<![CDATA[Kotaku: Lost Odyssey]]> http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/kotaku.com.png <![CDATA[Kotaku: Lost Odyssey]]> http://kotaku.com/tag/lost odyssey http://kotaku.com/tag/lost odyssey <![CDATA[The Video Game Art of Christian Lorenz Scheurer]]> You probably don't know him by name, but you'd know him by his work: Christian Lorenz Scheurer has provided concept art for movies like The Matrix, Titanic and The Fifth Element. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5822513&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[An Odyssey of Murder, Sorrow, and Peril]]> On March 24, 2007, 22-year-old Lindsay Hawker went to a cafe with a man she had met only days earlier, Tatsuya Ichihashi, then 28. Ichihashi had approached her on the train and then followed Hawker home, asking her for a drink of water. She acquiesced. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5818010&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[How Japanese Gamers Express Nerd Rage]]> Let's say you don't like a game. It pisses you off. If you nerd rage, you might do something to the game. Something bad. In Japan, that typically involves scissors. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5743684&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Final Fantasy Creator's LEGO Creations]]> When not working on video games or grooming his mustache, Hironobu Sakaguchi enjoys playing with LEGO. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5701028&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Is This A First Look At The New Mistwalker Game?]]> Mistwalker, the developers behind Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, are hard at work on a new title. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5391422&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mistwalker Enters "Finishing Stages" On New Project]]> Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey developer Mistwalker are hard at work on something new, something unannounced, something that's apparently entering the "'finishing' stage" according to mustachioed founder Hironobu Sakaguchi. Unfortunately, that something is probably not a LEGO surfing RPG. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5385211&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Father Knows Best: The Best and Worst Fathers in Video Games]]> Fathers are easy to find in video games. When they're not antagonizing their offspring or killed off in the first level, they often serve as our main characters' major motivation. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5297186&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Mommy Dearest: The Best and Worst Mothers in Video Games]]> Mothers have it tough in video games – they get killed off, turned evil, or their children leave the nest to save the world. And their kids probably don't call home often enough. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5238770&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Final Fantasy Creator Mentions New Projects, Says Something About LEGO]]> Hironobu Sakaguchi, the game developer behind Final Fantasy and Xbox 360 RPG Lost Odyssey, is hard at work on a new role-playing-game and building four-wheel-drive LEGO. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5241786&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Voice acting in video games]]> Voice acting in video games makes for popular feature fodder – check out these two articles on vocal talent behind video games if you don’t believe me. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5140642&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey DLC Hits On Friday]]> Some Lost Odyssey DLC was released in Japan last month. For 400 MS Points, they got a new dungeon with one new boss and one new item. Nothing to really set your goodness gracious great balls on fire, then, but it's better than nothing. Good for them. So when do we get it? Yeah, the headline gave it away. It'll be available this Friday, May 23. Same stuff, same price. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=391962&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey Receives Tiny, Triple Bonus Pack DLC]]> While English speakers are waiting for some of the better Lost Odyssey DLC to be localized, we will be getting a small offering to tide us over. The Triple Bonus Pack is available today for 200 points. It includes a new dream sequence called "The Shattered Beyond," a "memory lamp" to view dreams (we're assuming from anywhere on the map) and a Battle Ring for fighting magic weaponry. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=384076&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Japan Scores More Lost Odyssey DLC]]> While many in the United States are just finishing their first play-through of Lost Odyssey, the third piece of DLC is now available in Japan. The new dungeon, Seeker of the Abyss, is available to those on the fourth disc. Battling in this underwater tunnel will eventually reward you with the Eternal Magic Engine, an accessory that allows immortals to cast unlimited amounts of spells at the price of exactly 0 MP. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=376791&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[New Lost Odyssey DLC On April 10]]> So...Thursday, then. Oh, and sadly only in Japan, at least for now. For 400 points, on offer is a single (very familiar-looking) dungeon, which promises a single rare item and a single boss encounter, though you'd expect a fair bit of random-bad-guy-pop-ups to hassle you during your exploration as well. One more thing: the Famitsu report's a little unclear on where you need to be in the game to access this stuff, so keep that in mind if you're going to try and get around the region locks on XBL and pick this up. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=376638&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[My Wife's Review Of Lost Odyssey]]> Sometimes the best judges are those sitting outside of the situation, looking on with an objective eye. Or, at least such would explain my wife's succinct review of Lost Odyssey (which she offered for no charge as I played last night).
Whenever you play this game, you say you're about to be done and then you play for an hour, and then you get mad because you die.
It's true. The only thing she missed was my persistent perspiration as I await another unavoidable disc read error—probably out of politeness. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=361479&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Brits Get Paid Just For Pre-Ordering Lost Odyssey]]> Sweet deal ahoy, Britain! Mistwalker's Lost Odyssey launches in the UK later this week. It's pretty good. In case you're not sold on its particular merits, however, high street retail giant HMV are offering 1000 Microsoft Points to anyone who preorders the game. You can buy Rez HD for that. With change. Get on it. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=361218&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Rock Band Bundle on Sale at Target]]> Target's weekly ad has some pretty sweet deals this time around. The Rock Band Special Edition bundle for both PS3 and 360 is going for $149 (in store only) which is about $20 off the usual price. Also featured is a $40 gift card with the purchase of the 40GB PS3 and a $10 gift card with the purchase of one of eleven different games. Here's some of the highlights: More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=357398&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[ ON LOST ODYSSEY LOAD TIMES - I've been...]]> ON LOST ODYSSEY LOAD TIMES - I've been reading various stories and posts around the internets over the past few days concerning Lost Odyssey's battle load times, and how some press outlets have reported regular load times of 30-60 seconds (which has obviously affected their reviews). Well, if this is putting you off, I can tell you the discs I received about a week and a half ago were final, retail discs, not "review code" for a debug unit, and the average load time for a battle is between 12-16 seconds. Which is totally bearable. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=356880&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey Impressions]]> Here's a turnup for the books. I got my copy of Lost Odyssey about a week ago, and with memories of how sick I got of Blue Dragon still lingering in my mind, popped it into my 360 and prepared for the worst. As one hour became two and that became four, it was looking like I'd prepared adequately. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=355853&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[American Lost Odyssey Packaging Is An Exercise In Half Measures]]> Lost Odyssey comes on four, count 'em, four discs. Which creates a packaging dilemma for the folks at Xbox HQ. In Asia, the problem was solved by releasing a slightly fatter case, which housed all four discs on two little trays. An elegant solution. But the American version? They cram three discs into a case then stick the fourth in a paper envelope. Not so elegant. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=355825&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey About Emotion, Not Innovation]]> I promised I'd get some Lost Odyssey impressions up soon, but since I'm only about five hours into it, I'm going to hold off on that until I'm a bit further in. What I can say now, though, is that the game is totally lacking in innovation. It's a 90s JRPG in current-gen clothing. But that's OK! Because The Gooch says that's exactly what he was gunning for:
With Lost Odyssey I had a desire to make a game which could evoke the player's emotion. To pursue that desire, I decided to adopt my traditional style in game system rather than taking a risky attempt.
Does he succeed? That's up to you. People who get into the whole effeminate warrior/epic saga deal may well find their tears jerked by Kaim's tragic tale, but those who don't would probably trade the emotion in for even a pinch of "risk" in Mistwalker's conservative game design. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=354829&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Week in Games: Professor Layton and the Curious Villiage Edition]]> Nice little collection of titles coming out this week. My money is on Professor Layton although Lost Odyssey seems rather intriguing. On the PC side of things, the new episode of Sam and Max is on its way as well as a new version of RPG Maker. What will be taking money out of your wallet this week? More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=354759&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey "Cities" Trailer]]> Lost Odyssey will be here in the States soon and GameTrailers has an exclusive trailer featuring some of the city environments. The graphics really look sharp and the city architecture is beautiful, but unfortunately it looks like they've at least partially stuck to that hideous beige and brown color scheme we see so much of in games these days. Hopefully this isn't a choice they've decided to stick with it for the better part of the game. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=354659&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Delicious Lost Odyssey Hamburger]]> We love burgers — especially MOS burgers. They are truly tasty burgers! Over in Hong Kong, gamers who purchase Lost Odyssey at Toys 'R Us can take the receipt to their local MOS and get a free gift. Microsoft has teamed up with the Japanese burger joint for Lost Odyssey meals — something they didn't even do in Japan! Mmmm. Kaim burgers. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=354036&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey Trailer is Hippy Mess]]>
What I like: The editing. The editing in this trailer is fantastic. What I hate: The music. The music makes me want to drop LSD, put flowers in my hair and read Ken Kesey while sitting in the back of a VW bus munching on celery — not play this game. Since when are hippies into RPGs?! More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=351433&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey Artsplosion]]> I was rather put off by the thrashing Mistwalker's Lost Odyssey received upon its release in Japan, and while part of me is convinced the technical issues are enough to get me to reconsider my purchase, the other, simpler part of me is still entranced by the graphic style of the title. If only there was a way I could get all of the graphical goodness without having to actually play through the game...oh wait - here comes Microsoft with renders and concept art for all the characters, locations, and several cinematics from Lost Odyssey! How terribly convenient! More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=343234&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey Launch Trailer Touches You]]>
Mistwalker's Lost Odyssey certainly has the trademark Square Enix polish down pat, doesn't it? The game is hitting Japan as we speak, and this is the video that is meant to bring customers to the stores in droves. They had me by the throat when the guy charged the speeding train with his sword, and then they immediately lost me again as the woman began singing. "When you touch me....it feels just like a dream" just doesn't quite capture the mood I like to establish before playing an RPG. Mark my words though - a year from now there will be at least 100 YouTube fan-created music videos of the song. It just happens. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=330544&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey In Short Story Form]]> Microsoft recently held a huge Lost Odyssey event in Tokyo. It was announced that the game has gone gold and will be out December 6th in Japan. Also, there were orchestral renditions of Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey music as well as fantastic facial hair. Kotakuite Adam was in attendance and picked up a copy of the book The 1000 Year Dream, which consists of 32 short stories by award-winning novelist Kiyoshi Shigematsu that have been incorporated in Lost Odyssey. In order to help non-Japanese speakers understand what kind of stories these are, Adam has done a nice job of translating one of them. That after the jump! More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=325245&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[7-Eleven's Offers Good Bargain Xbox 360 Bundle]]> First: Yes, 7-Eleven in Japan sells video game consoles. Onward! This December, Lost Odyssey is getting its December 6th Japanese release, and the convenience store is offering this Lost Odyssey. Reservations will be accepted until December 4th for the &39,880 (US $346) bundle that includes an Xbox 360, 20GB HDD, wireless controller, Forza 2, Viva Piñata and Lost Odyssey. Hey Japan, this is a good deal — even if Viva Piñata is like $10 bucks in the Akihabara bargain bins! More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=317601&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Xbox Japan's 2-for-1 Billboard]]> While Microsoft has South Africa covered, it's doubling its efforts in Japan. Literally. Check out this: An Akihabara billboard with both Lost Odyssey AND Ninja Gaiden II ads. That's actually pretty smart — reminding Japanese gamers that both titles are on the Xbox 360. Though, that diagonal banner? Tacky. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=317050&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey: Opening Cinema]]> I don't really know that much about Lost Odyssey. I missed out on opportunities to see at at several conferences so I was looking forward to checking out this opening cinema. Now that I've seen it, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. It definitely looks very slick, but the extensive brown color palette is a bit off putting. Why is the future always brown? Also something doesn't seem quite right about the walking animation that they show around 1:47. I guess they are trying to make everyone look like they are exhausted and coming in from battle, but they're all doing this weird shuffle that makes them look like they are limping. That said, I'll reserve final judgment until the game actually comes out and I get a chance to play it for myself. After all, you can't judge a game by it's opening cinema. Or can you? More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=310651&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey, Lights Out]]> This picture was taken with the lights off. Or when the lights flickered on. I forget. With a room full of cameramen, boom mics, a giant plasma TV and a hot hot Xbox 360, the breaker in the fancy Microsoft hotel room conked out. The 20 or 25 minute Lost Odyssey demo that Hironobu Sakaguchi played through looked gorgeous as usual with the in-game stuff being real time. The combat system features timing based attacks, which are used by holding down the right trigger and letting go at a precise moment. Sakaguchi pointed out that the cut-scene cinematics are pre-rendered, however. The rational? "It's easier to make the spectacular scenes as a pre-rendered movie," Sakaguchi points out. When asked if he could make a totally real time RPG by the next generation, Sakaguchi responded: More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=301746&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey Release Date Confirmed]]> Sakaguchi just confirmed the Lost Odyssey Xbox 360 release date at the Microsoft Pre-TGS Presser. It's going to be 6,800 Yen on December 8, 2007 in Japan, January 2008 for other parts of Asia, and February 2008 for America and Europe. See the liveblog for more info. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=298906&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey Impressions]]> I really wanted this game to be fantastic. Take most of the previous Final Fantasy crew—Hironobu Sakaguchi, Nobuo Uematsu especially, but even manga artist Takehiko Inoue and former Square employees—and throw in the Unreal Engine 3, bake for a couple years, and what should you come out with? In theory, a revolutionary RPG. In practice? A "Final Fantasy" game for the Xbox 360. Which is, I think, okay in the end. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=278008&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Lost Odyssey Footage at Play! San Jose]]> Tired of looking at the same damn Lost Odyssey trailer footage over and over again? Then you need to make your way to San Jose California for the Play! A Video Game Symphony performance on May 26th. The concert will feature the debut of brand new Lost Odyssey footage, as well as a fresh look at Mistwalker's other Xbox RPG, Blue Dragon. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=253212&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[GDC07: Blue Dragon Lands In August, Lost Odyssey Holiday '07]]> We had a chance to sit down with Mistwalker's Hironobu Sakaguchi this morning to get an update on the current state of the man's two RPGs, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=241976&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[PLAY! Now Featuring Lost Odyssey Music]]>
Of course, the next big Hironobu Sakaguchi RPG after Blue Dragon is Lost Odyssey. Both games are scored by legendary game music composer Nobuo Uematsu. Makes sense that music from Lost Odyssey will be performed at PLAY! From the press release: More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=219586&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[TGS06: So, How'd It Go, Microsoft?]]>
At last year's TGS, Microsoft rolled out the Xbox 360. The company staked out a huge booth, filled with with companions and new hardware. The 360 was the first next-gen console the Japanese would see. The country look a look and collectively went "meh." More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=202857&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[TGS06: Live Blogging Sakaguchi]]> APA Hotel, and I'm running late. Hironobu Sakaguchi and his 'stache are at the podium, talking about Blue Dragon. Looking for a seat at the Microsoft presser, I find Cheapy D of CheapAssGamer.com, who quickly tells me (over the blaring hair metal music) that he hasn't heard anything the translator has said. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=202455&view=rss&microfeed=true <![CDATA[Microsoft TGS Press Briefing Reactions]]> Ashcraft and I sat through the 100-minute press briefing, right up front, only to be nearly deafened by the loudspeakers cranked to 11 no more than fifteen feet away from us. We had "do! do! do!" drilled into our brains and now we're ready to talk about it. Well, I am anyway. Hopefully, we can look forward to Brian's thoughts later. More »
]]> http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=201834&view=rss&microfeed=true