E3 06: Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth Preshow Report

Valkyrie Profile is a favorite of role-playing enthusiasts, but it came out too late to garner much fanfare when it was released in 2000 on the PlayStation. Square Enix is hoping to expose new players to the unique story and beautifully drawn graphics of the game by bringing it over to the PSP, complete with some new content.

We recently brought you impressions of the import version of the game, and nothing has changed since then, but here's a rundown to refresh your memory: Valkyrie Profile is the story of a valkyrie named Lenneth, who serves the god Odin. Lenneth is ordered to go to Midgard, the mortal realm, and recruit warriors to serve in the Sacred War between the gods Aesir and Vanir.

The gameplay in Valkryie Profile involves some light platforming, exploration, puzzle-solving, and of course lots of battles. The battle system is focused on combos that you can pull off by chaining attacks together. Each member of your party is assigned to a specific face button, and fighting is as simple as hitting the appropriate button at the right time.

The original Valkyrie Profile had a unique look derived from some amazingly detailed, hand-drawn backgrounds. The art style appears to hold up well on the PSP, and the character sprites and environments look great.

New to this version of the game are computer-generated cutscenes that serve to further illustrate the story. Additionally, these cutscenes contain key elements to tie Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth into the story of the upcoming Valkryie Profile 2: Silmeria.

Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth is already out in Japan, and it's scheduled to be released in the US later this year. We'll bring you more details on the game, so be sure to check back soon for updates.