Maria is a valkyrie created by Odin to save the world from Ragnarok, and Valkyrie Elysium asks players to follow her through Midgard, purifying souls and gathering the Einherjar along the way. The game is an action RPG steeped in Norse mythology, built around a new combat system that replaces the turn-based battles of earlier entries in the Valkyrie Profile series.
Trailer, via PlayStation.
Maria’s Quest
Maria descends to Midgard to cleanse lost souls, turning them into Einherjar who fight beside her. Each Einherjar carries a story tied to the death that brought them back. Players can also enter the memories of the dead by finding Hollow Blossoms, though the game’s central mystery centers on the Verdan Blossoms, whose contents Maria cannot read.
Along the way, Maria meets Armand, a human searching for an unknown goal, and Hilde, a rogue valkyrie who warns her not to trust Odin. Maria reports the warning to Odin, who claims outside forces are trying to undermine him. He sends her to find the Four Gifts, which he says are needed to save the world.
Combat and Presentation
The combat system is the game’s biggest change. It favors fast action over careful planning, with Maria switching between weapons and magic mid-fight. Critics praised the character design, voice acting, and music, calling the visuals low-budget and the narrative weak.
The environments lack detail and things to interact with, a common complaint in the critical response. Some players found the story thin compared to earlier games in the series.
Final Hours
The plot thickens when Hilde takes the remaining Gifts and her benefactor Fenrir appears. He reveals Odin’s true plan: gathering souls to increase his own power, not save the world. Odin then orders Maria to kill Fenrir and retrieve the Gifts, leading to a final showdown in Nifleheim.
Maria survives the ambush, questioning Odin’s motives in the process. The twist lands, but the build-up around it is thin.
Key Facts
- Developer: Soleil
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Release: September 29, 2022 (PS4, PS5); November 11, 2022 (PC)
- Platforms: PS4, PC (Windows), PS5
- Genre: Action RPG, hack-and-slash
- Score: 6.5/10
Valkyrie Elysium is a solid action RPG with a strong combat system and a compelling mythological backdrop, but its story falls short of the depth players expect from the series. The visuals are limited, and the narrative relies too heavily on twists rather than steady character development.
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