Valkyrie Elysium
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Unscored Reviews
Valkyrie Elysium has the makings of a great title held back by budget constraints.
Valkyrie Elysium is not a perfect package. But what I can say is that I found it to be the perfect length for a game of its style. Action RPGs can drag on at times, but Elysium can be all completed (including all subquests) in around 20 hours or so. My minor gripes with aspects of the presentation are more around inconsistency across elements rather than anything that would be considered ‘bad’. The somewhat ’empty’ feeling world can be ignored with a focus on the excellent main cast of characters and their heartfelt interactions.
Valkyrie Elysium is a very rough time, which is a shame considering its pedigree. Despite a few bright moments like its fast-paced combat, the game is bogged down by questionable design decisions and repetitive gameplay that sour the whole experience. The fun combat system can only do so much to carry the weight, but alas, everything else feels average and fails to live up to its storied past. A deep sale is recommended before even trying it out.
If this happened to be a budget game with an original take of its own, it would merely be a decent buy for on and off throwaway play, but as part of a very iconic series such as Valkyrie Profile, it’s a baffling proposition. Square Enix themselves have done a commendable job taking similarly traditional genre games such as Final Fantasy VII, essentially turning it into an action RPG with its brilliant remake. That only makes for an even bigger disappointment seeing how mediocre Valkyrie Elysium turned out in the end. It’s not a terrible game by any means, but it’s far from being what could be considered a worthwhile follow-up to the classic JRPGs that came before it.
Valkyrie Elysium feels much more like a spin-off entry in the Valkyrie Profile franchise than a full-fledged new main title. Its smaller scope, budget, and design lend it a “PlayStation 2 game” feel. The game’s combat is its saving grace, alongside some fun character interactions. Without the Valkyrie name and branding, Elysium could’ve very well been written off as a somewhat generic action game.
Valkyrie Elysium presents a turning point in its saga and shows how it can adapt without losing much of its essence. It has little to do with the adventures lived in his day by the Valkyries Lenneth, Hrist and Silmeria. However, it is a very fun game, which hooks you from minute one and encourages you to play to discover more about its plot and its characters.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Scored Reviews
Nonetheless, I found myself utterly captivated by this game, which takes so many creative risks in the name of its vision. The limited “story” in favour of a deeper narrative working on a more subtle level, downbeat and muted visuals, and graceful rather than visceral combat are all things that are lauded in video games, however appropriate to the experience that the developer is crafting. But this team stuck with the vision, and we should be thankful for that. If you do enjoy the likes of theatre, opera, and ballet, then Valkyrie Elysium belongs to the incredibly small group of titles that share a similarity to those art forms, and that’s more than a nice to have, it’s the kind of art we need to see more developers experimenting with.
Valkyrie Elysium puts you in the armor of a Valkyrie who is the only hope the world has left. The gameplay is very similar to Nier: Automata and similar games. Do you have the wisdom to know who is telling the truth and who is deceiving you, or is the world already lost?
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Overall, Valkyrie Elysium is a great, although rough around-the-edges, action RPG, whose biggest strength lies in its dynamic combat system and in the charisma of some of its characters.
Despite not having the budget of an AAA, Valkyrie Elysium has a solid combat system that breathes new life into this series. There are aspects that need improvement, but this is still a great experience
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Valkyrie Elysium has an incredibly fun combat system at its base along with some light platforming and RPG elements, however it doesn't go too far beyond that. The rote story is held up by good twists and likable characters, but I can't help but see massive potential just beyond what the game presents. Still, if you're an action game junkie like me, this is well worth your time and more.
Valkyrie Elysium's character action combat and usage of Valkyrie series themes and elements make it an above-average action RPG, but it sometimes lacks ambition.
Valkyrie Elysium brings new life to a lapsed series via a commendable action-RPG engine.
This entry to the Valkyrie series makes a graceful shift into the action RPG genre while only stumbling in a few small ways.
Valkyrie Elysium has an excellent battle system and exciting exploration options, but the plot never takes off, resulting in a lackluster conclusion.
While some elements of Valkyrie Elysium are disappointingly lackluster, in the end, the combat is excellent. That alone was enough to keep me engaged through the game’s dozen or so hours. I have a pretty long wish list for future games, like more impressive visual design and more interesting missions. But the real-time action? It’s a keeper.
Valkyrie Eysium lives and dies by its fast paced combat system, and it's worth trying for that one alone. It's a distinctly low budget effort from Square Enix, but still a game with a soul, even if with a lot of room for improvements. If you like fast paced hack''n'slash games in the vein of the ones from Platinum Games, give this a try.
Review in Italian | Read full review
With all that said, Valkyrie Elysium is rather fun. Divorced from its heritage, it's a solid, if unexceptional, action-RPG. The combat system could use more polish, but what it does, it does quite well, and I enjoyed the combat until the end of the game. I'd love the team to have a chance to revisit the gameplay with some more confidence under its belt, as it's easy to see how it could go from good to great. This isn't the Valkyrie Profile 3 I was hoping for, but Elysium should satisfy someone looking for a solid action-RPG.
I did like my time with its combat system, but I do understand the issues its narrative bears. As someone that adored the series' initial title, I can say that this is a step in the wrong direction if they're looking to reprise the Valkyrie Profile franchise.
Although the story is pretty boring there is much fun to be found thanks to the combat systems and plenty of secrets to uncover in this bleak world. That's why Valkyrie Elysium is a fantastic time if you're keen on some fighting action.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
There's little doubt that Square Enix will put more effort into developing the stories and characters in the future. Having all the elements necessary to become a classic, VALKYRIE ELYSIUM is a bit inconsistent experience despite having a great gameplay mechanism. At the same time, its uninspired story and level design could have been better.
Despite its limits due to a restricted budget, Valkyrie Elysium shines for an entertaining and well-crafted combat system.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It is a pity that there are so many wasted elements, because Valkyrie Elysium has the necessary tools to reach Valhalla... But it stays halfway. Even so, if you like action RPGs and Norse mythology, you will enjoy it with its spectacular combats.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Valkyrie Elysium's combat system is sufficiently complex and entertaining, which is good, considering that what remains of the game is quite forgettable. A decent game for fans of the tri-Ace saga, but certainly not essential. Also because, if you're hungry for Norse adventures, there's a certain god of war waiting for you at the end of November...
Review in Italian | Read full review
It's a departure from its predecessors, but depending on what someone is looking for, Valkyrie Elysium can be a good time.
Valkyrie Elysium is an enjoyable action RPG packed full of combos and upgrades, but the boring levels and story detract from the fun.
Valkyrie Elysium is a lot of fun, and maybe that's good enough. It's a shame that a new Valkyrie Profile game isn't more than simply adequate, especially after all this time, but anyone looking for a quick and engaging action RPG will leave satisfied. It may not be a masterpiece, but Valkyrie Elysium is still entertaining and enjoyable.
Valkyrie Elysium is in many ways reminiscent of a Playstation 2 game – in an unexpectedly good way. With old-fashioned environments and strange presentation, the first impression is wobbly, but the well-controlled and intense combat makes the adventure entertain so much that some outdated elements can't lower our mood.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
In spite of those who since the announcement have criticized the choice of Square Enix to set aside the turn-based combat system of Valkyrie Profile, the spin-off packaged by Soleil has entertained us with a solid and varied playful dough, a satisfactory level of challenge and a lot of strategy.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While the combat to this Valkyrie Profile action RPG spin-off is top notch, the rest of the game ranges from mediocre to merely serviceable.
Essentially a character action game, Valkyrie Elysium does little to worry the heavy hitters in the genre such as Devil May Cry or Bayonetta. But while many of its components are simply adequate, its frenetic combat elevates it from mediocrity. There’s great fun to be had here, summoning Einherjar, using your Soul Chain to zip around the battlefield and making use of more advanced skills to decimate your opponents. Ultimately, it’s not going to set anyone’s world on fire, but it’s definitely worth spending some time with.
Valkyrie Elysium provided one of the most engaging combat systems this year, with the satisfying combos and amazing boss battles that action RPG fans should never miss, even if its short on the RPG side. The game could have been outstanding if took a bit more time in the oven with a little bit more budget, in the end it's a good game that is worth giving a shot if you are looking for a combat oriented game with no expectations from the story
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Valkyrie Elysium has a very good combat system and a great soundtrack. However, its story is shallow, its campaign is short, and the graphics are bad.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
In the process of renovation, Valkyrie Elysium changed genre and sacrificed its RPG essence to become an action RPG that takes us back to the golden age of hack and slash. Unfortunately, its simple story and limited exploration can make you lose interest in continuing to play until the end.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It's cool that Valkyrie Elysium exists given the series' sporadic history although I wish it offered a lot more to sink your teeth into. Sure, the combat is fun, especially when you exploit enemies' weaknesses but it definitely overstays its welcome after a handful of hours.
As Square Enix is going full steam ahead on their semi-back-to-basics plans, what we’ve got here could be a perfect foundation for a good AA franchise in the years to come but they have to fix some of the shortcomings like the visuals and the lackluster first of half the story which takes more than it needs to hit the proper notes.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Valkyrie Elysium may not look like much, but underneath its modest budget lies a really fun and "chillax" action game you can grind and have fun with. The Einherjar summoning system and elemental exploitation system, coupled with chain attacks and your Spider-Man-like Soul Chain grapple all gel together for one entertaining action-packed experience.
Valkyrie Elysium, while fun, is a missed opportunity. A magnificent combat system fails to fully support a game that is seriously hampered by the serious shortcomings resulting from the lack of resources during its development.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Valkyrie Elysium, like other action RPGs, is an excellent choice for anyone who likes fast, dynamic combat with good doses of challenge. On the other hand, it's an experience that doesn't live up to the legacy of the series it represents, bringing one of the least interesting stories in the franchise, a monotonous and tiresome game progression, and a very questionable overall value. A game that, unlike its predecessors, doesn't deserve Valhalla.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Valkyrie Elysium shows us a simple story, but with a really good combat system. Unfortunately, the return of this mythical saga is halfway through.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It may feel lackluster but once players enter the fray Valkyrie Elysium’s exceptionally designed combat mechanics make for a fun action RPG that doesn’t quite live up to its franchise’s legacy.
Valkyrie Elysium could have been something great, with its excellent narrative backdrop built on the basis of Norse mythology. As per usual with Square Enix titles, the art direction and soundtrack are outstanding and leave me wanting more. The fast, fluid, and satisfying combat system is what carries an otherwise mediocre title bogged down by washed out visuals and uninspired level design.
Valkyrie Elysium is a very fun game with a mildly-intricate combat system that allows for plenty of satisfying moments of pulling off long combos to create a visual feast. Its narrative is lacking but the core characters are charming enough that by the end you can't help but almost feel attached to them all, as you've fought your way through to whichever ending you've chosen. If it weren't for the fact that you're constantly having to make everything work in spite of a camera and lock-on system that feels against you specifically, it would be a much easier game to recommend.
A Valkyrie series transformed from a turn-based game into an action. While this changed system itself is not bad, terrible camera work is ruining the overall experience. More to that, repetitive gameplay structure and mediocre story are also disappointing. Don't have much choice but to look forward to a better Valkyrie title in the future.
Review in Korean | Read full review
A fast-paced combat system and operatic soundtrack from Motoi Sakuraba aren't enough to save Valkyrie Elysium from a fate worse than Ragnarok: mediocrity.
Valkyrie Elysium's strong combat can't fully overshadow an otherwise lifeless and mundane experience.
Respectable combat carries Valkyrie Elysium through a bland-looking action-JRPG with predictable story and straightforward level design.
Valkyrie Elysium shows its best side in combat, offering a frenetic, dynamic and demanding experience that does not have the right company in the other facets of the game. Its story does not accompany, the narration does not contribute much and neither does the level design. Fortunately, when you dive into its frenetic combat, everything gets better.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Valkyrie Elysium is a game of two halves. The level design and objectives feel at least two generations old and the characters and storyline are more like placeholders than the finished article. There's no capital F feelings here or much in the way of narrative justification, but if you're okay with that and you just want fifteen to twenty hours of fast, frantic, fluid combat then we can just about recommend this one.
The extensive depth available within combat is fantastic, allowing players to partake in a thrilling fast-paced experience. It's not all plain sailing as the game feels way too linear with not much exploration available and the recurrence of similar enemies can make combat feel repetitive at times. But Valkyrie Elysium is a great return for the series elevating the overall experience from past games.
I was excited going into Valkyrie Elysium because of what I had heard about the series. While after my time with it that excitement certainly has dulled, not because of the combat but just because everything around it just kind of felt ‘meh’. If the world was more populated or at the very least more interesting there would be much more here to really sink one’s teeth into, as it stands once players are done doing Odin’s bidding they will find little reason to return in my opinion.
Valkyrie Elysium brings the 20-year-old franchise to the PlayStation 4 and 5, switching out turn-based combat for hack 'n slash battles, and while the experience is fun, you just can't shake the feeling that we've seen this before.
Valkyrie Elysium has some pretty sad lows, but it does have a few highs that make it endearing. The developer clearly has a lot of talent at making stylish 3D action games on a shoe-string budget and they got the most important parts right.
Odd design choices lead to a not so stellar action game with an unfortunately generic, asset-y world design. [i]Valkyrie Elysium[i/] has great moments but is stuck in a mediocre shell that is missing the unique draws of the previous entries in the series. Once the story gets moving it's a good Valkyrie story, but a lack of polish leaves this game floundering instead of standing tall.
Valkyrie Elysium is a decent action RPG that’s rather short in length, but it’s combo-based combat grows stale hours before the credits roll. The game nails the melancholic, Norse-inspired atmosphere of the series, although the story, characters and side-quests that appear in these lands are anything but legendary. So if you don’t enjoy the combat, then there’s little else to latch onto.
Fans of the series were excited when Valkyrie Elysium was revealed, and a modern take on the loved franchise could have done it wonders. Unfortunately, the archaic level design and grubby visuals make the adventure feel like it would be more at home back on the PS3. Combat is its saving grace, dancing between combos and activating magic abilities on elemental foes in satisfying fashion. The Einherjar who fight alongside you add a nice touch, enhancing combat and adding some much-needed levity to the boring narrative. Mindless, enjoyable combat is here in spades, but it's not enough to make Valkyrie Elysium a reboot that I'd strongly recommend to anybody.
Valkyrie Elysium Only presented an enjoyable fighting style, it did not improve anything else otherwise, and with its weak story, linear design of its stages, many technical problems, and repetition in its various fields makes it an incomplete game.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Valkyrie Elysium's mediocre action-RPG gameplay and threadbare story and characters wear out their welcome long before the game wraps up.
Valkyrie Elysium is a disappointing, befuddled, and mistimed return for the Valkyrie series. Its Einherjar-supported combat system only takes the game so far when it’s saddled by an underwhelming story and artificially extended by crude level design. It falls into the trap of chasing trends, turning classic JRPGs into action games and copying other successful titles like Dark Souls without adding much new to the genre, when many fans would have been more than satisfied with an updated version of a standard Valkyrie game.
Valkyrie Elysium is an action-oriented spin-off of the famous J-RPG saga, sadly nothing gives full satisfaction. The exploration is very linear despite the gigantic levels. The RPG aspect is reduced to a minimum.
Review in French | Read full review
In different circumstances, Valkyrie Elysium could have been fantastic but now it will live forever as an oddity.
Valkyrie Elysium feels like it should’ve been released more than two console generations ago. The flashy combat system barely uplifts the experience from bland characters, uninteresting story, and outdated level design that borderline on feeling like it could’ve just belonged to a mobile game.
Have some high points, but they soon give way to glaring faults. Not the worst, but difficult to recommend.
Soulless yet almost serviceable as a light hack 'n slash Valkyrie Profile spinoff, Elysium is a 15-hour chore of ugly visuals, repetitive combat, and a mundane plot.
Despite being 100% linear, the hack-and-slash features in Valkyrie Elysium make it seem like it belongs in the souls genre, regardless of the game's action RPG label. The game suffers clear production restrictions even though there is nothing fundamentally wrong or terrible with to describe it. The problem is that the entire experience is just tiresome. Valkyrie Elysium delivers an inconsistent experience with its mix of good gameplay, uninspiring plot, and level design. This remake is an admirable effort at a fresh start, but it won't go down in history as a classic.
Valkyrie Elysium delivers an average action experience that fails to revive a classic RPG series.
This 15-hour trip through humanity's end of days will leave you envying the dead.
