With a combat and item system that’ll remind you of “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night” and a multi-player mode that borrows from “Super Smash Bros,” “Abyss Odyssey: Extended Dream Edition” is a nifty title that is great for hours or in 15-minute bursts.
At the same time, many of the game’s biggest strengths also end up as its main weaknesses, combining to create an experience that isn’t for everyone. Simply put, there’s going to be plenty of people that love this game, but just as many that find themselves bored after a few minutes.
However, with multiple weapons, fun co-op and solid payoff for gamers that invest a ton of time in it, “Abyss Odyssey: Extended Dream Edition” is a unique side-scroller with enough redeemable qualities to ensure several hours of gameplay.
A remastered version of Atlus’ original “Abyss Odyssey,” which was released last year on all major platforms, it’s prettier and sounds better than its older brother and the story is still a unique one. When a Warlock creates a whole in the ground and manifestations of his mind to wreak havoc, one of them ironically offers to help the good guys take him down. Set in early 20th century Chile, you’ll definitely feel out of your element. Once you get into the abyss, you’ll think your found your way into a Guillermo Del Toro film. Sure, it’s a bit out there, but why else would you expect from the Ace Team, the minds behind some of Atlus’ most outlandish but polished titles? Wild, yet crafted well, the story is a constant quest to find answers.
However, with little of the story revealed early on, it’s hard to find a reason to continue playing away from the hack and slash fun. Luckily, encountering and killing new enemies will allow you to fill in the pages of the Warlock’s journal, which adds the much-needed backstory to connect the plot together.
While the story is an unpredictable one, the gameplay mechanics in “Abyss Odyssey: Extended Dream Edition” are simple enough that anyone who grew up on 16-bit fighters or games the likes of “Castlevania” and even “Mega Man” will love it. With multiple weapon and armor upgrades, as well as a level-up system and drop-in, drop-out co-op multiplayer, there’s plenty of beef in spite of the simplistic one-button attack approach.
Regardless, with the lack of a compelling narrative upfront and a protagonist that lacks the charisma to draw the gamer in, “Abyss Odyssey: Extended Dream Edition” feels like it borrows successfully from a series of fantastic games, but never adds the necessary pieces to make it stand out by itself.
The Good:
Better Than the Original: New moves, with better visuals and sound, this is the best version of the game to date.
Cool Visuals: Taking a page from “Castlevania: Symphony of the Night” and even “Child of Light,” this game has an awesome look that is as pretty a side-scroller can be. The changes to each different level in the Abyss, as well as the great-looking enemies give the game a more than unique look and feel.
Straight-Ahead Gameplay: With one-button attacks and one-button special attacks, it’s easy to just jump in and play.
Fun Co-Op: With the touch of a button, your friends can just jump in and play along. With the other “Super Smash Bros.” mode, there’s plenty of ways to play with your friends.
Solid Score: The music is great and changes depending on the level your in. Orchestrated and polished, it’s worth keeping the sound on for this one.
Keep Playing, Keep Progressing: The more you play, the more access to you have to characters, weapons and other goodies. It’s a cool system and one that works great for gamers of all different shapes, sizes and levels of skill.
The Bad:
Repetitive: Going down into an abyss is cool, but after a while, it feels like it’s the same old song.
Simplistic Combat: It’s like a double-edged sword. Casual gamers will love that they can just jump right in, but gamers looking for something with a bit more depth will find themselves bored with the combat after a while.
Final Thoughts:
There aren’t many games on the PlayStation 4 or 5 that force you to play more and more in order to see the true power of your character and this is where Ace Team’s title shines the brightest. Add in an awesome score and a unique story and “Abyss Odyssey: Extended Dream Edition” is the type of game old-school fans and those looking for something different can easily jump into.
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