Note 1: This Japanese PSOne game was played on a U.S. region-modded console. It was played with a PSOne HD-Retrovision component cable, which was hooked up to an XRGB-mini Framemeister, which then output through HDMI.

Note 2: There is not a lot of great information that I could find on the internet about this awesome game, so that is why I decided to make a ‘review’ (really more like some general information) for it. One day, someone will write a far, far better and more extensive review, but for now, this may be the best there is. I will not be writing about any other games in this series or making comparisons. This is simply one man’s review and thoughts after playing the game!

Game: The Adventure of Valkyrie: The Key of Time (Valkyrie no Bouken)

Genre: Action-RPG

Players: 1

Saving: Save your game to a memory card/stick at certain locations in the game. The amount of time you’ve spent on the game is also recorded.

Language Barrier: No. Although this is a game with written Japanese dialogue and narration, it is a relatively linear Action-RPG. I encountered nothing that prevented me from enjoying this game, nor anything that kept me from understanding (generally) what was going on. Also, there is English here and there, which can be helpful.

Background: The Namco Anthology 2 was released exclusively for the PSOne in Japan in September 1998. On that disc were a compilation of games, including The Adventure of Valkyrie: The Key of Time.

Story: (As far as I can tell from rough translations I found) The Faceless god appeared in Marvel Land one day to torment its citizens. The ‘Laughing Clock’ was installed in a southern village, and from that clock the Faceless god unleashed these evil beings. Hearing the cries of Marvel Land’s people, Valkyrie descended from the heavens with the Key of Time to confront the Faceless god and restore peace to Marvel Land.

Control: Box = Attack or Magic (Attack when tapped, Magic when held – press right or left to cycle spells then release to use), X = Jump, O = Dash (when held), Triangle, R1, or L2 = Block with your shield (when held, you cannot move while blocking – you can block many projectile attacks), Start = Menu (O when in Menu equips a weapon or uses a potion, X cancels)

Magic: You’ll encounter Spirits in the game who will bestow Magic upon Valkyrie. You will seek them out in caves and other locations. The first two Spirits are the Wind Spirit (Wind Attack) and the Flower Spirit (Healing). Using magic consumes your magic meter, although you can restore this by using red potions or finding magic replenishment orbs from defeated enemies.

Weapons: Valkyrie attacks with her magic rod (standard projectile attack), but she can also buy or find other weapons, including a ‘wide’ shot and a ‘four-way’ shot, among others. These must be equipped from the Menu, and each one has a finite number of uses, although they are far more powerful and effective than your standard attack. Later on in the game, you will receive an updated, permanent standard weapon that deals more damage to enemies.

Level Up: Throughout your journey, you must seek out Heart Containers and Magic Orb Containers. These will permanently increase your Life Bar or Magic Meter!

Treasure: Treasure chests are littered throughout Marvel Land. Healing items, weapons, or gold can be found in these chests, so leave no area unexplored!

Gold: Most enemies drop gold when defeated; sometimes it’s good to spend time in an area gathering as much as you can in order to purchase weapons and healing items from a merchant you’ll frequently encounter.

Potions: Red potions restore your Magic Meter, and Blue Potions restore your health. You can buy these or find them in chests, and you can hold several, so stock up!

Gameplay: In The Adventure of Valkyrie, you must traverse the different regions of Marvel Land and free the towns and villages that are under attack due to the Faceless god’s assault. Along the way, you will encounter villagers, Spirits, and other friends who will aid you in your quest, and you in turn will liberate them from the forces of evil that have laid siege to their homes. This typically ends in a boss fight or two. The game is split into ‘chapters,’ and after completing each chapter, you move (via a map) to a different area of Marvel Land.

The Southern Gentleman’s Opinion and Letter Grade: The Adventure of Valkyrie is an INCREDIBLE action-RPG for the PSOne, and it’s a shame that it seems that few people know about it or have played it. The game itself looks absolutely beautiful, as the locations (villages, deserts, haunted forests, and more) really add a different feel to each area and a sense of scope to Marvel Land. The bosses are particularly memorable as well, and much of the music is captivating.

The balance in the game is near-perfect – not too easy, not too difficult. You’ll need to ‘gold grind’ a few times to buy a good stock of potions and weapons, and there are some challenging ‘platforming’ sections here and there, but nothing impossible. Also, you’ll need to take time to really explore each area so you don’t miss a Heart Container or Spirit (missing the Healing Magic in world 2 would make the game quite tough).

I found the game largely reminiscent, in some ways at least, to other action-RPGs like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past or Secret of Mana. Very addictive, although it’s not a terribly long game, coming in at about 6 hours (although that’s not really a bad thing in my book). The language barrier should not daunt you at all, as you need absolutely zero Japanese language education to understand that evil is tormenting good people, and you need to save them. A+

God Bless! Proverbs 3:6

PRO TIP 1: In the Haunted Forest, go Up, Right, Right, Up, Left, Up in the ‘Maze’ part. This should save you a little time!

PRO TIP 2: After you meet the whale, return to the flooded village. See the man in the house in the northeast part of the town to receive a tonic that will revive the whale.

PRO TIP 3: When you return to the Haunted Forest later in the game, seek out the four orbs that are scattered in the forest. Also, look for treasure chests again and the 7th Heart Container, which is in the cave. Then head north to the shrine!