Among the JRPG genre, there is no company that has put out more beloved classics than Square Enix. Square and Enix separately made theFinal FantasyandDragon Questfranchises, the two poster boys of the genre that defined it for years to come. Along a path paved by those franchises came plenty of pit stops to try different games.Chrono Triggerwas one of its most acclaimed titles, and its own spiritual prequelLive A Liveis now getting similar recognition.Parasite Eve,Kingdom Hearts, andTactics Ogrecarved out niches of their own, as has theValkyriefranchise.
There are too many highlights in Square Enix’s library to list. Suffice it to say, even with the company’s missteps, there’s always been something for fans to latch onto or dig up from the past. Not all games and franchises have been treated equally by history, however, and a few of notable quality have fallen by the wayside. Perhaps the most tragic of these is the uniqueValkyrieseries, which was begun by developer Tri-Ace in 1999 for the PS1.Valkyrie Profileand its successor games, including this year’sValkyrie Elysium, reinterpreted the JRPG formula in new ways, and Square Enix seems keen to give the franchise a second chance.
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Valkyrie Profile Distinguished Itself From Other Square Enix Games
If there are two things that theValkyriegames are known for, they are experimental gameplay and general obscurity. While this hascontributed toValkyrie Profile’s ownersbecoming diehard fans, it’s hard to deny that the games themselves are niche.Valkyrie Profilewas not the first attempt at merging turn-based and action elements, but it was one of the most notable. Four-man parties are able to attack in unison and perform combos together similarly to a traditional fighting game, complete with a super meter building up across successful combos. It was a basic system compared to later entries and imitators, but kept fights stimulating.
Those concerned about the battle system becoming tiresome need not worry, as the rest of the game also had a detailed infrastructure. Ragnarok, the end of the world, is fast approaching, and Valkyrie Lenneth must find worthy souls to fight in the final war deciding the fate of existence.These Einherjar must be strengthened quickly, as recruiting them and visiting locations takes up limited periods within each chapter. Sufficiently strong Einherjar must be sent to Valhalla along with special artifacts to fulfill each chapter’s quota. Fulfilling this, and various other side tasks, will affect the player’s ending. Combined with three difficulty modes changing up the content,Valkyrie Profilehas a ton of replay value to promote striving towards mastery.
The Valkyrie Gameplay Formula Is Worth Checking Out
With all that being said, it’s not hard to see whyValkyrie Profilefans think the franchise is something special. It thrives on its difference, and challenges players to master both its systems and setting for the best possible results. This carries on through both of the Tri-Ace developed sequels,Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria, andValkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume.Valkyrie Profile 2isn’t as iconic as the first installment, but builds on it and is definitely worth experiencing for those looking for hidden gems in the action-RPG genre.Covenant of the Plume, meanwhile, jumps genres into turn-based strategy on the Nintendo DS, with the concept of sacrificing allies for power becoming the main focus. Both are strange, but that makes them worth examining.
The rest of theValkyriefranchise is similarly off kilter.Valkyrie Anatomiawas a mobile title that ran from 2016 to 2021, drawing visual and gameplay inspiration from the first game.Valkyrie Elysiumwas just released bySamurai Jack: Battle Through TimedeveloperSoleil Inc., and will be of interest to those fond of obscure PS2 action games. Finally, there is theValkyrie ProfileremasterValkyrie Profile: Lenneth. While initially released on the PSP, it will come to PS4 and PS5 in December 2022, and should be a great starting point for those interested in theValkyrieseries.
Because ofValkyrie’s niche fame, various indie imitators such asIndivisiblehave cropped up in recent years.Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy 13is also notably similar to theValkyrie Profilegames, due to its apocalyptic plot, melancholic visuals, battles, and limited time. A common theory is that Tri-Ace’s attempts to reboot theValkyriefranchise were folded intoLightning Returns, so those looking for moreValkyriecould find fulfillment here. WhileProfile 2andCovenant of the Plumeare locked to emulators for now, PC and console ports have madeValkyriemore accessible than ever. Now is the perfect time to get into theValkyrieseries and games like it.
Valkyrie Elysiumis available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.
