In the 90s, Square Enix gave a lot of attention to JRPGs. In the years that followed, some of these JRPG titles got seemingly abandoned in favor of more popular franchises like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. The latest release by the publisher, Valkyrie Elysium, breathed life back into Valkyrie Profile, a forgotten JRPG series which hadn't received a mainline entry since Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume in 2009. Valkyrie Elysium gives fans of Norse mythology an action RPG where they can step into the mythical shoes of Valkyries, recruiting forces to fight alongside them on a journey to uncover the secrets of the approaching Ragnarok. These forces are known as Einherjar.
The titular Valkyrie in Valkyrie Elysium travels through Midgard on a mission from Odin to purify souls. She recruits the strongest of these as her Einherjar to further Odin's cause which she was created to fulfill. Einherjar are the spirits of warriors that serve as supporting characters to the protagonist, Valkyrie Maria. They are not new to the Valkyrie Profile series, having appeared in all games before Valkyrie Elysium. Valkyrie Maria can summon them into battle and use their elemental powers to gain an advantage over her enemies.
Einherjar Give Players Extra Powers
Einherjar in Valkyrie Elysium must be used skillfully in battle to reach their full potential, and each one has unique abilities in the game that can assist players in their quest. Players can summon Einherjar using the soul gauge provided in the game. The soul gauge can be filled in a number of ways: collecting items, smashing breakable options, or picking blue souls dropped by enemies on the map. Once an Einherjar gets summoned, the Valkyrie is granted the Einherjar's elemental properties, receiving the ability to manipulate these elements to strengthen the player's attacks.
These properties include Ice, Lightning, Fire, and Holy. While these spirits do not have levels to progress to, their stats improve when they are summoned frequently in battles, and players unlock new combat abilities when they complete an Einherjar's optional sidequests. Outside of battle, Einherjar can also be summoned to aid gamers in navigating through Midgard, as they can perform actions like creating a magical platform. There are four Einherjar characters in Valkyrie Elysium capable of answering a summons, one for each elemental property in the game.
Eygon (Lightning)
Players can recruit Eygon after completing Chapter 2 of Valkyrie Elysium. Eygon is a Lightning-based fighter who used to be a knight before he died in the service of his country. His lightning element provides Valkyrie Maria with advanced agility, and her weapons are enhanced with lightning base attacks. He is an excellent sword fighter, wielding a large sword perfect for close-range combat. Eygon can damage multiple enemies at once with his Meteor Swarm ability, and he gives players a great chance of achieving an S Rank at the end of a mission in Valkyrie Elysium.
Kristoffer (Holy)
Kristoffer is a Holy-based Einherjar who was the princess of South Lucarda before she met her end defending her kingdom. She is available for recruitment after players complete Chapter 5. Her primary weapon is a spear, perfect for medium to long-range combat. Summoning her will give Maria a Super Armor to buff up her defense, and Kristoffer can stun several enemies on the battlefield with her Extreme Void attack.
Cypher (Ice)
Not all Einherjar lived noble lives before their deaths, as Cypher was a former slave trader. As an Einherjar, Cypher has total mastery of archery and melee, making her a versatile fighter and one of the easiest to use for beginners in Valkyrie Elysium. The Ice-based Einherjar is available for recruitment after the completion of Chapter 3. When summoned, Maria's weapons are temporarily combined, increasing the range of her attacks.
Taika (Fire)
Taika's lore is dark; she was persecuted by her motherland's nobility for her powers, resulting in her unjust execution. In the aftermath of her death, her powers ran rampant across the land and destroyed the kingdom. Taika is a Fire-based Einherjar available for Maria's recruitment after completing Chapter 6. She gives the player an increase in her combo attacks and combines Maria's regular attacks with fire spirits.
Valkyrie Elysium is available on PC, PS4, and PS5.