Silmeria Strikes Stores
tri-Ace's mega-sequel is finally here.
Published: September 26, 2006
The original Valkyrie Profile was one of those games that took a few years to be truly appreciated. Oh, those that played it when it first game out, seduced by the mix of Norse mythology, a slick battle system and some of the PS one's best graphics were glad they did, but a relatively low number of copies shipped from Enix who had a then-smallish American presence all made for plenty that missed out. The result, as anyone who's tried to find an original copy of the game will attest, is sky-high eBay prices and many an empty mom 'n pop game store.
Unfortunately, this isn't a lead-in to telling you the game is getting re-released like a certain other strategy RPG that saw a short-lived second run (and yes, it promptly sold out again). It is the next-best thing, though: the announcement that the sequel is finally here. That's right, boys and girls, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (not to be confused with the recent PSP remake of the original) is officially out.
Since we don't have an official line from an overenthusiastic Square Enix talking head, how about a storyline synopsis straight from 'em?
"Divine insurrection besieges the heavens. Invoking his power as king of the gods, Odin hastily reincarnates the spirit of rebel valkyrie Silmeria into Alicia, Princess of Dipan. However, unbeknownst to Odin, the spirit of the battle-maiden awakens within Alicia, still seeking vengeance.
Years pass. Believing his daughter to be possessed, King Barbarossa of Dipan declares Alicia dead and exiles her to a faraway castle. Odin learns of Silmeria's awakening and dispatches the imperious Hrist Valkyrie to summon her spirit to Valhalla. Alicia runs in fear — with Silmeria in defiance — as they embark on a journey where nothing is what it seems and all hide behind a mask.
Sacred treasures offering unimaginable power suggest hope for independence, but manipulation and intrigue fool those who fight fate into fulfilling more diabolical destinies. The battle rages through the realm of Midgard, over the bridge of Bifrost, into the heavens of Asgard and beyond as the struggle for control — over Alicia's fate and the fate of all existence — unfolds in unforeseeable dimensions."
...Totally.
Developer tri-Ace (who whipped up an impressive little nugget 'o joy in Star Ocean: Till the End of Time) has done some seriously impressive things with the PlayStation 2 -- so much so that they were featured in a little how-to article about all the little whiz-bang effects like software HDR and depth of field that was going on. Yes, it's safe to say we want it as much for the visuals as we do for the gameplay. And now, lucky us, we can do that. And so can you!
Unfortunately, this isn't a lead-in to telling you the game is getting re-released like a certain other strategy RPG that saw a short-lived second run (and yes, it promptly sold out again). It is the next-best thing, though: the announcement that the sequel is finally here. That's right, boys and girls, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (not to be confused with the recent PSP remake of the original) is officially out.
Since we don't have an official line from an overenthusiastic Square Enix talking head, how about a storyline synopsis straight from 'em?
"Divine insurrection besieges the heavens. Invoking his power as king of the gods, Odin hastily reincarnates the spirit of rebel valkyrie Silmeria into Alicia, Princess of Dipan. However, unbeknownst to Odin, the spirit of the battle-maiden awakens within Alicia, still seeking vengeance.
Years pass. Believing his daughter to be possessed, King Barbarossa of Dipan declares Alicia dead and exiles her to a faraway castle. Odin learns of Silmeria's awakening and dispatches the imperious Hrist Valkyrie to summon her spirit to Valhalla. Alicia runs in fear — with Silmeria in defiance — as they embark on a journey where nothing is what it seems and all hide behind a mask.
Sacred treasures offering unimaginable power suggest hope for independence, but manipulation and intrigue fool those who fight fate into fulfilling more diabolical destinies. The battle rages through the realm of Midgard, over the bridge of Bifrost, into the heavens of Asgard and beyond as the struggle for control — over Alicia's fate and the fate of all existence — unfolds in unforeseeable dimensions."
...Totally.
Developer tri-Ace (who whipped up an impressive little nugget 'o joy in Star Ocean: Till the End of Time) has done some seriously impressive things with the PlayStation 2 -- so much so that they were featured in a little how-to article about all the little whiz-bang effects like software HDR and depth of field that was going on. Yes, it's safe to say we want it as much for the visuals as we do for the gameplay. And now, lucky us, we can do that. And so can you!
