Ragnarok Odyssey Review for PS Vita

System: PS Vita
Dev: Game Arts
Pub: Xseed Games
Release: October 30, 2012
Players: 1-4
Screen Resolution: 544p	Fantasy Violence, Language, Mild Blood, Use of Alcohol

In fact, “tedious” is the perfect word to describe Ragnarok Odyssey. Sure, it begins with what’s probably the coolest cinematic I’ve ever seen on a handheld device, featuring an epic battle against some Shadow of the Colossus-sized baddies. From there, though, it goes downhill faster than a Jamaican bobsled. You’re instantly thrown into an inn—which will serve as your basic hub for quests, as well as provide you with a bank and some shops—where you’ll have to endure some downright unbearable tutorials. Seriously, haven’t we figured out how to make an RPG tutorial that doesn’t involve massive walls of text? We’re gamers here; we have no attention spans.

Ragnarok Odyssey Screenshot

If you can manage to stay awake through the barrage of tutorials, you’ll be introduced to the game’s basic structure: Pick up a quest at the inn, go out into the world to slay some monsters, get rewarded with some junk you probably won’t use unless it’s a card. Rinse, repeat.

To make this even less bearable, these quests are nothing more than kill and fetch quests, and they’ll send you out to the same areas over and over again. Of course, every once in a while there’s a boss fight quest, which honestly doesn’t switch things up all that much. Also, you can only pick up a single quest at a time, so it’s not like you can stock up on five or six quests and complete them all while you’re out. I mean, why would Ragnarok Odyssey ever want to make things convenient for their players? I almost feel like this game just flat-out hates me.

Ultimately, Ragnarok Odyssey is a game that’s painfully mediocre and flawed at its very core. It’s wrapped in a fairly respectable combat system and sparkled up with an incredible opening cinematic, but those things can’t make up for the sheer tedium of playing through the same areas and fighting the same monsters over and over again. If you have any respect whatsoever for the world or lore of Ragnarok Online, please don’t soil it by picking up this endless grind-fest.

By
Josh Wirtanen
Editor / News Director
Date: November 8, 2012

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

4.0

Graphics
The opening cinematic is probably the nicest looking thing I’ve ever seen on a handheld device. The gameplay graphics do a bit worse, but they’re still not bad for the Vita.

3.0

Control
Combat controls are great. Unfortunately the menu system is completely baffling.

3.0

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
There’s nothing special in the audio department here.

2.0

Play Value
There’s a lot of content, but it’s samey and repetitive enough that you won’t ever want to see it all.

2.2

Overall Rating - Poor
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 - 1.9 = Avoid	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	3.5 - 3.9 = Good	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair	4.0 - 4.4 = Great	5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

While drawing inspiration from the popular world of Ragnarok Online, Ragnarok Odyssey was developed by Game Arts, the developer behind the Lunar and Grandia series, with an original story anyone can enjoy.

Fling enemies skyward, defy gravity to continue your assault in mid-air, then finish off the combo by smacking them clear across the stage.

With over 20,000 combinations based on gender, facial features, accessories, and more, plus six selectable job classes consisting of Sword Warrior, Hunter, Hammersmith, Assassin, Mage, and Cleric, no two player-created characters will ever be alike.

Up to four players can play together online to take on some of the most fearsome and challenging giants in the game.