Developer: Tri-Ace Publisher: Enix Release: 08/29/00 Genre: RPG
Valkyrie Profile is one of the most unique RPGs ever released. It has nothing to do with its setting; plenty of games crib from Norse mythology. No, Valkyrie Profile innovates by having a unique structure. It breaks the traditional conventions of the genre while still remaining familiar. That is not an easy feat to accomplish considering the pedigree and volume of RPGs released for the PS One. But even taking that into consideration Valkyrie Profile remains one of the PlayStation’s best games.
Rather than using parts of Norse Mythology to enrich its constructed universe Valkyrie Profile dives deep into it instead. Ragnarok approaches, and as Lenneth Valkyrie it is your job to find and train suitable Einherjar for the final battle. The game does not concern itself with sweeping character arcs and such and more with the impending war. That is not to say there is not any; if you pursue the best ending you will learn plenty about a select few characters including Lenneth herself. If you have even a passing interest in Norse myth the game is seeping in it and does some pretty deep dives. For its time it was very original despite the prevalence of such in the game industry and one of the reasons I like it so much.
The structure of the game is different from almost anything else out there. Valkyrie Profile has into eight chapters with varying number of periods depending on the difficulty (16 on easy, 24 normal, 28 on hard). By focusing Lenneth will hear the cries of the dead, either revealing a dungeon or pointing to a city to recruit an Einherjar. Each action you undertake on the world map such as visiting a town or dungeon uses up periods. While it may sound stifling by the end of each Chapter you will have more than enough free periods to explore or rest to recover. At the end of each chapter the Sacred Phase begins, where they judge your performance, update the status of the war, and award weapons and materialize points to create items.
Your performance is judged on a number of factors, such as stealing artifacts that belong to Odin and the quality of warriors sent to Valhalla. There are twenty four characters to recruit and where the game’s dark tone is at its worst. Before recruiting an Einherjar you view an elaborate sequence of events leading up to their death. These run the gamut from betrayal, suicide, and even pure bad luck. It is morbid but thrilling. Considering you spend so little time getting to know them it is surprising how quickly you become attached to certain characters. The best trick the game plays is letting you learn enough about the characters before potentially sending them up. Your job is to erase their negative traits to improve their hero value and teach them necessary skills before sending them up.
The decision to send certain characters is a tough one. Every hero outside of the mages has unique abilities, with some better than others. Once sent that character is gone for good. Technically you can send anyone as long as they meet the skill requirement but they are not fooling anyone. Certain characters are almost tailor made to be sent up. Llewelyn I’m looking at you. The better you meet the requested requirements the better rewards you receive. There are only three that cannot be sent for story purposes. Unfortunately you must send one of the best characters in the game to get the best ending but it is worth it.
Exploring dungeons is not straightforward. Lenneth controls like a platforming character, able to slide, jump, attack, and create crystals. All enemies are visible on screen and attacking them will initiate combat. The crystals you create have a variety of purposes, from creating platfoms to freezing enemies. Frozen enemies can be used to find hidden items and solve simple puzzles. The dungeons start out complex and only grow in size, becoming massive mazes by chapter 4. Dungeon exploring is both simple and complex enough that it does not become a chore no matter how large they become. The ability to avoid combat helps along with the speedy battle system.
The battle system is fast and incredibly deep. Each of your four party members is controlled by one of the face buttons. Depending on the weapon einherjar can attack up to three times, with everyone’s attacks differing. Timing is everything, both to break an enemy’s guard, avoid missing attacks and to fill the combo meter. Mages attack using spells that have long charge times but even that can be bypassed with skill. Effective attacks will knock crystals that increase experience, gems that reduce charge times, or even items out of enemies. Filling the combo meter allows you to unleash a special attack called a Purify Weird Soul. These attacks are devastating and key to beating stronger enemies.
The depth goes even further than stringing together attacks. There are a large volume of skills you can teach Einherjar and set up to use in battle. These range from counter attacks, auto-items, and further customizing their abilities. You want to prioritize enemies like mages who hang in the rear where only long distance attacks will hit. Lining up attacks to break an enemy’s guard is also critical since they usually protect stronger enemies in the back. Using special attacks to wear down tougher enemies is an effective tactic but the order is also important. After the first special attack the gauge drops 40%. With the right character you can fill it again and use multiple special attacks in succession. The cool thing is the game teaches you these mechanics and they are not mandatory.
Valkyrie Profile is not an easy game as it asks a lot from you. The difficulty ramps quickly and while it is possible to muddle your way eventually you will hit a brick wall. Dungeons become massive labyrinths quickly and enemies are smart. Even on the normal difficulty I died quite a few times unexpectedly which is a big change from most RPGs. It says a lot when even with the right combo of skills and items that make you near invincible you can still die. If you choose you can even avoid most dungeons. Event experience accumulates in your experience orb which can be divided as you see fit. It is possible to level your party without setting foot in a dungeon if you like. You will miss crucial items but the option is there. You get what you put into it.
For those that want more Valkyrie Profile offers a lot of extra content. On the hardest setting there are exclusive dungeons that are maddening in their difficulty. There are also characters that only appear on the highest setting. The best ending sets the game down a different path and offers the most story. It also has some of the hardest encounters in the game. If that isn’t enough the Seraphic Gate awaits. This post game dungeon allows you to use special characters like Brahms and Freya freely and has some of the best items in the game. But you will have to fight for them as the Seraphic Gate is for those who master the battle system.
In Closing
Valkyrie Profile is one of the most innovative games ever and in my personal top ten favorite RPGs of all time. It has some of the highest production values on the system and unique systems to spare. It is an absolute crime that it did not sell as well as it deserves, both in its original release and on the PSP. Buy this game, you won’t regret it.
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