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

Tides of Annihilation opens first public demo at Gamescom 2026

First hands-on

Published

August 6, 2026

Leez

Tides of Annihilation will make its public playable debut at Gamescom 2026.

Developer Eclipse Glow Games announced that attendees can try an extended demo of the upcoming action-adventure game during the event in Cologne, Germany. Players can find the demo at Hall 6, Booth B-050 inside Koelnmesse.

The studio will also reveal a new trailer during Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25, before the show floor opens.

Demo offers more exploration and combat

The Gamescom demo gives players a longer look at Tides of Annihilation. It features branching paths that lead to different exploration routes and combat encounters. Players can also explore key locations and experience several of the game’s biggest set pieces.

“Gamescom will be an incredibly important moment for our team since this will be our first global playtest and we’re excited to see how first-time players experience our game,” said Ary Chen, Game Director and Co-CEO of Eclipse Glow Games.

“The team has poured heart, soul, and maybe even a few tears into developing the game over the last few years, and it’s finally our opportunity to share it with players. We’re looking forward to seeing their reaction.”

Members of the press and content creators can also schedule private hands-on sessions with the development team during the event.

Arthurian-inspired adventure

Tides of Annihilation blends fast-paced action with a Neo-Medieval vision of modern London. The story follows Gwendolyn after an Outworld invasion leaves the city in ruins.

Driven by a mission to save her sister, she travels between a shattered London and the mythical realm of Avalon. Along the way, she uncovers the mystery behind her newfound powers. She must also decide the fate of reality itself.

Eclipse Glow Games is developing Tides of Annihilation for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

Gaming

Street Fighter 6 adds first Filipino fighter Yasmine to its roster

Eskrima fighter joins battle

Published

August 6, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Street Fighter 6 has officially welcomed Yasmine, making history as the first Filipino martial artist to join the franchise’s playable roster. The new character is now available across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 as part of the game’s Year 4 content.

Yasmine practices Eskrima, having learned the Filipino martial art alongside her older brother under their grandfather’s guidance. She wields Karambit knives in battle and embarks on a journey to find her missing brother.

Players can access Yasmine by purchasing the Year 4 Character Pass or Year 4 Ultimate Pass. Her default outfit features traditional Eskrima-inspired combat attire, while a school uniform serves as her second costume. In combat, she specializes in fast, aggressive attacks that build toward an enhanced Bayani Mode.

Yasmine is the first of four Year 4 fighters, followed by Arjun, Tifa from the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, and Bosch. Her release also arrives alongside battle balance adjustments affecting the entire roster.

Onimusha crossover arrives this week

Capcom also announced a limited-time collaboration between Street Fighter 6 and Onimusha. Running from August 7 to August 31, 2026, the event introduces Oni EX character colors, themed Battle Hub decorations, avatar items, and additional rewards for players who log in during the event.

The update also adds new Avatar Arcade courses, additional ending scenes, a Frame Meter option for Avatar Random Match, and refreshed Master ACT rewards.

Philippine launch event set for August 9

Capcom will celebrate Yasmine’s debut with an official Philippine community launch event on Sunday, August 9, at Salud! by Primera Bar & Restaurant in Palanan, Makati. The event runs from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM and features a double-elimination tournament, gameplay showcases, giveaways, and community activities.

Attendees can also receive limited-edition Yasmine merchandise, including event T-shirts, lanyards, and collectible keychains while supplies last. Special guests and cosplayers are also scheduled to appear. Admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis and is subject to venue capacity.

Gaming

Gangstar Mirage City launches on August 20 with SEA localization

Join a faction now for a chance to win rewards

Published

August 5, 2026

GadgetMatch

Gangstar Mirage City is set for a full regional launch on August 20, with localization for the Southeast Asia region.

Published by Level Infinite, the free-to-play multiplayer, urban, open-world action game is available for download on iOS and Android.

The full regional release features an expanded open world, a new PvP Arena mode, and local languages.

In Gangstar Mirage City, players can team up for up to 4-man co-op heists, drive powerful vehicles, customize their arsenal, build an empire, and fight for control of Rooklyn City.

Players can register on gangstarmiragecity.com for in-game rewards.

In Southeast Asia, players can also register as a member of their respective local faction and get an exclusive in-game Avatar to represent their loyalty:

Philippines: Manila Brigade
Indonesia: War Kanda
Malaysia: Taiko Tedung
Thailand: SIAM APEX

Factions will be ranked based on how many players join and support them. The winning faction will enable all members to get 300 Diamonds, sent directly to their accounts.

Meanwhile, all players, including those who already began their journey in Rooklyn City with the soft launch last July, are invited to join the Global Vault Heist.

Reaching the final Registration Milestone will unlock the Full Tilt Vehicle Pack. These are the rewards up for grabs per milestone: