The Odyssey - Winds of Athena Review

There is no question that casual gaming still offers the most interesting array of titles of any gaming sector since a developer can still create a fun game for less than $150K, but there are times when it feels like every "mainstream" casual game is a Match 3 game or Tapper clone.  That's why it's sometimes more interesting to take a deeper look at the true independent developers in casual games, and that's when you run into a game like The Odyssey - Winds of Athena. (download free trial here)

Published by a small firm called Liquid Dragon, Odyssey is a mythology-themed game where the goal is to direct Odysseus's ships around a series of challenges, from rocky shoals to cyclops and harpies.  The key here is that the player can do this only by using the mouse to influence the winds and currents around the ships, causing them to move in the correct direction, avoid danger, and get to the end goal for each scene - lose enough ships and fail that level - see screenshots to get a better feel for the game.  The graphics are simple but beautiful (requires graphics card) and the overall look and feel is nicely done.  This type of gameplay definitely feels a little bit like the old Lunar Lander (use direction and rocket boosters to land on the correct pad), it has a somewhat steep learning curve, and it will not appeal to everyone, but it's a fun, unique game with a healthy dose of mythology.

Verdict - not for everyone, but a great example of why indie casual games often rock

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