One Piece Odyssey does nearly the whole lot proper within the implementation of the world-famous unique. Nevertheless, the gameplay drags on like rubber regardless of the open world.
Forgive the dangerous gag within the opening credit, however an allusion to the rubber skills of the One Piece protagonist was simply too apparent. Rubber not solely matches Monkey D. Ruffy completely, but additionally the gameplay of One Piece Odyssey.
Should you go by the Steam person scores, the open-world role-playing recreation is a success: 84 per cent of constructive critiques are on the books, crammed with effusive reward for the implementation of one of many world”s most well-known sequence, beloved by tens of millions of followers.
One Piece Odyssey is a dream come true for followers and an awesome entry level for sequence newcomers. However the check reveals: You need to flip a blind eye to it. Or put on a watch patch immediately.
To present you a primary impression of the role-playing recreation, we have now recorded a brief gameplay clip for you that reveals the everyday gameplay and the PC graphics:
A feast for followers
Developer ILCA combines components of a basic Japanese role-playing recreation with the story of the anime in One Piece Odyssey. One Piece Odyssey interweaves 4 components of the unique – together with the favored Alabasta arc – with the gameplay. In doing so, the makers take small liberties with the implementation of the plot.
The island of Waford supplies the setting for the story. The Straw Hat Gang lands on it and shortly after their arrival they lose their skills. To regain them, they must defeat 4 colossi. These spit out cube that step by step give the crew again their skills. Within the course of, they relive previous recollections – there may be loads of nostalgia right here for sequence connoisseurs – with the assistance of recent characters Lim and Adio.
The implementation of the unique is the best power of One Piece Odyssey. The fashion of the anime is lovingly completed, the approach is flawless and the fan-favourite characters of the Straw Hat Gang are captured in a splendidly charming means. It’s enjoyable from the begin to take heed to their dialogue and watch them work together. The unique Japanese audio system play a giant half on this, however sadly there is no such thing as a German or English voice-over. As an alternative, there are German-language texts.
One Piece Odyssey supplies an excellent abstract of necessary plot factors of the anime. So should you don”t wish to make amends for 1,000 episodes or greater than 100 books, however you”ve already had first contact with One Piece, the sport will provide you with an excellent begin into the world of pirates. Supplied, after all, that spoilers aren’t an issue.
Full sequence newcomers, nonetheless, might have issue comprehending some character traits or feelings. Those that don”t just like the overdrawn anime portrayal will also have a arduous time entering into the sport.
Particularly, the portrayal of the feminine characters now not appears up to date and clumsy. Initially of the manga and the sequence, the proportions of Nami and Nico nonetheless regarded totally different. The truth that this has modified each within the recreation and within the present episodes is one thing One Piece doesn’t want.
Boredom on deck
However at the start of One Piece Odyssey, endurance is critical. As a result of the start is something however gripping and dynamic: we run with Ruffy or one other member of his crew from one cutscene to the following. These are enjoyable because of the profitable staging, however the motion loses tempo.
The tutorial mission supplies an ideal instance. After the Straw Hat Gang is stranded, some members are lacking. Ruffy and Co. got down to discover Nami, who’s within the clutches of a giant gorilla. Alongside the way in which, we stumble right into a cutscene or a struggle seemingly each ten steps.
The precise boss struggle compensates with an entertaining staging, however this sequence of occasions is repeated repeatedly in later foremost missions, in order that the aspect of shock is lacking and tedium spreads all through the 35 hours of gameplay as an alternative.
You and which military?
The frequent battles are usually too simple in our expertise. There is just one issue stage and all through the gameplay there was an absence of massive challenges for our pirates. The boss fights in opposition to the colossi or well-known villains like Crocodile present the highlights within the recreation because of their entertaining staging, however the pirates don”t actually break a sweat there both.
That is tragic as a result of the battle system is sweet and delivers acquainted components of a Japanese role-playing recreation. The method is turn-based, and we will regulate the flip order. As well as, every staff member brings an intensive catalogue of skills, that are acquainted from the anime and spectacularly staged.
We are able to exploit the weaknesses of our opponents utilizing the scissors-rock-paper precept. If we ignore these tactical prospects, nonetheless, we will normally nonetheless simply overcome our opponents. Should you don”t really feel just like the boring normal fights, you’ll be able to flip up the velocity and even activate the autopilot, then the sport even regulates the preventing all by itself.
No process for a pirate
Should you don”t really feel like preventing, you’ll be able to typically keep away from the enemies operating round freely within the recreation world. The open world is disappointing: there may be little to discover off the overwhelmed monitor. In some dungeons, just a few simple puzzles await us, that are shortly solved. The non-compulsory facet duties additionally lack ingenuity.
We acquired actually irritated when One Piece Odyssey despatched us again to already identified areas simply to work by means of monotonous accumulating duties. Even in the middle of the primary storyline, we regularly transfer alongside acquainted paths.
Once we needed to take a break in frustration, the save system slowed us down. It’s not doable to avoid wasting routinely or manually by way of the menu. Saving is barely doable at specifically designated factors, that are, nonetheless, generously distributed.
All aboard?
Those that are large followers of the Straw Hat Gang might be able to overlook these moments of frustration and shortcomings within the gameplay. Followers who flip a blind eye will get a loving realisation of the world and characters from the anime with One Piece Odyssey and are welcome so as to add one other ten factors to the ranking.
Nevertheless, if this bond is lacking, it’s troublesome to disregard the backtracking, the boring battles and the unimaginative duties. Should you don”t get sufficient of JRPGs with turn-based battle techniques, you need to reasonably go searching for different style representatives on the PC. Dragon Quest 11, the Persona sequence or the not too long ago launched Chained Echoes provide far more problem and thrilling gameplay.
Editorial conclusion
At first, One Piece Odyssey actually bored me. The beginning is hard, the duties monotonous and the fights far too simple. After the primary chapter, nonetheless, the story picks up velocity and the brand new characters match coherently into the favored pirate gang. Acquainted tales from the anime are sensibly combined with new facets. The loving presentation makes for an actual feel-good environment.
I’d have preferred it even higher if the sport was shorter and had extra tempo within the manufacturing. At some factors it’s noticeable that the builders are artificially dragging out the motion. The truth that I consistently needed to return to acquainted locations actually irritated me and put my motivation to a tough check. Other than the boss fights, there are hardly any challenges. The unique is excellently realised and a feast for followers, however when it comes to gameplay there are higher style options.