Sky Odyssey

The Good
"Sky Odyssey" is a true videogame. Not an interactive movie, or driving simulation, there are no save points made out of small white creatures or a required 40 hours of gameplay. This game rewards the player with points - the same kind of points in old classic arcade games like "Missile Command" and "Space Invaders". The better a player is - the higher their score is. "Sky Odyssey" was inspired by Nintendo's Pilot Wings series. Right off the bad players should know what they are in for: non-violent gameplay based on skill, timing, and practice flying through the skies in a variety of locations, not how many people a player can kill within 30 seconds.

There are a variety of planes to fly from the early 20th century and their performance changes as the game progresses. One of the greatest levels in the game is a particular water level that requires the player to land their plane onto an aircraft carrier in the middle of a storm. Very cool indeed. There are many other fun moments, but I won't ruin them here in this review.

Controlling the planes is fun and challenging, (but not frustrating), and the level of difficulty changes through the game. For an experience of flying that ranges from exhilarating to ephemeral, check out "Sky Odyssey".

The Bad
There are only a few technical quips to be made about the game. Primarily they are the first-generation PS2 visuals and the very basic midi-music. The visuals are not bad by any means, but when compared to the Ace Combat series the visuals for "Sky Odyssey" do show aging. Likewise, the music is very basic; there is no simulated orchestral score here. But, it is important to note: these are just technical comments and in no way affect the fun gameplay.

The Bottom Line
This is yet another videogame passed over by the masses. Perhaps it was because of the ambiguous title: "Sky Odyssey", or perhaps it was because of the non-violent gameplay. Either way this title never received the accolades it deserved - the biggest disappointment was no sequel. A later generation iteration of this type of gameplay would have been very interesting.

This videogame is truly for anyone and everyone. That does not mean, however, that the game compromises fun and interest for easy and accessible gameplay. Instead the game's level of challenge is as difficult as the player desires to make it - and not via a difficulty setting. As the player gets better and better at the game, so does their desire to perform, and better involves more difficulty. Few games can reflect the given mood of the player - if the player is angry then their flying may be more aggressive; if the player looking to cruise the skies and just look around, this game can accommodate.

The Good
This game really is a dream. I think there is no better way to describe the game's genre than "Sky Adventure". You start with a selection of three planes, and your task is to fly around in a group of four newly discovered, mysterious islands. Your final objective is to find out about the secret of the Tower of Maximus located somewhere in the area, but you'll have much to do before you get there. The missions do not involve combat, nor simple exploration - you'll have to cross caves, refuel from moving trains, survive storms, help other explorers and much more. After each mission, the player receives a rating based on his flying skills and achieved objectives. If you're good enough, you will win more parts and planes as the adventure progresses. There are not many planes, they do not look very good and they do not feel realistic, but you'll forget about this the first time you see the landscapes of the game, which are so wonderfully designed they really take your breath away. This atmosphere is supported by the marvelous soundtrack, which I believe is one of the best game soundtracks I ever heard.

But there is more to Sky Odyssey than the adventure mode. You can also play Sky Canvas, where you have to draw patterns of smoke with your airplane, Target Mode, which resembles a checkpoint course in the air, several Training missions, and of course Free-Flight mode, where you can freely explore the landscapes you discovered in adventure mode, with the airplanes you got in your hangar. The game has much for you to discover.

The Bad
As stated above, the airplanes could be better. The graphics are technically a bit disappointing, but the great design lets you forget about this. I also think that a bit more realism in the physics engine wouldn't have been bad.

The Bottom Line
Sky Odyssey doesn't try to be a realistic flight simulator. It tries to be a game of wonderful landscapes and mysterious adventures which take place in the air. This mix is a great idea and works very well. The things you will see in this game will make you dream away, and you will long remember the scenic views and the fantastic soundtrack after playing this game for a while. It is one of my Top-3 PS2 games.