Update, Switch version: The JRPG One Piece Odyssey, which has been highly praised by the press and fans, has finally been released for Nintendo Switch. In the latest edition of the Nintendo podcast, presenter Annika Menzel and tester and PC Games Podcast presenter Maci Naeem Cheema chat extensively about the fascination of the mega brand. Of course, the very best games featuring Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat Gang are also discussed.
In keeping with this, we are updating our test of the big JRPG with some important information about the Switch version: There are no major problems, which is something. Even on the current consoles, the role-playing game in the manga and anime universe – which is bigger than ever thanks to the live-action film adaptation by Netflix – is no feast for the eyes, but on the Switch you have to expect even fewer details. This is particularly evident in the surfaces and vegetation of the “open” game world. The textures also appear muddier and therefore transitions are less fluid. This can be seen clearly in the various rock formations in the landscape, but the figures also appear a little blurrier.
But all of this is quite bearable and the flair rarely suffers as a result. One advantage of the new Nintendo version is that there are more outfits. This means that there are still far too few in the game, but at least a little more variety is introduced in the visual area. Finally, there is a small bonus scenario (“Reunion of Memories”) in the deluxe version for Nintendo Switch. Among other things, new enemies are promised here, but you shouldn’t expect too much from it. Before we get to our original test, in which we take a closer look at One Piece Odyssey, we’ll list the newly added outfits for you:
Travel Outfit (Crew)Sogeking Outfit (Lysopp)City of Water Outfit (Crew)
With Odyssey, announced as the game evolution of the One Piece brand, Bandai Namco wants to leave the series’ last low behind. The goal is to sail into a new virtual pirate era for the Straw Hats. The many rave reviews of the JRPG sound as if the plan has been a success. “One of the best One Piece games of all time,” they say. On board is said to be a great deal of love for the original and a satisfying and complex combat system that even pirate rookies will like. But we say: Enough with the hymns of praise! One Piece Odyssey shines like pirate treasure in its few good moments, but most of the time it drowns in the depths of the Grand Line due to the frustrating structure and the heavy backtracking. It’s better than the last Straw Hat adventures, but that doesn’t mean that Odyssey is good.
If you would rather get an impression of One Piece Odyssey in video format, we recommend our fresh review video of the JRPG. One Piece Odyssey was released on January 13, 2023 for PS5, Xbox Series X and S, PS4, Xbox One and PC.
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One Piece Odyssey | REVIEW | Enough with the praise!
A new ship made of old wood
The premise of the role-playing game is quickly explained: Instead of re-enacting the greatest adventures of the Straw Hat Pirates, Odyssey offers a completely new story that takes place before the events on the samurai island of Wano Kuni. After a violent storm, Monkey D. Luffy’s pirate gang and their destroyed ship are stranded on the coast of a mysterious island called Waford. The setting is appealing at first glance with its typically wacky and varied flora and fauna. My goodness, what secrets and adventures await us here! Well, think again, but more on that in a moment.
Source: PC Games One Piece Odyssey in review: Enough with the praise! (1)
As the game progresses, we get to know the two characters Adio and Lim, created especially for the game by series creator Eiichiro Oda, who become central confidants of the Straw Hat Gang. Our task is to explore the mysteries of the island of Waford, destroy four giant elemental colossi that are in dungeons, and… nostalgically experience the Straw Hat Gang’s greatest moments. Wait a minute, didn’t they say that Odyssey offers a fresh and brand new story about rubber captain Monkey D. Luffy?
Play the same stuff again!
We spend most of the almost 30-hour role-playing game in the memory world of Memoria, which gives us access to four major story arcs of the story told since 97. Right at the beginning, for reasons we don’t want to go into, the nine-person group loses their hard-earned skills, which they then have to learn again. This means: Luffy doesn’t remember his Gum-Gum power and Zoro no longer knows how exactly the infamous three-sword style works. They want to provide the mighty Straw Hat Pirates with a satisfying progression system – that’s understandable.
