Tradewinds Odyssey Review

Tradewinds Odyssey is a game that takes a little bit from a bunch of genres: resource management, strategy, adventure, and even some RPG elements are thrown into the mix. It's hard to pin down exactly what T.O. is, and that's why it stands out. You don't know what to expect, especially during your first run through, but it stays accessible throughout.

In Tradewinds Odyssey, there are six playable characters (two of which you have to unlock) and six storylines. Each character's main story is progressed via quests, which are divided up kind of like chapters. The quests usually involve sailing to a new city to find someone, trying to get a certain object from them, buying wares and trading to get something to trade said person for the object, and then give the newly acquired thingamabob to the person who sent you on the quest in the first place (whew!). In simpler terms, there's a lot to remember and things can be hard to follow. Thankfully, the creators put in a feature that gives you a "to do list" for your quests.

The dialogue throughout the game is witty and completely historically inaccurate, which makes it even funnier. There are lots of creative interpretations of Greek mythology, and some famous characters are shown in a different (more comical) light. The narrative was lighthearted, and that made it much easier to read the long explanations and instructions throughout the game.

From time to time, you'll be sailing along from one city to another and suddenly be attacked by... bad guys (it's never really disclosed who you fight during the random battles). These battles are in real time, but there's not a whole lot of player control during combat. Mostly, the player just watches the opposing sides duke it out, occasionally choosing when to use a special attack, or ram the hell out of the enemy ships (very satisfying, very unsafe). The fights are fun, but they feel like they're tacked on. It would have been nice if there was more player involvement, or if it was more common, since the battles are pretty infrequent in the scope of things.

The graphics in T.O. are decent. While the dialogue portraits are fun to look at, they're not really unique in any way. The city maps are well animated, with lots of little characters walking about, which give the cities a small breath of life. They just all look the same. So, while the presentation isn't perfect, it's functional.

The biggest issue I have with the game is the music. The tunes sound good, but they don't fit the game very well. They don't sound Greek, which should have been the main purpose of the music to begin with. Also, it gets pretty repetitive. I think that the music would have been great in a different game, but for T.O. it just doesn't hit the mark.

Tradewinds Odyssey has a lot going for it. The fun story and characters, the lighthearted-but-deep gameplay, and the great replay value are the shining features in this adventure/quest/RPG/resource management/etc. game. It's accessible and entertaining for a wide audience, so what more can you ask for? If Tradewinds Odyssey is your type of game, you'll love it. If you're into more hardcore resource management/adventure games, you may not be satisfied. Give it a shot!

Graphics:
Nothing flashy, but they get the job done. The city environments are good, but some originality between them would make it that much better.

Music/Sound:
The music is repetitive, even if it's well orchestrated. It doesn't fit the tone or setting of the game, either.

Gameplay:
Trading and marketing your wares is simple, effective, and fun. The battles are good when they happen, and the game's overall pacing is great. Tradewinds Odyssey isn't intense, but that's the appeal.

Concept:
Sailing the ocean, bartering, doing battle with other ships and dangerous creatures, all while being able to play as a MINOTAUR? If that's not an original concept, then I don't know what is.

Value:
The game doesn't have just one story arc, that wouldn't be good enough. There are SIX plotlines to choose from. And they're all completely different from each other.

Fun:
It's hard to explain what exactly was so inherently fun about Tradwinds Odyssey. The simple, witty, and entertaining gameplay kept me hooked.

Overall:
As I said before, there's a lot to love about this game. However, it's not for everyone, and it certainly won't appease those in search of more intense gameplay. If you're unsure of whether you'll enjoy it, try it out, get a feel for it, and find joy in the world of Greek bartering.