safe to go outside, Odin has gone and concealed another saga. Valkyrie Profile
2: Silmeria is the sequel to one of the most beloved PSone RPGs. Though it’s
never fun waiting to see if developers are going to make a sequel, this is
perhaps the most appropriate time for the game to come. The first came at the
end of PSone’s life cycle – now we have Silmeria for PS2, which comes seven
weeks before the release of PlayStation 3.
The battles have evolved,
the story is new, the graphics are unreal, and the addiction level continues
to rise. Does this mean that Valkyrie Profile 2 is just what the role-player
ordered – a fulfilling game that takes the series even further?
Real-Time, Times Two
In the first Valkyrie
Profile, battles were conducted in 2D along with the rest of the game. That
formula worked great at the time, but you can’t stay in the past forever.
Thus, Valkyrie Profile 2 has an evolved version of the original battle system.
Players are able to take four characters into battle just as before. Each
party member is assigned to a different face button (X, square, circle, or
triangle).
Combo attacks are bigger
and more powerful. Linking different characters’ moves together is as easy as
pressing the different face buttons in any random sequence. A more strategic
assault could lead to further damage – you’ll have to think a little more
carefully before taking on boss battles. But for the most part, Valkyrie
Profile 2 is without combat restrictions.
What about the
combo-stopping move enemies loved to use in the first game: an old-fashioned
block? Enemies aren’t so quick to use it this time around. When you see the
battle screen for the first time you’ll understand why. In Valkyrie Profile 2,
battle movement is three-dimensional.
All battles are separate
from the rest of the game, just as you’d expect. Once an enemy is encountered
in the outside world, your party will be transported to a 3D world that is not
unlike the first Tomb Raider. These graphics are much more attractive of
course. Battle environments are pretty decent in size, giving you plenty of
areas to search for and defeat enemies.
Monsters, you’ll quickly
discover, are everywhere. They cannot be attacked until your party gets close
enough. The same is true for their retaliation. However, some monsters –
especially bosses – have a strong list of attacks. In many cases that list
includes a range attack. Running away won’t do any good because the enemy can
still reach your party. If you’re lucky there will be a pillar, a wall, or
some other environmental barrier that you can hide behind. Otherwise you’ll be
hit. Dodging attacks is next to impossible. Enemies have the potential to
miss, but it’s rare.
In one of the more
strategic developments, Valkyrie Profile 2 lets you separate party members for
individual attacks. This can be confusing and difficult at times but is
necessary to win some of the less forgiving battles. Players can split the
party in half or group three together and leave the other character to battle
alone. This is an effective way to sneak up on distracted and/or oblivious
enemies. It allows you to be in two places at the same time, giving enemies
who block something to consider. While one of your spell-casters is trying to
penetrate the monster’s defenses, a sword fighter could move in from another
angle and deal some serious damage.
Separating party members
is also a way to keep enemies from killing your weakest link. Suppose you’ve
just gotten a new character, and he or she needs to reach a certain level in
order to be freed. Unless you backtrack to a previous, less challenging area,
the new character might not be strong enough to survive the battles you are
currently fighting. This is not normally the case — new characters typically
come in at about the average level of your party. But if you’re like me and
level up one or two characters above the rest, there could be some
discrepancies.
By separating your party,
you could put the stronger character (who has more HP) in front to take the
brunt of the attacks. This is also true when the characters are joined
together as one party. However, the only way to successfully protect a
character from long-range attacks is through separation.
Interestingly, when all
this happens – when you target an enemy (by getting close and pressing any of
the party attack buttons) or vice versa – the game switches to a 2D,
side-by-side perspective. The graphics stay where they are. All characters,
objects, spells, environments, etc., utilize the best parts of PlayStation 2.
But the game keeps that classic, 2D perspective found in the original. It goes
back to the third-person view as soon as the attacks finish. If you were the
one being hit, then you’ll regain control of the situation once your enemy is
done dishing damage.
Get Excited
It’s hard to get excited
about current-gen graphics when PlayStation 3 is less than two months away.
That said, Valkyrie Profile 2 will blow your mind. Every environment (which
there are a ton of) is enhanced by an unfathomable level of detail.
The building interiors
alone could get your attention. When artificial light isn’t being mimicked,
the sun leaves eye-catching shadows and a gorgeous glow as it streaks through
several windows. And though the game is still a side-scroller outside of
combat, the backgrounds have evolved far beyond the static backdrops of the
first game. The depth as you move around is extremely impressive. Every
background you’ll see has this immense depth that makes it appear that you
could walk right into them.
Valkyrie Profile 2:
Silmeria lives up to expectations, delivering a mammoth quest of exciting and
skillful battles. Fans of the original will be more than pleased, but that
shouldn’t stop newcomers from diving in. Though not as mainstream as Kingdom
Hearts II, Silmeria should not be missed by anyone who likes RPGs.
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Gameplay: 8.9
Valkyrie Profile
2 builds on the original’s best features, taking them in a new and exciting
direction. As with most recent RPGs, the gameplay outweighs the story.
Silmeria’s quest is interesting, no doubt. But the combat is downright
addictive, having more combo and strategic possibilities than any other RPG in
this nature.
Graphics: 9.5
Jaw-dropping.
Heart-stopping. Totally stunning, beautiful, and unrivaled, Valkyrie Profile
2’s realistic visuals are the best PlayStation 2 has seen since the release of
Resident Evil 4 last fall.
Sound: 9
Great music and
solid voice acting keep Silmeria sounding great at all times.
Difficulty: Medium
More hardcore
challenges minus a few of the excruciating moments present in the original.
Concept: 8.3
Silmeria breathes
new life into the beloved hardcore RPG, creating an experience that, like the
first, is traditional in a non-traditional way. The act of side-scrolling
world exploration, 3D enemy hunting, and 2D combo-based combat is unique,
addictive, and makes for another fantastic RPG.
Overall: 8.9
Like the first,
there aren’t many games in Silmeria’s nature. Namco’s “Tales” series is the
closest you’ll get to something similar. But whether you like Tales or the
first Valkyrie Profile should not be the deciding factor in choosing to play –
or not to play – Silmeria. This is a great game on its own, and if you’ve ever
enjoyed a turn-based RPG or strategy game, you would be wise to play Valkyrie
Profile 2.
