Battle System, Characters, and Weapons further detailed for Valkyrie Elysium

Valkyrie Elysium - which will be releasing on September 29 on PlayStation 4 and 5, and November 12 on PC, has received a new slew of information, courtesy of the Japanese PS Blog.

[Update: Square Enix North America has provided English details and screenshots, which we've included below]

A new main character introduced is Armand - a human that the Valkyrie meets by chance, still searching for something amidst the ruined world. The other characters introduced are Einherjar - spirits of the dead who assist the Valkyrie in combat - and the connection between the two plays a key role in the story to come. One such Einherjar is the princess Kristoffer, specializing in Lance combat. Another Einherjar detailed is Taika, who is skilled in magic.

Basics of the battle system revolve around the simple concept of keeping a combo going, while using items or blue souls to summon Einherjar to augment your attacks with attributes of their own. Divine Arts - essentially spells - can be found across the world within treasure chests. Divine Arts require use of the Arts Gauge, which refills upon item use - but also while landing combo chains. Divine Arts have their own attributes - and while under the effect of an Einherjar, using spells of the same element will be further strengthened.

Some of the Divine Arts detailed are Fire Storm, Hail Shot, and Lightning Bolt - all with relatively straightforward attributes. Of special note is Soul Chain - an ability that not only lets you access areas you're unable to reach with a simple jump, but also offers a means of quickly honing in on enemies during the middle of combat, helping to keep combos going. 

During combat, up to 2 different weapons can be equipped at a time, like the straight sword Alfodr, the spear Baleygr, the rapier Bolverkr and the double-edged spear Herteitr. Players can make use of the Training Area Vingolf to test their loadout against previously defeated foes.

Valkyrie Elysium releases next month on PlayStation 4 and 5, though PC players will have to wait a little bit longer than that - as we edge ever closer to launch, we should continue to learn more of what players can expect with the game once they get their hands on it. More screenshots can be found in the gallery below.

About Valkyrie Elysium

Valkyrie Elysium is the latest title in the “Valkyrie” series that depicts the “death of humankind” and “the existence of gods” with a unique worldview based on Norse mythology.

Motoi Sakuraba’s masterful tracks enhance the new “Valkyrie” world drawn in high end graphics.

As the first action RPG of its series, it retains the familiar special attacks and combo system while taking it to the next level with a new three-dimensional, fast paced battle system.

Characters

Armand

(Voiced by Harry McEntire in English, Natsuki Hanae in Japanese)

"I'm out here looking for something, despite the world being in the state it is."

A male human whom Valkyrie encountered in Midgard. He appears to be searching for something in the collapsing world, despite not knowing exactly what it is he seeks.

Einherjar

Einherjar are spirits that serve Valkyrie.In this title, the story revolves around the dynamics between Valkyrie and Einherjar.

In battle, they fight alongside Valkyrie, and play a supporting role, assisting in combos and imbuing elements while summoned. By using Einherjar skillfully, players can gain the advantage in battle.

Kristoffer

(Voiced by Cassie Bradley in English, Maaya Uchida in Japanese)

“It is the duty of the strong to look out for those who cannot defend themselves.”

An Einherjar specializing in spear combat. Before her death, she was the princess of South Lucarda.

Taika

(Voiced by Safiyya Ingar in English, Saori Hayami in Japanese)

“It is me, though my mind is utterly lost, crippled by regret.”

An Einherjar who wields magic. She was once a Guardian who protected her motherland with magic.

Battle System

Summoning Einherjar

The soul gauge will fill up when the player collects items and/or blue souls. Use the energy stored in your soul gauge to summon an Einherjar. When summoned, the Einherjar grants their elemental properties to Valkyrie, strengthening her attacks.

While the Valkyrie is under the effects of an Einherjar’s elements, the color of her body will change.

Divine Arts

These are special attacks learned by obtaining scrolls from treasure chests. Once these Divine Arts are equipped, they can be utilized by consuming charge out of the arts gauge, which fills up from items and landing combos. Each Divine Art has an associated element; using these to exploit an enemy’s weakness may provide an advantage in battle.

Soul Chain

Soul Chain allows for the player to extend a wire to a point in the distance to travel quickly. Not only will this allow the player to go where a simple jump cannot reach, but it can be utilized to quickly move in on an enemy.

Combos

Landing an attack on an enemy will increase the combo gauge; land another attack before the gauge is emptied to maintain the combo. By continuously accumulating combos, the arts gauge will fill up, enabling the player to utilize Divine Arts.

Aerial combos are great for attacking enemies without worrying about their counter-attack, plus there’s a better chance of item drops.

Weapons

Up to two weapons can be equipped simultaneously, and they can be swapped depending on the enemies you face or your personal playstyle preference. Players can raise the level of weapons by enhancing them, increasing the attack power and/or unlocking new attacks. Furthermore, once the weapon reaches a certain level, the player can attach runes to them, which will enhance offensive or defensive power.

Acquiring Skills

Acquiring skills enhances and unlocks Valkyrie's abilities and actions. Various effects, categorized as offensive, defensive, and supportive, can be customized to suit the player's playstyle.

If an enemy's attack is guarded at the right moment, a slow effect occurs and a large amount of souls are dropped.

Various skills can be learned.

Vingolf

At a training ground called Vingolf, Valkyrie can summon enemies that have been purified in the past and train against them.

Valkyrie Elysium