Square Enix has already released a huge number of titles this year with more on the way.
Fans have been treated to a wide variety of different titles ranging from new IPs and resurrections of classic games. Amongst this influx of games, Square Enix has remarkably revived a classic series that fans thought was long gone. Almost fourteen years after the last entry the Valkyrie Profile series is back with its newest entry Valkyrie Elysium.
Valkyrie Elysium is the fifth game in the series but is a stand-alone entry that features a new set of characters, so players don't need prior knowledge from the previous games. The story revolves around a new Valkyrie called Maria who serves the All-Father Odin and is tasked with restoring his power after being weakened by Fenrir.
In her quest to aid Odin, Maria will be confronted by another mysterious Valkyrie called Hilde who opposes the All-Father’s plans. Not everything is as it seems and there are loads of twists and turns, but I will leave it there to keep this review spoiler-free.
Valkyrie Elysium is a bit of a slow starter, but when it does pick up the pace fans are in for a compelling story. The developers have done a great job at taking Norse mythology and moulding it into something that’s new but still familiar.
I particularly enjoyed Maria's character arc that sees her develop from a one-dimensional servant of Odin into someone far greater due to her endeavours and relationships with the Einherjar. Valkyrie Elysium follows the tradition of taking Norse mythology and redesigning it with a stylish but melancholic aesthetic.
Each character model has been carefully crafted allowing their personality to really radiate through their designs. It’s not so far removed from what we have seen in past games but the Valkyrie Profile series has always shone with its creative character design.
My only frustration was that the character models can appear stiff during cutscenes with the experience being even more hindered by poor lip syncing. That being said each of the characters performed effortlessly during combat with fluid battle animations that dazzled the screen.
Valkyrie Elysium also has a decent amount of enemy designs but players will notice recurring enemies throughout their adventure. Bosses are great new interpretations of figures from Norse mythology.
The locations are very small and contained which doesn’t allow them to fully express all the structural motifs and creative designs. Valkyrie Elysium’s soundtrack composed by Motoi Sakuraba is such a joy to listen to, with each track featuring a heavenly choir that invokes a sense of heroism during the entire adventure.
Unlike its predecessors, Valkyrie Elysium foregoes the series' turn-based battle system for a new action RPG iteration. Players will take on missions from the game's hub in Odin’s Valhalla-based palace, they will also be able to upgrade their characters and take on subquests from Maria’s Einherjar.
Valkyrie Elysium is pretty straightforward, mainly seeing players traversing through levels and facing off against hordes of enemies ending with a boss battle. Each area is contained and felt very linear but there are some secrets hidden throughout.
Valkyrie Elysium’s strength lies in its combat which has a lot of depth allowing the game to stand apart from other action RPGs. Players will have access to a plethora of different skills and abilities. Maria will be able to mix up transition and normal attacks while evading and blocking the enemies.
She is also granted the ability to summon her Einherjar who can join the battle for a short period of time. The Einherjar are spirits of fallen heroes that come fully equipped with their own arsenal of special attacks.
But what is important is that each of the Einherjar has an element affinity, that will automatically imbue Maria’s attack with that element.
This is important as different elements will be effective against certain enemies, which adds an extra layer of strategy to the combat whilst also keeping the game thrilling at all times.
Players will also have access to a wide range of weapons that grant Maria different attack styles and ranges. Two weapons can be swapped on the fly during combat however players can pause the game and change the weapons over at any given time.
Weapons can also be upgraded, unlocking new attacks giving Maria such a wide pool of attacks and skills to choose from. Divine Arts are Maria’s magical abilities and like the weapons, there are several types that can be used for offense and support.
Another great tool is the Soul Chain which not only allows Maria to traverse levels faster but it opens up her attack capabilities by extending her combos and mobility during battle. Valkyrie Elysium’s stellar combat is astonishing with so much depth for efficient strategies through clever customisation.
Players will be kept on their toes with just how much there is to tinker with to satisfy their combat style.
My only issue with combat is the camera, which really fails to keep up with the fast-paced action, this isn’t a deal breaker but it can make battles frustratingly harder than they need to be. Valkyrie Elysium doesn't use the traditional experience points method to level up Maria, but instead, players will be able to upgrade her different skill trees.
There isn’t a wide variation as to what can be upgraded but players will see progression in Maria’s abilities from what's available.
Valkyrie ElysiumVerdict: 3/5
Valkyrie Elysium is a massive step away from what fans of the series are used to, but this new iteration offers an action-packed experience that will satisfy fans of the series and genre.
The extensive depth available within combat is fantastic, allowing players to partake in a thrilling fast-paced experience. It’s not all plain sailing as the game feels way too linear with not much exploration available and the recurrence of similar enemies can make combat feel repetitive at times.
But Valkyrie Elysium is a great return for the series elevating the overall experience from past games.
Valkyrie Elysium is out now for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Microsoft Windows
