Valkyrie Elysium (PS5) Review
Updated: Oct 28, 2022
Developer: Soleil
Publisher: Square-Enix
Release Date: September 29, 2022
Platforms: PS4/PS5, PC
Overview
For some odd reason, Square-Enix decided to cram 20 game releases in a tight window to close out 2022. Unfortunately, Valkyrie Elysium feels like a game that was put out just to pad those numbers. If the budget wasn't cut, then it was definitely production time because this game is as bland and uninspired as they come.
It's a fairly big let down considering that previous games in the series have generally been well-received. The game does progressively become better as more abilities and companions are unlocked, but the slog to get there takes its toll.
Story
After a few hundred years, Midgard is in turmoil as the undead and monsters are ravaging the lands. The few human survivors are extremely few and far between. After a clash between Odin and Fenrir that left both wounded, Odin chooses a soul to become a valkyrie. Without a name of their own, they are only named Valkyrie. The player is then tasked with purifying the undead souls to help Odin regain his strength and save the world by preventing Ragnarök.
The story doesn't deserve to exist. There's a recurring foil character, Hilde, that constantly tries to turn Valkyrie against Odin, but never gives the player a reason to doubt the objective. There's also a major wrench inexplicably thrown into the endings without any context provided beforehand.
The only way to truly get a comprehensive ending is by collecting all the Verdant Blossoms to unlock the "true ending". Spirit Blossoms and the much rarer Verdant Blossoms are hidden throughout the territories and offer a bit of insight into the world that existed before. By collecting all 9 Verdant Blossoms, the full picture comes into view.
Gameplay
For a Square-Enix action-focused RPG, the action is rudderless for a large chink of the game. As more abilities and weapon enhancements are purchased using gems, the combat starts to feel quite good. For many players, first impressions are everything, and the way this game cuts off all the high action moments until later makes for bad sticking power.
After spending some time with the game, there are some very cool ideas to play around with. Companions known as Einherjar are can be summoned to aid in battle and are controlled by AI. Enemies also have weapon and elemental-type weaknesses that Einherjar can help Valkyrie exploit. Magic spells can also be enhanced depending on which Einherjar is battling on the field. There should be a lot of fun to be had here, but Valkyrie Elysium falls just short of establishing itself.
Presentation
Valkyrie Elysium is a pretty looking cel-shaded game that's in the same artistic vein as Tales of Arise. And while we absolutely LOVED the 2021 RPG of the Year, the same can't be said of Valkyrie Elysium. It uses cel shading for characters and environments while trying to implement more realistic textures.
The problem here is how the characters look. Only the outermost details are cel-shaded, leaving the chin and neck areas without the signature dark outlines. That unevenness between hard and soft lines is a bit jarring and really exemplifies the unevenness of the game overall. The visual effects are well done and try really hard to add much needed pop during combat.
As are many Japnese published games, English lip-synching is not present. Character expressions as a whole are pretty much absent. The VO work is average at best and doesn't help bring any more excitement into these characters. Surprisingly, the music was pleasant to listen to during combat and exploration throughout the adventure.
Final Verdict
6/10
Valkyrie Elysium is another story of unrealized potential. Sandwiched between many other Square-Enix releases, this game didn't receive enough time in the oven and it shows. The writing is some of the weakest I've seen and it doesn't help that the combat is extremely boring early on.
Although the game starts to come along in later portions, it leaves a bitter taste making me wonder why I wasn't allowed to do some of these actions from the get-go. The tutorial is the most obnoxious since they make you use Einherjar in combat, but strip them away right after the tutorial is completed. Despite all these shortcomings, the game offers fun tactical challenges during combat and can be delightful at times. If you're willing to upgrade Valkyrie and her party, then this becomes a game worth playing.
Words not enough? Watch 11 minutes of Valkyrie Elysium gameplay below!
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