The best in the VP series, COTP tells a deeply intriguing story about revenge & provides awesome strategic fun too!
I was worried Covenant of the Plume would be one such game. Luckily it definately isn't, and has turned out to be one of my favorite games in the large and constantly expanding library of DS games.
Been looking for a DS RPG with a creative and immersive story? This is it.
What about compelling characters and a gorgeous musical score? Check.
A battle system that is highly strategic and allows players different paths to take in order to claim victory? Yep, this game has that too.
The list goes on. Lets just say this is one of the ultimate RPGs on the system, so if you're a fan of the genre you shouldn't pass it up.
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume is a game for us older kids. The story is very well written and portrayed and is simply one of the best stories I've experienced in an RPG. It will carry even more weight if you're a fan of the other VP games.
Lenneth, a Valkyrie and the 2nd of Fate's 3 daughters, hangs around on the battlefield until each battle simmers down. Then she performs her duty: to take the chosen spirits of the fallen, both brave and strong, to Valhalla. There the spirits will prepare for the end of the world.
Wylfred, a young boy who loves his family, waves goodbye to his father and watches him head to war. His father never returns. However, Wylfred's dad was very brave, so Lenneth took his spirit to Valhalla, leaving a white feather behind with the body.
Wylfred, his mother, and his younger sister are deeply saddened when news reaches them of their loved one's death. Wylfred is forced to grow up very quickly, especially during a time of economic uncertainty. His family is running out of food, and soon his sister dies from starvation. This sends his mother into a state of depression.
Wylfred is furious. He decides to leave, along with his childhood friend Ancel, and seek out the valkyrie that ruined his life. To do this he must involve himself in battles, because it is on the field of battle where Lenneth dwells, waiting to take the chosen souls, and where Wylfred will seek his revenge.
This is only the prelude to a largely compelling story. Wylfred meets a mysterious woman who finds his quest for vengance amusing, so she decides to help him by giving him The Destiny Plume. It is the feather laid down those many years ago by his father's side, and Wylfred is told that in order to kill the valkyrie, he must stain the feather with the blood of his allies. This is the covenant of the plume. He's basically made a pact with the devil.
This carries over into the battlefield, where you, the player, are given a few choices. You can use the plume to power up your allies, giving them great strength and basically securing victory. However, once the battle is won your ally will die, as the plume consumes their soul and soaks itself in their blood. Or, you can choose to win the battle by mere force alone, ignoring the plume. However battles will be much more difficult.
The best ending can only be seen if you don't use the plume. If you decide to use it, then the ending changes. Its all up to you.
This power the game gives the player is extremely satisfying. Battles are also unique. They look like your usual fights, only each character can attack more than once. This adds a greater level of strategy to the game. Say you have your group in a square, and an enemy is in the middle. Since your group is close to the enemy, they all attack at the same time. So you can attack with your archer, while everyone else attacks too. Then you can attack with your mage, while everyone else attacks again. Then you can...
See how it works? Another interesting aspect of battles is Sin. In order to gain revenge and kill Lenneth, Wylfred has to sin. The way you sin is by killing your enemies more than is needed, called Overkill. Its like stabbing a dead body over and over again. This adds yet another level of strategy, because at the start of each battle you are given an amount of sin needed. If you don't sin that amount then you will be punished.
This is one of the most strategic games I've ever played.
The music is great too, your favorite VP tunes are back, along with newer and more sinister music to fit the game's dark story.
Like I said before, the game is meant for a more adult audience. The way characters speak can be confusing at times, since they live in the past where people spoke much more sophisticated. The story might be hard to follow for anyone younger than 13.
I'm in love with this game, and I'm confused as to why gamespot gave it such a low score because it truly is one of the best games on the DS.
Buy it!