
Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys
1993 Role-Playing
Valis II (often called Valis 2) on the TurboGrafx‑CD delivers a sleek anime‑style action platformer starring Yuko Asou, a Japanese schoolgirl turned mystical sword‑wielding warrior. The game leans heavily on its CD‑quality audiovisuals, with crisp cutscenes, a memorable soundtrack, and sharply drawn enemy sprites that give the world of Vecanti a vivid, cinematic feel.
The TurboGrafx‑CD version reshapes the original computer layout into six distinct stages, each ending with a familiar boss but featuring new level designs and enemy patterns. It strips away the computer’s weapon‑and‑armor swapping and the flying shooter segments, instead offering an inventory menu where players can equip power‑ups and costumes that tweak Yuko’s offense and defense, plus the ability to fire projectiles upward.
Critics praised the tight controls, striking visuals, and sound, though they noted the backgrounds can feel repetitive, the difficulty is modest, and the overall length is relatively short, making it a concise but polished slice of retro action.
In Valis II for the TurboGrafx‑CD, Yuko Asou has already slain the demon lord Rogles. Years later the dream world of Vecanti falls under the iron fist of Emperor Megas, who despises his slain brother and seeks to wipe out every trace of Rogles’s legacy, even murdering his former supporters. Seeing Yuko and the legendary Valis sword as the only obstacles to his claim, Megas dispatches his minions to eliminate her before she can interfere. The game’s narrative unfolds through cinematic cutscenes that reveal Megas’s blood‑thirsty ambitions and Yuko’s resolve to confront the tyrant. Ultimately, Yuko must stop Megas’s oppressive rule and restore peace to Vecanti.
Edited by Maya Carter

1993 Role-Playing

1989 Shooter

1992 Role-Playing

1993 Role-Playing