Lost Odyssey details found

By Ellie Gibson Published 4 July, 2005

Sakaguchi reveals all.

Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi has revealed a few more details of his forthcoming Xbox 360-exclusive title, Lost Odyssey.

In an interview with Canadian website Globe Technology, Sakaguchi said: "The gameplay experience is basically a traditional turn-based RPG, a bit like Final Fantasy.

"However, there are new ideas incorporated while playing: you can experience a little bit of real-time action."

The main character in Lost Odyssey is no less than 1000 years old, Sakaguchi revealed. "He never dies, and that's the biggest mystery. In this world, there are magical powers. The Industrial Revolution takes place, and because of the Revolution a lot of political and worldwide drama and big events happen. That's the main story."

But the game places more emphasis on human relationships than historical events, by all accounts. Sakaguchi said the main character "has lots of memories. Through his dreams he tells these memories, but they're not about big events.

"It's more of a human touch, like family and children. This is something that we never see in games: emotional stories."

When it comes to the battle of the next-gen consoles, Sakaguchi said it's too early to pick a winner just yet.

"Each [machine] has weaknesses as strengths... I think people buy [a console] because of the software they want to play," he commented.

"These are all considered next-generation hardware, so they all surpass certain levels, so it doesn't really matter for us as game producers.

"The performance and specifications are sufficient for us. We have use the technical advantages 100 percent, and put new ideas into the software. I think the software is the key."

Referring to Lost Odyssey and Mistwalker's other Xbox 360 title, Blue Dragon, Sakaguchi said: "With these titles, I put in all of my efforts and experience, so I think they'll be great games. That's why I want Japanese players to play on the Xbox 360."

So what kind of games will attract Japanese gamers to Microsoft's console? Pointing to Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon once again, Sakaguchi joked: "Like these!"

You can read the full interview here.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (16) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • #1 7 years ago

    Another satisfied developer.

    Cheers for the link. Methinks like many a true gamer, EG might secretly be anticipating this potential Killer App, so they remained impartial. :p

    "Devs officially love the Xbox 360"

  • darkmistx #2 7 years ago

    "Another satisfied developer. "

    Yep, I'm sure the $40 million that Microsoft paid him to make the exclusives, helped in that regard as well.
    Edited by 1 at 04/07/05 @ 17:33

  • Scimarad #3 7 years ago

    Sounds really cool - Definitely on 'the list'.

    Oh, and Balor? Just give it a rest, mate. The trouble with being so rabidly biased as you obviously are is that nobody takes anything you say remotely seriously.

  • #4 7 years ago

    I think SONY are mugging Europeans off, make far too many mediocre games and have no direction. Among other reasons they're perfectly valid reasons to air discontent I would have thought.

    If you're happy for SONY to mug you off with handheld devices, sell you an over-priced mediocre platform and offer you nothing but potentially the same mediocracy and expect you to work overtime for it. Well I guess you can do. :)

    I dislike SONY, and favour the products, services and direction of Nintendo and Microsoft. It that makes me bias, than so be it.

  • IronGiant #5 7 years ago

    Does it make you bias? yep. Does your flow of pathetic anti-sony comments make you a blathering fanboi who has got really boring really quick? oh yesiree.

    Go on then explain exactly how Sony has mugged anyone by offering the PSP to consumers?

  • #6 7 years ago

    SONY are offering Europeans that PSP now then? Wishful thinking methinks, because last I heard SONY were taking anyone selling a PSP to a European to court.

  • Scimarad #7 7 years ago

    "If you're happy for SONY to mug you off with handheld devices, sell you an over-priced mediocre platform and offer you nothing but potentially the same mediocracy and expect you to work overtime for it. Well I guess you can do. :) "

    If that's what they are doing with the PS2 then yes, I invite them to continue:-)

  • Feanor #8 7 years ago

    You know, the DS came out in Europe months after it was released in America.

  • Genji #9 7 years ago

    I like apples and oranges, yet dislike lemons. If that makes me biased against lemons, then SO BE IT. DEATH TO THE LEMON

    Don't worry Balor, I still love you
    Edited by 1 at 05/07/05 @ 03:49

  • Scimarad #10 7 years ago

    Is there some Team America style story as to why you hate Sony so much, Balor?

  • Blerk #11 7 years ago

    I suspect he's a disgruntled ex-employee. :-)

    Anyway, game sounds very interesting - looking forward to getting some proper details and (heaven forbid) some piccies and vids. Can't see it selling to the current Xbox crowd, though - they'd better hope they attract some new types of fans this time around.

  • Pike #12 7 years ago

    Well Blerk, I assume the very reason behind securing the support of Sakaguchi is to attract new and different users to the 360, so I don't think MS worry to much about this game not appealing to the core Xbox fanbase.

    However I'm still interested, despite being mainly a FPS, RTS and western RPG fan. Since I've never played any JRPGs this might turn out to be a good introduction, assuming I will be able to afford a 360.
    Edited by 1 at 05/07/05 @ 09:33

  • Wash #13 7 years ago

    "Can't see it selling to the current Xbox crowd, though"

    I dunno when you starve a fan base of any remotely good japanese rpgs, then i'm sure one will stick. Obviously tho this is for the japanese crowd, where well the only way is up really.

  • Tweakmonkey #14 7 years ago

    "It's more of a human touch, like family and children. This is something that we never see in games: emotional stories."

    Do gamers have working emotional functions? ;-) I do like a good story, but I've yet to experience any game which affects my sentimentality the way movies and books can.

    /adds game to watch list

  • itamae #15 7 years ago

    Read this elsewhere (cannot remember where though, curse my bad memory): Nobuo Uematsu and Akira Toriyama are involved in the development of Blue Dragon, while Takehiko Inoue (Vagabond, Slamdunk) does the character design for Lost Odyssey. Well, Sakaguchi does have some big names on his team, you have to grant him that.
    Edited by 1 at 05/07/05 @ 10:05

  • Galvanizer #16 7 years ago

    This may, MAY make go down Bill Gates is road.

    But then Mist Walker are developing for the DS so Revolution should be just round the corner. :-D