwater.

PSX Extreme

What Odin Sphere does not do very well, however, is the control, as it is extraordinarily unresponsive at times, as well as poorly mapped on the Playstation 2 controller.

Thunderbolt

A truly different experience in many respects, but the repetition is frustratingly similar to that of countless other games.

games(TM)

Every time you’re about to put the controller down, there’s always something to keep you playing – even if it’s just to see another astoundingly gorgeous area or one more gargantuan enemy boss. [July 2007, p.106]

EuroGamer

Artistically Odin Sphere is one of the most marvellous videogames we've yet played. The inimitable character designs, varied and exquisite backgrounds, glorious soundtrack, considered voice acting and engaging storyline pull together in a consistent way few other games manage. However the game they clothe fails to engage in a similar way.

Worth Playing

Rarely have games floored me with their animations and graphics as much as Odin Sphere did, but that is almost all that is worth recommending.

Hardcore Gamer Magazine

For all of Odin Sphere's innovations, few manage to have a meaningful impact upon gameplay, and the experience fails to gel into a cohesive whole as a result. [July 2007, p.56]

The average user rating for this game is 8.6 (out of 10) based on 11 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Kevin C. gave it a10:
Odin Sphere...an amazing title, to say the least. After a few long years of waiting for a half decent RPG, this little gem comes into play, into my PS2; and then, it stole my heart. Odin Sphere allows you to play as five unique individuals, who are in constant conflict against one another as the world is nearing it's end. The plot itself is amazing- if this game was a novel, it'd undoubtedly be a bestseller. You can expect romance, strife, betrayal, politics, and action. Each character's story consists of seven chapters- each which include a dungeon, and a boss. This is executed through the game's wonderful battle system, which utilized a unique spherical battlefield- hence the title, Odin Sphere. The music in the game was also wonderful, and I was always tempted to jack up the volume, even if playing at the dead of night. Other features to keep me entertained were the interesting leveling system, and synthesis systems. All in all, Odin Sphere is a gem in the modern gaming world, and it was so excellent to the extent that I've cried, bragged, and argued various points about the game. Now go out and buy it. Now. Have fun.

Paul A. gave it a7:
The game takes a little while to catch up with the hype that was showered on it upon release. bottom line is that if you're a fan of story driven 2d hack and slash then this game is something of a godsend. don't waste you time if you don't enjoy the above. the reason i gave it a seven was because of the tremendous slow down, i mean ridiculous slow down sometimes, almost crippling. if you can look past this flaw then you will probably enjoy the entire game.

Jay K. gave it a9:
One of the absolute best games for the PS2. Probably #1 for visuals, and right near the top for innovation and fun. One of the only action games that can hold my interest, even in the face of high difficulty. The mechanics are innovative and very satisfying; the story is better than most RPGs; the atmosphere is unique and rich. I can see how some might not like the difficulty, but there is an easy mode. The little corner map with the enemies is a bit too necessary (I often have to watch this while fighting rather than the main screen, due to its wider view). Buy this game; if you don't like it, it's probably be worth serious money in a few years.

Andre T. gave it a6:
Odin Sphere is a beautiful game. Nice arts populate the different levels. The sound is also amazing. The soundtrack, the voice over are one of the best. I had quite some fun at the beginning with the gameplay. The mechanics is excellent, the recipes and items management are good ideas. But after a while, there was all that dying thing and the very steep difficulty. The bosses takes constantely advantage of the fact that you don't see them coming from left or right (The small indicator at the top doesn't help that much). They take advantage of the split second you eat food. They take advantage of the overflow of ennemies crossing the screen to attack you, to a point where you don't understand anything of what is going on. All that incessant dying left me frustrated to no end. Now it a dust keeper. If you have the patience to redo the same levels over and over 6 to 7 times, in order to level up and beat one boss, this is your game. For me, I find this kind of gameplay pretty bad in itself and it ruined the experience and the game. Overall, I don't see why poeples have a buzz about that game apart the fact that it's nice to look at.

Chris C. gave it a7:
Combat system: Great. Quick paced, fun. Everything else, not so great. Sure, having five characters with the tight woven stories that happen simultaneously is a great idea. But it doesn't work if you write it like an anime oriented at preteens. There are also a lot of really annoying game flow issues. Constantly having to plant seeds just to get healing, the way they give you LESS items if you're trying to play at a lower level (Because it takes longer to kill enemies and you get lower grades), the weak alchemy system, having to restart entire dungeons just to re-fight one screen, the way healing items are so weak you have to fix it so you gain an item level just for them to restore a useful amount of HP. This game, if it had far better written dialogue, could be fixed into a perfect 10.

Scott J. gave it a10:
This game is a must-own for anyone with a PS2. I was hyped about it and I wasn't let down. It's a wonderful blend of genres that brings to mind action RPGs like Secret of Mana (if it had been heavier on the action and lighter on the RPG). This game is pretty enough that your friends might enjoy just watching you play.

John V. gave it an8:
The Good: Amazing artwork (sometimes jaw-dropping) Addicting gameplay (especially the farming/cooking aspects) Old school feel (like a super-charged SNES game) The Bad: Load times (my god, 25 seconds to enter a restaurant) Repetitive levels Sometimes stiff animations Initially bland storyline Bottom Line: I thoroughly enjoyed this game, although it falls short of perfect due to its load times and sometimes stiff feel.