The One Piece collection is not any stranger to the world of video video games. Throughout the years we’ve seen the favored manga and anime collection turn out to be a multimedia large, and that has taken it into the realm of gaming spin-offs. However, we’ve by no means actually seen it within the Japanese role-playing style the place it belongs. That’s altering subsequent month with One Piece Odyssey.
One Piece Odyssey – Gameplay Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games
When I initially noticed One Piece Odyssey, as each an enormous collection fan and role-playing sport lover, I felt that it was a step in the appropriate path. What different collection is best suited to go after the JRPG system than the manga that actually seems like one always? After getting the prospect to strive One Piece Odyssey and chat with its producer Rei Hirata, I discovered that my hunch was on level.
Odyssey isn’t attempting to be simply one other cash-grab anime spin-off JRPG. It’s seeking to be the anime JRPG and evolve the style, simply as its manga and anime counterparts have finished for his or her respective mediums.
Like taking part in by means of the panels of the manga
Off the bat, one factor that instantly stands out about One Piece Odyssey is that it’s chasing the collection’ imaginative and prescient greater than any sport earlier than it. When I jumped into the demo, I used to be happy to search out that the Straw Hat Pirates have been depicted with the best possible 3D fashions they’ve ever had. Every character felt like they jumped straight out of the manga, with their cartoonishly exaggerated expressions shining. Producer Rei Hirata informed me that this was one of the crucial necessary components of the sport’s improvement for the staff.
No One Piece sport has ever had such consideration to element with regards to the characters — I used to be in awe taking a look at it. This isn’t something new for me with my love of characters like Nico Robin, however I used to be extra mesmerized than common with the remainder of the solid. The motion, scene composition, and impression of battles in One Piece are translated completely right into a sport for the primary time right here due to the cinematic nature of JRPGs. Watching a rubberman warmth up his blood and hearth a flurry of intense punches at large crabs has by no means felt extra satisfying.
Trust that the adventuring the collection is understood for exhibits up in full power right here. I encountered all forms of unseen creatures of the One Piece Universe: large ice walruses, bizarre attacking monkeys, and much more. It immersed me a lot in Eiichiro Oda’s grand world that I didn’t need to go away after the demo time restrict hit.
Grab some popcorn
Jumping to the extra theatrical components of the sport, the story begins with the crew touchdown on an island and shedding entry to their ship. They regroup and run into two mysterious characters who’ve obscure intentions. After shedding the expansive transfer kits they’ve discovered all through the collection because of an inexplicable energy from one of many two, the hunt is on. They have to search out cubes that include their recollections, whereas studying the secrets and techniques of this island that’s stuffed with callbacks to a past-explored island of the collection, Skypiea.
It feels like an important plot for a One Piece movie as a result of it could as properly be one. So many occasions I’d sit the controller down and simply benefit from the present, momentarily forgetting I used to be speculated to be taking part in a sport. The hilarious character interactions, massive plot twists, tear-jerker moments, and naturally, Luffy’s badass battle scenes are all right here. And what makes it higher is that it by no means stops.
All the Straw Hats are consistently chatting with each other and letting their personalities shine, each out and in of battle. The conversations can both be fast jokes, a easy supporting quote, or an actual piece of the story. This can be seen when sure characters assist out others in battles, like when Sanji provides Nami objects and yells his iconic, “NAMI SWAN!” pet identify for her. It’s simply oozing that One Piece fashion and love, and I couldn’t get sufficient of all the things it supplied.
Another massive push for RPGs
Though the fan service has me excited, it’s not what I’m most impressed by. It’s the truth that its director determined to go in such an admirable and bold path with it in so some ways, together with attempting to make it accessible for non-One Piece and JRPG followers.
Battles play out in a brand new path for JRPGs right here. The headlining Straw Hat Pirates of One Piece are a crew that runs deep. There are eight playable get together members right here (as the sport takes place earlier than Wano) and meaning battles can’t be restricted to a celebration of 4. How is that circumvented? Well, fight is minimize into sectors. There are a number of areas the place enemies can seem on a single area, with the very best sector rely I’ve run into being 4.
Players can have as much as 4 get together members in every part and swap them out with others at any time. This provides a relentless technique and a extra intuitive battle system than different JRPGs can boast. For instance, I cherished placing Luffy head to head with enemies, as he takes and offers out massive harm. Meanwhile, I stored my healer, Chopper, and two ranged fighters, Nico Robin and Usopp, at a distance to assist after taking out smaller enemies. Other occasions I’d simply be involved about who’d look coolest preventing what collectively, simply because the sport affords such tactical freedom.
What’s thrilling is that an overabundance of those battles isn’t crucial. Producer Katsuaki Tsuzuki said that the builders have been seeking to take away the grindy nature of JRPGs by giving gamers extra alternatives to stage up and tackle sturdy enemies other than being over-leveled. In true One Piece trend, characters can get together and achieve an expertise level bonus for the following ten battles. Usopp’s many difficult debuff assaults can be utilized to combat massive enemies, scoring the crew an enormous stage enhance. Like Pokémon, everybody ranges up collectively, so there’s no have to rotate everybody onto the sector for the sake of grinding.
One Piece Odyssey is an extremely well-put-together package deal to date, and I can’t wait to get my palms on the completed product. It appears to be a powerful entry level into each the One Piece collection and the JRPG style alike, or a easy trip into one thing new for anybody in search of a top quality gaming expertise. Feel free in charge me when you decide it up and end up yelling that you just’re going to be king of the pirates.
One Piece Odyssey launches on January 12 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
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