QCF: Squid's Odyssey

hen I first saw Squids Odyssey, I couldn't help but laugh. The thought of running around an RPG as a cephalopod seemed a little weird at first (then you remember that there's a Pigeon Dating-Sim and the weirdness tends to go away.) Upon viewing the game play, I was definitely intrigued.

Since this is an RPG, it’s only natural that classes have been incorporated into this underwater venture of tactical combat. The included ranks are Scout, Shooter, Stomper and Healer, which each have their own unique abilities.

Scouts can dash, allowing them to be able to hit multiple times and enemies in rapid succession. Shooters wield guns, allowing for long-distance warfare against those far away targets. Stompers specialize in melee and have a stomp ability with moderate ranger, anything caught in its radius takes some pretty hefty damage and is sent flying, plan this attack wisely to use surrounding elements, such as urchins to deal extra damage. Healers simply need to bump into other party members to restore heath. You can also have party members run into the healer so that both parties are healed.

The battle mechanics take some getting used to. Using the stylus, you can wing yourself around the battleground. Player movement is determined by your stamina, which is indicated by a gauge that surrounds your character when preparing to move. You need to be mindful of your environment though, as one wrong move is enough to send your squid sailing over the edge, and into the depths of Davy Jones' locker. While moving around, you can bump into your enemies to inflict damage, albeit very little, and to really put the hurt on, you can choose to “throw” yourself at them; this is done by holding and releasing the A button when flinging yourself around.

A neat feature that I liked a lot is the transfer power option. This function allows you to take the power boosts from your equipment and have it transferred directly to your character. You can also buy levels for you character. This is especially useful when the stages start giving you grief.

At the end of the level, you're scored based on the amount of secrets found, the time on the clock that it took to complete the level, number of rounds left for completion, and how many squids you still have alive at the end of the stage. Depending on how well you do, you're rewarded with pearls. These valuable little doodads can be used to purchase healing items, resurrection items, and equipment for your squids.

Squids Odyssey is not afraid to kick your ass. You'll find yourself sailing along on calms waters then suddenly caught in a devastating Maelstrom of a level. The difficulty can spike drastically from being frighteningly difficult in one level, to dropping right back down to super easy, so if you like a challenge then Squids is right up your alley.

There are only two words to describe how the game looks: “Cute” and “colorful.” The characters are well thought out and designed and you'd never expect squids to be so adorable. The environments are extremely detailed and are just as vibrant and bright as your characters, from sunken ships to underwater castles.

The stages are cleverly designed and with the goals at the end of each level you'll find yourself return to previous stages aiming to reach every one of them—and with over 90 levels, this game is going to keep you busy for quite a while. With its charming story and cute characters Squids Odyssey is a delightful time-sink that will be sure to keep players engaged, and offer payoff that’s well worth the investment all the same.