Update: Limited Run Games has stated that it will be bringing Valis: The Fantasm Soldier to the west in physical form, with pre-orders opening in January 2022 (thanks, Gematsu).
In Japan, the collection is launching both physically and digitally on December 9th, but the Japanese version will not include English subtitles.
Original Story [Tue 15th Jun, 2021 16:15 BST]: Telenet's Valis is one of those series that had more than a few fans back in the day of the Mega Drive and SNES, but has been largely forgotten by modern players. Japanese company Edia is planning to change all of that.
Back in 2020, it announced that it was working on something for the 35th anniversary of the franchise, which is December of this year (the series made its debut on the PC-8801, MSX, and X1 in Japan in December 1986).
Edia has today revealed that the first three games in the Valis: The Fantasm Soldier series are coming to the Nintendo Switch, and development will be funded via a crowdfunding drive via Japanese site Makuake. The cash raised from this campaign will be used to bring the esteemed PC Engine versions of Valis: The Fantasm Soldier, Valis II, and Valis III to the Switch.
Super Valis IV, the final mainline entry in the series, is already available on the Switch thanks to its addition to the Nintendo Switch Online retro lineup.
While Valis X exists, its status as an erotic visual novel means that many fans don't consider it to be a 'true' entry in the lineage. It was developed by Eants rather than Telenet, although Telenet did handle distribution; Valis X was the final game published by the company before it went bust. The rights to the Valis series were then snapped up by Sunsoft.
Are you a fan of the Valis series? Will you be holding out for a western release of these titles? Let us know with a comment.
[source prtimes.jp, via siliconera.com]
Comments (57)
Yes, I'm a huge fan of VALIS.
Wait, game? What game? I was talking about a Philip K. Dick book.
Loved Valis 3 when I was a kid. I'm so gonna check this out.
This won E3! No news will top this for me!
Super Valid IV hasnt impressed me so far, but I might get the others a chance.
Super Awesome. Just a few days ago I was reading about the story and the characters and wished we could get all the games for Switch.
Ah, cool. This series would definitely improve from upgraded remasters.
Also: "While Valis X exists, its status as an erotic visual novel means that many fans don't consider it to be a 'true' entry in the lineage."
LOL
Missed opportunity to call it Valis XXX.
Valis 3 for Genesis is the one worth playing
@dustinprewitt I can't say if you'd like the others or not, but it's worth trying at least Valis 3 for yourself. Super Valis 4 isn't bad in my opinion, but it's lacking in some ways compared to Valis 3 and 4. It's not fully representative of the best of the series.
Nice to see this property come back. Oddly enough, I've been in the mood to play Valis 3 and 4 in recent days. I do think the Mega Drive version is worth reviving too. People think the PC Engine version is better because it has more stages, and there's an argument for that, but I found the MD version to have better pacing and felt more refined when I played it. I think both versions have merit and are worth playing.
Edit: I neglected to say that they should have included the PC Engine version of Valis 4 as well. That one is very good. I wonder if they left that out because it doesn't star Yuko like the others.
This is something I didn’t know I wanted, but glad exists. Great news!
NINJA APPROVED
Still trying to get into the Series^^
Hopefully they use the PC-engine versions and make it easy to get a hold of. If so, than this is hype!
However, after the Ninja Gaiden Master collection, I’ll be cautiously optimistic.
I'm interested.
Nice that these are coming to Switch and on a Nintendo system for the first time. So far I had only play the ones on the Sega Genesis and Super NES, to be able to play the superior Turbo Grafx-16/PC Engine versions is nice. Why they only request the first three and not part four as well is odd. I know Super Valis IV is already on Switch via Super NES NSO but would be nice if we got the superior PC Engine CD version as well.
Sounds like fun.
Hope it's cheaper than the pricey Grandia 1&2 bundle ($40).
Hopefully the new game will continue the tradition of playing like butt.
The first two PC Engine CD Valis games are great games in a lost genre, so I'll be getting them if they get released in the west. The third game is good too, but that came out on the Mega Drive too and it was a good version.
Had 2 - 4 on PC Engine. Really looking forward to this one!
wow never thought id see the day
Imagine ending your game franchise (or any franchise) on an erotic novel. Damn
The Valis games are aggressively mediocre. They're the most average games I've ever played. It's kind of remarkable just how unremarkable they are.
Needless to say, I'll be passing on the remakes.
The artwork is great but the games are pretty lame
Is it getting rebooted? Or is it getting localized for the west? Big difference there, and one is (arguably) more substantial than the other.
@GamerDad66 At least Grandia 1 & 2 are worth that price. Both are RPGs that offer over 40-50 hours of play time each. The Valis games are just action platformers which are around 1-3 hours each. It make sense for the Valis collection to be much cheaper.
@Iron65 Not that big of a deal, Shenmue is ending with a Netflix anime. If the anime is successful Yu Suzuki probably won't even bother with a fourth entry of the game but rather just make a fourth season instead and wrap up the story altogether.
@Yanina
Where does your avatar come from, if you don't mind? I like it so much.
valis games should get remasters really good games.
@GameOtaku Mighta jumped the gun a bit, eh? Although the Play-Asia release will be out a lot sooner than this version.
Damn, hopefully another region will have copies, not just F-ING LRG and their BS. 😡
I was considering importing this from Japan - I'm a sucker for collections and the Valis game that's on the SNES service for Switch seemed neat enough. But now that they're gonna localize it, that's even better!
Bringing over the PC Engine games hadly qualifies as a "reboot" I'd say, but the release is still very welcome indeed.
@Yanina Could you be a dear and do the same for these dead IP that I would love to have come to the Switch?
-Ogre Battle/Tactics Ogre
-Virtual On
-Shining Force
-Goemon
Thank you for making dreams come true!
Valis 4 on the PCE was good, the SNES version cut a ton of content but had some charm.
@burninmylight The PS4 got a Virtual On compilation a while ago in Japan only. That’s the closest thing to a modern revival we are getting, unfortunately.
This looks like something I could get into. I already have two of the Sega ports as well as Super Valis IV for SNES. I hope they decide to bring the TCD version of Valis 4 to modern platforms because it has things the SNES port doesn't kinda like Dracula X.
@Low A majority of the stuff that got cut were animated video cutscenes which the Super NES could not handle from the Turbo CD version and one other character which is just a palette swap character. Otherwise it's pretty much almost the same game.
Parts 1 and 3 will be included in the Renovation Collection on Evercade next year. Mega Drive versions. Too bad they skip Valis II, and for that I'll consider getting the Switch collection, if it ends up being released in normal stores at some point physically, like sometimes happens with LRG games.
I will have to check out some gameplay footage of this, I have never heard of this game series before but I am genuinely curious about it now after reading some of the comments here. 🤔
@Ralizah
I’ll just grab it as well. Probably the collector edition.
Seems like this fad is an easy cash grab these days. Smart on them.
@Xiovanni
It’s a platformer similar to Castlevania but it shares more in common with Astyanax and Legend of Mana as you have a charge gauge and the more power on the gauge the more damage you deal so constantly attacking deals less than waiting for full charge to refill.
Wish there was a release date
@EVIL-C Playasia has it. I pre-ordered a few days ago. https://www.play-asia.com/valis-the-fantasm-soldier-collection/13/70eu6z I try to avoid Limited Run too lol.
@trcsf Hahaha, you are a literal hero. Thank you for the link!
@EVIL-C No problem!
I enjoyed Super Valis IV. Always wanted to know more about the series.
Here's hoping for an English dub but I'm not holding my breath.
@Rainbowfire
It was dubbed in English for the turbo grafx cd release in the west.
I love this series. Played all 4 on the TG16 back when they were new. I came very close to preordering from Playasia a few days ago, but decided to wait. I’m so glad I did.
Damn, no digital? I was always looking forward to playing I-III...
@ogo79 I don't get it. Please explain the reference.
An ancient side-scrolling reboot? 😒
Owned all of the Valis games across all platforms back in the early 90s.
Valis III (Genesis version: better sprites, pacing, and backgrounds) and Syd of Valis (SD Valis) were my favorites and most replayed in the series. Super Valis IV was great too IMO.
Yes, I'll be getting this even if it has the inferior (IMO) versions. Gotta support the old favorites no matter what.
And yeah, Syd of Valis is a mediocre game but oddly re-playable and charming in its own right. I beat it about 20+ times
Woah... I vaguely remember playing at least one of these as a kid. Probably not the sexy one.
@Bydlak Band of Outsiders. The Godard movie
How dandy! I'll give it a try, then, I guess. Thank you!
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