Valkyrie Profile: Covenant Of The Plume (Nintendo DS)

Classic stats and leveling. View larger.

Strategic group combat. View larger.

Maximum damage via new attacks. View larger.

The Story
Wylfred was only a boy when his father was killed in battle and the valkyrie Lenneth claimed his soul. Although this is the ultimate glory for a warrior, it also sealed the fate of Wylfred's family. Adrift in a dangerous world, without his father Wylfred's family soon experienced the ravages of poverty and eventual tragedy. Embittered by these agonies Wylfred's journey to manhood was fueled by dreams of revenge against the valkyrie, but it is not until he agrees to a bargain with Queen Hel for the 'Destiny Plume,' which was shed from Lenneth's wings and found near the corpse of his father, that he is given a chance to exact it. But to stand against Lenneth he must, like his father before him, become a warrior worthy of the attention of the gods and their messengers. The world around Wylfred is aflame with the chaos of war, which is just the situation that he needs to accumulate the glory that the gods desire and draw the attention of the valkyrie. To the valiant she comes, and so to the battlefield he goes. Destiny awaits.

Gameplay
Gameplay in Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume revolves around players, in the role of Wylfred, engaging in a series of strategy/role-playing quests and battles throughout the land designed to level up your character. Through in-game conversations with the 20+ available allies, players assemble a group of up to four members to engage in these battles, as well as gather items and upgrade inventory for each when and where available. Once an enemy is engaged, action is turn-based, with the members of your quest possessing limited movement indicated by colored squares. Although individual characters can feasibly carry out successful attacks, battle is designed with group combat in mind, so positioning of your team within ideal striking distance of an enemy during a single turn is important. Attacking as a group not only yields more hits as each team member strikes in turn, but if timed correctly these successive blows max out a player's attack gauge, unleashing Soul Crush, powerful special moves that quickly finish off enemies with startling force. This overwhelming power is measured in Overkill and equated as Sin. Building up as much of this as possible is important due to the deal that Wylfred makes with Queen Hel, which stipulates that each progressive battle will entail a set amount of Sin. Battles won without generating the necessary amount of Sin result in a penalty of much more difficult future battles. An additional game feature that allows for maximum damage which should be strategically planned, is the careful use of the Destiny Plume. Players can grant the plume to an ally, which instills unstoppable power in that character for a limited time and assigns special abilities to Wylfred which he retains, but at the cost of the ally's life for the remainder of the game. To be mortal is to suffer, but are the gods beyond suffering a mortal's revenge? It all depends on your choices in Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume.

Key Game Features:

• Brand New Storyline Perspective - Follow Wylfred's darker story of seeking his revenge on Lenneth Valkyrie.
• New Gameplay Siege Dynamic - Experience how the characters actively support each other in Sieges and gain greater skills and fighting advantages in the Active Formation system.
• New Attacks
  • Soul Crush - Powerful attacks that can be performed when players max out their attack gauge.
  • Overkill - Attack enemies once they are defeated to accumulate Sin.
• Ultimate Replayability - Discover multiple possible story endings as you decide the fate of your allies, with results that will change the course of the game.
• Dynamic Dual Screen Presentation - Experience a beautifully rendered 3D world.
• Seraphic Gate - Battle formidable foes as you recruit new allies in an unlockable bonus dungeon.
• Over 20 possible allies to enlist.