Despite a strong following for the manga and anime, EDENS ZERO’s transition into the realm of action RPGs feels like a mixed bag. Developed and published by Konami, this adaptation follows Shiki, Rebecca, and Happy as they journey across Blue Garden and beyond, offering fans a familiar premise with a touch of new material. The game follows the source material closely, with cutscenes that recall key story arcs, but often leans heavily on exposition and fan service rather than developing compelling standalone narrative beats exclusive to the game. While there are moments that will resonate with longtime fans, newcomers may feel lost or underwhelmed.
Gameplay-wise, EDENS ZERO adopts a real-time combat system with a party of three characters you can freely switch between. Each character has a unique set of moves and special abilities, and the combat loop encourages experimentation with combos and timing. However, despite a solid foundational system, the gameplay can feel lacking in depth. Enemy variety is limited, and the action quickly becomes repetitive without significant mechanical evolution over the course of the story. There’s some satisfaction in landing finishing moves or building up gauges for special attacks, but the overall combat experience doesn’t manage to elevate itself beyond the genre’s more generic offerings.
The RPG mechanics aim to offer customization and progression, with over 700 equippable items and the ability to tweak stats and visuals. While this sounds promising, the gear system is largely superficial. Equipment choices rarely impact strategy in meaningful ways, and many accessories serve cosmetic purposes more than gameplay functionality – causing us to lose interest in it over time. The card collection system and scattered lore notes attempt to inject some exploration value, but aside from a few rewards, they don’t add much incentive for thorough searching.
Exploration itself is both a strength and a missed opportunity. Blue Garden, the game’s central hub, is expansive and visually consistent with the anime’s aesthetic, but it often feels lifeless. NPCs lack interactivity, and side quests are mostly fetch-based or revolve around basic combat scenarios. Planetary travel unlocks as you progress, but despite the allure of cosmic adventuring, the environments feel more like set pieces than living worlds. There’s little variety in level design, and the worlds don’t feel distinct or memorable enough to encourage deeper engagement.
Technically, the game runs well on PlayStation 5, with fast loading times and sharp visuals that mimic the anime’s cel-shaded style. However, animations often feel stiff, especially during combat and cutscenes, and the voice acting can be hit-or-miss depending on your language preference. The soundtrack is functional but rarely memorable, and sound design overall feels undercooked. A bit more attention in this area could have added much-needed energy to battles and cutscenes alike.
Ultimately, EDENS ZERO feels like a game made with fans in mind, but even they might find it difficult to overlook the lack of polish and depth in gameplay and storytelling. There’s clear potential in the universe and characters, and the inclusion of new story material by creator Hiro Mashima will be appreciated by die-hards. Yet in trying to cater to existing fans while serving as an action RPG, the game falls short of excelling at either. For genre newcomers or action RPG veterans, this is a tough sell – but for those invested in the EDENS ZERO universe, there’s just enough charm to warrant a closer look.
Score: 6.5/10
Press Play Media 