Gaming

One Piece Odyssey Hands-On: Open world, tactical battles

Designed like a true JRPG, felt like it too

Published

November 9, 2022

Gab Orlina

It dawned upon us that BANDAI NAMCO is known for having a string of One Piece video games out there. Across multiple systems, the franchise mostly hosted a ton of role-playing games and some fighting games here and there. This time around, the company is looking for some way to merge the two themes into the next generation.

One Piece Odyssey is the fruit of their labor, and is initially designed to be a “fully-fleshed out JPRG” by their standards. Their new, next-gen optimized title brings together all the role playing mixed with turn-based combat. All in an ideally open world setting. Of course, the stars of the show include your favorite characters from the popular anime itself!

We got a chance to try this game out for ourselves at the Thailand Game Show 2022. Here’s what we think about this upcoming JRPG:

The Straw Hat Pirates journey into the unknown

In One Piece Odyssey, you join the Straw Hat Pirates in an adventure to a mysterious island called Waford. Legend has it that it’s a place where no journeyman has ever come back, as a wild storm covers the island and all nearby areas. During the Thailand Game Show preview, we even got a preview of one of the areas you can visit, Alabasta.

No One Piece game is complete without the full force of the Straw Hat Pirates as some of your favorite characters are here. From Monkey D. Luffy to Chopper, everyone has a role to play especially in a more open world setting. Of course, it wouldn’t be an adventure without some back and forth banter within the crew, especially with the members you take with you. I only wished that the banter didn’t take up 60% of the time you spend playing the game.

Much like any open world game, you also get your fair share of main and side quests with the rest of the crew. With these, you get to explore some of the areas in a whole new way and even discover some secrets to help clear the storm. Visually, everything looked detailed enough and designed well against the One Piece art style.

Turn-based combat with some rock-paper-scissors

As a Japanese RPG, there’s no better way to express it than through turn-based, command-focused combat. For One Piece Odyssey, this comes in the form of enemy Encounters throughout both main and side quests that are usually done with groups of enemies. Much like all other JRPGs, each character comes with their own set of attacks designed for either combat or support.

In a rather unique twist, Encounters come with enemies in which you are either strong or weak against. Think of it like playing Pokémon but with One Piece characters and enemies, which I honestly found pretty cool. Instead of going into every battle and just keep attacking, there’s an added layer of strategy added to it. At the end of each Encounter, your crew members earn XP and even level up to gain some strength and attribute boosts.

Also, as an additional combat mechanic, you can even initiate attacks that deal damage within an area-of-effect and can heal other members, given the open world setting. This is honestly good when dealing with hordes of enemies during specific Encounters. Although, this is only available for a specific set of characters, so choose wisely.

Need more plot details

The thing though is, well, the short demo we played during the Thailand Game Show 2022 didn’t really provide much details on the full story. Somehow, the gang found themselves already within the island areas, fighting a storm that clouds the whole area. Also, there are a bunch of new characters you will meet along the way.

As revealed during the TGS 2022 festivities, One Piece Odyssey comes with the arrival of Lim and Adeo, two mysterious characters with their own sets of abilities. Although, it’s quite unclear as to what their intentions are for the Straw Hat Crew. Hopefully, more details will be revealed soon.

Overall, One Piece Odyssey serves up a promising title for JRPG fans and even One Piece fans alike. I honestly enjoyed the short time experiencing this game, from the exploration to the combat mechanics. If anything, I can give the amount of dialogue in between loading and cutscenes a pass despite how much of your time is consumed by it.

You might have to wait a while for the full game as One Piece Odyssey will be available January 2023 for both modern and next-gen consoles plus the PC.

Related Topics:Bandai Namco One Piece One Piece Odyssey

Gaming

Civilization VII is finally adding a fourth Age

Plus, an upcoming paid expansion will introduce space-themed gameplay.

Published

September 7, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

I’m not ashamed to admit that I had fun with Civilization VII. Despite spanning seven generations already, the 4X game series is now going through a rough patch with the current entry, riddled as it is with lackluster reviews. Again, I had fun with it, but I can see that it’s still lacking in some respects. Next year, Civilization VII is finally plugging in some of those gaps with a free update and a paid expansion.

Coming in 2027, the upcoming “Arc of Tomorrow” will introduce something that every fan is wishing for: a fourth Age. Currently, the game has three playable Ages: Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern, spanning from ancient prehistory to the 1950s. Now, the Atomic Age will span from the 1950s to the 2050s.

As the name implies, the Atomic Age will introduce the nuclear arms race, pitting nations against each other in a race to disarm or escalate the accumulation of nuclear warheads. The update also teases a “fun twist on mutually assured destruction.” Likewise, new Civs, leaders, and units are coming. Oh, and series favorite Gandhi is coming back with the nukes.

Then, adding a bit more mystery into the future of the series, the upcoming paid expansion, Earthrise, will introduce astronomy and spacefaring as mechanics. Starting from the early Ages, players can ponder the stars and discover space-themed mechanics to help conquer the world. The Modern Age will then have the standard operations to the Moon. Finally, the Atomic Age will have players engage in interplanetary missions to get new resources and help life back on Earth.

Love the game or not, Civilization VII is proving that it is a dynamic game still pushing for perfection. There’s hope that this upcoming update will be a state of completion that everyone is happy with.

Gaming

GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT launches in March 2027

Gundam pilots face the Apocalypse.

Published

September 6, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT will launch on March 5, 2027, bringing a new action-focused sci-fi story to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia also opened pre-orders for the game and released a new trailer. The footage offers a closer look at its story, gameplay, characters, and a mysterious black Mobile Suit with glowing red eyes.

The game puts players in the cockpit of the Gundam Helix. Players take on the role of RE-X, a pilot who joins a group of soldiers fighting against the Apocalypse, an unknown threat facing humanity.

Build your own Mobile Suit

GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT gives players several ways to customize the Gundam Helix for combat.

Players can equip different weapons, frames, thrusters, and Apocalypse Units (AP-U). They can also select their own color scheme.

Each weapon comes with its own actions and skills. This lets players adapt their approach as battles move across expansive ground and aerial environments.

RE-X will also encounter several characters throughout the story.

Vii is RE-X’s Haro companion and serves as an intelligent assist unit built specifically for the Gundam Helix. April Freeman is the captain of the Stellarvane, an independent special-duty vessel that takes on missions against the Apocalypse.

Meanwhile, Elaine Galath is a knight commander and skilled Mobile Suit pilot who leads her forces from the front lines. Big Paul leads a group of sand pirates who hunt the Apocalypse while raiding wealthy transports to distribute supplies to settlers.

Sophia also appears as the game’s heroine. She is a mysterious girl who monitors RE-X’s situation.

Three editions available

GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT will be available in Standard, Deluxe, and Collector’s Editions.

The Standard Edition includes the base game and an Early Unlock Earth Blue Color Customization. The bonus is available with packaged early purchases and digital pre-orders.

The Deluxe Edition adds the Premium Mod Skins Set, a 14-color Mobile Suit Color Pack, Digital Artwork & Music Selection, and a Mission Reward Booster.

The Collector’s Edition includes all Deluxe Edition content, along with a steel case, five GUNDAM Card Game promo card designs, and an HG 1/144 ARK-10 GUNDAM HELIX model kit in the Earth Blue version.

GUNDAM ROGUE ORBIT launches March 5, 2027, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

Gaming

Lenovo Legion teams up with Quiccs

A new Filipino gaming collectible

Published

September 6, 2026

GadgetMatch

Lenovo Legion is bringing gaming and Filipino design together through a new collaboration with toy designer Quiccs.

The partnership was unveiled at SuperManila Comic Con on September 6 as part of Lenovo’s campaign for its Legion Gen 11 devices. It introduces a special Lenovo Legion x Quiccs collectible that reimagines Quiccs’ signature character with a Lenovo Legion-inspired design.

The collectible also comes in customized Lenovo Legion x Quiccs packaging, combining the identities of the Filipino artist and gaming brand.

A collaboration rooted in gaming

The partnership brings together two of Quiccs’ interests: gaming and design. The toy designer is also an avid gamer who plays titles such as DOTA 2 and Counter-Strike.

During Lenovo Legion’s stage program at SuperManila Comic Con, Quiccs joined Charlotte Koa, Lenovo Consumer Business Lead, for a panel hosted by Gino Quillamor. They discussed the collaboration and the story behind its design.

“Gaming has always been something I enjoy, so getting the chance to bring my design into the Legion world made this collaboration especially interesting for me,” said Quiccs.

For Lenovo, the partnership is also a way to connect with the local gaming community through Filipino creative talent. Koa noted that gaming culture extends beyond playing games and includes communities, creativity, personal expression, and shared interests.

Legion x Quiccs promo starts September 18

The collaboration will extend beyond the SuperManila Comic Con showcase through the Lenovo Legion x Quiccs Promo 2026.

Running from September 18 to October 31, 2026, the promo gives customers a limited-edition Legion x Quiccs freebie with every qualifying purchase of select Lenovo Legion and LOQ devices from authorized participating stores.

Depending on the device purchased, freebies include 12-inch or 3-inch collectible toys, exclusive jerseys, and sticker packs. Customers can redeem the promo up to five times, with the freebie provided upon purchase.

Lenovo Legion was also a Platinum exhibitor at SuperManila Comic Con. Its booth gave convention-goers a chance to experience Legion devices and see the Quiccs collaboration.

Through the partnership, Lenovo Legion and Quiccs aim to bring gaming and Filipino creative culture closer together, turning gaming-inspired design into collectibles that fans can enjoy beyond the screen.