So the past couple nights I've been playing the alpha test of Lime Odyssey. This game has been in MMO news for a couple of reasons lately; first because the music composer is Yasunori Matsuda, the same composer responsible for my favorite CRPG of all time, Chrono Trigger. Secondly, Lime Odyssey recently announced that its Korean version (its progenitor) is shutting down due to irreparable bugs.
The latter is pretty ominous, but the North American developer that is localizing it for us here in the USA is still going strong. And with the state of the game as it is, I have to say, it's worth a good hard look.
Lime Odyssey may appear at first blush to be a standard Asian MMO, but it's got a few features that set it apart.
It's really well polished for a game supposedly in alpha. The translation is fantastic, and I encountered very few bugs. My only complaint in the sub-level 10 bracket is the repetitive voice acting for your character's attacks, which isn't really a major thing.
The music, as expected, is easily the most memorable I've seen in an Asian MMO. It really harkens back to the heyday of Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy III, which makes me as a 90s-era roleplayer very happy.
The grind is pretty light in Lime so far, and I'm at about level 8 for my battle class. Usually in Asian MMOs, the grind sets in almost immediately, so this is a welcome change.
Notice how I specifically mentioned “battle class?” That's because Lime Odyssey has separate progression for your Battle Class and your Trade Class. It's possible to level one completely independently of the other, marking a distinctly Western flavor to this MMO. My Trade Class, Tailor, is higher than my Battle Class, cleric.
Little tip if you get to try out the alpha: use your initial talent point to get a special attack before engaging in combat, otherwise combat lasts forever.
It's worth trying out, if you're not yet burned out on Asian MMOs and have a soft spot for Chrono Trigger or Xenosaga in your heart.