Normally the key features of a game like Odin Sphere, which include a "robust cooking and alchemy system" make my eyes glaze over, dreading the eighty hour play time one must sign up for to wind through a convoluted plot. But Vanillaware's latest is coming to North America and the words "action RPG" combined with the game's gorgeous, handdrawn graphics have forced me to pay attention.

The character artwork and in-game graphics really are breathtaking, making this sidescrolling, spiritual successor to the Saturn epic Princess Crown a fairly easy purchase. Check out the gallery below, hit the jump for the full release, and forgive us for letting it slip under the Kotaku radar. Michael McWhertor

Odin Sphere Official Site [Atlus]

ATLUS U.S.A., INC. SIGNS ODIN SPHERE

The Prophecy Must Die

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA — FEBRUARY 9, 2007 — Atlus U.S.A., Inc., a leading publisher of interactive entertainment, today announced the acquisition of the North American publishing rights to Odin Sphere, an Action RPG designed exclusively for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and slated to be in retail stores in late spring of 2007.

Odin Sphere is developed by Vanillaware, makers of the amazing Princess Crown for the Sega Saturn, and features beautiful hand-drawn artwork put into motion to tell an epic tale of power, loss, and love. The game is rated "T" by the ESRB for Mild Language, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes, and Use of Alcohol.

About Odin Sphere:

The nations of Erion had always held an uneasy peace, as the various kings and queens watched each other for any signs of weakness. When the country of Valentine is obliterated by the power of an ancient artifact, it sparks a bloody war between the fairies of Ringford and the warriors of Ragnanival. Little do they know that they are acting out an almost-forgotten prophecy: one that, if fulfilled, will lead to the destruction of the entire world. Take control of the warrior princess Gwendolyn, daughter of Odin, and follow the threads of an intricately woven story as you uncover the truth behind the prophecy - and how to bring it to an end.

Odin Sphere Key Features:

* Gorgeous hand-drawn artwork and animations!
* Intense side-scrolling action with astonishing attacks and magic effects!
* Fully-voiced dialogue that heightens the drama!
* Fantastic bosses that tower over the protagonists!
* Five playable characters in all; each one's fate is intertwined with the others'!
* A robust cooking and alchemy system that can be used to create powerful attack and recovery items!

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About Atlus U.S.A., Inc.

Located in Irvine, California and founded in 1991, Atlus U.S.A., Inc. is a publisher of video games for a variety of platforms, including the Nintendo DS , Game Boy Advance, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and Xbox . Atlus U.S.A, Inc.'s library of critically acclaimed video games includes Riviera: The Promised Land, Trauma Center: Under the Knife, Magna Carta: Tears of Blood, and the award-winning Shin Megami Tensei series. For more information, visit http://www.atlus.com.

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