Developer: From Software
Publisher: Sega
Rated: T for Teen
Released: 27 August 2003
Completed: 25 June 2017
I truly loved the original Xbox. The PS2 may have dominated the console market during the early 2000s, but the Xbox was home to some truly unique games, most notably a host of titles either developed or published by Sega after they left the hardware business. Between games like Jet Set Radio Future, Gunvalkyrie, and Panzer Dragoon Orta, and it's cutting edge online platform, the Xbox felt very much like a successor to the Dreamcast to me.
These days From Software is best known for their brutally difficult yet incredibly rewarding Souls games, and the similarly tough Bloodborne, but before they became a household name for gaming masochists and the hardest of the hardcore, From produced two excellent action games for the Xbox - both published by Sega. Otogi: Myth of Demons, and its sequel, Immortal Warriors.
The plot of Otogi is admittedly somewhat cryptic. It's steeped in Japanese lore and involves Raikoh, a warrior trapped between life and death sent to exorcise demons in exchange for absolution of his sins in life. I have to admit, I didn't fully grasp it, not because it's complex but more because it's just kind of garbled. It's mostly told through shots of Raikoh standing in a black void with a rambling voiceover. The voice acting isn't particularly bad, but that doesn't make the words any easier to understand. Still, if you tell me, "an ancient Japanese warrior kills demons," you've already got my interest.
I've always loved the Japanese mythology aesthetic in video games, and it immediately drew me to Otogi. I remember seeing it for the first time on an in-store demo disc for our Xbox kiosk when I worked at Best Buy, and I was blown away. Raikoh appears in each stage in a swirl of cherry blossom petals, environments crumbled under the might of his sword, and the stage had an eerie vibe that stuck with me.
The first thing you'll notice about Otogi is just how goddamn gorgeous it is. Even today, it's a pretty stupendous looking game, thanks to its aesthetic and some stunning lighting effects. This was an excellent demo for the power of the Xbox, with tons of effects on screen at any given time, fluid animations, and highly destructible environments that could be replayed in either pre- or post-destruction states.
Every ethereal stage is a treat to behold. There are caverns, forests, and villages to explore. There's an opulent golden temple, a boat that carries you through a graveyard of sunken ships, and snowy bamboo thickets where you'll battle a ferocious swordsman. The stages are relatively short in comparison to most games, but each one is so unique and fun to play, you won't even mind having to occasionally replay them to farm for experience and gold.
Yes, Otogi does have some very light RPG elements. Raikoh levels up by killing monsters, and gold is used to purchase and repair weapons, accessories, and even a few magic spells. More gear can be found by meeting certain criteria in specific stages, ranging from killing X amount of enemies, beating a stage under a certain time, or getting a 200-hit combo (which is easier than it sounds with the right weapon). This adds additional incentive to play stages for completionsists looking to unlock every weapon. There are also spirits trapped throughout each stage's destructible scenery. Freeing all of them in the game unlocks an incredibly powerful weapon for a second playthrough, if you're so inclined.
Combat is the meat of Otogi. It's a hack and slash game at its core, with light and heavy attack buttons, and a third button for magic spells. Raikoh can unleash a handful of devastating combo attacks, double-jump, dash on the ground and in mid-air, and even launch enemies into the air with certain attacks. Having the right combination of equipment is key to your success in certain stages, adding a light strategy element. Players who fail a particular stage, especially multiple times, should be able to analyze the root cause and adjust accordingly. It's not super deep, but it's satisfying when you conquer a stage that's been giving you trouble by planning and executing an entirely new approach based on what didn't work before.
Generally speaking, combat is a fast-paced and enjoyable affair. Raikoh's attacks feel like they carry weight, especially when you send an enemy crashing into the scenery with a heavy attack. Be careful, because some enemies can do the same to you, however. Raikoh isn't as fragile as a Souls protagonist, but some enemies can knock a life orb or two off in a single hit if you let them touch you. You must also carefully manage your magical energy - the purple half-circle in your life meter - which you can replenish by slaughtering enemies. As long as you have energy, Raikoh will heal physical damage, but when it runs out not only does your physical life force drain, but you're unable to cast spells or even dash.
Speaking of enemies, the designs are usually excellent. Ghostly lions covered in ethereal flames, skeletons and floating skulls, and giant cyclopean ogres are some of the demons you'll face. Enemies usually gang up on you in numbers, making combat frenetic, but this also leads to the game's biggest shortcoming. Beyond the obvious inescapable hits you'll suffer when surrounded, the bigger issue is the game buffers your inputs. This will lead to you swinging at thin air, waiting for Raikoh's attack animations to play out before you can dash to another enemy, and it can have a disruptive effect on the game's most powerful combo where you can unleash a fully charged magic attack after three light attacks. Too often I'd press the button one time too many in the heat of battle, or I'd consciously try to delay my button presses, only to miss my opportunity to unleash the spell.
Otogi is nowhere near as hard as a Souls game, or even From's own King's Field franchise, thankfully. Deaths will come, but the stages are usually so short that having to restart isn't a major punishment. The biggest exception is the ship graveyard, where you're tasked with keeping gelatinous blobs off the rickety boat lest it sink under the added weight. Unless you've farmed for some additional levels to make eliminating the creatures easier, this stage can be a real chore.
One of the hardest things to get used to for me was the blasted camera, which seems completely backwards from how you'd expect it to react. It's almost like a flight simulator where down pitches the camera up, but pressing left or right also seems to be inverted from traditional camera controls. It's tough to explain, but when you play it, you'll know exactly what I mean. You can center the camera by clicking the left thumbstick, but it's an imperfect system and there's no way to change the behavior in the options menu, despite several control layouts.
I've come this far, but I can't finish this review without mentioning the superb, surreal score. Like the visuals, the music in Otogi is very Eastern in nature - loopy flutes, lone violins, taiko drums, and finger cymbals. The track that accompanies the Palace of Gold stage is downright creepy with its staccato bass that almost sounds like backwards speech. It's all so perfectly moody and atmospheric I couldn't imagine anything else while playing.
Otogi is one of those truly hidden gems on the Xbox. It's a game I hardly ever see anyone talk about, yet it must have done well enough because it spawned a sequel. Sadly, the series has been all but forgotten - a shame, because I'd love to see how it would look on a more modern console. The upside is that the games are still relatively cheap, so if you own an Xbox and love action games, you can pick them both up for about $50 total. They're well worth your time and money.
Otogi: Myth of Demons was completed on an original Xbox with no cheats.
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