Hey kbash, you should look at the game Resonance of Fate/End of Eternity. It's a super weird jrpg that features a combat system based around bullet time. I think that would make a really cool video.
The way I see it, the reason why the second game is so different is because it's Silmeria's game. In Lenneth, the entire experience revolves around her perspective, discovering herself and developing empathy for the world around her. The entire game is purely world building and you're sharing that experience with Lenneth, learning about the world together. Silmeria on the other hand already knows what's up, she already harvested her einherjar and had she not been trapped inside Alicia, she'd be ready for battle. Alicia's story is more about dealing with her own problems while the world around her is completely apathetic towards her problems, focusing instead on the task at hand. It's a far cry from the original where everyone is suffering and it's all about developing empathy. It's sorta like Halo 3 in the sense that it is essentially "finishing the fight". The game feels more long drawn out because the world at large is in a much better shape, there isn't that sense of urgency like the first game because the game is trying to build that feeling of apathy which clashes with the tone of Alicia's story. The game actively tries to distract you from the task at hand to constantly remind you of the disconnect between the world and Alicia's story because at this point, nobody is aware of what's coming. It's the calm before the storm you could say and because of that the game feels more like an excursion than a marathon. Honestly I like that better and it's a big reason why I prefer this game over the first, I like sinking my teeth into these types of games and I like to take my time with them, explore at my own pace and enjoy the ride. Valkyrie Profile 1 felt like a long ass task sheet with vague instructions. It felt more like work than play, Valkyrie Profile 2 however felt like a playground I could mess around in and that's what I want in a videogame, which is why I prefer the second game over the first game.
This game is fucking awesome, it's one of those amazing games where this NOTHING else like it and it's super enjoyable to play. Great challenge too. You should definitely play Alundra, as well as Skies of Arcadia Legend
I actually full cleared this game back then when it came out. I didn't have access to VP 1 at the time so 2 has a special place in my heart. I loved the writing in that game
I remember when I first saw Lezard. My buddy was like "You know that dude's gotta be evil." because of his break(?) voiceline where he just starts laughing like a maniac and I was like "Nah dude, he's not evil. He's just passionate about breaks in the game" I was stupid as hell
I played this game for the first time earlier this year, and I absolutely loved it. It didn't blow me away or anything, but it was just such a well-crafted game! Although I prefer VP1 because that had a better OST and characters, VP2 destroys it gameplay and mechanic-wise, and it may have my favorite turn-based battle system out of anything i've ever played (I personally wouldn't call it real time). I hate grinding in RPGs, especially necessary grinding, but grinding in VP2 was so fun. You forgot to mention that cool thing of breaking enemy parts in battles... like their tails, or their held weapon, helmet, etc. Not only did that add another layer to battles but you were rewarded with a unique drop when you broke a enemy part. It affected their attacks too, like if you break a dragon's wings or tail then it couldn't use wing or tail attacks against you. Or breaking a soldier's chestplate or sword may get you their armor or sword after the battle. Stuff like that is just too cool, made battles feel so dynamic and strategic. This game is super deep and well made but you are totally right how it is very niche and you need to be a certain kind of person to *really* enjoy it. Like for me, I never thought dungeons were boring. I was excited for every new dungeon because I was so desperate to dismantle all the enemies and find things to make my party as OP as possible, or hoping to get the final part for a skill that I want. Every time a new dungeon opened up, I'd try to break every possible part of every new enemy so that you could see every drop... Something about that was very satisfying and it really kept combat from ever getting stale unlike VP1. Every dungeon had unique battlefield layouts too. My favorite thing that kept it feeling fresh was the parry skill you could unlock (I'm a big fan of parries in any game), and then you could try to learn the timing of each enemy's attack animation to parry it and come out of battles damage-free. Gave battles a risk high reward style that made it soooo fun. Overall this game did such a great job at throwing variety at you, rewarding you when you explored your curiosity, and giving you tons of tools to make party builds with. It was overall a very meaty & satisfying JRPG to play through, but yes it is difficult, obtuse and can't be recommended to everyone, but if it's approach does sound good to you then you are going to LOVE the mess out of it I swear, 'cuz I never played anything like VP2.
Loved VP2. It was my favorite JRPG for awhile, and I liked how it expanded the combat system into 3D. Curious to see how it holds up from a modern perspective since most of the small details have left my memory long ago.
VP 2 is the best VP/Tri-Ace Rpg for me. It's a game that screams early 2000s era of gaming where games are beautiful but also deceiving, be it with the plot, the game mechanics or the difficulty set-up. VP2 story wise is chaotic. Not in a way it's hard to understand but with how much tragedy befalls the main cast like a ladder and they just keep going. Unlike VP1 where Lenneth is seeking her humanity, Alicia is just doing things almost slave to her own cause and from the spirit of Silmeria. And when Silmeria was gone she felt incomplete. And it was rightly so because unlike Lenneth who became a warrior instantly, Alicia wasn't. She's the chosen of the slain but Silmeria is a rebel and she would even free her einherjars than deliver them to valhalla. Meanwhile, all the villains are scheming. Even the King was Scheming and the surprise final villain has the biggest scheme. The combat system of VP2 is the best thing there is. The visuals are beautiful, the combat is seamless and the enemies are tough but they're not unbeatable. There are secrets and mechanics that can help you finish the game and the Seraphic gate is just great. The music is also great and the dog theater is the best. VP2 is the best Rpg that nobody knew.
Not the same developer. Plus they're not the same word. Valkyria / Valkyrie. Nah the games of Valkyrie Profile are VP1 & 2. and I guess Elysium... but... eh on that one. Never was into Nintendo.. so didn't even know about that Covenent one. Radiata Stories, (Lenneth party member, VP1 cameos, and SO3 Fayt nod, ) Star Ocean 3: Till the end of Time, (Lenneth party member, VP1 cameos, and likely the ending is tied to VP2's ending) and oddly, enough... FF13-III, Lightning Returns. (Same, Valkyrie Profile 1 tone, throughout the game. Also, Lightning acts like a Valkyrie.) With the exception of Elysium all of those game are Tri-Ace games.
@@noelienoelie8425 It actually is, in fact in Japan it has a 1080p resolution option... which turns out the PS2 couldn't handle and with that the game could litteraly broke the console, which is what that option was remove for western release, nowaday with emulator and a good PC you can make this game looks absolutly sick.
@@TheCitrusPanda I live in Japan, saw it at BookOff I don't remember the price but most NTSCJ games are cheap Bought Like a Dragon Kenzan for only ¥270
@@Brotagon1st_in_Hiding Ah, that makes sense because the Japan Import version is cheap even on Ebay. Also, I watched your AI Somnium Files video and it was cool so good work.
Valkyrie Profile 2 was a really cool game. Tri Ace is coming out with another game soon Star Ocean 6 I am looking forward to their new Star Ocean game as well.
This one is my favorite VP game. But on the topic of the Einherjar, its not that you suck the soul out of the weapon. The souls are already inside of Silmeria and when you find one that's compatible then she uses it to materialize them (hence the randomizer). It's how they basically get around giving them development like the other souls had to focus on the main group, but they can then eventually be reincarnated into living people once more instead of being sent to Vahalla.
The best thing about VP2 is that they have NG+ but for enemies. You will start fresh, giving the whole new experience and really test your knowledge about the game. Max difficulty is 50 crystals which means NG+ 50. All enemies has hundred thousands of hp and millions for major bosses. Even normal monsters early game took at least for me around 1 hour to kill.
I did 50 crystals. Everything takes at least 1 hour to defeat. But after you get that sweet sword of the meek, things speed up a bit. Bosses on seraphic gate after cycle 4 has 99m hp and 99999 atk and mag.
My biggest issue was that the einherjar are no longer developed. I hope that the new VP coming out will make them more than just collectables. I just love playing VP2. The gameplay was addicting to me. I need me an endless mode in a lot of games. Edit : Thanks for not dismissing Actual Character vs. Gacha system that the einherjar became.
I think you’d get a kick out of Covenant of the Plume. I absolutely love this series, but Covenant of the Plume imo manages to hit the struggles of a mortal attempting to square up against something WAY bigger than them the best. These videos are great btw, always fun to watch ^_^
The only disappointment was that NG+ didnt carry any items, or characters over. Starting the game over again but with Lenneth on your main team, would have beena mental nut for me; it's unfortunate that the NG+ sucked i kinda hope there is a remaster that fixes this.
Oh man, I remember playing this game as a kid and could barely understand what the hell was going on in the story, but was still interested. Never managed to beat it, but came very close to (I remember leaving off where Alicia's father died and fighting the two mages). Its one of those games that I remember describing it as "boringly attractive" but would always come back to play it. Its one of those games that still stuck with me. Also, never played any of the other Valkyrie Profile games, and I'm scared if the new one for the PS5 is gonna be any good.
Mentioned the lost hard drive of Vagrant Story yet again, I'm crying. But seriously solid video-this is a game I will never play but am ecstatic I was able to witness through you. It's interesting in so many ways and definitely made for a wonderful telling of game and its design. I don't plan on touching the thing with a 10ft pole myself but Im grateful you illuminated its better parts. Thanks again for the wonderful content Mr. Bash!
This game has been sitting in my top 10 games of all time list since I played it on the ps2 as a teen. It is mindboggling how well the game holds up even after 17 years.
When you free an einherjar, they appear somewhere on the world map and some may even give you items. Some einherjar also have unique dialogue with each other when you take them into battle, slightly fleshing them out a bit more. For example, one of the einherjar you get, Woltar, has his backstory state the he was an evil wizard who kidnapped a queen, Lylia. If you have him, Lylia or Lylia's daughter (Lydia) in your party, it's basically revealed that Woltar and Lylia were lovers who eloped and Lydia's his daughter. The reason why the optional einherjar's don't feel as fleshed out as VP1's is because they weren't originally going to be in the game. After writing the story, the devs realised that since some party members leave they needed to have extra characters to compensate for that. A lot of the game's mechanics are actually pretty well explained.... in the manual, that is. That's probably why a lot of the mechanics aren't explained in the actual game.
Thanks for the review, VP2 is one of my favorite games, and played in my teens so it was very memorable. I think you hit that review spot on. I would love to see you do these for Xenosaga the first one!
Gah. You overlooked the most awsome feature of the game. The combat doesnt just have better hitbox detection. But its in 3d and has breakable body parts (lots of them, on effing everything), and each part has its own loot. Honestly this makes the grind super fun because rather than just grinding the same thing over and over, you are probably trying to grind for specific body parts on certain creatures with a deep battle system in 3d with good hit detection, and when you succeed, you dont need to grind repition a ton, just git gud at aiming for those body parts. Plus break mode is just randomized coke overdoses where you cut off every limb on everything suddenly and its extremely satisfying since it is so uncommon.
I love VP but I adore VP2 for Alicia alone. Watching her grow from that meek nepobaby to a confident warrior princess was progressive done right and she didn't need no manjaw for that. The game being so needlessly complicated made it a sandbox for OCD-like people and I can come back to the game twice a year easy.
One of the best games on the PS2 and soooo underrated and under the radar T__T. Oddly... Ive never heard people give it the Chrono Trigger and Cross comparison...
Didn't know anything about VP2 or even just VP coming into this, clicked in hopes of hearing about the cheat protection, stayed because it was actually intresting.
I still have my original copy of this game and i've waited YEARS for a remaster or port to PC. looks like i'll have to pull out my old school playstation in order to enjoy it in 2022.
Valkyrie Profile 2 is one the best RPG I've ever played. Story is great, graphics are great, music is great, voice acting is great, characters are great, combat is GREAT. Skill system may seem complex, but it's really not and it's pretty unique. The game is basically flawless; the only "bad" thing that comes to my mind - but only in comparison to VP1 - is the lack of einherjars' death scenes, which made them unique and memorable, but here the main cast of heroes makes up for it.
I loved the first one. Played this one and stopped at that swamp place cause i got wrecked by common enemies. Never returned to it again. Way to go devs.
freaking loved this game so much. I love getting overpowered in games and specially jrpgs, and this one was so much fun. I do wish the Einjerjar had been more fleshed out, but i got a ton of fun out of this game, even if I do still prefer VP1.
Thank you for giving this gem attention it is my all time favorite and it was the game that made it worth purchasing a PS2. Motoi Sakuraba has also made the soundtrack for Valkyrie Elysium, it seems the only thing that is really excellent about it. Tri Ace has developed unique and fun combat systems in this one and Resonance of Fate. If only Squenix could revive the glory of those days instead of making a hack and slash game...
The weirdest is Valkyrie Profile Elysium. The best is VP1. About VP2 Einherjar. You can choose characters by luck..... Yes the better characters have the lowest % you'll get them.
This was somewhat of an unknown game amongst my peers when I discovered it. This being said This is my favorite ps2 rpg game. Even in spite of its rather short story and somewhat awkward gating mechanics. I would damn near give a lung to see it remastered.
There are a few things id like to say: I - thanks for making the vídeo and giving vp2 a Fair shot. II - the series reminds me a lot of digital Devil saga 1 and 2. One is rather emotional/sad and the other is rather weird, going bananas with the story and they both are enjoyable in their ways. Seriously, i love vp2 to death but the story is wack. Maybe this is why i like it... III - looking retroactively at VP2, It has a similar effect of Deus ex human revolution on its art approach. It tries to tell a story only with its presentation while there is stuff actually happening. HR was and still is Very polarising about being "Golden". I suppose this type of approach registers better, If at all, in some players.
Personnaly, while I loved this game as a whole, I do remember it being a huge pain in the a** at some bosses for what seemed unfair treatment xD. But the most unfair was, well, surely because I was too young to play it properly, was the final boss where, "maybe spoiler" alert, you have a specific "set" character that appears for the first time for that specific final battle and thus canno't level up or prepare that character properly. I tried a few time only to give up, farm a few Einh' to sacrifice them and keep their bonus items to overfeed the special "final boss" character you get. Also, talking about final boss, I'll confess, for the battle with the huge crystal at the center of the arena, I cheesed the boss by making them attacking the crystal while hiding behind it : c
the Einherjar in Valkyrie Profile 2 is actually the soul tat inhibit/attach within Silmeria... Alicia/Silmeria only channeling/transfer the said compatable weapon found as an avatar for the said Einherjar , materializing them to the mortal world. correct me if im wrong here
I appreciate you reminding me of this game. I finished it through once but never did the Ng+ stuff. great video on a basically lost game I did a quick search and didn't see it, have you done the Star Ocean series? The first two games (including First Departure, which is my preferred way to play the first game these days though the original SNES game is a gem and introduced me to the series) are wonderful and the subsequent games will slowly drain your sanity lmao
Another day I hear kbash love a fantasy world with Motoi Sakuraba killing it on the OST, another day I throw Eternal Sonata's hat into the ring (ps3 has more content than 360)
"Is the story any good? It's hard to say" yeah, IT IS hard to say, it's such a clusterfuck I kinda love VP2 if only for it's ambition, we don't get this kind of sequel anymore.
Good vid Mr. Bash. I’m curious if you’ll ever rip Valkyrie Elysium a new one. Btw, i’m not going to stop telling you to check out SoulBlazer, Illusion of Gaia, and Terranigma until you do it.
Another weeb who loves this game to death here. There's something about the aesthetician that merges anime and DnD fantasy elements together perfectly. Lezard was a villain I loved to hate too. Also do you say the names of your patrons every time in your outro, or is it prerecorded?
VP1 is my gaming shame that I was too young to truly appreciate. VP2 however- Such good memories of getting my butt kicked restarting the game- figuring out you can turn your dudes into xp....and that the higher level they are the better rewards you get. Such a beautiful mess and i loved it :) 10/10
I played this a couple years ago and never would have made it through without a guide. Layers upon layers of hidden information makes it so hard to make any decisions or get any of the nice items and skills. Yanking away party members you've been investing in for dozens of hours is not ok.
The whole Dipan thing from the first game, basically being expanded into a full-on prequel... Still not sure if that wound up being a detriment or not 🤔
Im really enjoying your videos nowm you seem to have foubd your groove. Its like when i would sit down on someones. Couch for the first time and the show you the games they have. And you tell us about it. Its so wholesome, i mean you kinda have to be an rpg fanatic on any level imo. Keep up the great work.Iwonder if you played shining tears, radiata stories, or phantasy star universe.
VP2 is a game I've bounced off of several times over the years, but I keep coming back to try again. The difficulty curve feels completely vertical for me and I always leave feeling like maybe there's just something I'm missing
I never got to finish this game. Fool as I was, I blendered all my party members and when the midseason betrayal happened(I didn't think MULTIPLE people were going to leave), I was left with Elf guy who promptly got unpersoned, and VC2 is not a game you can complete with literally 1 unit. Don't take this as a challenge. Please. Nothing I heard about the story was inspiring, and how the talk about subbing in an entire endgame party is not encouraging when paired with the rune grinding system which was bad enough that I blocked it from memory. I wasn't good when I picked up this game, but I'm not picking it up again.
How do you access these games Kbash? Do you use an emulator or do you pay the collector prices to review this stuff for us? There’s a bunch of games you’ve covered I want to play but the asking prices for a lot of them are 80 USD for a used copy.
I picked this up cheap with Rogue Galaxy in CEX a few weeks ago and it's an interesting game. I have no idea what is going on interesting. The battle system takes a getting used to.
Hey kbash, you should look at the game Resonance of Fate/End of Eternity. It's a super weird jrpg that features a combat system based around bullet time. I think that would make a really cool video.
It's made by the same devs as Valkyria Profile too, Tri-Ace
I'm sorry, it has fucking what?
YES! This times a hundred.
Man that would be one funny fucking video, because resonance of fate can really kick your ass unless you get the battle system
@@raogzero1842 oh yeah, and the cut scenes in that game cash be hilariously anime
The way I see it, the reason why the second game is so different is because it's Silmeria's game. In Lenneth, the entire experience revolves around her perspective, discovering herself and developing empathy for the world around her. The entire game is purely world building and you're sharing that experience with Lenneth, learning about the world together.
Silmeria on the other hand already knows what's up, she already harvested her einherjar and had she not been trapped inside Alicia, she'd be ready for battle. Alicia's story is more about dealing with her own problems while the world around her is completely apathetic towards her problems, focusing instead on the task at hand. It's a far cry from the original where everyone is suffering and it's all about developing empathy. It's sorta like Halo 3 in the sense that it is essentially "finishing the fight". The game feels more long drawn out because the world at large is in a much better shape, there isn't that sense of urgency like the first game because the game is trying to build that feeling of apathy which clashes with the tone of Alicia's story. The game actively tries to distract you from the task at hand to constantly remind you of the disconnect between the world and Alicia's story because at this point, nobody is aware of what's coming. It's the calm before the storm you could say and because of that the game feels more like an excursion than a marathon.
Honestly I like that better and it's a big reason why I prefer this game over the first, I like sinking my teeth into these types of games and I like to take my time with them, explore at my own pace and enjoy the ride. Valkyrie Profile 1 felt like a long ass task sheet with vague instructions. It felt more like work than play, Valkyrie Profile 2 however felt like a playground I could mess around in and that's what I want in a videogame, which is why I prefer the second game over the first game.
Its weird that my first instinct is to find your comment here, hehehe
@@soratheorangejuicemascot5809 lol
Did you enjoy Elysium ?
@@mo_musashi_284 No
@@CynicalGamingBlogTerry309 woooow ok bye!
This game is fucking awesome, it's one of those amazing games where this NOTHING else like it and it's super enjoyable to play. Great challenge too. You should definitely play Alundra, as well as Skies of Arcadia Legend
I really wish this game would be rereleased on modern consoles so that it's not just locked to the PS2 forever.
YES DUDE, FUCKING YES. NOBODY EVER TALKS ABOUT VP2 LIKE THIS. DEAR ODIN, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING US THIS GLORIOUS GIFT
I actually full cleared this game back then when it came out. I didn't have access to VP 1 at the time so 2 has a special place in my heart. I loved the writing in that game
I remember when I first saw Lezard. My buddy was like "You know that dude's gotta be evil." because of his break(?) voiceline where he just starts laughing like a maniac and I was like "Nah dude, he's not evil. He's just passionate about breaks in the game"
I was stupid as hell
I always wondered why this game seems to be forgotten! This was one of my most replayed games on the playstation 2… i absolutely loved it
Such a pretty game. I was absolutely blown away when I played it!
I drool over how gorgeous it looks
I had to change my diaper after looking at it!
I played this game for the first time earlier this year, and I absolutely loved it. It didn't blow me away or anything, but it was just such a well-crafted game! Although I prefer VP1 because that had a better OST and characters, VP2 destroys it gameplay and mechanic-wise, and it may have my favorite turn-based battle system out of anything i've ever played (I personally wouldn't call it real time).
I hate grinding in RPGs, especially necessary grinding, but grinding in VP2 was so fun. You forgot to mention that cool thing of breaking enemy parts in battles... like their tails, or their held weapon, helmet, etc. Not only did that add another layer to battles but you were rewarded with a unique drop when you broke a enemy part. It affected their attacks too, like if you break a dragon's wings or tail then it couldn't use wing or tail attacks against you. Or breaking a soldier's chestplate or sword may get you their armor or sword after the battle. Stuff like that is just too cool, made battles feel so dynamic and strategic. This game is super deep and well made but you are totally right how it is very niche and you need to be a certain kind of person to *really* enjoy it.
Like for me, I never thought dungeons were boring. I was excited for every new dungeon because I was so desperate to dismantle all the enemies and find things to make my party as OP as possible, or hoping to get the final part for a skill that I want. Every time a new dungeon opened up, I'd try to break every possible part of every new enemy so that you could see every drop... Something about that was very satisfying and it really kept combat from ever getting stale unlike VP1. Every dungeon had unique battlefield layouts too. My favorite thing that kept it feeling fresh was the parry skill you could unlock (I'm a big fan of parries in any game), and then you could try to learn the timing of each enemy's attack animation to parry it and come out of battles damage-free. Gave battles a risk high reward style that made it soooo fun.
Overall this game did such a great job at throwing variety at you, rewarding you when you explored your curiosity, and giving you tons of tools to make party builds with. It was overall a very meaty & satisfying JRPG to play through, but yes it is difficult, obtuse and can't be recommended to everyone, but if it's approach does sound good to you then you are going to LOVE the mess out of it I swear, 'cuz I never played anything like VP2.
Loved VP2. It was my favorite JRPG for awhile, and I liked how it expanded the combat system into 3D. Curious to see how it holds up from a modern perspective since most of the small details have left my memory long ago.
I still have my old console and game, and I assure you it still holds up. Especially now that I can actually pull off combos, haha
VP 2 is the best VP/Tri-Ace Rpg for me. It's a game that screams early 2000s era of gaming where games are beautiful but also deceiving, be it with the plot, the game mechanics or the difficulty set-up. VP2 story wise is chaotic. Not in a way it's hard to understand but with how much tragedy befalls the main cast like a ladder and they just keep going. Unlike VP1 where Lenneth is seeking her humanity, Alicia is just doing things almost slave to her own cause and from the spirit of Silmeria. And when Silmeria was gone she felt incomplete. And it was rightly so because unlike Lenneth who became a warrior instantly, Alicia wasn't. She's the chosen of the slain but Silmeria is a rebel and she would even free her einherjars than deliver them to valhalla. Meanwhile, all the villains are scheming. Even the King was Scheming and the surprise final villain has the biggest scheme. The combat system of VP2 is the best thing there is. The visuals are beautiful, the combat is seamless and the enemies are tough but they're not unbeatable. There are secrets and mechanics that can help you finish the game and the Seraphic gate is just great. The music is also great and the dog theater is the best. VP2 is the best Rpg that nobody knew.
Valkyria games...profile and chronicles, such underrated gems.
P.S Holy crap the graphics look like a PS3 game, that bit is seriously underrated
Valkyria Chronicles.. isn't that an entirely different game/IP??
Imo this is the most the ps2 was ever pushed. Its ridiculously beautiful.
Not the same developer.
Plus they're not the same word.
Valkyria / Valkyrie.
Nah the games of Valkyrie Profile are
VP1 & 2. and I guess Elysium... but... eh on that one.
Never was into Nintendo.. so didn't even know about that Covenent one.
Radiata Stories, (Lenneth party member, VP1 cameos, and SO3 Fayt nod, )
Star Ocean 3: Till the end of Time, (Lenneth party member, VP1 cameos, and likely the ending is tied to VP2's ending)
and oddly, enough... FF13-III, Lightning Returns. (Same, Valkyrie Profile 1 tone, throughout the game. Also, Lightning acts like a Valkyrie.)
With the exception of Elysium all of those game are Tri-Ace games.
@@noelienoelie8425 It actually is, in fact in Japan it has a 1080p resolution option... which turns out the PS2 couldn't handle and with that the game could litteraly broke the console, which is what that option was remove for western release, nowaday with emulator and a good PC you can make this game looks absolutly sick.
@@noelienoelie8425ff12 ? DQ 8 ?
This fighting style seems like the kind I would be able to really enjoy. Thank you Kbash for another great video
It took me years to know the game had a sequel
I'm Soo glad you made an individual video for the "sequel"
Literally looked at this game in a store today and thought "when will Kbash cover this one"
Damn, what store did you see this in? Was it expensive cuz normally it costs quite a bit online.
@@TheCitrusPanda I live in Japan, saw it at BookOff
I don't remember the price but most NTSCJ games are cheap
Bought Like a Dragon Kenzan for only ¥270
@@Brotagon1st_in_Hiding Ah, that makes sense because the Japan Import version is cheap even on Ebay. Also, I watched your AI Somnium Files video and it was cool so good work.
@@TheCitrusPanda oh wow really!?
Thanks so much
One of my favorite games of all time
Love this game, it has a very special place in my heart
Valkyrie Profile 2 was a really cool game. Tri Ace is coming out with another game soon Star Ocean 6 I am looking forward to their new Star Ocean game as well.
This one is my favorite VP game. But on the topic of the Einherjar, its not that you suck the soul out of the weapon. The souls are already inside of Silmeria and when you find one that's compatible then she uses it to materialize them (hence the randomizer). It's how they basically get around giving them development like the other souls had to focus on the main group, but they can then eventually be reincarnated into living people once more instead of being sent to Vahalla.
The best thing about VP2 is that they have NG+ but for enemies. You will start fresh, giving the whole new experience and really test your knowledge about the game. Max difficulty is 50 crystals which means NG+ 50.
All enemies has hundred thousands of hp and millions for major bosses. Even normal monsters early game took at least for me around 1 hour to kill.
I remember just 12 crystals in everything was obscene. Can't imagine the full 50
I did 50 crystals. Everything takes at least 1 hour to defeat. But after you get that sweet sword of the meek, things speed up a bit. Bosses on seraphic gate after cycle 4 has 99m hp and 99999 atk and mag.
I love VP2, now considering buying a modded ps2 just for this 1 game, I wanna go through the story again and the seraphic gate.
Just emulate it
Never Surrender is still my jam. Thanks Motoi Sakuraba, I have spent many hours jogging to that track.
I played this game as a kid on my old ps2. The graphics was on a different level for the games back then.
"It's an old song, but if it keeps getting sung, it must be worth the time." - love this line
My biggest issue was that the einherjar are no longer developed. I hope that the new VP coming out will make them more than just collectables.
I just love playing VP2. The gameplay was addicting to me. I need me an endless mode in a lot of games.
Edit : Thanks for not dismissing Actual Character vs. Gacha system that the einherjar became.
I think you’d get a kick out of Covenant of the Plume. I absolutely love this series, but Covenant of the Plume imo manages to hit the struggles of a mortal attempting to square up against something WAY bigger than them the best.
These videos are great btw, always fun to watch ^_^
One of my all-time favorites. Up there with Vagrant Story and Xenogears. Glad you covered this
The company NEEDS to port this game onto modern consoles. People should take the chance to play this game. The gameplay is VERY FUN.
The only disappointment was that NG+ didnt carry any items, or characters over. Starting the game over again but with Lenneth on your main team, would have beena mental nut for me; it's unfortunate that the NG+ sucked i kinda hope there is a remaster that fixes this.
Really like this game, especially now I can under stand the gameplay better, plus I love how the game’s story goes.
I love these videos. Would be cool to see you take on Enchanted Arms.
Oh man, I remember playing this game as a kid and could barely understand what the hell was going on in the story, but was still interested. Never managed to beat it, but came very close to (I remember leaving off where Alicia's father died and fighting the two mages). Its one of those games that I remember describing it as "boringly attractive" but would always come back to play it. Its one of those games that still stuck with me.
Also, never played any of the other Valkyrie Profile games, and I'm scared if the new one for the PS5 is gonna be any good.
Played this game with a friend of mine all the time growing up. Still love the aesthetics of the game, awesome video.
Another certified KBash classic
did you know there's a turn based real time french jrpg set inside the fever dreams of composer Frederic Chopin on his deathbed?
Ah yes. Eternal Sonata. Such a good game imo.
Mentioned the lost hard drive of Vagrant Story yet again, I'm crying.
But seriously solid video-this is a game I will never play but am ecstatic I was able to witness through you. It's interesting in so many ways and definitely made for a wonderful telling of game and its design. I don't plan on touching the thing with a 10ft pole myself but Im grateful you illuminated its better parts. Thanks again for the wonderful content Mr. Bash!
This game has been sitting in my top 10 games of all time list since I played it on the ps2 as a teen. It is mindboggling how well the game holds up even after 17 years.
VP2 is that good Tri-Ace bonkers game mechanic goodness. Gods I miss that hyper-experimental nonsense.
When you free an einherjar, they appear somewhere on the world map and some may even give you items.
Some einherjar also have unique dialogue with each other when you take them into battle, slightly fleshing them out a bit more. For example, one of the einherjar you get, Woltar, has his backstory state the he was an evil wizard who kidnapped a queen, Lylia. If you have him, Lylia or Lylia's daughter (Lydia) in your party, it's basically revealed that Woltar and Lylia were lovers who eloped and Lydia's his daughter.
The reason why the optional einherjar's don't feel as fleshed out as VP1's is because they weren't originally going to be in the game. After writing the story, the devs realised that since some party members leave they needed to have extra characters to compensate for that.
A lot of the game's mechanics are actually pretty well explained.... in the manual, that is. That's probably why a lot of the mechanics aren't explained in the actual game.
god dammn i love these games. any more Tri-ace before the studio goes under?
Thanks for the review, VP2 is one of my favorite games, and played in my teens so it was very memorable. I think you hit that review spot on. I would love to see you do these for Xenosaga the first one!
God I remembered killing the hydra boss 40 times or so to get strong enough for the final dungeon
1:56 Already a masterpiece
Can’t wait for a review for the new game that I’ve seen in the ps store. Valkyrie elisium I’m sure it’s called.
Ok I’m glad your gameplay looks blurry too. I thought there was something wrong with my emulator. 3 hours in I like this game very much
Gah. You overlooked the most awsome feature of the game. The combat doesnt just have better hitbox detection. But its in 3d and has breakable body parts (lots of them, on effing everything), and each part has its own loot. Honestly this makes the grind super fun because rather than just grinding the same thing over and over, you are probably trying to grind for specific body parts on certain creatures with a deep battle system in 3d with good hit detection, and when you succeed, you dont need to grind repition a ton, just git gud at aiming for those body parts.
Plus break mode is just randomized coke overdoses where you cut off every limb on everything suddenly and its extremely satisfying since it is so uncommon.
I love VP but I adore VP2 for Alicia alone. Watching her grow from that meek nepobaby to a confident warrior princess was progressive done right and she didn't need no manjaw for that. The game being so needlessly complicated made it a sandbox for OCD-like people and I can come back to the game twice a year easy.
Evil alternative kbash reviews platformers and shooters
One of the best games on the PS2 and soooo underrated and under the radar T__T. Oddly... Ive never heard people give it the Chrono Trigger and Cross comparison...
The wind blows? Idk I think it's pretty alright... :(
KBash giving the people another one!
Didn't know anything about VP2 or even just VP coming into this, clicked in hopes of hearing about the cheat protection, stayed because it was actually intresting.
I still have my original copy of this game and i've waited YEARS for a remaster or port to PC. looks like i'll have to pull out my old school playstation in order to enjoy it in 2022.
Was that a suikoden rune sound effect I heard at 11:00 ?????? WHEN ARE YOU REVIEWING SUIKODEN KBASH???? hahaha love the video man keep it up
I almost Cried when you first Summon an Einhariar, He's a big Burly Swords man with my Name Spelled the Same.
Valkyrie Profile 2 is one the best RPG I've ever played. Story is great, graphics are great, music is great, voice acting is great, characters are great, combat is GREAT. Skill system may seem complex, but it's really not and it's pretty unique. The game is basically flawless; the only "bad" thing that comes to my mind - but only in comparison to VP1 - is the lack of einherjars' death scenes, which made them unique and memorable, but here the main cast of heroes makes up for it.
I loved the first one. Played this one and stopped at that swamp place cause i got wrecked by common enemies. Never returned to it again. Way to go devs.
every time I see Kbash play a game I haven't played, I instantly think "welp now I gotta give it a try"
After my PS2 died, my only wish since then, is to get to play VP2 again in the future consoles!!
freaking loved this game so much. I love getting overpowered in games and specially jrpgs, and this one was so much fun. I do wish the Einjerjar had been more fleshed out, but i got a ton of fun out of this game, even if I do still prefer VP1.
Thank you for giving this gem attention it is my all time favorite and it was the game that made it worth purchasing a PS2. Motoi Sakuraba has also made the soundtrack for Valkyrie Elysium, it seems the only thing that is really excellent about it.
Tri Ace has developed unique and fun combat systems in this one and Resonance of Fate. If only Squenix could revive the glory of those days instead of making a hack and slash game...
The weirdest is Valkyrie Profile Elysium.
The best is VP1.
About VP2 Einherjar. You can choose characters by luck..... Yes the better characters have the lowest % you'll get them.
This was somewhat of an unknown game amongst my peers when I discovered it. This being said This is my favorite ps2 rpg game. Even in spite of its rather short story and somewhat awkward gating mechanics. I would damn near give a lung to see it remastered.
There are a few things id like to say:
I - thanks for making the vídeo and giving vp2 a Fair shot.
II - the series reminds me a lot of digital Devil saga 1 and 2. One is rather emotional/sad and the other is rather weird, going bananas with the story and they both are enjoyable in their ways. Seriously, i love vp2 to death but the story is wack. Maybe this is why i like it...
III - looking retroactively at VP2, It has a similar effect of Deus ex human revolution on its art approach. It tries to tell a story only with its presentation while there is stuff actually happening. HR was and still is Very polarising about being "Golden". I suppose this type of approach registers better, If at all, in some players.
12:59 Aw it's nice to see Adonis doing well after he ended up getting stabbed by Guts :'))
Personnaly, while I loved this game as a whole, I do remember it being a huge pain in the a** at some bosses for what seemed unfair treatment xD.
But the most unfair was, well, surely because I was too young to play it properly, was the final boss where, "maybe spoiler" alert, you have a specific "set" character that appears for the first time for that specific final battle and thus canno't level up or prepare that character properly. I tried a few time only to give up, farm a few Einh' to sacrifice them and keep their bonus items to overfeed the special "final boss" character you get.
Also, talking about final boss, I'll confess, for the battle with the huge crystal at the center of the arena, I cheesed the boss by making them attacking the crystal while hiding behind it : c
the Einherjar in Valkyrie Profile 2 is actually the soul tat inhibit/attach within Silmeria... Alicia/Silmeria only channeling/transfer the said compatable weapon found as an avatar for the said Einherjar , materializing them to the mortal world.
correct me if im wrong here
I loved this game back in the days, one of my favourite PS2 games.
I appreciate you reminding me of this game. I finished it through once but never did the Ng+ stuff. great video on a basically lost game
I did a quick search and didn't see it, have you done the Star Ocean series? The first two games (including First Departure, which is my preferred way to play the first game these days though the original SNES game is a gem and introduced me to the series) are wonderful and the subsequent games will slowly drain your sanity lmao
Another day I hear kbash love a fantasy world with Motoi Sakuraba killing it on the OST, another day I throw Eternal Sonata's hat into the ring (ps3 has more content than 360)
VP2 is definitely one of the top ten sequels I've ever played. Great game
I remember you being able to run into your freed einheriar in the world as npcs
"Is the story any good? It's hard to say"
yeah, IT IS hard to say, it's such a clusterfuck
I kinda love VP2 if only for it's ambition, we don't get this kind of sequel anymore.
Hahaha "let me in" my sentiments exactly.
One of the greatest PS2 RPGs!!!
At the end of VP2, Lenneith clearly says "there is a greater evil coming" and the game clearly says "to be continued" I'm still waiting on VP3.
Good vid Mr. Bash. I’m curious if you’ll ever rip Valkyrie Elysium a new one.
Btw, i’m not going to stop telling you to check out SoulBlazer, Illusion of Gaia, and Terranigma until you do it.
Another weeb who loves this game to death here. There's something about the aesthetician that merges anime and DnD fantasy elements together perfectly. Lezard was a villain I loved to hate too.
Also do you say the names of your patrons every time in your outro, or is it prerecorded?
YES. SO MUCH YES. I loved this game as a kid.
VP1 is my gaming shame that I was too young to truly appreciate. VP2 however- Such good memories of getting my butt kicked restarting the game- figuring out you can turn your dudes into xp....and that the higher level they are the better rewards you get. Such a beautiful mess and i loved it :) 10/10
Holy heck this takes me back
I played this a couple years ago and never would have made it through without a guide. Layers upon layers of hidden information makes it so hard to make any decisions or get any of the nice items and skills. Yanking away party members you've been investing in for dozens of hours is not ok.
The whole Dipan thing from the first game, basically being expanded into a full-on prequel... Still not sure if that wound up being a detriment or not 🤔
Soon the sponsored end roll is gonna be the length of the video itself. HAHAHA!!!
Im really enjoying your videos nowm you seem to have foubd your groove. Its like when i would sit down on someones. Couch for the first time and the show you the games they have. And you tell us about it. Its so wholesome, i mean you kinda have to be an rpg fanatic on any level imo.
Keep up the great work.Iwonder if you played shining tears, radiata stories, or phantasy star universe.
i think you will play Indivisible to get a take on how fans did a spiritual successor of valkirie profile
16:13 crazy how good games today in 2023 are sprite games vs the games of the times
now do VP covenant of the plume
valkyrie profile slime era
Blessed day. A kbash morning it is❤
Ah fuck, the review of the sequel came out before I could finish the second game. Now I gotta rush through it
I'm fine. Just sitting here bleeding from the reopened wound of Kbash saying Vagrant Story is boring... Don't mind me.
VP2 is a game I've bounced off of several times over the years, but I keep coming back to try again. The difficulty curve feels completely vertical for me and I always leave feeling like maybe there's just something I'm missing
Shadow hearts?! Shadow hearts please?!
I never got to finish this game. Fool as I was, I blendered all my party members and when the midseason betrayal happened(I didn't think MULTIPLE people were going to leave), I was left with Elf guy who promptly got unpersoned, and VC2 is not a game you can complete with literally 1 unit.
Don't take this as a challenge. Please.
Nothing I heard about the story was inspiring, and how the talk about subbing in an entire endgame party is not encouraging when paired with the rune grinding system which was bad enough that I blocked it from memory. I wasn't good when I picked up this game, but I'm not picking it up again.
I will send them to you, but I need you to do the whole Onimusha series!!!!
Kbash can you look into the Magna Carta series?
My favorite TH-camr!!!
How do you access these games Kbash? Do you use an emulator or do you pay the collector prices to review this stuff for us? There’s a bunch of games you’ve covered I want to play but the asking prices for a lot of them are 80 USD for a used copy.
valkyrie profile 2 was the best in the series
I picked this up cheap with Rogue Galaxy in CEX a few weeks ago and it's an interesting game. I have no idea what is going on interesting. The battle system takes a getting used to.