[image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ed/Trinity_Universe_Cover_Art.jpg]
Title: Trinity Universe
Developer(s): Nippon Ichi Software, Gust Corporation, Idea Factory
Publisher(s): Idea Factory (Japan), NIS America
Release Date(s):
Japan - October 1, 2009
North America - June 29, 2010
Europe - June 25, 2010
Genre(s): Role-Playing Game
Platform(s): Playstation 3
Mode(s): Single-Player
Rating: T - Teen
Official Websites: | Japanese (http://www.ideaf.co.jp/trinity/) | English (http://nisamerica.com/games/trinityuniverse/) |
Trailer:
You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQky1wQSCQE)
You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQky1wQSCQE)
[media: http://www.youtube.com/v/DQky1wQSCQE&ap=%2526fmt%3D18&fs=1]
Trinity Universe is the product of three developing companies working together: Nippon Ichi Software, notable for their Disagea series; Gust Corporation, known for their Atelier and Mana Khemia games; and Idea Factory. Characters from the Disgaea series and Atelier series appear as playable characters in Trinity Universe, being in 3-D for the first time ever. Those who enjoy the humor in those series will once again experience it in this collaboration, with cross-references, memes, and popular, recurring characters conversing with original characters.
Story: The game takes place in the Netheruniverse, where there are drifting objects orbiting all around, from sushi to ruins to libraries. All is well and balanced, because in Empyria--the Netheruniverse's capital--the reigning king keeps everything stable. However, to accomplish this, he must sacrifice himself to become the Demon God Gem, which repels the drifting objects out of collision course with Empyria. Kanata, the next in line for the ritual to become the Demon God Gem, longs instead for a life of adventure, breaking free from the castle with the help of his vassal, Tsubaki, and going his own way to prevent the drifting objects from colliding.
When starting the game, you are prompted to choose one of two characters to play as: Demon Dog King Kanata or Valkyrie Rizelea. Both offer entirely different perspectives at first, but you do end up with every playable character in your party. You just need to pick who you want to see on the screen as you progress through the dungeons every time, and also who are in your party first. To get access to the full story of the game, though, you will end up needing to play through both characters' modes.
Gameplay: Trinity Universe offers a rather straight-forward atmosphere. Everything you will ever need is made possible at one menu, and that is the Netheruniverse screen. You will see everything that is currently drifting in orbit of Empyria and you can automatically access any of them. You do not, and you cannot, manually enter and exit dungeons with your character walking into them like typical RPGs. You just simply need to pick what you want to check out and you will be there.
Objects drift almost daily, both in and out or orbit. Sometimes nothing will happen. However, once something enters orbit, you are free to check it out, if it is something that can be checked out, such as a shop or a dungeon. Things like sushi or slippers are just there for orbiting and decoration. After a period of time, the object will drift out of orbit, but after some time it will re-enter orbit again. You can prevent certain objects you like from drifting by attaching an Anchor to it, which is an item synthesized or bought.
The game is split into thirteen chapters, and usually Events are needed to proceed with chapters, followed by event dungeons. Events can be viewed as one of the options on the large Netheruniverse menu. They are automatically shown upon choosing and depict what the characters are doing at the given time; some events are crucial to the story while others are there simply for entertainment purposes and randomness. Later on, there will be times where no dungeons are event dungeons and there are no events to vi
Goes to show that NIS will never die, because they know who their main target audience is and it's certainly not the complete Western hemisphere, just the select few who still crave old school stuff.
I was about to buy this game a couple of months ago since it looks sooo CUTE, but I never heard anything about it and decided against it.
Thanks so much for posting this review, I think I will buy it next time I have a chance. [image: http://animeforum.org.uk/images/smilies/biggrin.gif]
I wanted to buy it as soon as I heard about it, problem is I couldn't find it in any store. I'll try again next time. I already have Cross Edge so I must add this one to my collection of NIS goodness.
I'm glad I swayed your mind, Asa. =D I think it was very much worth the buy.
And you couldn't find it in stores? That's strange. It was still completely new and on the shelves where I am since it's still relatively new. Cross Edge is still on there, too, but that's another topic.
Once I earn enough money, I'll go to the stores again and see if they have it in stock during that visit.