Pokémon Odyssey Review: Is It Worth Playing?

Pokémon Odyssey replaces the familiar question of “Which Gym is next?” with something more intriguing: “What is waiting farther down?”

Built from Pokémon FireRed, this completed ROM hack follows Nyx into the Yggdrasil Labyrinth, drawing inspiration from Etrian Odyssey and Made in Abyss. It trades the traditional badge chase for a story-driven dungeon adventure, with double battles central to its design. Official project overview

That makes Odyssey an especially interesting choice if another trip through Kanto or Hoenn no longer sounds exciting.

It is also a game with specific tastes. Enjoying Pokémon does not automatically mean you enjoy navigating labyrinths, coordinating two Pokémon at once, or following a more involved story. Those preferences matter more here than nostalgia.

Quick Verdict

Pokémon Odyssey is worth playing if you want a genuinely different Pokémon adventure and enjoy tactical double battles.

Its strongest idea is giving exploration a different purpose. You are not simply passing through another cave on the way to a familiar destination; investigating the labyrinth is the adventure.

I would recommend it most strongly to players who want a new setting, a defined protagonist, and battles that reward cooperation between teammates.

The recommendation is weaker if you dislike dungeon navigation or want singles battles to remain the default. Those are not minor preferences you can easily overlook here—they concern the foundations of the game.

What Pokémon Odyssey Changes From the Original Game

Odyssey does not preserve FireRed’s Kanto campaign. There are no conventional Gym Leaders or Elite Four, and the Pokémon selection emphasizes Generations I–III, cross-generation evolutions, and custom Etrian Variants. Official features

The labyrinth contains eight main strata, with progression-linked level caps documented for each. These range across distinct environments rather than presenting one uninterrupted cave. Official progression reference

The important differences are structural:

Familiar Pokémon expectation	Odyssey’s approach
Travel between Gyms toward the League	Descend through the labyrinth and advance its story
Build primarily for one-on-one matchups	Consider how two active Pokémon work together
Recognize most Pokémon immediately	Reevaluate familiar species and Etrian Variants

The variants are particularly appropriate for this setting. Their designs draw from Etrian Odyssey’s monsters, characters, and classes, giving the crossover a connection to the Pokémon themselves rather than leaving it entirely in the scenery. Developer’s variant showcase

You do not need to recognize every reference for a new creature design to make you curious.

Is Pokémon Odyssey Good for Beginners?

It can suit a newcomer to ROM hacks, but I would be more cautious about recommending it as someone’s first Pokémon game.

The developers explicitly state that familiarity with Etrian Odyssey or Made in Abyss is unnecessary. You do not need homework in either series before starting. Developer introduction

Understanding Pokémon’s fundamentals is more useful. Type matchups, abilities, switching, and support moves become easier to appreciate when you are already comfortable with the basics.

If your usual approach is to choose a strong attacker and let it handle almost everything, expect to adjust. A Pokémon that looks safe against one opponent may be vulnerable to the other, and two individually strong teammates do not necessarily form a good pair.

That adjustment is a reason to try Odyssey, not necessarily a reason to avoid it. Just give yourself permission to learn.

Its Best Feature: Making Exploration the Main Adventure

Odyssey’s most appealing feature is the relationship between its setting and its progression.

A mysterious labyrinth gives every new area a larger question to answer. The attraction is not only reaching the next checkpoint, but discovering how another layer fits into the world.

That structure also creates a useful contrast with ordinary Pokémon travel. Instead of treating caves and forests as interruptions between major towns, Odyssey makes navigating unfamiliar environments part of its identity.

Its exploration includes powerful roaming enemies called FOEs and optional naval travel beyond the main labyrinth. However, navigation can be a sticking point: an independent review specifically identifies some dungeon obstacles and sea-current routes as frustrating. Exploration assessment

That is the tradeoff to consider. A player who enjoys investigating routes may welcome the change of pace. Someone who wants to move quickly between battles may find the same sections obstructive.

My advice is to explore unaided while you are enjoying the process, then consult a map when discovery turns into repetition. Getting stuck on navigation is not a requirement for appreciating a dungeon crawler.

Difficulty and Best First Playthrough Setup

Start on Normal if you are comfortable with Pokémon but still learning doubles. Choose the easier setting if the story and exploration are your main reasons for playing.

Odyssey includes multiple difficulties, restricts healing-item use during battles, and gives Pokémon perfect IVs. These choices place more emphasis on battle decisions and less on repeatedly hunting for a better individual specimen. Battle and training features

The habit I would prioritize is thinking about both actions together.

Before choosing moves, ask:

• Can both Pokémon focus on one dangerous opponent?
• Does one teammate need protection or support?
• Will a spread attack also threaten my partner?
• What happens if the opponent moves first?

These questions help distinguish an actual plan from simply choosing two attacks.

Do not build a first team entirely around complicated combinations, either. Start with pairs whose purpose you understand. A dependable attacker beside a useful support Pokémon can teach you more than copying an elaborate strategy without knowing its weaknesses.

If a boss stops your progress, review your opening pair and move choices before assuming more training will solve everything.

How Long Does Pokémon Odyssey Take to Beat?

The developer estimates roughly 35–40 hours, potentially longer. Treat that as a general playthrough estimate, not a guarantee for completing every optional activity. Developer’s playtime estimate

Your pace will depend on difficulty, exploration, dialogue reading, and how often you adjust your team.

For planning purposes, this is a substantial RPG rather than a short experimental hack. Give it room across multiple sessions, especially if you want to investigate the setting without constantly checking a walkthrough.

What to Know Before Starting

Choose the right version for your save

The official English resource hub lists v4.1.1 with expanded bag capacity and v4.0.3 for save compatibility.

The expanded-bag version is not compatible with the older save format. For a fresh playthrough, use the expanded-bag release; returning players should check compatibility before changing versions. Back up your existing save first. Official version and compatibility notice

Expect a defined protagonist and a darker story

Nyx is an established character rather than a blank player avatar. The story also moves into darker territory, including horror elements and occasional profanity. Story and tone discussion

That is worth knowing if you want something with the same tone as an official Pokémon adventure. A familiar graphical style does not necessarily mean familiar subject matter.

Be selective with documentation

The official resource hub separates encounter information, Pokémon data, team-building guidance, and boss documentation. It also distinguishes the original Odyssey from Odyssey II. Make sure you are opening resources for the correct game. Official documentation hub

If you want to preserve surprises, look up the specific mechanic or location you need rather than reading ahead through boss lists.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• A distinctive adventure structure. The labyrinth gives exploration a central purpose.
• Teamwork-focused battles. Doubles encourage thinking beyond individual matchups.
• Thematically connected custom forms. Etrian Variants help make the crossover feel intentional.
• A clear identity. Odyssey has a stronger reason to exist than simply offering another version of an established campaign.

Cons

• Dungeon navigation will not suit everyone. Exploration can become frustrating when you lose your way.
• Doubles require a different mindset. Players who strongly prefer singles may not enjoy the adjustment.
• The tone is less universally approachable. Darker material makes this a different recommendation from a straightforward Pokémon adventure.
• Returning players must watch save compatibility. The expanded-bag release is not a seamless upgrade for older saves.

Is Pokémon Odyssey Good for Nuzlockes?

I would recommend a regular playthrough first.

Doubles create situations where two opponents can threaten the same teammate, and unfamiliar forms make blind risk assessment harder. Permanent-loss rules can turn a useful learning mistake into a much larger setback.

For a later self-imposed Nuzlocke, decide your encounter rules in advance. In particular, establish how you will treat named labyrinth areas, gifts, and special encounters.

Odyssey’s biggest first-run attraction is discovering its world. I would not rush to make every discovery carry a permanent penalty.

Final Recommendation

Pokémon Odyssey is a strong choice when you want Pokémon to take you somewhere unfamiliar—not merely geographically, but in how the adventure is structured.

Play it for the labyrinth, the character-led story, and the satisfaction of making two teammates work together. Approach the navigation patiently, choose a manageable difficulty, and avoid spoiling the mystery through excessive preparation.

If that sounds more exciting than collecting another eight badges, Odyssey deserves your attention.