or is a series of

role-playing video game A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...

s created by Masaki Norimoto, primarily developed by

tri-Ace is a Japanese video game development company formed in March 1995 by former Telenet Japan employees Yoshiharu Gotanda (programmer, current tri-Ace President), Masaki Norimoto (game designer) and Joe Asanuma (director). The name is a play on w ...

and published by Square Enix (formerly

Enix was a Japanese video game publisher that produced video games, anime and manga. Enix is known for publishing the ''Dragon Quest'' series of role-playing video games. The company was founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima on September 22, 1975, as . Th ...

). The series is notable for featuring elements from

Norse mythology Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern per ...

Common elements

The ''Valkyrie Profile'' series has been distinguished for its inventive gameplay. Aesthetically, the series is known for its muted colors and melancholic ambiance. Players usually take the role of a

valkyrie In Norse mythology, a valkyrie ("chooser of the slain") is one of a host of female figures who guide souls of the dead to the god Odin's hall Valhalla. There, the deceased warriors become (Old Norse "single (or once) fighters"Orchard (1997: ...

, one of a host of female figures who choose warriors who may die in battle and lead them into the afterlife, though sometimes they play mortals called upon by the divine beings.

Games

Music

The music of all the ''Valkyrie Profile'' games was composed by

Motoi Sakuraba is a Japanese composer and keyboardist. He is known for his numerous contributions in video games, such as for '' Tales'', ''Star Ocean'', ''Mario Golf'', '' Mario Tennis'', ''Golden Sun'', and ''Dark Souls'' series, as well as several other ani ...

. '' Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria'' has two original soundtracks, Alicia and Silmeria. Each soundtrack is divided into two discs totalling 70 songs from the game. Prior to the release, a special artifact box was released which included a copy of the game, ten musical tracks, a keychain, and a figurine. The in-game score was written as MIDI tracks, allowing it to fit easily onto the DS cartridge. Drawing from the darker themes of the narrative, Sakuraba created a subdued and emotional score that noticeably moved away from his score for ''Silmeria'' while still being separate from his work on ''Valkyrie Profile''. The score included original composition and arranged versions of tracks from Sakuraba's scores for ''Valkyrie Profile''.

(2008-11-05). "''Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume Original Soundtrack'' booklet". (in Japanese) Square Enix. SQEX-10125~6. Retrieved on 2019-07-21. The soundtrack conversion for the DS cartridge was done by sound design studio Noisycroak. A two-disc soundtrack album was published by Square Enix's music label on November 5, 2008. For the album release, Sakuraba used the MIDI originals as reference and redid all the tracks with full orchestration. While faithful to the original, the larger range of sounds resulted in some differences. A twelve-track arrange album, handled by Sakuraba, was published alongside the main soundtrack album. Producer Yoshinori Yamagishi mentioned his favorite way of drawing out emotion in players was through music and sound effects, helping to both immerse new players in the world of the game and play upon the nostalgia of series fans. The game utilizes a mixture of music from the franchise and new compositions.

Printed adaptations

Several

manga Manga ( Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is ...

have been written based on the series. They are ''Valkyrie Profile'', ''Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria'', and ''Valkyrie Profile: The Dark Alchemist''. A manga

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors. In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically cate ...

called ''Valkyrie Profile Enix Supercomic Gekijoh'' is based on the PlayStation Portable version of ''Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth''.

Reception

Overall, the ''Valkyrie Profile'' series received positive critical reception both in Japan and the West. The series has shipped 2.2 million copies by 2016. Some ''Valkyrie Profile'' games have been included in various lists of top games. In a 2006 reader's poll conducted by ''Famitsu'', the first ''Valkyrie Profile'' was voted the 27th best video game of all time. ''Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth'' received IGN's award for Best PSP RPG of 2006. ''Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria'' received IGN's award for "Best Game No One Played".

References

External links

* {{Square Enix franchises Square Enix franchises Video game franchises Video game franchises introduced in 1999