Nippon Ichi Software, Idea Factory and Gust Corporation have joined forces yet again to bring another crossover role-playing game exclusive to the Playstation 3 in the form of Trinity Universe (the first being Cross Edge ).

Quirky storyline and cast of characters; English and Japanese voice tracks; in-game date/time affect enemies and shop inventory; battle system for novice or pros; dungeon point ranking system; downloadable content (via the Playstation store); offers two distinct story lines; gorgeous character...

Graphics are fairly remedial; settings/dungeon maps are plain and often monotonous; sluggish battle animations; limited magic/special ability system

Trinity Universe is weird. There's no getting past it. Nippon Ichi Software always manages to release some of Japan's more eccentric material, and Trinity Universe is right up there with the best of them.

The cast of Trinity Universe is a rambunctious one, pulling you along through their adventures with sheer manic energy. The force of their combined personalities is as over-the-top as many elements of this game: the world, the items, and a myriad of character enhancement options.

Eccentric cast's love of violence is infectious; Good battle flow once mastered; Multiple character upgrades are both powerful and optional

Bland dungeons don't meet the same standards as the wacky outer designs; String of similar objectives can be a drag; The 'real' ending requires an FAQ

Similar to last year's Cross Edge , Trinity Universe is a crossover JRPG combining characters from Gust's Atelier series and Nippon Ichi Software's Disgaea series. I'm hesitant to call Trinity Universe a "do-over," but in some ways that's exactly what it is.

At first glance, it might seem that I'm not the ideal person to be reviewing this title. I have no particular love of the Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) genre, I find turn-based combat largely flat, and I'm not familiar enough with the source material to be able to understand why a scantily-clad...

Engaging and seldom-tedious role-playing game combat

Being buried alive under an avalanche of loot

Trinity Universe is a hodgepodge of that same brand of silliness and rambunctious dialog that has successfully transformed NIS America's past efforts into such memorable affairs.

Say what you will about NISA, but one thing I love about them is that they bring games over to the West that would be hard pressed to make it over here otherwise. Were it not for them then I would never have had the chance to play any crossover RPG (for better or for worse).

While there really is only one storyline, told from the two distinct perspectives via Demon Dog King Kanata and Valkyrie Rizelea, Trinity Universe treats' you to two immersive adventures that can reach lengths of 30-40 hours depending on style of play.

Cross-over games were once few and far between with characters rarely making a cameo in a different game series. This is starting to change however when publisher NIS America gets together with groups like Gust and Idea Factory.

Trinity Universe is a crossover RPG between characters from Nippon Ichi Software and Gust. Offering different story arcs, Trinity Universe will feature two scenarios, Megami and Mao, depending on which publisher or character you prefer.