Apr 08 2009
Overworld Element
People either love or hate the Overworld element of gaming. If they love it, then they hate certain ways that it is implemented.
I used to be an Overworld hater. I liked the comfort of a linear structure. Now I like the freedom to run all over the place. And now I’ve become picky about what I like the Overworld to have, just like all lovers of the Overworld.
Lost Odyssey sort of has an Overworld. It’s more of an Overworld map of the world, and every place you can go to has a diamond marking it. Every place you have actually been to or opened a path to is listed in a menu to the left. If you select an area, the diamond glows a bright blue, and you can choose to visit the region. Basically the map has two purposes: to show where you are, show where certain regions are geographically (which is quite helpful for the treasure hunting clues that say, “in the bay area…”), and warp you to any area you wish. In essence, it’s like Kingdom Hearts’ overworld; you have to forge your way there, but once you unlock it, you can pop in and out at any time. But it’s less annoying than that damn Gummi ship.
I like the idea of warping from spot to spot if I want to, but that’s about all I like about it.
Contrast this with Final Fantasy VII’s Overworld, where Cloud literally wanders all over the continent. While this method has the potential to be frustrating because you have no idea which way is a certain city, it has two distinct bonuses. One, you REALLY learn the world. You know exactly where the Golden Saucer is, the Corel Mines, Midgar, Rocket City, etc. Two, wandering around triggers battles which means experience, experience, experience! If I want to gain experience in Kingdom Hearts or Lost Odyssey, I have to warp to a specific region where I know I can get into a fight.
The closest game I’ve come across so far that tries to combine these two is Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. However, the number of fights Link gets in doesn’t help his leveling situation, so in terms of this blog, it really doesn’t count. I’m sure a RPG is out there that combines both Overworld styles, and I just need to find it. The game will probably suck, but I’ll be able to achieve Overworld nirvana.
