Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth - hands on

But that's hardly its only charm. Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth also packs a lot of action - something that most RPGs barely touch on. Though it's a hardcore statistics-based game that will have you micromanaging behind the scenes, the action is completely separate from the number-crunching. You're shaping on characters, abilities and equipment - in intricate ways - so your party will be primed to take down the enemies as fast as possible, in a lightning-quick volley of brutal hits.

Each warrior is mapped to one of the four face buttons on the PSP. To attack enemies, you just push a button - making sure to time your attacks correctly so that each fighter can get good damage in. It's a delicate balance, actually, and it's utterly addictive to work out your combos for maximum damage - since you have total control over each character's attacks and the order they fight in.

  1. The party of warriors, led by Lenneth Valkyrie - you'll command each with a single button
  2. Up here, you can see the buttons - if they're flashing, that character is ready to attack
  3. The currently selected enemy's statistics, so you can figure out who to fight
  4. Your party's statistics - if lit, "CT" ("Charge Turn") will keep a character from acting
  5. Here's your enemy - take him out. You'll usually face more than just one
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