Valkyrie Elysium

About

In "Valkyrie Elysium," a digital deluxe edition of the action RPG series, players control Valkyrie, a redeemer created by Odin to save a doomed world from Ragnarok. The game features a high-speed combat system with a wide range of abilities, and its unique art style depicts a beautiful yet collapsing world. This edition includes the game and an exclusive sword.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+13

65%

Audience ScoreBased on 438 reviews

story62 positive mentions

grinding13 negative mentions

The combat system is engaging and fun, allowing for flashy combos and elemental interactions.
The graphics and character designs are visually appealing, creating an immersive atmosphere.
The game features a decent soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.

The story is predictable and lacks depth, failing to connect with players emotionally.
The camera and lock-on system can be frustrating, often leading to disorientation during combat.
The game feels repetitive, with limited enemy variety and linear level design.

story
353 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
70%
12%
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it predictable, simplistic, and lacking depth compared to previous titles in the series. While some appreciate the engaging combat and character design, they feel the narrative is often overshadowed by repetitive mission structures and uninspired dialogue. Overall, the story is seen as a weak point, with many recommending the game primarily for its gameplay rather than its plot.
- “Not only has a compelling story but also very well-crafted graphics and character design.”
- “The game is very story-driven, a big minus for me most of the time, but the story is pretty well written and the voice acting is very good, so in this particular game I find myself listening to all the dialogue and not skipping scenes.”
- “The story was an intriguing take on Norse mythology.”
- “The story is pointless and boring.”
- “The story is extremely short, which explains why they stonewalled it behind a grind fest of levels.”
- “The story is basic.”
gameplay
103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
58%
8%
The gameplay of Valkyrie Elysium has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the combat mechanics and customization options, while others criticize the repetitive nature and lack of depth. Some find the combat entertaining, especially on higher difficulties, but note that the overall experience can feel dated and linear, lacking the polish expected from a modern action RPG. Despite its flaws, the game offers a fun, if simplistic, gameplay loop that may appeal to fans of the genre.
- “Better than a lot of people let on, really enjoying the gameplay and the story is intriguing.”
- “The gameplay is the game's strongest point, very action-packed with a decent enough variety of skills, weapons, and summons to make things even more packed.”
- “The gameplay is just superb - the combat, although nothing as technical as a souls-like, is absolutely fantastic - fast, fun & super satisfying.”
- “The mechanics are repetitive, and overall nothing outside the main story feels worth the effort.”
- “Clearly they went with gameplay first and everything else second since the world is linear and empty with a pointless story but the combat shines through.”
- “Most of the gameplay mechanics feel like they are poor imitations of systems from other popular games, and barely work together at the best of times.”
graphics
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
57%
5%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the character and environment designs as attractive and immersive, while others criticize them as dated and lacking polish. Many players note performance issues, such as stuttering and low frame rates, which detract from the overall visual experience. Overall, while the art style and visuals have their merits, they often fall short of expectations, especially when compared to modern standards.
- “Not only has a compelling story but also very well crafted graphics and character design.”
- “Music is top notch, graphics and atmosphere in the levels are totally beautiful and very immersive.”
- “The overall graphics are good enough with beautiful art and illustrations.”
- “The graphics are dated, which considering the price charged seems well over the top; a price of about £15 would be more reasonable.”
- “The biggest issue is the graphics.”
- “Unfortunately, the archaic level design and grubby visuals make the adventure feel like it would be more at home back on the PS3.”
music
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
43%
8%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising it as "top notch" and "fantastic," particularly highlighting the nostalgic elements and emotional impact of the soundtrack. However, others find it generic or subpar compared to previous entries in the series, noting that it lacks the epicness and distinctiveness that fans have come to expect. Overall, while the soundtrack has its admirers, it also faces criticism for not standing out enough in the gaming experience.
- “I find myself enjoying the game so far; the music and atmosphere and the distinctive style of the valkyries in this series has always allured me and this game has the same effect on me.”
- “Music is top notch, graphics and atmosphere in the levels are totally beautiful and very immersive.”
- “My man Motoi 'JRPG Jesus' Sakuraba is back at it again with another killer soundtrack.”
- “Music...sucks.”
- “Didn't even like the soundtrack that much, which rarely happens (very bad sign).”
- “It saddens me that the music is so subpar.”
character development
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
57%
14%
Character development in the game is largely criticized, with many reviewers noting its minimal presence and lack of depth, particularly for the main characters. While the character designs are praised for their uniqueness and aesthetic appeal, the actual growth and progression of characters feel linear and underwhelming, leaving potential untapped. Some players appreciate specific character arcs, but overall, the consensus is that the game could benefit from more substantial character development to enhance the storytelling experience.
- “Not only has a compelling story but also very well crafted graphics and character design.”
- “I love every character design; everything looks unique and each design complements each other.”
- “And there are things I like, such as the character design of the main cast and their development (especially Taika), the weapon variety that includes a familiarity level that encourages the player to stick and practice with each of them.”
- “The character development here is nonexistent, save for the valkyrie with a teensy weensy character development at the end of the story.”
- “For the first five chapters, this game leaves its character development and story potential just out of reach - but maintains your interest with increasingly engaging combat and beautiful music.”
- “Linear and progression locked character development, no customization beyond weapons at all.”
optimization
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
60%
15%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting performance issues such as frame drops, crashes, and stuttering, particularly during high-particle scenes and character close-ups. While some users experienced stable performance without crashes, others noted that the game is poorly optimized for PC, leading to inconsistent gameplay experiences. Additionally, the use of certain graphical settings, like DLSS and DX12, has been criticized for not delivering the expected performance improvements.
- “The performance of the game has been great without a single crash (my system: i5 4460, 16 GB, RX 6600 XT).”
- “Performance has been pretty good, no crashes, no stutter.”
- “Experienced no performance issues.”
- “This game is poorly optimized for PC and a lot of people, myself included, had issues with game crashes.”
- “There are places where I experienced some FPS drops, particularly in high-particle fights.”
- “Graphics are alright, but there are some illogical performance issues where the FPS rate drops significantly on character close-ups.”
grinding
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
12%
76%
Overall, players find the grinding in the game to be a mixed experience. While some appreciate that side quests are less tedious and focus on combat rather than fetch quests, others criticize the repetitive nature of combat and the necessity of grinding for completionist achievements, particularly on higher difficulties. The game offers a balance where grinding is not essential for progression, but it can become tedious for those aiming to fully complete it.
- “Side quests aren't too tedious, which is a good thing.”
- “Weapon and character leveling is nice and not grindy.”
- “I love the combat in the original Valkyrie Profile because it's fast and to the point, but Silmeria and Covenant turned it into a tedious slog and completely ruined it for me.”
- “Combat was fun but it did get tedious.”
- “The game itself is already repetitive, but as it stands, if you want to be a completionist, you're forced to play on all the difficulties that have achievements tied to them (normal, hard, Valkyrie) and each time start over completely from 0 and do all the grindy parts of the game again on top of everything else.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its immersive graphics and top-notch music, creating a beautiful and engaging experience. However, some players feel that it lacks the emotional depth and storytelling of earlier titles, resulting in a generally sad mood without comedic relief. Overall, the atmosphere is considered strong, with a blend of captivating visuals and impactful sound design.
- “I find myself enjoying the game so far; the music and atmosphere, along with the distinctive style of the valkyries in this series, have always allured me, and this game has the same effect on me.”
- “Music is top notch, and the graphics and atmosphere in the levels are totally beautiful and very immersive.”
- “The atmosphere and amazing combat just feel right.”
- “The mood and atmosphere of the game is generally sad with no comedic scenes in between.”
- “One last thing I'd like to touch on is the atmosphere and stories that the older games had, which this one just doesn't really pull off.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players find the story and side quests lacking in depth and engagement, others appreciate a heartwarming ending that adds a pleasant surprise. Overall, the game offers moments of emotional resonance but does not aim to profoundly impact players' perspectives.
- “The story is pretty good too, and at least one of the endings is very heartwarming, which was a pleasant surprise, because I was fully expecting to have my heart broken and my soul crushed by the feels.”
- “It's entertaining where it needs to be, emotional where it needs to be, but it won't blow your socks off by any means.”
- “Boring story with boring side quests.”
- “Middle game with amazing and fun gameplay buried by a boring story, cheap cutscenes, and high price.”
- “Boring story.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab by Square Enix, exploiting nostalgia for the "Valkyrie" title without delivering meaningful content, leading to disappointment among long-time fans. Reviewers express frustration over the perceived lack of originality and depth, likening it to other companies known for similar practices.
- “It very much is a nostalgia cash grab from a once prestigious RPG company, but much like the president's constant letters about NFTs, Square is slowly just showing it no different than many of the other cash grab companies.”
- “For the most part, slapping on the title 'Valkyrie' has just made this a cash grab, exploiting the nostalgia for most long-time fans of the series.”
- “A shameless cash grab by Square Enix... dull, lifeless, and boring.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marred by performance issues, particularly during the final boss fight, which experiences occasional freezes on high settings. Additionally, players report numerous glitches, including characters getting stuck in walls and enemies trapped outside the designated combat areas.
- “The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs and glitches.”
- “I experienced performance issues during the final boss, with a couple of freezes during their attacks while running on the high preset.”
- “There are glitches like enemies getting stuck in walls and others trapped beyond the blocked-off fighting area.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's replayability is generally considered low, with some users noting minimal replay value and others deeming it non-existent, resulting in an average rating of 6/10.
- “Mediocre game, no replayability whatsoever.”
- “Some replay value.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its absurd scenarios, such as the hilariously unexpected "bad" ending and the comedic element of resolving situations through exaggerated actions like chugging. Overall, players find the humor to be a standout feature that adds to the enjoyment of the game.
- “The 'bad' ending was hilarious.”
- “You can break out of any situation by chugging, which is kind of funny.”