The One Piece franchise has been going on strong as an action-adventure story about a group of misfits journeying the Grand Line to attain a legendary treasure. Once discovered, their captain, Monkey D. Luffy, could earn the title of King of the Pirates. While he's yet to reach his goal, the crew's adventures have gained the series worldwide acclaim as one of the most exciting and entertaining manga and anime properties around. As a result, the franchise has also branched out into other mediums like video games.
It's no secret that One Piece has been adapted into multiple video games with different premises and fun gameplay styles. Whether as a fighting game or an arena fighter that explores aspects of the story, Luffy and the Straw Hat crew have done it. But their latest entry, One Piece Odyssey, changes everything. The turn-based adventure game offers fresh gameplay and brings the crew back to basics. On the mysterious island of Waford, the members of the crew have lost their abilities and must retrieve them if they hope to leave. But to do so, they must enter Memoria, or World of Memories, and replay some of the most fun and exciting battles of their lives.
How Does the World of Memories Mechanic Work?
The World of Memories mechanic isn't something new, as many video games based on other anime or manga have featured something similar. The concept of revisiting past arcs can be found in other shonen franchises like Dragon Ball and Naruto, for instance. But with Odyssey, it's a special case because it's also integral to the plot to help get the Straw Hats off of Waford. That said, to access these memories, the team must obtain cubes that hold their powers, thus activating the memory.
These memories explore four of the most impactful arcs of the series so far, including Alabasta, Water Seven, Marineford and Dressrosa. Players can relive the exciting battle between Luffy and Doflamingo or even try and avert fate in the case of Luffy's brother Ace, in hopes that his death could be avoided. Sadly, moments that are featured in these memories can't be changed, but the realization is just as hard of a lesson to learn for the Straw Hats as it is for the player. But once these memories are completed, the Straw Hats relearn their abilities and can use these moves in their future battles.
This New Feature Explores the One Piece Lore in a New Way
While there are fixed events that could never change, such as Ace's fate, One Piece Odyssey also shows the fun that can be had with slight alterations to the narrative. As a result, it allows for some fun narrative shifts that were never shown in the manga or anime. A great example of this alters the events of Rob Lucci kidnapping Robin. While she was taken in the canon series, the game alters events so that Usopp is the one taken. Because of this, the game's dialogue options show how things would have been different with another member of the crew being kidnapped. But even though it's a small change, it offers a new layer of possibilities both in the narrative and character combinations.
These new perspectives offer a chance for players to see a new side to some of their favorite characters. For example, with Robin not being kidnapped, her cleverness could offer a change in the rescue mission that may show the hidden talents she has as a crew member. Further, it keeps classic stories fresh and presents new what-if scenarios, showing that even with hundreds of chapters, there's still something new to say in the story. Ultimately, the World of Memories mechanic is a fun system with which to revisit classic stories and impact them in ways that (albeit unofficially) change the narrative.