It was co-produced by conceptual designer Hiroki Hayashi and Yukio Mitsuhashi, both of whom acted as co-designers and co-scenario writters as well. Valis: The Fantasm Soldier was developed over the course of half a year by Wolf Team, an internal gaming subsidiary of Telenet Japan founded in 1986. The mobile phone version further added new stages and alternate costumes.ĭevelopment Character artwork by Hiroki Hayashi of the unnamed main protagonist from Shoujo Furyou Densetsu, before it was morphed into Valis: The Fantasm Soldier.
single high jumps instead of two-phase jumps, a sliding move damaging enemies) and voiced cutscenes. The PC Engine Super CD-ROM² remake features changes to the gameplay system (e.g. The player can also use magic spells, gaining them after defeating bosses. The Mega Drive/Genesis remake exhibits a gameplay system more similar to later games in the Valis series, particularly Valis III the d-pad moves the main character and three buttons allow Yuko to perform three actions: sliding, jumping, and swinging her sword, which can be upgraded three times. It is a more difficult game due to its larger maze-style levels with multiple paths, and a lack of a password or save feature.
The Family Computer version differs considerably from the other versions, being more akin to a side-scrolling action role-playing game. At certain points in the game, gameplay pauses, and cinematic cutscenes play regarding the game's plot. Gameplay varies depending on the platform, but each version retains the same basic plot in the original MSX, PC-8801 and X1 versions, as well as the FM-7 and PC-9801 ports, Valis is a side-scrolling game where the player controls Yuko to fight through each level's enemies while jumping across ledges, exploring and searching for items and power-ups, before confronting a boss at the end of each level to increase Yuko's maximum health and attributes. Yuko's classmate, Reiko Kirishima, is brainwashed by Rogles into helping him and destroy Yuko. Yuko is magically summoned into becoming the Valis warrior by wielding the titular sword to liberate Vecanti from the evil of Rogles. In a desperate plea for salvation, the queen of Vecanti, Valia, reaches out for a brave soul who can help them in their time of despair, with Yuko being the one who answers the call. The demon lord Rogles extinguishes a light, which acts as a source of power for the inhabitants of Vecanti. Valis: The Fantasm Soldier is an action-platform game starring Yuko Asou, a Japanese schoolgirl teenager who is fated to protect three different realms – the Earth, the land of spirits, and the dream world Vecanti. Gameplay and premise Gameplay screenshot of the MSX version. Critical reception has varied depending on the version the original MSX version garnered mixed reviews while the Genesis remake carried average sentiments, however the enhanced PC Engine remake was received more favorably. The game was supplemented with manga adaptations, an anime short by Sunrise, albums from King Records and Wave Master, and doujinshi books.
An almost completely reworked version was also released for the Family Computer, followed by remakes for the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and PC Engine Super CD-ROM², and a version for mobile phones as well. Valis sold well and was listed as one of the best-selling games in 1987 rankings. Akishino and Hayashi used Ikegame's work as basis to introduce their own story and character ideas, which were based on an unfinished personal novel Hayashi wrote prior to the game's production. After a Telenet superior expressed disliking towards its graphics, writer Hiroki Hayashi was ordered to take action and fix it, leading to the conception of Valis. Programmers Masahiro Akishino and Osamu Ikegame began planning on a side-scrolling action game featuring a customed delinquent heroine, an idea originated from Sukeban Deka to compete in a contest sponsored by Japanese computer magazine LOGiN, being kept secret within Telenet until they approved development to continue when the company learned of its existence. Through the journey, the player explores and search for items and power-ups, while fighting enemies and defeating bosses to increase Yuko's attributes. It stars Yuko Asou, a Japanese teenage schoolgirl chosen as the Valis warrior and wielder of the mystical Valis sword to protect the Earth, the land of spirits, and the dream world Vecanti from demon lord Rogles.
It is the first entry in the Valis series. Valis: The Fantasm Soldier is a 1986 action- platform video game originally developed by Wolf Team and published by Telenet Japan for the MSX, PC-8801, X1, FM-7, and PC-9801 home computers.