Valis II

~ VALIS II ~

Laser Soft / Telenet / NEC

CD-ROM

1990

What I remember most about acquiring Valis II is that, well, I didn't really want to acquire it. It became a part of my collection simply because it was the only Turbo CD title that my local game shop happened to have in stock that day. Predictably, I did not care much for it. I did love its music, and over the years, I've come to appreciate its story as well, but I must warn all prospective buyers that, while this isn't necessarily reflective of the game's worth to me, it is the worst of the PC Engine Valis episodes, a hack-and-slasher that rates as acceptable--but just barely.

The level design in II is a lot more straightforward than in the subsequent chapters. There isn't nearly as much platforming or tricky obstacles to deal with here; this one is mostly about action. The little challenge that it offers basically comes from enemies who take a lot of hits or attack from advantageous positions. Success usually comes down to knowing when to fight and when to flee, and it usually isn't difficult to make those critical decisions. The game is short, easy, and very generous: it makes sure not to penalize you much with its checkpoints and doesn't make you begin a whole new battle when you lose a life to a boss--both of which are fine with me.

Valis II is a disappointment when it comes to gameplay, graphics, and challenge, but the soundtrack is the draw here. Fast-paced tunes and sinister dirges keep the player motivated and alert when the action itself gets a little bland... which happens quite often.

II's in-game visuals are crude, and its cinemas are typically of the miniature-window variety.

The plot, however, has some surprising depth to it and concludes in brilliant fashion. Unfortunately, if you're not familiar with the preceding episode's story, you'll be baffled by the events here. I had no idea what the hell was going on back when I first played the game, and it really pissed me off.

The only way you'll get yourself into difficult situations like this is by charging ahead recklessly. Proceed patiently and you'll be able to obliterate your foes with little hardship. This sort of stop-and-start approach really takes away from any feelings of intensity that the game begins to generate, but it's necessary in light of the clunky controls and Yuko's inflexibility.

Zone 3 is my favorite due to its nice colors, strange enemies, and incredibly sweet music.

The fourth zone, with its blob-and-dragon army, and the fifth, with its deadly obstacle courses, seemed quite difficult to me when I was younger. Now I realize I was just an awful player back then.

Don't worry; this is no Gogan vs. the Punjabbis sort of spectacle. The bosses are large and look pretty cool but put up little resistance.

The platform ride in the final zone can be challenging, but you can make life very easy on yourself by holding on to the powered-up wave weapon. The multi-form Megas at the end is a pushover, easier to defeat than the third-stage boss in Valis IV.