Lenneth has always seemed like more than an ordinary valkyrie throughout the Valkyrie Profile series. From what was shown in Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth and the events of its true ending, we have gotten a glimpse of her potential. However, with Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin, we have a chance to go way back. This is an entry that offers an explanation of sorts for Lenneth’s identity, while providing insight into Odin’s rise to power. More importantly, it relies heavily on the stories of the souls Lenneth is claiming, just like the original game.
Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin begins with a war. Hel has led her troops, along with the Vanir and giants, to invade Asgard. Only Odin survived, heading to Midgard. There, he awoke the Battle Maiden, Lenneth Valkyrie. She was left sleeping and sealed in a volcano. However, after Odin wakes her, we learn she has lost her memory and has no idea about her powers or purpose. Odin tells her she can hear the cadence of humans’ souls, due to her being unique and not possessing divine powers like fire, ice, lightning, and wind like the Aesir. He tasks her with recruiting deceased human warriors who are worthy as Einherjar who can act as his divine soldiers and help him in restoring Asgard and the Aesir.
This provides the motivation for the campaign and event stories. Lenneth will sense a cadence of the soul and come across the final memories of a potential Einherjar. She will find herself on a map with treasure and secrets that can be sought out via searching. However, since Hel also wants these people’s souls, Lenneth needs to fight her minions to keep these dying souls’ memories safe so she can recruit them. Once you have one through an entire map, you get to see a portion of an Einherjar’s story. After all maps pertaining to that character are completed, that person is added to your party. (Jeanne, your first campaign party member, only has a map that involves one stage, but other characters’ stories are divided into additional parts.)
Like the original Einherjar from past games, the stories for this Lenneth’s party members do their best to offer insight into allies’ backgrounds while also making you feel for these people. Jeanne’s tale is rather short and primarily establishes Lenneth as someone the people of Midgard know of and would be honored to serve under. Encountering the original Valkyrie Profile‘s version of Lenneth hints at the connection to that world and leaves this version of Lenneth recognizing this is her, but not knowing if it was her past or future self. But other stories are far more intensive.
As an example, a Lies and Truth timed event is going on until April 17, 2019 that allows people to go through the story of Liu the Bandit Queen. It is a prince and the pauper sort of story where a common thief comes across an attacked caravan, discovers her doppelganger, and has a chance to become a noble. Lenneth has the opportunity to follow along and see if Liu successfully “steals” someone else’s life while judging if she is worthy. (This quest line is great for leveling characters.) We begin with insight and Lenneth’s thoughts on the person at the start of each area, then end it one step closer to the person’s demise. In the case of Liu, it means knowing what her life was life as a child, as a bandit, and as a noble and how her choices affect those around her.
With a character like Sennah, the first campaign Einherjar everyone will get to recruit, we have a story of wasted potential. A young woman had the possibility of becoming a great warrior. She sought out a legend to train her. Her reasons for doing so are revealed along the way. We have this sense of who she could be and watch how she changes the life of her new master. But, all the while, we deal with the knowledge that something is coming that will lead to her becoming one of Lenneth’s chosen ones. Though we don’t know her for long, Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin makes us feel for her in the way we might have felt for someone like Lawfer or maybe even Llewelyn.
Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin is a story-heavy game. It wants the people playing to care about the party members they are recruiting. It makes sure each stage of a storyline offers a little insight into someone’s personality and the harsh life they may have lived. Every campaign and event character takes us on a journey, providing motivation to keep fighting against Hel’s minions, see what happens next, and welcome new characters into the fold. It feels very familiar, even though it is a mobile game.
Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin is available for Android and Apple iOS devices.
