Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth - Review [A very UNIQUE JRPG experience]

Valkyrie Profile was released for the PS1 in North America in the year 2000, and I would say it was about the 10th RPG that I played. It was not what I expected. Back then, developers Tri-Ace, gave us something completely different to the traditional RPG, and little ol’ me didn’t really understand what the hell I was doing.
Fast forward 20 years, and I remembered close to nothing about it, so, this playthrough of the recent PS5 port (Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth), was more or less a new experience for me.
What do you think about Valkyrie Profile? When did you first play the game? Let me know in the comments below.

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.: Game details:.
Release Date: Aug, 2000 (NA)
Platforms: PS1, PSP, Andriod, iOS, PS4, PS5
Reviewed on: PS5
Sub-genre: JRPG
Developer: Tri-Ace, Tose, FINE Co.
Publisher: Enix, Square Enix

#valkyrieprofile #JRPG #triace

[RockPaperShiv]

This is a top three jrpg to me. So many heartbreaking moments

[windwakerrules]

As sad as it is, the thing that i remember most about this game is that hard mode is easy mode and easy mode is hard mode, Tri Ace makes some bizzare gameplay design choices because levels mean nothing and a lv1 character using hard mode equipment is better than a lv99 character using normal mode equipment. Also to everyone who wants to play this game even if its just to play the main story: PLAY HARD MODE!!!

[dogdream]

Played Valkyrie Profile on PS1, and it was an instant hit for me. It provided me a lot of first time experience, i.e. Norse mythology, game with multiple ending, clever platforming puzzles, deep lore, and end game content. A true masterpiece in its era! I only wish they have released this on switch.

[FredHerbert]

1:16 to my side, my noble one hair jar! Lol

[FredHerbert]

My all time favorite game. A masterpiece in every sense.

[HMNNO]

The highlight for me is learning the backstory if the characters, not the main storyline. The main storyline is nice yes but having depth and knowledge of what happened to the characters makes the game so much more fulfilling

[gaspump]

I played Valkyrie Profile on release and it became an instant favorite. In fact I can say without hesitation that it is my favorite game of all time and I re-play it about once a year or so, generally on Hard. I never get tired of trying new teams and if anyone reads this it's worth noting that there is a "practice" menu item so you can dial in your combos as you adjust your team and their movesets - HF mentioned everyone has up to three attacks depending on gear, but you can also change the order they come out to whatever you like. Also the Exp. Orb that banks XP you can then spend on your squad as needed - critical for Hard difficulty.
I actually pretty much 100% agree with this review and think an objective score of 75% is pretty fair, if not a little generous, despite my subjective taste. Something about it just works for me, warts and all.
I still use a checklist for Ending A just because there's quite a bit to it, even if I do remember most of it. The annoying thing about it given that it leans so heavily into the unexplained Seal Rating is that only by getting on the A route do any of the pre-requisites make sense and suddenly it clicks what it is and why certain people have to go up in order to set up the right interactions. Frustrating, but such a satisfying series of events.
Real shame about the most recent entry in the series if it can even be called that. Valkyrie Profile: Hrist never ever.
And just to cap off this novel of a comment: The DS SRPG VP:Covenant of the Plume is also excellent and a really unique blend of a sort of FFT/TO grid based system with the button/combo/finishers elements of VP.

[MisogynyMan]

Was going to say that Wow that Arngrim guy really looks a lot like Guts.
But then I bet everyone says that already.

I'll try something different.

Your voice is really good for this. Very contagiously enthusiastic.

[noerus]

Needing guides to not miss anything is and was always a trouble in JRPGs. Along with reminding me of the difficulties and somewhat broken usability/experience your review now just made me giving up on replaying the game after so many years even though I bought it a few weeks ago. 😅😅
After all I still have quite a few rpgs I haven't started playing yet. 😢

[RuminInLove]

3:58 Glad I'm not the only one who found this strange. Lawfer's recruitment scene in particular ends jarringly sudden.

[gandix]

Top 3 rpg from childhood for sure. Suikoden/Valkyrie Profile and for the sake of not sounding cliche, Beyond the Beyond. You never forget your first.

[RostovII]

LR Final Fantasy XIII gameplay mechanics are very very similar to Valkyrie Profile. Limited time, during fights each button maps to a specific character/style with their own attributes.
Playing LR: FFXIII I eventually said, "this is Valkyrie Profile".

[finalfayth]

Valkery profile is amazing jrpg every one who love jrpg must give it a try, still you must play the first on hard mode to explore all donjons and play with all characters, )
(available just on hard mode)+ dont miss valkery profile 2 !! My second best jrpg ever made 👌 what a magnificent game 10/10 .( Top3 jrpg all time 1 dragon quest 8 3ds version, 2- valkery profile 2, 3- xeno blad one switch)

[RostovII]

It is almost guaranteed to not get ending A on a first playthrough, but it is possible to do it.
I myself will recommend to play the game with a guide to reach ending A too as the differences between the endings will make it feel like there are 2 different games being played. Also there's very little reward to do so without one as it AT FIRST is obscure.
How is it possible to reach ending A without a guide? Not unlike you said, to reach it by accident the player needs to first notice the Valkyrie's seemingly useless attribute, the SEAL VALUE (from a gameplay perspective). Then the player must notice (and document) the actions that make it change, which is going to certain places, witnessing stuff and other "obligations" since she's following orders of Freya, Odin and other gods.
Basically the player then need to notice the events that lower the Seal Value and then try to lower it as much as they can.
So in essence, just lower the seal value and you'll get ending A! But to notice it, document what affects it and be determined to lower this Seal Value completely blind, may take boredom and a handful of playthroughs.

[popacosmin]

Great review got the mobile version just now…looking forward to see how it is as this will be my very first JRPG game played🎉

[Venoix]

Great review!

Not sure if you're aware, but the PS1 and PSP versions of Valkyrie Profile have different cinematics. The PS1 version went for an anime style, whereas the PSP version is the version you played, with the 3D rendered cutscenes, which I personally found to be better.

[MrRPGcrazy]

This game is definitely an acquired taste. I love the game now but I definitely had a hard time getting into when I first played it in the early 2000´s. I think you gave it a fair score, but subjectively this is like a 85-90% game for me. VP1 and VP2 are Tri-Ace best games imo. to me VP1= flawed masterpiece and VP2= Masterpiece.

[SieffrePlays]

The short character vignettes felt disjointed to me. There were some interesting stories that never got fleshed out, or you saw a character once or twice before they were added to your party, and never heard about them again.

[kriptiksoulja]

What do i think of it? Im literally THE Lenyyth

[SSangsen]

Hard mode was the easiest one for me (except dungeon riddles for which I used a guide), normal mode gave me PTSD (I went for the A ending. Bloodbane I hate you, ugh!).
The atmosphere and collecting souls of Einherjar is really something else, so is the combat system and graphic style.
Too bad that they ditched that style in "Silmeria".