Post by Yuutsu on Feb 24, 2007 15:35:02 GMT -6
Valkyrie Profile 2 doesn't have the popularity of the FF series and that is a shame because this RPG is one of the most satisfying and fun I have played.
The story is very engaging and does not drag at all. I won't spoil the story, but if you have no knowledge of the previous Valkyrie Profile, you will be caught off guard with the twist in the later part of the story, as I was. Being based on Norse mythology, gives the story a unique feel.
Great character development as Alicia changes from a timid, naive girl to a confident young woman.
Valkyrie Profile 2 is the story of Silmeria, a valkyrie's soul trapped in the body of the princess Alicia. To onlookers, it appears as if Alicia has a split personality, or in other words, is crazy. So, without a friend in the world, Alicia sets off to aid Silmeria in her quest to get back at Odin, the lord of the gods, for exiling her. It's an interesting premise, though the story is slow to develop and relies rather heavily on some predictable archetypes. The game offers a distinctly Japanese take on Norse mythology and features a fairly conventional cast of characters, including a sarcastic archer (who looks like he's styled after Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow), a highfalutin but helpful sorcerer, a hulking warrior, and more. While there's a main cast, throughout the game you'll be freeing souls called "einherjar," which become members of your party. There are dozens of different characters in all, though you'll bring only four into battle, so it's tempting to stick with the main cast since they're the ones in the story sequences. The story turns out to be interesting enough, but the actual gameplay of Valkyrie Profile 2 is probably the biggest attraction
The first thing that strikes you is the excellent graphics and attention to detail in everything from the people's clothes to the puddles of water on the street. In one map which is set in a cavern, I could even spot tiny droplets of water flowing down the rocks. I would say the graphics here are better than those in FF12.
Another unique aspect of this RPG is the main protagonist. You play as a girl who has a split personality. She has two souls co-existing in one body, which makes for some humorous scenes. What surprised me,in a good way, is that they didn't make her like typical heroines, but instead made her a little plump,short and with a moon face.
There is dungeon crawling to be done of course, but Valkyrie Profile puts a spin on it. When in a city or dungeon, the view is side scrolling. Like an old adventure game, you can see the enemies on screen. You can fire photons, which freeze enemies, allowing you to jump on top of them or to switch places with them. Mastering this is essential to get more einherjar and equipment.
When you do attack an enemy the game switches to a free roaming battle field. You can move around, using the X,tri,sq,O buttons to attack with the 4 members of your party. The enemies only move when you move, making it quasi real-time and allowing you room to strategize. Each enemy has a zone of attack and if you enter the zone, you will be hit. Your party can split up, allowing one to act as a decoy while the rest attack from the rear. Mastering the use of Dash, is key to winning battles as the enemies in this game are no pushover.
Another great feature not found in many RPGs, is the ability to target different areas of the monster's body. Yes, you can target the tail of a fish monster and break it off so it can't move, or you can break off the arm of an armored knight so that he loses his weapon. It is a cool feature but what makes it better is that breaking off each limb gets you different loot. From one single monster, you can get several different pieces of loot. In fact, some rare items can only be found by breaking hard to get areas like the torso or head.
Loot can be sold for money and allows you to craft powerful weapons.
The battle system can be confusing for first-timers and I took some time to master it, but once you do, you will be amazed at the considerable depth it contains despite its outward simplicity. I must say the battle system is the most fun I have ever played in ANY RPG.
Music is pleasing with some note-worthy tracks. It enhances the scenes and provides a suitable source of grandeur for important scenes.
Valkyrie Profile 2 also supports widescreen, progressive-scan displays, which bring out the best in the visuals. Solid voice acting and a good-if-typical synth-and-symphonic musical score round out the audio portion of the experience, and sound effects during battle are quite rousing as well.
Its hard, fun, And enjoyable for any Rpg fan, So for me: Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria gets a 9 out of 10.
Story:
The story is very engaging and does not drag at all. I won't spoil the story, but if you have no knowledge of the previous Valkyrie Profile, you will be caught off guard with the twist in the later part of the story, as I was. Being based on Norse mythology, gives the story a unique feel.
Great character development as Alicia changes from a timid, naive girl to a confident young woman.
Valkyrie Profile 2 is the story of Silmeria, a valkyrie's soul trapped in the body of the princess Alicia. To onlookers, it appears as if Alicia has a split personality, or in other words, is crazy. So, without a friend in the world, Alicia sets off to aid Silmeria in her quest to get back at Odin, the lord of the gods, for exiling her. It's an interesting premise, though the story is slow to develop and relies rather heavily on some predictable archetypes. The game offers a distinctly Japanese take on Norse mythology and features a fairly conventional cast of characters, including a sarcastic archer (who looks like he's styled after Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow), a highfalutin but helpful sorcerer, a hulking warrior, and more. While there's a main cast, throughout the game you'll be freeing souls called "einherjar," which become members of your party. There are dozens of different characters in all, though you'll bring only four into battle, so it's tempting to stick with the main cast since they're the ones in the story sequences. The story turns out to be interesting enough, but the actual gameplay of Valkyrie Profile 2 is probably the biggest attraction
Graphics:
The first thing that strikes you is the excellent graphics and attention to detail in everything from the people's clothes to the puddles of water on the street. In one map which is set in a cavern, I could even spot tiny droplets of water flowing down the rocks. I would say the graphics here are better than those in FF12.
Another unique aspect of this RPG is the main protagonist. You play as a girl who has a split personality. She has two souls co-existing in one body, which makes for some humorous scenes. What surprised me,in a good way, is that they didn't make her like typical heroines, but instead made her a little plump,short and with a moon face.
Features/Battle System:
There is dungeon crawling to be done of course, but Valkyrie Profile puts a spin on it. When in a city or dungeon, the view is side scrolling. Like an old adventure game, you can see the enemies on screen. You can fire photons, which freeze enemies, allowing you to jump on top of them or to switch places with them. Mastering this is essential to get more einherjar and equipment.
When you do attack an enemy the game switches to a free roaming battle field. You can move around, using the X,tri,sq,O buttons to attack with the 4 members of your party. The enemies only move when you move, making it quasi real-time and allowing you room to strategize. Each enemy has a zone of attack and if you enter the zone, you will be hit. Your party can split up, allowing one to act as a decoy while the rest attack from the rear. Mastering the use of Dash, is key to winning battles as the enemies in this game are no pushover.
Another great feature not found in many RPGs, is the ability to target different areas of the monster's body. Yes, you can target the tail of a fish monster and break it off so it can't move, or you can break off the arm of an armored knight so that he loses his weapon. It is a cool feature but what makes it better is that breaking off each limb gets you different loot. From one single monster, you can get several different pieces of loot. In fact, some rare items can only be found by breaking hard to get areas like the torso or head.
Loot can be sold for money and allows you to craft powerful weapons.
The battle system can be confusing for first-timers and I took some time to master it, but once you do, you will be amazed at the considerable depth it contains despite its outward simplicity. I must say the battle system is the most fun I have ever played in ANY RPG.
Sound:
Music is pleasing with some note-worthy tracks. It enhances the scenes and provides a suitable source of grandeur for important scenes.
Valkyrie Profile 2 also supports widescreen, progressive-scan displays, which bring out the best in the visuals. Solid voice acting and a good-if-typical synth-and-symphonic musical score round out the audio portion of the experience, and sound effects during battle are quite rousing as well.
Overall:
Its hard, fun, And enjoyable for any Rpg fan, So for me: Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria gets a 9 out of 10.