Valkyrie Elysium [PlayStation 5] | REVIEW

The Valkyrie Profile series might not be the most prolific to come from Square Enix, but it is one that still has a cult following ever since its original release on the PlayStation back in 1999. We hadn’t seen a new release on console since Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume back in 2009, but the series has now risen again (and dropped ‘Profile’ from the title) in Valkyrie Elysium.

Admittedly, some of Square Enix’s recent releases have been a bit mixed in quality, so I was a little dubious as to how good the game would be to play. Thankfully, it hits more than it misses, though it’s easy to see that the game doesn’t always match the high standards set by the publisher’s more high-profile titles.

Check out some screenshots down below:

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Valkyrie Elysium sees players taking on the role of the titular Valkyrie as she travels across Midgard following the end of the world (or, as it’s more commonly known within Norse mythology, Ragnarök). With Odin guiding your journey, you’ll spend your time slaying monsters and protecting humanity as you look to clear the lingering effects of the devastation, though you shouldn’t be surprised if you start to get the feeling that something doesn’t feel right…

The narrative doesn’t really get into an exciting stride, with it feeling very by the numbers as you progress through the adventure. Whilst I wouldn’t say it was boring, it rarely felt exciting or did anything that surprised me; it was just a bit predictable and followed the path I expected it to. The conclusion does spice things up a little bit, but not enough to really hype me up to see where the story could eventually go. At least the characters you encounter on the journey are likable though, whilst even Valkyrie herself feels like she develops as a person thanks to the bonds she builds when protecting Midgard.

Fortunately, playing the game is a lot more exciting, with Valkyrie Elysium showing off some great combat mechanics that make battling enemies a whole lot of fun. In true hack-and-slash fashion, players can dish out a variety of combos against enemies, all whilst using different weapons that have their own pros and cons. Valkyrie also has her Soul Chain which allows her to pull herself towards enemies with ease, ensuring that combos can constantly be chained together whether an enemy is at distance or even airborne – it feels satisfying to use, whilst it also brings a stylish edge to your attacks or a means to escape danger that looks super slick.

“Everything comes together nicely to make for some fantastic combat scenarios, with the variety of Valkyrie’s skillset as well as her ever improving capabilities ensuring it remains action-packed up until the very end.”

It’s not just your weaponry you’ll use when disposing foes though, with Valkyrie also able to use magic abilities known as Divine Arts to unleash damage or even heal herself. These need to recharge so have to be used sparingly, but can really change the tide of battle when in a sticky spot. They embrace different elements and can be used to take advantage of an enemy’s weakness, whilst they also come in more powerful variants that feel ESPECIALLY cool to use. Valkyrie Elysium really impresses with its repertoire of Divine Arts and they ALWAYS feel like they pack a punch.

Finally, you have the Einherjar, who are summonable allies that inflict damage whilst also imbuing Valkyrie’s weaponry with their elemental powers. They add another strategic element to the game’s combat where their elemental attacks can prove especially effective against specific foes, whilst building up their strength by completing the side quests associated with them means they become more efficient for those tougher battles at the latter stages of the game. It’s another example of the game showing its diversity in combat, with smarter players knowing when its best to utilise their Einherjar to get the upper hand in battle – believe me, they can be the difference between life and death in some of the tougher boss fights.

Everything comes together nicely to make for some fantastic combat scenarios, with the variety of Valkyrie’s skillset as well as her ever improving capabilities ensuring it remains action-packed up until the very end. The boss battles can be real spectacles too, with the hulking beasts you face off against not only looking impressive on the battlefield but also demanding some strategic prowess to defeat. Valkyrie Elysium isn’t an especially difficult game to play, but you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the weaknesses of your enemies if you hope to succeed. It’s good fun and ensures that combat remains the high point of the whole experience.

Check out some screenshots down below:

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Everything else, though? It’s just fine. Valkyrie Elysium’s world has some intriguing sights to see and locales to explore, but it isn’t consistent with quality; there are also a lot of lifeless and barren areas that don’t really add everything to the experience. It isn’t exactly the prettiest game either, with some drab textures and iffy animations easy to notice. The hard edge around characters just looks a little weird too, with the aesthetic feeling like a clash of styles more than anything. Nothing in the game is ugly, but it’s never particularly remarkable either.

The side quests hardly bring any thrills from a gameplay perspective with them often following the same sort of tasks, whilst the main chapters rarely push players beyond heading to specific locales and defeating enemies. The fact that combat feels so good does mean it doesn’t get boring, but it would have been nice to see Valkyrie Elysium try to do something a bit more interesting – if only to spark more investment from the player in the adventure.

Luckily, nothing in the game ever feels bad nor is anything broken, so frustrations are kept to a minimum. And hey, improving Valkyrie’s skillset, learning more about your party, and simply beating down enemies always feels rewarding, so it’s not like you’ll get fed up playing either. Valkyrie Elysium is on the shorter side as far as RPGs go, but in a good way; my playthrough lasted around seventeen hours after doing the majority of side quests and exploring the world, which felt the perfect length. There are extra endings to unlock for those who want more, so there’s certainly an incentive to re-visit the game if you fancy it.

Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), PlayStation 4, PC
Website: https://valkyrieelysium.square-enix-games.com/en-gb/