Square Enix dates Valkyrie

Square Enix has confirmed that Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth and Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria will be coming to Europe this year.

Those of you with a PSP can expect to get your hands on Lenneth on 27th April, whilst PS2 owners will have to wait until late summer for Silmeria.

The portable RPG puts you in the middle of the largest battle in Norse Mythology, between warring factions Aesir and Vanir. You, as valkyrie Lenneth, must venture to the mortal realm to seek out and train an army of fallen soldiers, appearing before the best and bravest humans at their moments of death, enrolling them on your godly side as Einherjar. However, there's naturally more to the story than meets the eye, and you soon start to discover things about yourself you didn't previously know.

We got our hands on it last year and found it to be a rare and original expression of Japanese role-playing individuality, and an absolute must for owners of the handheld. You can find our Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth review elsewhere on Eurogamer.

The PlayStation 2 offering, on the other hand, is even better still. The story takes place hundreds of years before Lenneth's, and focuses on valkyrie Silmeria, who was banished into a mortal body by the great god Odin. Normally dormant, she soon awakens in the Princess of Dipan's body, causing one host to share two souls, something Odin won't ignore for very long.

Even though it essentially builds on ideas laid out in the original Valkyrie game for PSOne, it was still a wonderful and fresh experience for us, and even more essential than its handheld counterpart. Adventure your way around Eurogamer to find our Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria review.