Square Enix
“Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria”
PLAYSTATION2
“Valkyrie Profile,” released in 2000 for the Sony
PlayStation, threw role-playing conventions out the window in favor
of bold innovations: side-scrolling dungeons, time-sensitive game
progression, a depressing story heavy on Norse mythology.
It’s little wonder that the game didn’t register a blip
on the sales radar. Six years later, with the game now a cult
classic, Square Enix has released “Valkyrie Profile 2:
Silmeria.” The game follows the story of the eponymous
character, one of three valkyries commissioned by Odin, king of the
gods, to seek out the souls of fallen warriors. Silmeria defies
Odin by possessing the body of Alicia, the princess of Dipan, a
kingdom taking steps to stand up to Odin’s tyranny. Defying a
god isn’t without consequence, as Odin sends Hrist,
Silmeria’s sister, to bring the renegade valkyrie home and
punish Dipan. It’s up to Silmeria to decide whom she stands
with: man or god. “Silmeria” is more straightforward
than its predecessor. It has done away with time-sensitive game
play, allowing players to waste as much time as they want without
having to worry about the possibility of the game ending
prematurely. Additionally, the game has excised its
predecessor’s recruitment system. Instead of recruiting
characters and hearing their depressing back stories, players in
“Silmeria” find characters as items in dungeons and
bring them along. This makes the characters into objects instead of
sympathetic individuals, and also does away with the first
game’s melancholy atmosphere. However, despite its
shortcomings, “Silmeria” still shines brightly with
astoundingly complex game play. The battle system is fully 3-D, and
positioning of characters plays a huge role in battle. The ability
of players to “dash” around the battlefield is vital;
without mastering this, players will be sitting ducks in battle.
Battles resemble fantastical fireworks shows, capped off by
finishing moves called “soul crushes” (the name is apt)
that can be chained together to pulverize foes. The game’s
skill system is also complex, utilizing a color-coded linking
system that teaches characters new abilities. This, combined with a
“sealstone” system that allows players to place
different field effects on dungeons, gives the game a great deal of
playability. Hard-core gamers will relish in delving into every
nook and cranny to learn every ability, break every enemy body
part, and recruit every einherjar. “Valkyrie Profile 2:
Silmeria” may not be as revolutionary as its predecessor, but
its devilish complexity and enjoyable game-play give it enough
personality to stand on its own.