Stange how they made so many throwaway variations of Yukos sprite, like the pajama and all, but then in the flying stages there’s no dedicated flying animation and she’s only running through the air
Came across this series last month and have seen almost every episode now. This format - from the unboxing to the full game summaries - is nostalgic and illuminating.
I'm also a fairly recent viewer and have now seen all of them lol I didn't even know what a PC88/98 was when I started. It was just a thing I heard people talk about online every now and then. This series has made me really want a PC98 or some system in the line.
Okay, the storyline is pretty cool for this second entry. Valis feels like one of the OG "dark" magical girl stories -- a school girl brought on as a warrior into an otherworldly war, and having no idea about the conflict's context. To say nothing of the brutality we can see in cutscenes. And also neat to see the Fantasm Jewelry return, let alone... well, the spoilers. The outfit-changing armor was a cool concept, and that there's even a "cursed" armor based off Reiko's outfit. I will admit that playing dress-up for your different armor in games is kinda fun for me. I also like that they still kept the prototype Metroidvania feel from the original, but streamlined the stages a bit so one can actually tell where they're going. ...also agreed on the power of Valis. Something like hope, or mayyybe even justice, could've been a lot less cheesy but still fit the game's themes. After all, Vacanty is called a dark and phantasmal world -- for some in need or either hope or justice, being able to keep believing that the impossible could happen to save them might make sense, just like an illusion coming real. :v
Absolutely. I love the dark tone... but wish they had followed through a bit more. Using "love" as a moral seems a bit too cheesy compared to the rest of the game for me. Then again, I have to keep reminding myself that this was 1989. It may have felt a bit less tired (especially for a PC game) back then since there were so few games like this in the first place.
I like to imagine that Yuko is the one saying, "You will be driven from pillar to post!" to Ajie, thought it sounded cool, so she just kept on using it.
The funniest thing about Valis II is how Megas is a completely different character in each of the versions. The PC versions treat him as a complete bastard, while in the PCE CD version he is more of a tragic villain.
@@jessefinnegan1719 Well, not really, because the sequel Valis III states that Princess Valna (well, Queen now) is Yuuko's twin sister, thus revealing that Valia was Yuuko's mother all along. The PC versions of Valis II make no mention of that fact, that is a reveal that only occurs in the PCE CD versions. Also, in the much later Valis IV, when Yuuko is sharing with Lena her own memories and experiences as the Valis Warrior, one of the brief flashes that shows up is of Megas' death in the PCE CD version of Valis II (where he was more of a tragic villain). So I think it's safe to assume the PCE CD version of Valis II is the canon one. _Bit of a shame, in my opinion, because I think the tone and atmosphere was_ BY FAR _better in the PC versions._ I wish they had tried to fuse both versions of the game. Storywise, I mean.
Indeed. There were only two interviews with developers of the PC Valis 2 on the VHS tape, and both of them looked really really nervous. I wanted to use an interview clip from the VHS, and this was the best one I could find. They really made it look on that VHS like they just randomly walked up to people working in their cubicles at Telenet rather than having anyone prepare what they were going to say.
Bought the Valis collections for Switch, Just to have physical copies of the Turbo CD versions. The Renovation collection on Evercade has Valis and Vasis 3 for Genesis. These games just have a charm. I always enjoyed them.
Wow..... this game was huge by 8-bit standards. The audio alond blew me away and of course your impressive narration makes this another video gem! Thank You again.!
Finally played this version recently on the Valis Collection III that just got released. Though it was the MSX2 version in this one, and not PC-88. It was quite cool to see the "other side" of Valis II, and where the Syd of Valis game got its inspiration for the outfits/weapons changing mechanic. So having the game still fresh in my mind, your video came around just at the right time! Thanks!
Wyler’s! Hahahahahhaha. All of your Valis coverage has helped me better appreciate the TG-CD games I played as a kid. Whilst I respect the PC-88 character design in the cut scenes, I still feel the PC-Engine Megas is the most badass-looking. Of course, I am biased. Keep making the best videos.
W-w-wyler's! Oh I agree. Not just Megas, but the art style for all of the TGCD version has aged much better than the bug-eye style of the PC version. Thanks for watching!
Sequel certanly doesn't looks like erratic chaos of first game, i would even say that visualy is looking quite good for 8-bit computer game and this engrish is funny. Your video was also fun to watch. Well, Valis may be not best classic franchise to exist but after watching videos about it i started thinking that is enough interesting for me to buy switch's Valis Collections to play it. Thanks to it i can play even this messy first iteration of first game, oh joy.
Tenpei Sato, as in the guy who did music for Disgea and Nippon Ichi games in general all the way until nearly 2020? No idea that he was making music all the way back in the late 80s lol. That's quite the career.
Yeah. Same guy. The sound test for this game actually shows who composed each track, and I actually found Tenpei Sato is probably my favorite composer for this game. The Rusty guy ("KAJA") did a great job too... on the few tracks he actually did in this one.
It's a very different beast from the PC engine version, I think it would be hard for me to play because of it looking like it's running at a blazing 20FPS. Story-wise, I think it's probably better since things played out a little differently with Valna taking a more active role and her death being more apparent. IIRC you just find out Valna was fatally wounded in the PC engine version with no context as to why, beyond the war with Megas. The added touch of bringing back the phantasm jewelry as a plot element for why Yuko gets the hyper armor is also a great addition.
Thanks for covering Valis II! Now I understand why there're almost no dedicated music rips of the PC-98 version on YT, unlike other PC-88 games with PC-98 ports. Too bad the X68000 version ended up with such design flaws despite the superior hardware, but I've read that the later levels are easier due those changes as well. I don't understand why Edia decided to use the MSX2 version of the game in Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection III instead of the original PC-88, just like Collection II uses the MSX version instead of the original PC-88 version of Valis 1. It's a shame that neither the PC-88 nor the X68000 version are in that collection because the OST is really good, with exclusive themes like "Constellation of Mirage", "White Message", "Against Black Shadow", "Rock 'n Roll Cinderella" and "Megas", and the voices are also a nice touch. At least the MSX2 version seems to be the most playable. Too bad it's censored due to the CERO rating. For sure the PC Engine is the one that continues with III and IV since, in that version, Valna is Yuko's sister and Valia is the mother of both, unlike the PC version where Yuko is a normal unrelated girl. It's funny that, as ambitious as the PC versions are, the simplistic console version ended up being better in gameplay and more beloved by playing it safe.
You're making my innter child so happy with these Valis videos. Lmao. I was so into this series when I was younger. Valis 3 for the Genesis was my introduction to this series and the anime "cutscenes" blew my mind.
Randomly came across this channel, and while I have no real connection to or opinion on Valis as a series except "huh cool lady protag before Samus ever was", I must admit I love the methodical approach this episode had. Showing the packaging, how you put in the game, the odd inputs... as someone who's been playing on the PC for a very long time, this was an oddly powerful nostalgia bomb of an episode. While I never owned a PC of this brand (what with not being Japanese), the visual of double floppy disk slots alone releases so many positive brain signals.
There is a very nice enhancement patch for MSX version which enhances the PSG drums, and supports turbo compatible CPUs to run smoother. Other than the missing voices, it's the best version now.
Played the MSX2 and TG16 versions last year. Despite its flaws, I think the MSX2/PC-88 versions blow the console version out of the water. Yes, it has its frustrations gameplay-wise (I would not have beaten it without savestates) but the awesome music and the dramatic Ninja Gaiden-y cutscenes made powering through it worth it. The TG16 version, on the other hand, is one of those games one can play and beat in their sleep.
I watched a longplay of the MSX2 version awhile back and the full frontal nudity really threw me for a loop. I didn't expect it at all, and during Megas' "Take off your clothes, Yuko!" scene, I half expected him to say "Okay, now put my [eggplant] in your mouth."
Yeah, that's generally true now that you mention it. There are some decent ones too though. I quite like the first Exile on PCE, and that one had the Reno logo in Japan. There are also some good games on the Mega Drive that had the Reno logo, like Valis III and even Gaiares.
Thanks for these indepth looks at these titles, big Valis fan I emulated these a number of years ago but playing them was an eternal struggle tbh, appreciate the efforts :)
Well I Can hear kyoko from Maison Ikkoku in Yuuko, valis is a very interesting series from these games on pc-88/98 through the valis x thing, seeing how this game considered by many janky, reach the hands of a lot of players that loved the game like me, thanks for te video dude PD: 13:00 lmao PD: Hey I have a copy of that figure, it came out with my Valis collection 2 limited edition, need to build it one day
Nice! BB Video on a Monday works have finsihed!! The cruel Monday have only just begun but made easier. So vanity and reality should become peacefulness again. Love it, the translation is soo good :D
Gotta say that you dedicated enough time to talk about Valis X... The exact amount of time that the game deserves. Anyway, it's a shame that the X68k Valis II sucks, because it looks awesome. I'm still waiting for the Valis revival (and no, those Switch re-releases doesn't count).
Boy would I love to see Valis get a legit 3rd person action adventure revival and release it to the West. I mean with all the pedantic fake-outrage over Stellar Blade, seize on that wave XD
The main reason is probably that the PC-88 had a much larger userbase until the early nineties. Not enough demand for it on the PC-98 until then I guess.
It's a shame that the IBM XT and AT machines didn't get such quality games for MS-DOS. They really needed a comparable sound card early on too. The Adlib didn't get the job done compared to the Soundboard 2 and other PC-88/98 sound cards. The west really missed out on these gems.
Man PC platformers are something else. It seems like consoles was the best place for platformers. I’ve heard a little about this series and that III and IV were the best ones. It’s nice to see coverage of Japanese PC platforms considering only console games and western computer games get attention.
Recently discovered your channel and I am really enjoying your videos. I am learning so much about an era of gaming that I knew nothing about before. I had only seen glimpses here and there and now, everything is making sense ahaha. Awesome stuff and thank you for your hard work.
That was awesome to experience through your review. Love Valis series although i grew up with Snes. Even then i had not played Valis till later years. These games are new to me, so i was happy to find your video andlearn more about this awesome series
Syd of Vails was the first game that made be play the Vails series. Given at the time SD or Super Deformed didn't get mention was until the popularity of anime in America in the early 90's.
I like how your character doesn’t take up a lot of the screen in the PC-88 version. That Megadrive game wants to show off big detailed sprites but this is clearly a fast moving action platformer; you need to see what’s around you. E: I can see how early PCEngine Cd games got their inspiration for cutscenes. Seven floppies! COME ON! Still, I love that high res dithered look
I actually played the Sega Genesis version of Valis 1 as a kid due to my local rental place having it, as well as Syd of Valis! Being the dumb kid I was, I rented it several times whenever I forgot just how damn hard it was, and was always confused who the characters on the front cover were. Sadly, the rental place never stocked Valis 3, but once I discovered emulation, I got to play it with the advantage of save states.
Excellent video. I am confused by the lore of Valis a bit. This post is going to be a bit confusing and it's a pretty geeky thing that I have never been able to fully figure out, and Valis is so niche and Japanese that it's difficult to find an answer. My understanding is that there are three worlds. The real world, the dream world, and the dark world. My understanding is that their names are Reality (the real world), Vanity (the dream world), and Vecanti (dark world). However, some of the games lead me to believe that the Dream World is called Vecanti and the Dark World is just called Dark World. For example, in Super Valis IV, the opening stage takes place in Vecanti (the awesome theme music is called Vecanti), but I'm pretty darn sure that it's actually the Dream World. Also, the Valis IV Wikipedia page has this line: "Yuko has become the goddess of the world of Vecanti and has watched over the world in peace since the defeat of Glames" You mean to tell me that Yuko became Goddess of the evil world where Rogles and Megas came from!? I guess I'm wondering is what is going on with this discrepancy? Is Vecanti the dream world or the dark world?
Vecanti is the dark world, Vanity is the dream world, and Reality is the real world. Yes, there is no mistake above regarding which world Yuuko become goddess of.
Thanks a lot for what you are sharing with us here. The pc88 world is so obscure but i like it. I wonder if there is any game related to the iczer one ova on this plateform. I hope one day someone will talk about the Chojin Locke's games ( pc88 and msx) but for what i could see about those it seems a very painfull experience for nowadays standards ( even for retro lovers) so i hope to see a english video about this but can't recomand you to do so. Anyway thank you for your Valis works.
Chojin Locke looks like a simple graphic adventure, and there are walkthroughs available, so I'm sure I could get through it. Not sure I'll ever get an original copy of the game though.
@@BasementBrothers ok so it maybe not so relevant. Are you aware of any games about Iczer one? I was looking for console games about old manga licence and discover some stuff only on the computer world wich i discover with your work. Also i discover Fray on Game Gear when it was released then the pc engine version, but thanks to you the original version and the xac serie is now something i know exist.
I'm not aware of any games based on Iczer One. On the Japanese (and English) page for the series on wikipedia it only mentions the game "Super Robot Taisen L" for Nintendo DS which features some of the Iczer robots.
@@BasementBrothers Yep i tchecked there sometimes but for exemple Chojin Locke's game are not mentioned on wikipedia and was added to gamefaqs less than ten years ago. That's why i asked maybe it's the same for Iczer one. I 'll continue my trip down your videos. Thanks again
The Chojin Locke game is mentioned on the Japanese wikipedia page for the series, but none on the Japanese Iczer One page. So in all likelihood none exists. But you're right, Japanese wikipedia is not always accurate. For a while the Japanese wikipedia page for Fray said that there was a version of Fray for PC-8801 (but it was later fixed).
Back when I took some banking classes I found out that, because of the bubble economy, the Japanese mail system was (and probably still is) the largest banking organization in Japan.
That's very true. In fact, at some points in history it was the largest in the world. The government privatized it some years back, but it is still easily the largest in the country.
@@drowningin Now, this is a good bit old, but as I remember as part of the charter/legal organization of the mail service in Japan, the government says that any citizen can have a savings account with the mail service to a max that I don't remember.
I've never really thought about it. The Japanese post office has just always had a bank as long as I've been here. Back in the 80s/90s it was the most popular way to send money, which is why games like this one often included postal money transfer as the method for paying membership fees, or ordering game goods.
I hadn't played much of this series, at least not until super valis 4 landed on switch online... man that one was tough! tried to play the megadrive releases via antstream but found those kind of jank. would be curious to try the PC-88 version though maybe it fares a little bit better? a series I really want to like but so far it's been hard!
I think for future videos you should add the word "just" before any instructions on how to for example start the game to make the younger generations think we never struggled with getting things to even work back then.
Man. It's hard to feel myself in those times when clunky interface and disk swapping was treated as just the norm, and game devs ignored these janks and poured all they could to wrangle a video game epic masterpiece out of a very constrained medium. I can't imagine having the patience to really take hours to expeerience these completely unfamiliar games. (I'm more used to the GBA than anything past.)
Thanks for the breakdown of this. I always wondered what the difference was between the PC versions compared to the PC Engine. Playthoroughs of the PC games just don't provide the detailed context.
I have a question. At 25:15, Mr. Jakes says that Wolf Team supposedly programmed the X68000 version. Was it stated somewhere specifically, like the credits or a magazine, or is it a rumor?
It's written on the Japanese wikipedia page for Valis II (second paragraph of the overview section at the beginning). It looks like it may not be properly cited though.
@@BasementBrothers Thanks ! It seems that the source is an article in Microcomputer BASIC Magazine, January 1990 titled "Challenge! X68000 - Mugen Senshi Valis II" by Ryosuke Sakuma, so it must be true. That's a nice bit of knowledge because almost no one else in English properly credits Wolf Team for that version. Combined with MobyGames info that credits the programmers Tadakatsu Ogura and Masahiko Sugiyama for the X68000 visuals and an Osugi-chan for the game program, as well as Wolf Team for cooperation, I guess that means those three programmers were from Wolf Team. Thank you very much for covering this game so thoroughly.
@BasementBrothers I've checked the cited article and, while it validates the other assertions of the Japanese Wikipedia page, I couldn't find any mention of Wolf Team there. Although, after checking the X68000 version credits at MobyGames and a Japanese site that mentions that it wasn't disclosed at the time, I have no reason to doubt that Wolf Team was, indeed, the team in charge of re-programming the game for X68000. I can't believe what a shoddy job they did with the gameplay in comparison to the graphics and sound. But, then again, this was one of their first games for X68000, wasn't it?
@@BasementBrothers Pretty sure it was the x68000 version. The person was actually talking about the story from beginning to end. It's so weird either it was taken down or the person removed it. It was pretty good!
I was first introduced to the Valis series via retrospective around a decade ago; although, I don't think he focused too much on the PC editions except for the MSX2 version. The eroge adaptation was certainly a black mark on the series. It looks exploitative of the characters and I don't like the art style of the characters either. I was glad to hear the series did get some compilation releases recently (albeit censored in places). However, I think the IP needs a series revival to truly shine a la the Master Blaster Zero Trilogy.
I have to say, it's pretty impressive for a game of this era to have the character sprite update based on gear worn. Otherwise, I wish the Valis rereleases on Switch weren't so expensive. I'd enjoy exploring the series in more depth, but I'm not paying something like $150 for the privilege.
This is series is on Switch, and I’ve debated getting it before. They have collections of every version of each game. Those seem way overpriced though for games from the 80s though. If there is ever a big sale I will definitely grab it
Speaking of Yuuko Miyamoto, as of now, she is in the highly-acclaimed Shogun series by FX as the character Gin, the madam of the Ajiro teahouse. So if you are curious about her recent works, I suggest looking there.
As nice as those anime cutscenes are in the PC versions are, I can't help but feel the faces look weird. Like the eyes look bigger than normal for anime and the characters have kind of an "alien" look. FWIW the first Valis looked like just eighties anime to me so I'm wondering why this one stands out in that regard. As mentioned, there's Valis compilations for Switch now (a third one just dropped that mostly includes PC versions) and I have the first two, and they add English subtitles... even for games like PC-E Valis I that never had an English release previously. In fact even FOR games that had English previously, they're still using the Japanese release but overlaying a new English translation. So.... Bassment Bros, how you been? Did you move from pillar to post? I honestly assumed "occiput" was a mispelling of "occupant" before you went and looked it up.
Yeah, agreed. The huge "bug-eyed" style was a thing for short while in the eighties and early nineties. The style chosen for the PC Engine version has aged far better in my opinion. The thumbnail of this video makes it pretty easy to see the difference.
Not sure but I think this video is missing auto captioning even though that option is already toggled on in the mobile youtube app. And the transcript text is missing too. Is this video either missing a captioning file or did youtube glitch out temporarily for today?
Weird. I definitely uploaded subtitles, and they looked correct in RUclips Studio. But yeah, they didn't seem to be working. I think I fixed it now. Thanks.
I wouldn't be surprised if there was fan made software that let's you reconfigure the inputs, or maybe even a physical adapter of sorts that let's you do so manually?
@BasementBrothers Haha, I can appreciate that. Thanks for suffering for us like that 😁 I only hope that you can recover from the trauma. If I ever get a PC-88 I will be sure to get myself one of these adapters. Having to press Up to jump sounds horrible.
I use a PC-98 joystick to keyboard adapter plus a PC-98 to PC-88 keyboard adapter. I show how it's connected in my "Fangs" PC-88 Paradise video. It's all a lot easier to do if you just play on a PC-88 emulator of course. Pressing up to jump was a fact of life in a lot of games back then. The problem is that even if you assign a trigger button to up, in most games up also has other functions like climbing ropes/ladders. I wouldn't recommend changing it but you can try it if you want.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
24:04 but there is also a fan translation of the x68000 version...
Thanks! I was not aware of that fan translation. Still wouldn't recommend playing the X68000 version though...
@@BasementBrothers Also, I have the Nintendo Switch Valis compilations and they all include English translations.
@EdmondDantes224 - ... Yeah, same here. Not sure if you've seen, the old Japanese PC games in Volume 3 have been badly censored!? 👎
@EdmondDantes224 Cool! I had no idea there were English translations on all the Switch compilations.
The translations on the switch ports look really good too. You don’t see the engrish that you see in this video
"Throw away your perplexity" is a very Zen piece of advice.
Stange how they made so many throwaway variations of Yukos sprite, like the pajama and all, but then in the flying stages there’s no dedicated flying animation and she’s only running through the air
Came across this series last month and have seen almost every episode now. This format - from the unboxing to the full game summaries - is nostalgic and illuminating.
I'm also a fairly recent viewer and have now seen all of them lol I didn't even know what a PC88/98 was when I started. It was just a thing I heard people talk about online every now and then. This series has made me really want a PC98 or some system in the line.
Welcome to Cozy Paradise
i love it, so chill
This is currently my fav show on youtube or tv.
Okay, the storyline is pretty cool for this second entry. Valis feels like one of the OG "dark" magical girl stories -- a school girl brought on as a warrior into an otherworldly war, and having no idea about the conflict's context. To say nothing of the brutality we can see in cutscenes. And also neat to see the Fantasm Jewelry return, let alone... well, the spoilers.
The outfit-changing armor was a cool concept, and that there's even a "cursed" armor based off Reiko's outfit. I will admit that playing dress-up for your different armor in games is kinda fun for me. I also like that they still kept the prototype Metroidvania feel from the original, but streamlined the stages a bit so one can actually tell where they're going.
...also agreed on the power of Valis. Something like hope, or mayyybe even justice, could've been a lot less cheesy but still fit the game's themes. After all, Vacanty is called a dark and phantasmal world -- for some in need or either hope or justice, being able to keep believing that the impossible could happen to save them might make sense, just like an illusion coming real. :v
Absolutely. I love the dark tone... but wish they had followed through a bit more. Using "love" as a moral seems a bit too cheesy compared to the rest of the game for me. Then again, I have to keep reminding myself that this was 1989. It may have felt a bit less tired (especially for a PC game) back then since there were so few games like this in the first place.
That VHS girl's bangs are AMAZING.
They just don’t make ‘em like that anymore
I like to imagine that Yuko is the one saying, "You will be driven from pillar to post!" to Ajie, thought it sounded cool, so she just kept on using it.
1980's Japan Engrish is adorable.
This channel is such a good look into a time and place I was never able to be a part of. Best retro channel on youtube.
The funniest thing about Valis II is how Megas is a completely different character in each of the versions. The PC versions treat him as a complete bastard, while in the PCE CD version he is more of a tragic villain.
I would hate to be big into the lore if I was a Japanese gamer. Sounds like it is a cluster just because of there being two Valis 2's
@@jessefinnegan1719 Well, not really, because the sequel Valis III states that Princess Valna (well, Queen now) is Yuuko's twin sister, thus revealing that Valia was Yuuko's mother all along.
The PC versions of Valis II make no mention of that fact, that is a reveal that only occurs in the PCE CD versions.
Also, in the much later Valis IV, when Yuuko is sharing with Lena her own memories and experiences as the Valis Warrior, one of the brief flashes that shows up is of Megas' death in the PCE CD version of Valis II (where he was more of a tragic villain).
So I think it's safe to assume the PCE CD version of Valis II is the canon one.
_Bit of a shame, in my opinion, because I think the tone and atmosphere was_ BY FAR _better in the PC versions._
I wish they had tried to fuse both versions of the game. Storywise, I mean.
I'm amused by the spectre of Valia's embittered maiden aunts restraining her from giving kudos to Yuuko
"Oh you know. I've been." 😂
10:07 those cutscenes were more animated than the guy describing them
Indeed. There were only two interviews with developers of the PC Valis 2 on the VHS tape, and both of them looked really really nervous. I wanted to use an interview clip from the VHS, and this was the best one I could find. They really made it look on that VHS like they just randomly walked up to people working in their cubicles at Telenet rather than having anyone prepare what they were going to say.
That poor guy looked as if he had just personally animated every single frame and then went do that interview. There's a real exhaustion in his voice.
Bought the Valis collections for Switch, Just to have physical copies of the Turbo CD versions. The Renovation collection on Evercade has Valis and Vasis 3 for Genesis. These games just have a charm. I always enjoyed them.
What a life this guy has. Just classic games and vibes. Transcendent.
Wow..... this game was huge by 8-bit standards. The audio alond blew me away and of course your impressive narration makes this another video gem! Thank You again.!
Finally played this version recently on the Valis Collection III that just got released. Though it was the MSX2 version in this one, and not PC-88. It was quite cool to see the "other side" of Valis II, and where the Syd of Valis game got its inspiration for the outfits/weapons changing mechanic. So having the game still fresh in my mind, your video came around just at the right time! Thanks!
Love that Stage 1 music track from the TurboGrafx CD version. I still enjoy hearing it today 😎👍
This is a great jumping-off point to talk about the even wilder story behind the two games called 'Ys IV'.
There are actually three YS IV games, all made by different companies. Then Falcom themselves made a fourth one.
@@MagmaMKII Thanks for the correction.
LOL, what is the third Ys IV?! The supposed unreleased Mega Drive one?
@@BasementBrothers There was one on the PlayStation 2
Oh yeah, I keep forgetting about that one even though I have it. Those Taito Ys games had might as well not exist as far as I'm concerned.
Wyler’s! Hahahahahhaha. All of your Valis coverage has helped me better appreciate the TG-CD games I played as a kid. Whilst I respect the PC-88 character design in the cut scenes, I still feel the PC-Engine Megas is the most badass-looking. Of course, I am biased. Keep making the best videos.
W-w-wyler's!
Oh I agree. Not just Megas, but the art style for all of the TGCD version has aged much better than the bug-eye style of the PC version. Thanks for watching!
Love these old PC game reviews, I enjoy seeing the box and all the stuff that comes inside it.
Sequel certanly doesn't looks like erratic chaos of first game, i would even say that visualy is looking quite good for 8-bit computer game and this engrish is funny. Your video was also fun to watch. Well, Valis may be not best classic franchise to exist but after watching videos about it i started thinking that is enough interesting for me to buy switch's Valis Collections to play it. Thanks to it i can play even this messy first iteration of first game, oh joy.
Tenpei Sato, as in the guy who did music for Disgea and Nippon Ichi games in general all the way until nearly 2020? No idea that he was making music all the way back in the late 80s lol. That's quite the career.
Yeah. Same guy. The sound test for this game actually shows who composed each track, and I actually found Tenpei Sato is probably my favorite composer for this game. The Rusty guy ("KAJA") did a great job too... on the few tracks he actually did in this one.
It's a very different beast from the PC engine version, I think it would be hard for me to play because of it looking like it's running at a blazing 20FPS. Story-wise, I think it's probably better since things played out a little differently with Valna taking a more active role and her death being more apparent. IIRC you just find out Valna was fatally wounded in the PC engine version with no context as to why, beyond the war with Megas. The added touch of bringing back the phantasm jewelry as a plot element for why Yuko gets the hyper armor is also a great addition.
Thanks for covering Valis II! Now I understand why there're almost no dedicated music rips of the PC-98 version on YT, unlike other PC-88 games with PC-98 ports. Too bad the X68000 version ended up with such design flaws despite the superior hardware, but I've read that the later levels are easier due those changes as well.
I don't understand why Edia decided to use the MSX2 version of the game in Valis: The Fantasm Soldier Collection III instead of the original PC-88, just like Collection II uses the MSX version instead of the original PC-88 version of Valis 1. It's a shame that neither the PC-88 nor the X68000 version are in that collection because the OST is really good, with exclusive themes like "Constellation of Mirage", "White Message", "Against Black Shadow", "Rock 'n Roll Cinderella" and "Megas", and the voices are also a nice touch. At least the MSX2 version seems to be the most playable. Too bad it's censored due to the CERO rating.
For sure the PC Engine is the one that continues with III and IV since, in that version, Valna is Yuko's sister and Valia is the mother of both, unlike the PC version where Yuko is a normal unrelated girl. It's funny that, as ambitious as the PC versions are, the simplistic console version ended up being better in gameplay and more beloved by playing it safe.
You're making my innter child so happy with these Valis videos. Lmao. I was so into this series when I was younger. Valis 3 for the Genesis was my introduction to this series and the anime "cutscenes" blew my mind.
Valis, Alisia Dragoon, Ninja Gaiden... In the early '90s with no internet and anime available only on VHS, you took anime wherever you could find it.
@@malkmut2189 So much truth in this statement.
Randomly came across this channel, and while I have no real connection to or opinion on Valis as a series except "huh cool lady protag before Samus ever was", I must admit I love the methodical approach this episode had. Showing the packaging, how you put in the game, the odd inputs... as someone who's been playing on the PC for a very long time, this was an oddly powerful nostalgia bomb of an episode. While I never owned a PC of this brand (what with not being Japanese), the visual of double floppy disk slots alone releases so many positive brain signals.
There is a very nice enhancement patch for MSX version which enhances the PSG drums, and supports turbo compatible CPUs to run smoother. Other than the missing voices, it's the best version now.
I love your videos! there arent many channels dedicated to in-depth japanese pc reviews. I think what you do here is really unique.
First Zaks and now Wylers. You're unlocking all kinds of random memories of commercials.
These pc88 videos are so relaxing and entertaining.
Played the MSX2 and TG16 versions last year. Despite its flaws, I think the MSX2/PC-88 versions blow the console version out of the water. Yes, it has its frustrations gameplay-wise (I would not have beaten it without savestates) but the awesome music and the dramatic Ninja Gaiden-y cutscenes made powering through it worth it.
The TG16 version, on the other hand, is one of those games one can play and beat in their sleep.
I watched a longplay of the MSX2 version awhile back and the full frontal nudity really threw me for a loop. I didn't expect it at all, and during Megas' "Take off your clothes, Yuko!" scene, I half expected him to say "Okay, now put my [eggplant] in your mouth."
Yeah, I did make it look a lot more tame here than it actually is. Didn't want to touch that scene with a ten foot pole here on youtube!
Reno might just be another label on the PC-88, but it's the bubonic plague on the PC-Engine -- games Telenet didn't even want to put their name on.
Yeah, that's generally true now that you mention it. There are some decent ones too though. I quite like the first Exile on PCE, and that one had the Reno logo in Japan. There are also some good games on the Mega Drive that had the Reno logo, like Valis III and even Gaiares.
Thanks for these indepth looks at these titles, big Valis fan I emulated these a number of years ago but playing them was an eternal struggle tbh, appreciate the efforts :)
PC-88 Paradise!!! Let's go, more PC-88 Paradise is never a bad thing. Eagerly looking forward to enjoying this video.
Well I Can hear kyoko from Maison Ikkoku in Yuuko, valis is a very interesting series from these games on pc-88/98 through the valis x thing, seeing how this game considered by many janky, reach the hands of a lot of players that loved the game like me, thanks for te video dude
PD: 13:00 lmao
PD: Hey I have a copy of that figure, it came out with my Valis collection 2 limited edition, need to build it one day
Man you're so underrated! Hope you get more recognition one day
Great video as always dude! I didnt know there were so many valis 2 games!
you make me want answers to questions i never knew i had! great video!
This was interesting. I knew there was a Valis 2 for computers but I didn't know it was a different game. Learn something new every day.
pc 88 graphics have a great style to them
Your channel doesn't get nearly the love it deserves, my dude!
Thank you for always making such interesting videos.
Love learning about those games, they really do tell a whole other story about the evolution of development ideas
Nice! BB Video on a Monday works
have finsihed!!
The cruel Monday have
only just begun but
made easier.
So vanity and reality
should become peacefulness again.
Love it, the translation is soo good :D
I love the PC-Engine/Mega Drive versions of 1-3. I knew there was a PC-88 version but never saw it in motion. @.@
YES! Love it when I see a new Basement Bros video posted!
Gotta say that you dedicated enough time to talk about Valis X... The exact amount of time that the game deserves.
Anyway, it's a shame that the X68k Valis II sucks, because it looks awesome. I'm still waiting for the Valis revival (and no, those Switch re-releases doesn't count).
3:00 There also were 2 small stickers with valis II logo, probably for that black case.
Boy would I love to see Valis get a legit 3rd person action adventure revival and release it to the West. I mean with all the pedantic fake-outrage over Stellar Blade, seize on that wave XD
❤This is a good deep dive and wow that explains a lot about Syd of Valis
Great ad-lib cut scenes.
Another amazing video. Love this channel!
It’s weird that the PC-88 had better sound options than the 98 for awhile.
The main reason is probably that the PC-88 had a much larger userbase until the early nineties. Not enough demand for it on the PC-98 until then I guess.
I'd don't know why, but "Enter the visual scene!" just really tickles me.
It's a shame that the IBM XT and AT machines didn't get such quality games for MS-DOS. They really needed a comparable sound card early on too. The Adlib didn't get the job done compared to the Soundboard 2 and other PC-88/98 sound cards. The west really missed out on these gems.
Letting me live it like I was there. Thank you.
Always great to get a new video from you!
Man PC platformers are something else. It seems like consoles was the best place for platformers. I’ve heard a little about this series and that III and IV were the best ones. It’s nice to see coverage of Japanese PC platforms considering only console games and western computer games get attention.
ff
Recently discovered your channel and I am really enjoying your videos. I am learning so much about an era of gaming that I knew nothing about before. I had only seen glimpses here and there and now, everything is making sense ahaha. Awesome stuff and thank you for your hard work.
That was awesome to experience through your review. Love Valis series although i grew up with Snes. Even then i had not played Valis till later years. These games are new to me, so i was happy to find your video andlearn more about this awesome series
Syd of Vails was the first game that made be play the Vails series. Given at the time SD or Super Deformed didn't get mention was until the popularity of anime in America in the early 90's.
This channel really has some great video game history!Always loved you guys' videos!
That "engrisho" is simply icing on the cake
Thank you for this amazing series! I love learning about these games from you! You have become one of my favorite youtube channels.
I like how your character doesn’t take up a lot of the screen in the PC-88 version. That Megadrive game wants to show off big detailed sprites but this is clearly a fast moving action platformer; you need to see what’s around you.
E:
I can see how early PCEngine Cd games got their inspiration for cutscenes. Seven floppies! COME ON! Still, I love that high res dithered look
"Telnet made alot of janky crap."😂
.... Golden Axe on PC Engine CD 💀
Janky crap, but janky crap with charm.
Crap I repeatedly rented because the soundtracks were amazing.
This PC version seems more interesting than the linear console game. Nice that there is an MSX2 version where the gameplay is less choppy too!
I actually played the Sega Genesis version of Valis 1 as a kid due to my local rental place having it, as well as Syd of Valis! Being the dumb kid I was, I rented it several times whenever I forgot just how damn hard it was, and was always confused who the characters on the front cover were.
Sadly, the rental place never stocked Valis 3, but once I discovered emulation, I got to play it with the advantage of save states.
Aww yeah, I'm back in PC88 Paradise!
Awesome seeing this series getting some attention. Hope you have more valis coming!
That's all the Valis from me. Those were the only two games released on the PC-88/98.
13:15 Damn, this little background tune instantly reminded me Moroder's "Love Theme from Flashdance".
Excellent video. I am confused by the lore of Valis a bit. This post is going to be a bit confusing and it's a pretty geeky thing that I have never been able to fully figure out, and Valis is so niche and Japanese that it's difficult to find an answer. My understanding is that there are three worlds. The real world, the dream world, and the dark world. My understanding is that their names are Reality (the real world), Vanity (the dream world), and Vecanti (dark world). However, some of the games lead me to believe that the Dream World is called Vecanti and the Dark World is just called Dark World. For example, in Super Valis IV, the opening stage takes place in Vecanti (the awesome theme music is called Vecanti), but I'm pretty darn sure that it's actually the Dream World. Also, the Valis IV Wikipedia page has this line: "Yuko has become the goddess of the world of Vecanti and has watched over the world in peace since the defeat of Glames" You mean to tell me that Yuko became Goddess of the evil world where Rogles and Megas came from!? I guess I'm wondering is what is going on with this discrepancy? Is Vecanti the dream world or the dark world?
Vecanti is the dark world, Vanity is the dream world, and Reality is the real world. Yes, there is no mistake above regarding which world Yuuko become goddess of.
Thanks a lot for what you are sharing with us here. The pc88 world is so obscure but i like it. I wonder if there is any game related to the iczer one ova on this plateform. I hope one day someone will talk about the Chojin Locke's games ( pc88 and msx) but for what i could see about those it seems a very painfull experience for nowadays standards ( even for retro lovers) so i hope to see a english video about this but can't recomand you to do so. Anyway thank you for your Valis works.
Chojin Locke looks like a simple graphic adventure, and there are walkthroughs available, so I'm sure I could get through it. Not sure I'll ever get an original copy of the game though.
@@BasementBrothers ok so it maybe not so relevant. Are you aware of any games about Iczer one? I was looking for console games about old manga licence and discover some stuff only on the computer world wich i discover with your work. Also i discover Fray on Game Gear when it was released then the pc engine version, but thanks to you the original version and the xac serie is now something i know exist.
I'm not aware of any games based on Iczer One. On the Japanese (and English) page for the series on wikipedia it only mentions the game "Super Robot Taisen L" for Nintendo DS which features some of the Iczer robots.
@@BasementBrothers Yep i tchecked there sometimes but for exemple Chojin Locke's game are not mentioned on wikipedia and was added to gamefaqs less than ten years ago. That's why i asked maybe it's the same for Iczer one. I 'll continue my trip down your videos. Thanks again
The Chojin Locke game is mentioned on the Japanese wikipedia page for the series, but none on the Japanese Iczer One page. So in all likelihood none exists. But you're right, Japanese wikipedia is not always accurate. For a while the Japanese wikipedia page for Fray said that there was a version of Fray for PC-8801 (but it was later fixed).
Back when I took some banking classes I found out that, because of the bubble economy, the Japanese mail system was (and probably still is) the largest banking organization in Japan.
That's very true. In fact, at some points in history it was the largest in the world. The government privatized it some years back, but it is still easily the largest in the country.
I’m not very bright, how is mail the largest bank?
@@drowningin Now, this is a good bit old, but as I remember as part of the charter/legal organization of the mail service in Japan, the government says that any citizen can have a savings account with the mail service to a max that I don't remember.
I've never really thought about it. The Japanese post office has just always had a bank as long as I've been here. Back in the 80s/90s it was the most popular way to send money, which is why games like this one often included postal money transfer as the method for paying membership fees, or ordering game goods.
That looks like the same engine used for Game Arts Zeliard, with the frame around the play screen and how you swing your sword and all
PC-88 platformers where you press up to jump may look alike.
@@BasementBrothersI assume the technical limitations of the hardware forced certain things to look similar, I was just surprised how much.
I hadn't played much of this series, at least not until super valis 4 landed on switch online... man that one was tough! tried to play the megadrive releases via antstream but found those kind of jank. would be curious to try the PC-88 version though maybe it fares a little bit better? a series I really want to like but so far it's been hard!
Well, if you found the Megadrive versions kind of jank... you probably won't much like the PC-88 versions...
@@BasementBrothers yeah that's fair ... Though it was via antstream so it might be lag or something, maybe I'll give it another try
Great Stuff, as always!
I feel like Telenet was always doing weird stuff like this. Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei comes to mind
Oh no, the Vogues are death dropping all over me!
I think for future videos you should add the word "just" before any instructions on how to for example start the game to make the younger generations think we never struggled with getting things to even work back then.
I oftentimes make things look far too easy on this channel... especially with getting PC-98 games to work.
Man. It's hard to feel myself in those times when clunky interface and disk swapping was treated as just the norm, and game devs ignored these janks and poured all they could to wrangle a video game epic masterpiece out of a very constrained medium. I can't imagine having the patience to really take hours to expeerience these completely unfamiliar games. (I'm more used to the GBA than anything past.)
Thanks for the breakdown of this. I always wondered what the difference was between the PC versions compared to the PC Engine. Playthoroughs of the PC games just don't provide the detailed context.
I have a question. At 25:15, Mr. Jakes says that Wolf Team supposedly programmed the X68000 version. Was it stated somewhere specifically, like the credits or a magazine, or is it a rumor?
It's written on the Japanese wikipedia page for Valis II (second paragraph of the overview section at the beginning). It looks like it may not be properly cited though.
@@BasementBrothers Thanks ! It seems that the source is an article in Microcomputer BASIC Magazine, January 1990 titled "Challenge! X68000 - Mugen Senshi Valis II" by Ryosuke Sakuma, so it must be true. That's a nice bit of knowledge because almost no one else in English properly credits Wolf Team for that version. Combined with MobyGames info that credits the programmers Tadakatsu Ogura and Masahiko Sugiyama for the X68000 visuals and an Osugi-chan for the game program, as well as Wolf Team for cooperation, I guess that means those three programmers were from Wolf Team. Thank you very much for covering this game so thoroughly.
One citation for one run-on sentence with a lot of information in it. Can only assume all that info is included in the cited article.
@BasementBrothers I've checked the cited article and, while it validates the other assertions of the Japanese Wikipedia page, I couldn't find any mention of Wolf Team there. Although, after checking the X68000 version credits at MobyGames and a Japanese site that mentions that it wasn't disclosed at the time, I have no reason to doubt that Wolf Team was, indeed, the team in charge of re-programming the game for X68000. I can't believe what a shoddy job they did with the gameplay in comparison to the graphics and sound. But, then again, this was one of their first games for X68000, wasn't it?
I swear to god someone did a full story breakdown of the entire playthrough of the X68000 version recently. What the hell, I can't find it now.
Are you sure it wasn't the MSX2 version? A bunch of commenters are mentioning a playthrough somebody did in English...
@@BasementBrothers Pretty sure it was the x68000 version. The person was actually talking about the story from beginning to end. It's so weird either it was taken down or the person removed it. It was pretty good!
To been, or not to been.
I was first introduced to the Valis series via retrospective around a decade ago; although, I don't think he focused too much on the PC editions except for the MSX2 version. The eroge adaptation was certainly a black mark on the series. It looks exploitative of the characters and I don't like the art style of the characters either. I was glad to hear the series did get some compilation releases recently (albeit censored in places). However, I think the IP needs a series revival to truly shine a la the Master Blaster Zero Trilogy.
Man, a new Valis done with the same amount of love as Blaster Master Zero would be amazing.
I have to say, it's pretty impressive for a game of this era to have the character sprite update based on gear worn. Otherwise, I wish the Valis rereleases on Switch weren't so expensive. I'd enjoy exploring the series in more depth, but I'm not paying something like $150 for the privilege.
Mmm is that the same Tenpei Sato who worked on all the NIS games?
This is series is on Switch, and I’ve debated getting it before. They have collections of every version of each game. Those seem way overpriced though for games from the 80s though. If there is ever a big sale I will definitely grab it
Speaking of Yuuko Miyamoto, as of now, she is in the highly-acclaimed Shogun series by FX as the character Gin, the madam of the Ajiro teahouse. So if you are curious about her recent works, I suggest looking there.
wow it was actually wolf team that made the first game!
As nice as those anime cutscenes are in the PC versions are, I can't help but feel the faces look weird. Like the eyes look bigger than normal for anime and the characters have kind of an "alien" look. FWIW the first Valis looked like just eighties anime to me so I'm wondering why this one stands out in that regard.
As mentioned, there's Valis compilations for Switch now (a third one just dropped that mostly includes PC versions) and I have the first two, and they add English subtitles... even for games like PC-E Valis I that never had an English release previously. In fact even FOR games that had English previously, they're still using the Japanese release but overlaying a new English translation.
So.... Bassment Bros, how you been? Did you move from pillar to post?
I honestly assumed "occiput" was a mispelling of "occupant" before you went and looked it up.
Yeah, agreed. The huge "bug-eyed" style was a thing for short while in the eighties and early nineties. The style chosen for the PC Engine version has aged far better in my opinion. The thumbnail of this video makes it pretty easy to see the difference.
Love soundtracks from renovation games
Thanks for this!
Sincerely, an unabashed fan of Wolf Team/Telenet/Reno jank 😅
Not sure but I think this video is missing auto captioning even though that option is already toggled on in the mobile youtube app. And the transcript text is missing too.
Is this video either missing a captioning file or did youtube glitch out temporarily for today?
Weird. I definitely uploaded subtitles, and they looked correct in RUclips Studio. But yeah, they didn't seem to be working. I think I fixed it now. Thanks.
The movement speed in this is much better than the console versions, fixing one of my biggest gripes
Crazy that once upon a time you needed individual storage for cutscenes
I wouldn't be surprised if there was fan made software that let's you reconfigure the inputs, or maybe even a physical adapter of sorts that let's you do so manually?
Yes, I have one. But I'm here to suffer through the original control scheme as it was intended for your viewing pleasure.
@BasementBrothers Haha, I can appreciate that. Thanks for suffering for us like that 😁 I only hope that you can recover from the trauma.
If I ever get a PC-88 I will be sure to get myself one of these adapters. Having to press Up to jump sounds horrible.
I use a PC-98 joystick to keyboard adapter plus a PC-98 to PC-88 keyboard adapter. I show how it's connected in my "Fangs" PC-88 Paradise video. It's all a lot easier to do if you just play on a PC-88 emulator of course.
Pressing up to jump was a fact of life in a lot of games back then. The problem is that even if you assign a trigger button to up, in most games up also has other functions like climbing ropes/ladders. I wouldn't recommend changing it but you can try it if you want.