Odin Sphere Leifthrasir

Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is a complete rework of the action RPG from the late PlayStation 2 era, and on PlayStation Vita it stands as one of the most beautiful titles in the console's entire library. The story unfolds across five books, each belonging to a different main character, all of them intersecting in a war over the fate of a world inspired by Norse mythology. Only once you've finished all the storylines does the whole picture fall into place, including scenes you previously saw from the opposite side of the barricade, giving the game a structure closer to theatrical tragedy than to a typical fantasy adventure.

Battles take place in two-dimensional arenas, and the reworked version is markedly more fluid than the original: combos flow, characters have distinct styles ranging from spear to chain to a spellcaster's ring, and old, cumbersome elements have been removed. What remains is the reliance on food and potions. Ingredients are grown from seeds right in combat using the souls of defeated enemies, cooked into meals that permanently raise health or mana. Alchemy and mixing potions from found ingredients add another layer of preparation before boss fights. Each of the five characters also has their own pace, reach, and weaknesses, so the game never settles into a single reliable strategy, and key encounters demand a different preparation and approach every time.

Vanillaware's hand-painted art, with giant, finely animated characters and layered backgrounds, is still stunning today and looks practically flawless on the small display. Orchestral music with prominent strings underscores the fairy-tale-tragic tone of a story about families, prophecies, and an inevitable end of the world. Reviewers praised especially how sensitively the remake removed the original's weaknesses without losing its charm, and how thoroughly it opened up gameplay that used to be cumbersome. For Vita owners it's one of the best ways to play an action RPG that also happens to be a work of art.