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Remembering my favorite RPG: Valkyrie Profile
This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer. Around here, we have a bit of a tradition: If the resident JRPG columnist opts to move on, they finish their tenure by writing about their favorite role-playing game. Since this will be my last column with Joystiq, it's time to discuss how much I love Valkyrie Profile. Valkyrie Profile has pretty much everything I'm looking for in an RPG. It has solid customization; visual flair; a strong story; great music; and a large cast. But what really takes it above and beyond for me is that little added twist; that certain je ne sais quoi that really makes it something special.
Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth gets reprint, only $30 [Update]
We don't really know why we're sharing this because we thought perhaps putting in our pre-order first and securing a copy for ourselves would be a wise choice before sharing the scoop. But, we've got an obligation to you dear readers and we wouldn't do that to you. If you haven't picked up a copy of Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth (a PSP port of the PSOne classic) then now would be a good time. Online retailer GameQuest Direct has grabbed reprinted copies of the game and is selling them at 30 bucks. The games will ship June 27, so there's really no reason to hesitate. Go pre-order. [Via CAG] Update: GameQuest Direct informed us they are not carrying exclusive reprints of the game. You can check other retailers for copies as well.
Metareview - Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
IGN was one of the first outlets out of the gate with a Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth review as they awarded it an Editor's Choice award, but now, more reviews have been pouring in. While this is another port, which some people don't seem to like, it seems like it's one of the best RPGs yet for our beloved PSP. However, that may not mean a whole lot since the PSP's RPG library is nothing to write home about. Will Lenneth change all that? IGN (85/10) gets right to the point by saying it's "the best RPG that the PSP has received to date." 1UP (80/100) appreciates the change of pace Lenneth brings to the table. "As an originator, Valkyrie Profile is an inspired maverick in a field of me-too RPGs, beautiful to look at and exciting to play." Gamespot (75/100) thinks it's a decent game, but only fans of the genre may have fun with it when they said, "A solid port of a one-of-a-kind role-playing game that is endlessly appealing to genre fans who are looking for something different, but it's a bit too dense for everyone else." So there you have it. While Lenneth doesn't appear to be anything spectacular, it should offer someone itching for some RPGing on the go a lot of fun.
Valkyrie Profile earns an IGN Editor's Choice award
Another day, yet another Valkyrie Profile review. The 1UP Show got me thinking: "maybe the load times will make this a bad game." Rest assured, IGN has posted their review of the game, one long day before its final release, and it is good. In fact, it's so good, it gets a shiny Editor's Choice award. While I nervously wait for 24 hours to pick this game up, the IGN staff goes into painful detail about the non-linear gameplay, multiple difficulty settings, multiple endings and revamped audio. With a potential of 40 hours of gameplay, you're only paying a buck for an entire hour of gameplay. It might not be as impressive as Blade Dancer's supposed 70 hours of gameplay, but it's enough for me to take the plunge. So how about you, PSP Fanboys? Will you be making the trek to your local video game store tomorrow to play with the gods?
Valkyrie Profile & Xenosaga dates in Japan released
1UP's got a few Japanese release dates ready for Xenosaga III and Tri-Ace's Valkyrie Profile games. Valkyrie Profile Lenneth (the PSP remake of the original VP) actually came out in Japan the other day, while Silmeria (the all-new PS2 prequel to Lenneth) is set for release on June 22nd. Xenosaga III, meanwhile, makes its debut (and closes out at least the current-gen storyline) on July 6th. We're not sure about the release dates of these titles outside of Japan, but 1UP currently lists US dates as 8/1/2006 for 'saga, 9/15/2006 for Lenneth, and 9/20/2006 for Silmeria. Without official announcements, however, they're just good guesses. See also: Valkyrie Profile returns in 2006 Valkyrie Profile Lenneth "Promotion Movie" up for grabs Thus spoke the Xenosaga Episode III chicks Xenosaga 3 & a 1 plus 2 combo (on DS!) revealed in Famitsu
Promo movie for Valkyrie Profile Lenneth
There's a new movie available for Valkyrie Profile Lenneth where they show off some beautifully pre-rendered widescreen cutscenes. Don't worry, they mixed in some game footage as well. Hope you like the 2D feel, because the remake won't be in true 3D. Even so, the polish from this video shows it will still be a title worth checking out (when it makes its way to the US, that is). [Via Joystiq]
Valkyrie Profile Lenneth "Promotion Movie" up for grabs
Valkyrie Profile Lenneth has a new "Promotion Movie" up online, so either click away for the 20MB preview (with our handy image link to the right), or find it in the Outline section of the official VP web site. Square Enix is bringing its considerable production values to its PSP remake of the original Valkyrie Profile with added pre-rendered cutscenes and a widescreen display. Just be aware that the video may look best at 50% of its current dimensions (which is probably the way it was encoded). If the weird live-action segments throw you off at the beginning, don't worry: tri-Ace pulls out the actual (32-bit?) sprite-based gameplay near the end. Aw, so no true 3D remake then? [Via Siliconera]
Valkyrie Profile returns in 2006
Square Enix and Tri-Ace (Star Ocean, Radiata Stories) have announced plans to release two new Valkyrie Profile games for the PS2 and PSP. Silmeria (PS2) will be a direct sequel to the original PS1 RPG and will launch sometime in 2006. Lenneth (PSP), on the other hand, is a complete remake of the original game and will contain additional cut scenes and movies to connect the two stories. Lenneth (named after the game's heroine) will be released in Japan on March 2, but no U.S. dates have been announced for either game. The original Valkyrie Profile was praised for its strong visuals - particularly the portraits and battle effects - as well as its engaging characters. However, the game's handling of "time" and its relation to the entering and exit points on the world map made it confusing for some. Additional details for the new games will be available when Square Enix launches the official Valkyrie Profile web site on Dec. 12.
