Oprainfall Origins: Valkyrie Profile

Oprainfall writes:

"When it came time to decide on what game to pick for my Oprainfall Origins piece, there were a lot of games that I could have picked from. I was initially introduced to JRPGs, the genre that would define my gaming habits for a large portion of my life, through Dragon Warrior, which my brother and I received as part of the Nintendo Power promotion. From there, I moved on to Crystalis, the Final Fantasy series, Secret of Mana, and Chrono Trigger. With the help of a local video rental, I also dabbled a bit in lesser known titles like Ys III and Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen.

These were the sorts of games that defined my adolescence. I had even initially thought about focusing this article on Chrono Trigger. But on second thought, that wouldn’t have been the right choice. No, the game I consider my “origin,” isn’t something I played in my childhood or my teen years. It’s not even something I played when I was a college student, though it was new at the time. It wasn’t until years later, after I had graduated and was lost somewhere in the haze between life as a student and life as a responsible adult, that I finally had the opportunity. I had told a friend about this game that I had seen before and wanted to try for myself, and it turned out that she had actually received a copy of the game as a gift but never even had the interest to unseal it. So she gave it to me.

That game was Valkyrie Profile."

[Lovable]

Frigging in love with this franchise. Shame SE didn't continue the story...

[izumo_lee]

One of my all time fave battle systems! I loved this game as well as its prequel Silmeria, still have them in my collection.

Great story, great music, great characters, great quotes ie: "It will be engraved upon your soul! Divine Assault! Niebelung Valesti!" Oh so good!!!

[Fullmetalevolust]

Those quotes are also engraved into my memory!!!

[VileAndVicious]

agreed loved the battle system in this game. Wish square would do something with this franchise

[Godmars290]

If they did it wold only be in the current MMO/3D style.

I prefer the original 2D version Enix did.

[VsAssassin]

I think SE is making FFXIII: Lightning Returns as something like Valkyrie Profile with the countdown timer and all that end of the world thing.

It's a shame really that this franchise ended with Silmeria. I want Hrist's story this time SE!

[Basjohn]

And God that true ending.

The normal ending is.....is horrible, it's just "Congratulations!", but the true ending, after all the hard work and flags to trigger it....incredibly emotional and with a story that surprises at every turn.

[rezzah]

I played the version for the PSP, Lenneth. I bought a book to help me beat it and it was still hard. I spent hours of planning which characters I wanted and certain weapons or whatever else there was to get per character. The time system really ate at me since I never played a game like it before. Even FF10 was easier.

But even with all the paths I got through that game was amazing. Its story was awesome as well as the characters too.

I still wonder if I ever could have beaten it if I did not get that guide book.

[Fatty]

I just bought this game (the original PS1 version) last week, and so far it's an amazing game. I love the art, the story, the gameplay, them music... basically, I can see why the game costs as much as it does online.

[DivineAssault]

Give me Hrist damnit! PS1 had lenneth, ps2 had silmeria, & ps3 SHOULD have hrist... i love this series though the 1st was much better than the 2nd.. still have both of em on ps1 & ps2 w the box n books.. I ran across the original at my local rental store & never took it back after finding out how rare it was.. Paid $5 for it since ps2 was already at its peak at the time.. Mint condition too