Review: Ragnarok Odyssey

If you don't count the oodles of RPGs that are offered via the PSP's back catalogue, the PS Vita doesn't yet have a huge role-playing library.

But, notably, the best game on the system by far is an RPG - Persona 4 Golden - so it's fair to say that the Vita can potentially be a great platform for the genre, just as its predecessor was.

Ragnarok Odyssey is a definitely step in the right direction, offeringMonster Hunter-like action that doesn't quite reach perfection but will still give you give plenty of classic RPG thrills for your money.

Ragnarok on

Terrible beasts have taken over the surrounding areas, and you play as a new recruit who is sent out to deal with them, monster-smashing implement in hand.

You're given missions at headquarters, and each involves killing a specific number of enemies, finishing off a huge baddie, or collecting samples of the surrounding wildlife.

Depending on the class you choose, you'll be wielding a dock-off sword, a ridiculously sized hammer, some lovely magic spells, and so on.Ragnarok Odyssey is all about swinging your weapon in time with various combos that look rather magnificent in action.

Smash an enemy enough and it'll become dizzy, allowing you to whip it up into the air, juggle it around, and then fling it to the ground or hurl it at other incoming bad guys. This all feels lovely and powerful, and I found myself lifting enemies up into the air simply to watch the animations over and over again.

Exploring the various combos, weapons, and classes is great fun, and seeing how each new enemy reacts to your might makes for hours of entertainment. Throw in a few friends, online or local, and you've got yourself a solid RPG.

Ragtime

But, while there are plenty of fun and games to be had, Ragnarok Odyssey's underlying elements could have backed up the main spectacle so much better.

The pickups, cards, and equipment you get, for example, feel hugely shallow and pointless. You'll rarely change your weapon or even check the equipment screen - in fact, most of the time you'll simply pick up a few potions and then go straight into the next quest.

The castle hub is rather futile, too, given its simplistic nature. You'll walk around the village once every couple of hours perhaps, just to see if there's anything actually worth doing. There won't be.

All of this leads to Ragnarok Odyssey feeling rather repetitive and dumbed down after a while - it doesn't appear that there's a whole lot more to it than taking quests, killing things, and repeating.

If you play RPGs for the slashing more than the stats, however,Ragnarok Odyssey will be well worth your time.