I have long been an admirer of the enchanting world of Fairy Tail, and while I had heard whispers of Edens Zero, I had yet to delve into its narrative. My curiosity piqued when a trailer for a video game adaptation of Edens Zero emerged, prompting me to swiftly engage with its demo before immersing myself in the full game experience.
Game Overview
Game Name: Edens Zero
Platform(s): PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Reviewed)
Developer(s): Konami
Publisher(s): Konami
Release Date: July 15th, 2025
Price: .99
In Edens Zero, players step into the shoes of Shiki, a young boy residing on Granbell, a planet that resembles a sprawling amusement park run by robots. As the sole human inhabitant, Shiki’s life takes a turn when he meets Rebecca, a traveling B-Cuber. Their journey begins when a “virus” incites the robots to turn against humanity, leading Rebecca to whisk Shiki away to Blue Garden. Shiki’s ambition is clear: he aspires to become an adventurer and seek out the Mother of the universe.
Experiencing The Story Of Edens Zero
The game offers two distinct modes: Story Mode and Exploration Mode. In Story Mode, players accompany Shiki on his cosmic adventures, uncovering the mysteries of his robotic father while forging new friendships. As the narrative unfolds, Shiki inherits his father’s ship, the Edens Zero, and sets out to locate the crew of Ziggy, his adopted father. Players will encounter resting points scattered throughout a linear map, where they can choose to engage in battles with monsters or navigate around them. Boss fights await at the end of each chapter, providing a thrilling climax to the story progression.
Advancing through the chapters unlocks new abilities for characters, enhancing their combat prowess and upgrading the coveted overboost ability.
Exploration Mode
My time in Edens Zero was predominantly spent in Exploration Mode, where players embark on quests from the Adventurer’s Guild across the expansive Blue Garden. Travel options include Shiki’s gravity-defying ether abilities and Rebecca’s motorcycle. Quests vary widely, from delivering items to battling formidable foes, often culminating in intense skirmishes. The mode also introduces Ether sources, which are essential for unlocking skill tree nodes for party members, alongside a plethora of equipment that adds depth to gameplay.
Equipment
One of the standout features of Edens Zero is its innovative approach to equipment. Unlike many contemporary games that treat gear as mere stat boosters, Edens Zero allows players to customize character appearances with each piece of equipment. Early in the game, players unlock a dress factory aboard the Edens Zero ship, enabling them to transmog gear for aesthetic purposes. This feature caters to both male and female characters, offering a diverse selection of outfits ranging from modest to fan service.
Performance Woes
My initial experience with Edens Zero was on the Steam Deck, but performance issues marred the experience, with the game struggling to maintain 60 FPS even at low settings. In contrast, my robust PC setup, featuring an NVIDIA RTX 4080 Super and AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, delivered a consistently smooth experience, particularly in Story Mode, where frame rates soared to 240 FPS. However, Exploration Mode proved more erratic, fluctuating between 150 and 240 FPS.
Bringing Edens Zero To Life
The art direction of Edens Zero is a visual delight, mirroring the vibrant aesthetics of the anime. Character designs by Hiro Mashima are beautifully rendered, with animations that bring the world to life. Combat mechanics blend action RPG elements with classic beat ’em up styles, offering a diverse range of character combos and playstyles. While some characters may feel less fluid in their controls, the overall combat experience remains engaging, despite the occasional frustration with enemy sponginess.
Can’t Stop Playing
As a fan of beat ’em ups and the Musou genre, Edens Zero captivates with its addictive gameplay. The thrill of unlocking outfits, discovering collectibles, and exploring Blue Garden is immensely satisfying. While the game may not cater to every player’s tastes, particularly with its storytelling approach, it resonates deeply with those who appreciate its unique blend of genres. For those intrigued, I highly recommend downloading the demo available across all platforms.
Review Disclosure Statement: Edens Zero was provided to us by Konami for review purposes. For more information on our review process, please refer to our Review Guideline/Scoring Policy.
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Summary
Edens Zero presents an intriguing fusion of classic beat ’em ups, Musou gameplay, and action combat, resulting in an engaging experience. While it may exhibit some outdated elements and performance issues, the overall enjoyment remains intact.
Pros
- Engaging combat and exploration
- Charming main character, Shiki
- Extensive equipment customization
Cons
- Performance inconsistencies on PC
- Occasional character control issues
- Repetitive quest design
