Succubus (Valkyrie Profile)

For other uses of the word Succubus, see Succubus (disambiguation).

For more on this game, the Wikipedia entry here.

Box art from the North American PlayStation version of Valkyrie Profile.

Valkyrie Profile (ヴァルキリープロファイル, Varukiri Purofairu) is a console role-playing game developed by tri-Ace and published by Enix (now Square Enix) for the PlayStation. It was released on December 22, 1999 in Japan and on August 29, 2000 in North America. An enhanced porting of the game was later released for the PlayStation Portable under the name Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth on March 2, 2006 in Japan, July 18, 2006 in North America, and April 27, 2007 in Europe.

The game is loosely based on Norse mythology, where players assume the role of a valkyrie who recruits and prepares the souls of fallen warriors (Einherjar) before sending them to Valhalla for a final apocalyptic battle between the Æsir and Vanir: Ragnarok. Along the way, she uncovers the tragic events of her own hidden past.

The game was both a commercial and critical success, spawning a few related titles on different consoles. A PlayStation 2 sequel, titled Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria, was released in 2006 in Japan and North America, and 2007 in Europe. Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume for the Nintendo DS was released in Japan in 2008, March 17, 2009 in North America and on April 3, 2009 in all PAL regions.

One of the enemies encountered within this game are succubi.

Succubi

The succubus is a female vampire-like being (with the incubus being the male version) known for its decidedly sexual nature. Some legends hold that these are fallen angels, turned into nightstalking demons; some Hebrew tales say that Lilith, the first wife of Adam, was the first succubi. The succubus invades the dreams of mortal men, seducing him, at the same time draining him of his life energy. The devilish part is that, in the throes of the ultimate lust, the poor victim might not care that he is being slowly killed, such is the power of the succubus’ seductive ways. Some people would awake to a heavy pressure atop their chests, and find themselves unable to move, blaming this on a succubus. Today, scientists call this phenomenon "night terrors," and it’s understood today as completely natural… so far as we know.

Valkyrie Profile’s Succubi are just as fearsome as their legendary counterparts. Though these creatures of the night have abandoned their subtle attempts to seduce humans, they have made up for it with strong attacks and powerful magic. They can weave spells that can poison and sicken the hardiest of warriors, letting the venom drain their foes, then moving in for a finishing strike. Despite their lack of seductive powers, many male warriors let their guard down in the presence of Succubi. All they see are intensely beautiful, albeit pale, women; what, they reason, do they have to fear from mere women? Their chauvinism proves to be their deaths, as the Succubus takes advantage of this underestimation with vicious blows, letting its victim’s last thought be regret that he took the Succubus so lightly…

External Links

• This game at Wikipedia
• Succubi at the official Valkyrie Profile site
• Square-Enix's official North American Valkyrie Profile site (PSX)
• Square-Enix's official North American Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth site (PSP)
• Square Enix's official Japanese Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth website