To most, the world of Zill O’ll is going to be an unknown commodity. The series is fairly well known in Japan, and minus some brief flirtations with American audiences that were more geared towards fans of imports rather than a mainstream audience, most won’t have heard of the world this game is based in. Omega Force and Tecmo Koei are banking on the fact that what made the franchise popular in Japan will translate to American audiences, when they introduce the franchise to the U.S. next month.
Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll is an action RPG, with three playable characters on a quest that takes them through the world of Zill O’ll. Each character has his or her own specialties, as well as their own story and reasons for joining the group.
The first character is Areus, a character with human and elven origins. After years of living under discrimination due to his mixed heritage, he has grown up callous and alone. He finds his calling as a gladiator, but soon is forced to follow a different path towards revenge. In terms of gameplay, he balances magic and weapons-based attacks. Joining Areus is Dagada, a warrior that comes from a long line of warriors, and is able to utilize his strength in order to impact the environments. The third and final character is Selne an assassin, and the last of a tribe of vampires known as the Darkenith. She combines speed and stealth with magic. Her reasons for travelling with the group is the least well known.
We originally had a chance to play a hands-on version at E3, and while the game was still far from complete, the most obvious thing that stood out was the look of the game. The graphics are designed to combine standard video game animations, with a look akin to an oil painting. The results are something fresh and original.
Trinity: Souls of Zill O’ll was originally released in Japan back in November, but it will hit American shores as a PS3 exclusive on February 8, 2011.
