For over a decade, the much-loved Valkyrie Profile series has been lying dormant, as have many other classic turn-based RPGs. So when Square Enix announced they would be returning to the franchise, there was a lot of excitement in the air. However, like so many other classic RPGs out there, Valkyrie Elysium, the new title, would see itself moving away from its roots and instead embrace some modernization in the form of an action RPG. A change that has worked wonders for Final Fantasy 7 Remake gameplay, and seemingly for Valkyrie Elysium too, though everything else is in it? Not so much.
A familiar, yet forgettable story
If you’ve played any of the Valkyrie games (more specifically Profile), Elysium’s story will no doubt sound a little familiar. In fact, there could be a strong argument that it’s a retelling to some extent (it’s a sequel, after all), and while that may sound a bit exciting given the “modern” view, it’s anything but.
The story of Elysium begins right at the climax of the battle between the Norse god Odin and Fenrir, the gigantic demonic wolf. An epic battle, and like many familiar with Norse mythology, it is Odin’s final battle when he is finally killed by the beast. In this version, however, Odin does not die, but is weakened and retreats to his realm to regain his strength.
It is here where Odin creates his legion of Valkyries; warriors whose sole purpose is to fight, and lead worthy souls to Odin himself, so that he can rise again and conquer all who dared threaten.
It sounds like a pretty cool idea, and while I enjoyed the portrayal of these characters, the story ultimately falls flat.
Surprising to say, as the voice acting isn’t bad at all, if not very well done. It’s just not used well enough, because I often found the plot boring and boring. Nora, the name of the Valkyrie you play with, wasn’t all that interesting. She lacked the depth for me to really care for, and sadly, that same feeling spewed into every other character. I found the Einherjar (ghosts serving the Valkyries) more interesting, but only in the least because most of the story and background information is scrapped into the second half of the game, which was a bit too late at the time.
It’s a shame, because there’s a great foundation here, but I suppose that’s one that’s already built up from previous entries, which had bigger and more compelling stories to tell. Useful at best, although the combat thankfully makes up for some of those shortcomings.
A struggle worthy of Valhalla
When I first saw Valkyrie Elysium, I was a little concerned because the franchise is so well known as a turn-based RPG. Square Enix’s approach to modernizing it is in the same vein as their Final Fantasy franchise, in that it, too, has moved away from turn-based, in favor of more action-packed battles. Whether you like that change or not is up to you, but personally I like the way Elysium plays.
Essentially, it’s an action RPG, similar to Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and even similar to Devil May Cry and the NieR series.
There are many weapons to unlock, each with their own upgrades that unlock more combos and special attacks. Some are easy, some are hard, but either way, it all feels great fun and different from each other. Some thought has gone into the combat, and it really shows when you let go of an enemy.
There’s even a mechanic known as “Soul Chain” that shoots a chain at an enemy that you can swing at. That makes the flow of battles even faster as you can quickly lock onto different enemies. Magic also exists, and combining all these things is extremely seamless and easy to do.
You can also summon up to two Einherjar, each of which has its own special abilities. They will perform some devastating attacks and fight alongside you, assisting you through some of the tough battles. The nice thing about them is that not only are they specific element types, but they also give your weapons exactly the same element type as they are. That comes into play when exploiting an enemy’s weakness, as each enemy is vulnerable to a particular element.
It’s a lot of fun once you get started, but there are some mistakes that hinder it.
Take locations. Once you’ve gone through a few missions, you’ll start to get a sense of familiarity as they all seem to flow into each other. Nothing really stands out as memorable. Sure, there are some nice sections that you’ll go through, but for the most part, it’ll all look the same.
The enemy variant isn’t any better either. You’ll be up against many of the same ones you fought at the start of the game, with a few different types here and there. Boss fights at least keep things interesting, but getting to them feels repetitive, even with new weapons and combos thrown into the mix.
The fight can only last so long before you realize how you’re doing the same thing over and over. At least the stages aren’t long, so you won’t be spending much time unless you want to go after some of those pesky collectibles and side missions.
I also despised an old mechanic where a cutscene would play when a gate would open. The game is pretty linear for the most part, so I don’t necessarily think players need to be guided where they need to go, especially right after a fight where the only way forward is. It’s a nit-pick, but a nasty one nonetheless.
verdict
Valkyrie Elysium’s battles definitely make it worth playing at some point, but if you’re looking for a game that feels right up there, this probably isn’t it. There’s fun to be had with the gameplay, but the story, lack of location and enemy variety, and dated mechanics really let the whole experience down. What should have been a refreshing take on an old IP ends up feeling like a half measure.
Rating: 6/10
Pros
- Combat is fantastic, I love how each weapon handles and how different they are from each other.
- Boss fights are quite epic, fun and engaging.
- The English dubbing cast generally gave a pretty good performance.
cons
- Lack of location and enemy variety makes it feel repetitive.
- The stages are very short, although I suppose that could be a good thing given the lack of variety.
- The story is forgettable, with characters lacking real depth.
- Some dated mechanics, such as using cutscenes for opening gates.
- Camera can be a little janky at times.
Valkyrie Elysium review code provided by the publisher. Played on PS5. You can read MP1st’s rating and scoring policy here.
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