When word got out that the prequel to the legendary Valkyrie Profile was going to be a mobile game on iOS and Android, the classic JRPG crowd let out a deep and defeated sigh. This RPG franchise, famous for its brutal time limits and deep, complex battle systems, would almost assuredly be missing the point on the casual, mobile crowd.
At least, that was the general thought moving into Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin. With the game available now in Japan, I would say that the damage is far less than any had anticipated, as seen by this gameplay video above.
No, it's no Valkyrie Profile or even Exist Achive, the spiritual successor due for release in October. It's a casual JRPG that at least features a superficial look at Valkyrie Profile's juggling-based combat. Timed hits, working out how to distribute action points to land the most effective attacks. The battle system is hardly flawless, but when I look at it, I can't help but be a little impressed by how it actually looks like a JRPG.
I mean, this could have just as easily been another Puzzle & Dragons clone, but Square Enix clearly put a lot of work into this. See the full description below.
That day…. The gods were disgraced…
Since ancient times, this world has been divided into nine.
Midgard, where humans dwell; Vanaheim, where the divine Vanir reside; Asgard, inhabited by the divine Æsir… A country where fairies live, a country of giants, the underworld…
One day, the balance of the nine worlds collapsed, and a period that swept up all the worlds in war began…
During the days of never-ending war, people patiently and anxiously awaited…
The advent of the "Battle Maiden Valkyrie" to appear and end their grief…
In addition to a few battles, the game has a Tutorial and a Weapon generation mini-game available now. Full-service on the actual game will launch tomorrow in Japan.
Again, no word if this mobile game will be making it to North America, but Square Enix's history on the matter suggests it won't. Hey, anybody remember Final Fanasy Mobius? Yeah, I didn't think so.
