Developer: Wolf Team Publisher: Renovation Released: 1991 Genre: Action
Gauntlet was a phenomenon in the arcade. As one of the first four-player arcade games the ability to team up with three friends and go on a grand adventure was compelling. And grand it was; with one hundred levels few ever came close to seeing the end of it unless they were rich. But games made with the same spirit would soon come to home consoles. Arcus Odyssey was one such title, a game that combined light RPG elements and a story to go along with its multiplayer hi-jinks. It stumbles in a few areas but is a solid game all around.
Long ago a sorceress named Castomira planned to destroy the world and rebuild it to her liking. For a time darkness reigned as there was no one who could stand against her. One day a powerful princess named Leaty stood against Castomira. For days their battle raged until Leaty was victorious. Unable to kill Castomira she instead banished her to the Dark World and left a sword behind as a seal. Unfortunately Castomira’s followers have stolen the sword and she will soon come back. It is now up to four warriors to find the Sword of Leaty and hopefully stop her return before the world is plunged into darkness once again.
Arcus Odyssey has an elaborate animated intro that sets the tone. The story is doled out in bits and pieces throughout the game but it is not plot heavy. Sadly what little bits of story you do get is ruined by an awkward localization. The translation is very literal, resulting in confusing phrasing and repeated dialogue. While that is unfortunate you don’t need to understand the plot to enjoy the game.
I made the comparison to Gauntlet in my initial paragraph for a reason. The four character classes skew a little too closely to Atari’s classic. Jedda the swordsman, Erin, the warrior maiden, Diane the elf archer, and Bead the wizard are essentially the warrior, Valkyrie, elf and wizard. But where the Gauntlet squad only differed in terms of their attack power and movement speed Arcus Odyssey makes each of its characters distinct.
The main difference between characters is their attacks and spells. Jedda has a wave attack that has short range but is very powerful. Diane’s arrows are weak but can rebound off walls. Erin is possibly the best; her whip has the longest range but can also spin after the initial attack for more damage. Magic crystals and their spells further distinguish each hero. Erin’s level 1 spell cures poison while Jedda can cut damage in half. Diane can heal and her later spells turn her arrows into homing arrows. Bead has the most spells and is the most powerful. To make up for that he begins with five health. Defeating bosses will allow you to upgrade your attack, magic, or hit points. This allows you to make up for their shortcomings to an extent although each has a limit. The Rpg elements are light but do add depth.
Rather than one continuous world Arcus Odyssey has eight chapters. For the most part each chapter is straightforward. There is some light puzzle solving which mostly boils down to finding items and using or destroying them. The chapters are not particularly large but a map would help in a few such as Chapter three’s pyramid. Along the way you will occasionally find NPC’s that will fight alongside you which is cool. If you are playing coop than that means triple the firepower which is a bit overpowered.
Arcus Odyssey can be a little difficult due to a few factors. Enemies respawn almost as soon as you leave the screen. Considering there is no experience system it can be monotonous. They tend to swarm as soon as they see you but never to the extent of Gauntlet. I’ve already mentioned the lack of a map which makes retracing your steps tedious. Unfortunately you have to do so frequently. Each character starts with differing hit points making the initial journey rough in some cases. You have a single life and infinite continues but are tossed back to the beginning of the current area which can be soul crushing. At least you don’t have to finish it in one sitting.
In Closing
Arcus Odyssey has its flaws but is an enjoyable action romp from beginning to end. Its graphics can be dark and muddy but the great soundtrack adds to its atmosphere. Alone or with a friend this is a fun little gem that is worth buying.
