Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (PS Vita) Second Opinion Review

Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is arguably one of the deepest RPGs on the Vita. Control one of five characters through their own individual stories, as they venture out and take on the multitude of evils plaguing the land. Perhaps the concept isn't the most original, but that's entirely irrelevant. In Odin Sphere Leifthrasir, the execution is the star, and it's pretty close to perfection. The first star of the show is the controls and navigation. Every segment of every level is treated like a big looping circle, though some segments are just straightforward sections without a loop. The ease of getting lost in the labyrinth is mitigated by how much there is to find. Make a beeline for the boss, or find more Phozon prisms and gain new abilities, or grind, level up and acquire new equipment. Despite the small world of the game not having the biggest collection of levels, there's a lot to do hidden within.

Combat is so fluid it's almost ridiculous. Rarely does pressing the Square button feel so empowering, as the impact of swinging the sword down on the solder's head is felt through the controller. The moves are varied enough to feel profoundly powerful, but it is so easy to control that anyone can feel like an overpowered superhuman. Occasionally, there is too much happening on screen and it can be easy to get lost in the commotion. It is hardly an issue, though it can be annoying to lose track of the character in a sea of fire or a skirmish with seven very similar looking bad guys.

It's all forgivable because simply interacting with the game is so pleasantly joyous that it's easy not to even notice these minor issues. Another small gripe lies in that every segment of the game almost feels like a retread of the last one. Bosses get repeated a lot, but there is an interesting way in which the combat becomes too repetitive. Every book is a different hero on their own quest, and therefore at the beginning of every book, there's a fresh new character to build up. This keeps the fights feeling different enough, and certain characters actually explore areas previous characters didn't, so while retreading levels can be a bit tedious, doing it with a fresh character feels absolutely brilliant.

Visually, Vanillaware's style is as gorgeous as ever, and in HD it practically comes to life. The way a character looks has a lot to do with how accessible they are, and these characters are beautifully relatable. Side missions add even more depth, like finding new recipes and ingredients for a restaurant (which, upon eating said food, gives more experience) and an alchemy system. The simple fact is that Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is a sublime title that just barely misses being perfect.