This is such a frustratingly flawed Valis collection, which frankly feels true to the spirit of the series.
Let’s start with what it does well. Each game comes complete with cutscene viewer, music player, and scanned/partially translated original manuals and box art. This is all really neat to browse through. Also, this is the first time the PCE remake of Valis has been translated into English - it’s one of the series’ best so it’s very exciting to have it here, especially since cutscenes/story are one of Valis’ big claims to fame.
At the same time, the collection lacks visual options, which is a bummer since a CRT filter would really make the gorgeous cutscenes pop, and the rewind feature is bizarrely implemented and frustrating to use.
To top it off, the collection is absolutely just missing the PCE Valis IV, a major omission that is disappointing in light of the fact that it’s never been translated. It would have also been nice to also get some of the older versions of the first Valis and the X68000 version of Valis II, which is probably a lot better than the PCE version included here.
Saying that though, it’s fun to dive into these games and their storytelling in 2022. In terms of the games themselves:
Valis: The Fantasm Soldier - A B-tier Castlevania-style action game but a pretty great one, with nice graphics and fun cutscenes that makes it feel like a playable 80s OVA
Valis II - Janky, repetitive and just not very fun to play. It has aged poorly but…wasn’t great when it came out either
Valis III - Probably the best and most ambitious of the bunch, with 3 playable characters, more cutscenes, more varied + interesting level design and, with the presence of NPCs and a few other touches, a greater sense of a world around you. IMO it’s only really dragged down by a couple of frustrating boss fights
Let’s start with what it does well. Each game comes complete with cutscene viewer, music player, and scanned/partially translated original manuals and box art. This is all really neat to browse through. Also, this is the first time the PCE remake of Valis has been translated into English - it’s one of the series’ best so it’s very exciting to have it here, especially since cutscenes/story are one of Valis’ big claims to fame.
At the same time, the collection lacks visual options, which is a bummer since a CRT filter would really make the gorgeous cutscenes pop, and the rewind feature is bizarrely implemented and frustrating to use.
To top it off, the collection is absolutely just missing the PCE Valis IV, a major omission that is disappointing in light of the fact that it’s never been translated. It would have also been nice to also get some of the older versions of the first Valis and the X68000 version of Valis II, which is probably a lot better than the PCE version included here.
Saying that though, it’s fun to dive into these games and their storytelling in 2022. In terms of the games themselves:
Valis: The Fantasm Soldier - A B-tier Castlevania-style action game but a pretty great one, with nice graphics and fun cutscenes that makes it feel like a playable 80s OVA
Valis II - Janky, repetitive and just not very fun to play. It has aged poorly but…wasn’t great when it came out either
Valis III - Probably the best and most ambitious of the bunch, with 3 playable characters, more cutscenes, more varied + interesting level design and, with the presence of NPCs and a few other touches, a greater sense of a world around you. IMO it’s only really dragged down by a couple of frustrating boss fights