The NDA For Chrono Odyssey Is Gone, And So Is My Hype (Sorta)

Welp. The NDA for Chrono Odyssey is now lifted, and players are starting to share real gameplay footage and impressions of the upcoming MMORPG. I watched some videos, and read many comments. Here are my thoughts from what I have seen.

First, Chrono Odyssey — which is built in Unreal Engine 5 — looked gorgeous in the previews. That notion still holds true, but at a glance. The environments look stunning but the character models and lighting feel off. It also doesn’t seem to run super well.

Second, the gameplay looks pretty dang similar to New World. Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing… in fact, I enjoyed New World’s combat. There’s a familiar UI, the bounty board system, gathering and crafting, and (of course) the weapon swapping. Also, you get four skills per weapon, with basic and special attacks layered in. It’s not totally a copy though, as Chrono Odyssey’s action comes off as slower and more methodical — leaning toward a Soulslike vibe with dodge i-frames and punishing hits. Maybe this is the Elden Ring fan in me, but I’m positive about the game’s combat from what I’m seeing. That being said, I understand those who think it’s too basic/simplistic.

Third, Chrono Odyssey looks like it has a lot going on content-wise: open world bosses, solo “Chronogate” bosses, dynamic zone quests, life skills, dungeons, raids, PvP, etc. Unfortunately, the endgame is a mystery, as no one’s played enough to say for sure. Let me remind you: that’s how New World died. So, hopefully this game doesn’t suffer the same fate and has an endgame that’s as good as everything that comes before it.

Anyways… I’m intrigued, but skeptical about Chrono Odyssey. I won’t lie, my hype has been dampened a bit. There’s definitely potential though. I pray the developers polish things up, avoid pay-to-win monetization, and deliver actual long-term content. I’ll see you in the closed beta next week.