Odin Sphere Leifthrasir, a remastered release of one of the best games on the PlayStation 2, is coming out very soon. Exclusive to the PlayStation 4 version is the Storybook Edition, which comes with various extras at a higher price tag. So is the bundle worth buying or are you better off with just purchasing the standalone game? Before you make up your mind on you purchase intent, let’s examine a few determining factors.
Pricing
The PlayStation 4 version of Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is more expensive when compared to the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita versions. The Storybook Edition is the priciest option available. You can check out the current price tag for each SKU with the following links on Amazon: PS4 Storybook Edition, PS4 Standard Edition, PS3 Standard Edition and Vita Standard Edition.
About Odin Sphere
The original Odin Sphere came out for the PlayStation 2 on May 22, 2007. The game features stunning 2D visuals along with an engrossing story that is told across multiple perspectives.
In terms of gameplay, Odin Sphere is an action role-playing game that takes place on a side-scrolling 2D perspective. Each of the five playable characters (Gwendolyn, Cornelius, Mercedes, Oswald and Velvet) have his or her own unique weapon. With the ability to use alchemy and cook food to boot, there is plenty to like when it comes to playing the classic title.
With that said, the original version was plagued with crippling frame rate slowdowns. Thankfully, this was fixed in the remastered release.
About Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
Along with providing a smooth frame rate of 60 per second, Leifthrasir also increased the resolution to up to 1080p. The improvements also came via the gameplay as the development team at Vanillaware made some mechanical tweaks based on what they learned with the two spiritual successors, Muramasa: The Demon Blade and Dragon’s Crown. Purists can also revert to a classic mode where the gameplay will remain the same as the original with the new enhanced visuals intact.
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir also featured some new content, including new enemies, a harder difficulty mode and cross save between the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita versions. So, even if you have plated the original version to death, there are more than enough new content to make the remastered port feel fresh.
What Included in the Storybook Edition
Along with the physical disc release of the software product, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir Storybook Edition comes with a 64-page hardcover art book featuring the unique drawings of George Kamitani and Vanillaware.
Speak of art, the bundle also includes a high-quality art print featuring Alice and Socrates as well as a collector’s metal slipcase that has key art from the JRPG. Last but not least, a large-sized Potion Recipe T-shirt, which shows off how to use Mandragora Habaneristos to create potions via alchemy, will also be packed into the product. All of the contents mentioned above will be stored inside a premium outer box.
The Odin Sphere Leifthrasir Storybook Edition is worth a look if you are a huge fan of the stellar artwork in the game. With that said, none of the extras are essential to your gameplay experience. You can check out what the bundle for the JRPG looks like below this paragraph.
Recap
If you missed out on the PlayStation 2 original, then the upcoming remastered release is a must play as Odin Sphere is one of the more unique JRPG experiences. Even if you did play the PS2 version, Leifthrasir comes with more than enough content, as well as the improvements being made to the visuals, to warrant another playthrough.
If you are a fan of the game’s art style, then we suggest that you pick up Odin Sphere Leifthrasir Storybook Edition. You can do so with this link. If you simply want to play the game, you can pick up the cheaper standard edition via this page.
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is coming out on the 7th of June in the North American region.