Valkyrie no Densetsu Longplay (Arcade) [QHD]
124Game Info
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Developer: Namco
Publisher: Namco
Year of Release: 1989
Game Review & Impressions
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Checking out more titles in Namco's back catalogue, I came across Valkyrie no Densetsu. This arcade adventure with occasional RPG-lite trappings is a sequel to Valkyrie no Bลken: Toki no Kagi Densetsu, released on the NES/Famicon in 1986. According to various wikis and sites online, the game's plot picks up in the wake of the events of the original game, with the populace of the Kingdom of Marvel facing famine due to a crop shortage. Valkyrie, the heroine of the game and controlled by player one, sets off to seek an artifact known as the Golden Seed, which can apparently fulfil the wishes of the one who places it in the waters of the Northern Spring. Joined on her journey by Kurino Sandra, an inhabitant of Sand Land, the pair make the journey to find the Golden Seed and journey to the Northern Spring.
The arcade version of the game was a Japan-only release, which makes it really difficult for Western audiences to understand due to the lack of English. An English translation for the PC Engine port does exist, however, and I'll probably check this out at some point, because I was utterly clueless as to what was going on here.
It doesn't really matter too much, though, because the mechanics are relatively straightforward. The game is a mostly linear journey through a series of stages, killing monsters and collecting the coins they leave behind to purchase equipment and power-ups from vendors you'll encounter periodically throughout your adventure. Many of these items increase or change the type of projectile pattern fire by the player, although most of them have limited ammunition, something which isn't shown any where on-screen. You definitely don't want to run out of ammunition for your more powerful weapons because some of the enemies in later levels become really difficult to take down as a result.
Valkyrie and Sandra also have access to a set of spells, provided they have sufficient power in reserve to activate them. Spells include creating clones that can shoot projectiles, growing to super size, or transforming into a raging tornado. Remaining spell power is represented by the coloured orbs in the bottom left of the screen, and must be replenished from chests, or by encounters with certain characters found off the beaten track during your adventure.
I didn't understand anything about the game or the plot, but it didn't really matter. I still had a great time with this because the gameplay is excellent, buoyed along by a phenomenal soundtrack, at least by arcade standards. I was genuinely impressed by the music in the game, and I have to wonder whether players ever really got to appreciate just how good it is when playing within the confines of a noisy arcade. I would definitely recommend giving Valkyrie no Densetsu a try because it's still a lot of fun, even if it doesn't make much sense.
Chapters
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00:00 Attract mode
01:20 Stage 1
06:18 Stage 2
12:07 Stage 3
16:33 Stage 4
23:15 Stage 5
29:07 Stage 6
33:06 Stage 7
41:18 Ending