A solid and complex game birth from a cult brand.
The original title was an RPG extremely original and peculiar both in setting and in game mechanics making it a real cult.
Seems that Square Enix want revitalize the brand thanks to this game and the imminent new title for Nintendo DS.
The result, in this case, is a game technically unexceptionable that don't spoil his predecessor thanks to a great realization and a perfect modern interpretation of his winning sides.
Graphics
Astonishing… not only in the splendid texture, but in the poligonal models of characters and enemies, excellently animated.
Particularry draw up the design of the locations and even if cities and dungeons are represented with a hybrid 2D-3D mode, depth sensation in perfectly given.
Very good the character design.
Sound
Very good musics, epic and synphonic, help to create a great atmosphere; also we had an excellent voice acting and good sound effects.
Story
The game tell the story of a Valkyrie: Silmeria, youngest of the three "Sister of Fate" (with Lenneth and Hrist). Revolted against Odin, Supreme ruler of Asgard, her spirit was confined in a mortal child: Alicia, the daughter of Redbeard, king of Dipan.
But Silmeria was still conscious in Alicia's body and she could even speak to her, so her father, thinking she was crazy, exiled the little girl in a far place.
Several yars later the Aesir come to reclame the spirit of the Valkyrie and the souls she kept within her, the famous einerjars, warriors heroically fallen in battle. The only way so free Silmeria from a mortal body was to kill her little guest; useless to say Silmeria was not to allow that. In the meantime the reign of Dipan was organizing a rebellion against Asgard preparing to declare war to the heaven. The purpose of Silmeria/Alicia became to protect themself, avoiding Dipan's destruction and free humankind from Aesir's dominion finding a powerful relict called "Dragon Orb"
Those are the premises for an original and brilliant plot based on nordic mythology criterions filled with beautiful characters perfectly characterized tough the attitudes of some of them respond to some consolidated stereotypes.
Gameplay
The game did not offer all-around explorations. Cities and dungeons are faced like a platform game 2d style but, thanks to a wise level design, action and pleasures of discovery will never miss. Alicia can use photons, light based bullet that allow her to encage enemies in a crystal shard in order to use them to overcome barriers apparently insuperable. Touch an enemy will start a battle (no random encounters!!!) in a new and totally 3d arena. In explorations and battles you'll find an enormous number of weapons, armors, items and objects.
But the mainly part of the game is not exploration, but the battle: essential to earn experience, objects and magic crystals. During your journey you can encounter old weapons connected to one of Silmeria's einherjar: you can decide to materialize, making him a full fledged party member. There are more than 20 playable einherjar but the player could be not know how to use such variety Levelling up it's not so simple and often the battles can be pretty difficult, so a lazy player should decide to form a solid party early in the game and face the story only with it. Einherjar achieving a certain level can be free: in this case the soul of the warrior rise to a new life leaving permanently the party. Their departure leave back some special objects for increase widely other characters stats, moreover they could be met scatter in the world; happy for their new life they greetings you giving very powerful objects.
Another two feature worthy of mention are the ability system and the sealstones.
Abilities work combining specific pieces of equipment (until 8 slots for charachter) and the magic runes that mark them. Some combinations unlock several types of abilities learned then in battle. When you learned the ability you'll free to equip it for simplify the battles ahead.
Sealstones are object scatter in the dungeons having specific effects (posivive or negative) that party can take and transfer from a place to another. The seal taken from the party will affect only the group itself; left in one of the numerous altar of a dungeon their effect will affect the monster of a specific area. Sealstones can be set free from dungeons and give back to the undergroung source of power paying a specific amount of magic crystals. If you do so, you'll always can recall the freed seal in future dungeons explorations.
Battle System
Here's the mainly part of the game. If you want level up to overcome some nasty enemies, free an einherjar or gain crystals and objects you'll be force to spend several hours fighting.
Once entered in the 3D fighting areas you'll be free to move your party in a perfect mix of action and turn based elements. Enemies shall attack you only if you'll enter in their sight field marked by a red overlay. When they will be in your menace range you'll can attack them simply mashing one of the main buttons of the pad, each of them control a different character of the party. Every fighter can deliver from one to three attacks (depending the weapon in use). If used at the right time you'll can to bast awesome multi characters combo. Hit repeatly specific enemies parts could break them making him less dangerous and giving you precious objects.
Combos allow you to increase the special meter: when maximized you can launch a powerful attack specific for character. Since even the special attacks hits can increase the meter, thanks a precise work of optimization, you'd able t ogive a great amout of normal hits to your enemy and then pulverize him with four special attack in a row.
Final comment
Merits of this game comment themselves: technically awesome; a game system deep but intuitive with great possibility of customization. Every player calling hiself a RPG fan should play this title.
Only demerits notes are the long time needed to spent in fighting for fully enjoy the possibility that the game offers and the minor importante given to the einherjars, differently from the original Valkyrie Profile, here they are simple second leads.
In the old Valkyrie powering of the warriors souls and their sending to Asgard was mainly part of the gameplay and each of them had a personal story (often beautiful) told by cutscene. Here we have a simple text page with biography, just to associate a name to the soul face.
Using and powering einherjars is here absolutely optional.
However, and I repeat myself, a wonderful game!
Good
Technically are on stellar levels; Battle system complex, original and never boring; Customization maniacs will be happy;
Bad
Too much time spent fighting; Some features should be harsh for lacking patience player;
Eihnerjar are minor characters;
Votation 8,5