“Chrono Odyssey” is an ambitious, next-generation action MMORPG developed by Chrono Studio and published by Kakao Games, aiming to redefine the genre with its time-manipulation mechanics and expansive world. Set in the war-torn realm of Setera, players take on the role of “Sentinels” fighting against chaotic forces, utilizing a unique device called the “Chronotector” to bend time and space. While the game is still in development, with a full release planned for Q4 2025, recent closed beta tests have offered a first glimpse into its potential and current state.
Positive Aspects
- Visually Ambitious World: Powered by Unreal Engine 5, “Chrono Odyssey” promises a truly immersive and beautiful open world with dynamic weather and day-night cycles. While beta players noted inconsistencies, the core art direction and grand scale glimpsed in trailers are undeniably impressive, with sweeping vistas and intricate environments.
- Dynamic Action Combat: The combat system aims for a “Souls-like” feel, emphasizing skilful dodges, weapon switching, and strategic use of abilities. When it clicks, it can be engaging and challenging, particularly with the unique time-bending “Chronotector” mechanics that allow players to manipulate the flow of battle.
- Deep Customization: The game offers extensive character customization options, allowing players significant freedom to personalize their appearance, from gender and body types to intricate facial features and hairstyles. This level of detail helps players create truly unique avatars.
- Promising Systems: Elements like the randomized loot system have been praised by some beta testers for keeping item acquisition fresh and rewarding. The developers have also indicated a commitment to meaningful harvesting and crafting, which could provide depth for those who enjoy economic and progression systems beyond combat.
- Developer Engagement: Kakao Games and Chrono Studio appear to be actively listening to player feedback from the beta, acknowledging issues and expressing a commitment to refining key gameplay elements, performance, and stability before launch.
Negative Aspects
- Unpolished State (Beta Concerns): A significant concern raised by beta participants is the game’s current lack of polish. Issues include janky character animations, inconsistent performance even on high-end hardware, and noticeable visual glitches that detract from immersion. Many felt the game looked substantially worse than its promotional trailers.
- Clunky Combat & Movement: Despite the promise of action-oriented combat, several beta testers found it clunky, buggy, and at times feeling like “one-button mashing.” Movement animations were criticized, and the dodge mechanic reportedly lacked sufficient invincibility frames, making it less effective than expected.
- Confusing UI/UX & Navigation: The game’s user interface and overall user experience, particularly regarding quest tracking and map coordination, were cited as confusing and unintuitive. Players often struggled to navigate objectives, leading to frustration. The implementation of Chronotector abilities also lacked clear in-game guidance.
- Problematic Server Architecture: The beta revealed a server structure with numerous individual servers per region (e.g., 40+ for Asia), leading to fragmented communities and no cross-server character progression. This is a significant drawback for an MMORPG aiming for a vast, interconnected world and can hinder grouping and social interaction.
- Repetitive Content & Lack of Depth (Early Game): While the open world is expansive, some beta players felt the early-game content, including side missions and crafting, lacked unique mechanics, leading to a sense of generic repetition.
- Steep Learning Curve/Difficulty: While challenging combat can be a positive, some found the difficulty from even basic open-world mobs to be punishing, feeling more akin to a hardcore action RPG than a typical MMORPG, which might deter a broader audience.
Reasons to Play “Chrono Odyssey”
- Immersive World & Lore: If you enjoy fantasy settings with deep lore, time-bending mechanics, and potentially Greek mythology influences, Setera offers a visually stunning canvas to explore.
- Action-Oriented Combat: For players who prefer active, skill-based combat over traditional tab-targeting MMOs, the “Souls-like” approach and Chronotector abilities could provide a fresh and engaging experience.
- Extensive Customization: If character personalization is a high priority for you, the robust character creation system allows for significant individuality.
- Desire for a “New World” / “Elden Ring” Hybrid: Some beta players described it as a hybrid between the action combat of “Elden Ring” and the open-world MMO elements of “New World,” which might appeal to fans of those titles looking for a blend.
- Long-Term Potential: The core ideas and the sheer ambition behind “Chrono Odyssey” are compelling. If Chrono Studio can address the beta’s shortcomings, the game has the potential to grow into a truly great MMORPG.
Reasons Not to Play “Chrono Odyssey”
- Immature State at Launch (Potential): Based on beta feedback, the game needs substantial polish and optimization. If these issues aren’t resolved by release, the launch experience could be frustrating.
- Preference for Traditional MMORPGs: If you prefer more classic MMORPG mechanics, a less demanding combat system, or robust social features like seamless server integration, “Chrono Odyssey” might not align with your expectations.
- Performance Concerns: Players with mid-to-lower-end systems might struggle to run the game smoothly, as even high-end PCs faced optimization issues during the beta.
- “Souls-like” Difficulty Not for Everyone: The challenging nature of combat, where even regular mobs can be deadly, might be a deterrent for players seeking a more casual or forgiving MMORPG experience.
- Distrust of Early Hype: If you’re wary of games that look incredible in trailers but underdeliver in actual gameplay, the discrepancies noted by beta testers between promotional material and the beta experience might make you hesitant.
- All negative aspect above!
Ratings from Gaming Sites (Early Beta Impressions)
As “Chrono Odyssey” is not yet officially released, there are no aggregated review scores from major gaming sites like Metacritic or IGN. However, early beta impressions from players and preview outlets have provided initial sentiments:
- Steam Community / User Reviews: Early user impressions on Steam are mixed to negative. Anecdotal scores range from 2/10 (citing poor optimization, clunky combat, and lack of engaging content) to 6.5/10 (acknowledging potential but highlighting significant need for polish in visuals, gameplay, and systems).
- Reddit MMORPG Community: Discussion on Reddit shows a similar mixed reception, with many players expressing disappointment over the game’s “janky” state, performance issues, and visuals that don’t match trailers. Some users, however, found enjoyment in the challenging combat and potential for character builds.
- FixxerTV Rating: 4/10 The game has nothing new to offer and along with the above negative aspects is definitely not an option for me. There are several games out there that offer the same game play and are polished and proven like New World.
Platforms & Where to Purchase
“Chrono Odyssey” is planned for release on:
- PC: Available digitally via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
- PlayStation 5: Available digitally via the PlayStation Store.
- Xbox Series X|S: Available digitally via the Xbox Store.
The game will not be free-to-play and will require a purchase.
Conclusion and Recommendation
“Chrono Odyssey” is a game brimming with ambition and promising concepts. Its stunning visual design (as seen in trailers), unique time-manipulation combat, and extensive customization options present a compelling vision for a next-generation MMORPG, which they have failed to deliver or stand to the visual and hype of the trailer videos.
However, the recent closed beta has revealed significant hurdles that Chrono Studio must overcome before its Q4 2025 release. The game currently suffers from optimization issues, inconsistent visuals that fall short of its promotional material, unpolished animations, and a clunky user experience. The fragmented server structure is also a notable concern for an MMORPG.
Recommendation: Given its current state in beta, “Chrono Odyssey” is not worth buying at launch unless significant improvements are made. While it holds immense potential as many games we have seen and reviewed in the past and the developers seem receptive to feedback, it appears to need more time in the oven. It is advisable to wait for official launch reviews and post-launch player feedback to see if the core issues are adequately addressed. Keep an eye on its development, but approach with cautious optimism rather than pre-ordering or purchasing immediately.