Which Valis game is the best!

[ValisLivesOn]

Valis, one of the greatest franchises to ever bless the TG16 or anything else. I have known about the series for years, but it was only two years ago when I bought an import physical copy of the first Valis collection for the Switch that I have really gotten into the series. Yuko Asou was the original sexy and badass female video game protagonist, predating Lara Croft, Mai Shiranui, Chun-Li and even Samus. For me, nothing will top the original, which didn't get a PC Engine port until after the 2nd, 3rd and 4th entries did, but the PC Engine version ultimately became the best version of the game ever released! I also like the Famicom version though because of the unique twist it had. I cannot believe that there were no Valis games on the TG16 Mini considering how heavily associated the series is with it.

[Paranoia Dragon]

There's a lot of games that are head scratchers as to why they weren't on the mini, but at least some of them are probably some kind of legal logistics or something that prevented various games. Could even be that they tentatively have a second PC Engine Mini as a possibility in the back of their minds. So maybe some games were held back for that.

[Necromancer]

I'm not a big fan of Valis, but I do hope that X is ported to PC-FX someday.

Since that title wasn't an option, I voted for the first game.

[Naniyue]

I choose Valis II, since it's the only one I could legitimately win.  However, graphics wise I would go for the TG version of the first.

Also, why do some Genesis versions (Valis III, Chiki Chiki Boys, Dynastic Hero) get parallax scrolling but not the TG versions?  I know there are software and hardware differences/tricks, but we've all seen plenty such scrolling on the Turbo!

[Paranoia Dragon]

I choose Valis II, since it's the only one I could legitimately win.  However, graphics wise I would go for the TG version of the first.

Also, why do some Genesis versions (Valis III, Chiki Chiki Boys, Dynastic Hero) get parallax scrolling but not the TG versions?  I know there are software and hardware differences/tricks, but we've all seen plenty such scrolling on the Turbo!

For parallax, the easiest way to explain it is that the TG can do parallax, but as you say, it requires tricks. The Genesis has two background layers, the SNES has four background layers, the TG has one background layer. So there's more planning involved, a lot of times using sprites moving at different speeds in the background.

[ValisLivesOn]

Since that title wasn't an option

it's not an option for a reason.

[majors]

Valis games were carried with that 90's anime interest kids had, but Valis II was pretty weak. To me, it's saving grace was cut scenes and voice. Even I skipped buying part 2 after getting the other three for a "set". The whole series seems to suffer from poor character control. It feels like the games were developed by a small team of otaku who's whole plan was to have "anime girl fight baddies".

If you want a trippy experience, try the MSX1 port of Valis.

[ValisLivesOn]

Valis games were carried with that 90's anime interest kids had, but Valis II was pretty weak. To me, it's saving grace was cut scenes and voice. Even I skipped buying part 2 after getting the other three for a "set". The whole series seems to suffer from poor character control. It feels like the games were developed by a small team of otaku who's whole plan was to have "anime girl fight baddies".

If you want a trippy experience, try the MSX1 port of Valis.

Already played the MSX version, as well as the PC-88 version. They were both terrible. In fact, all the original home computer ports were bad. The Famicom version was like the first version of the game that was actually playable to a degree, and while the Famicom version wasn't the best, it was a HUGE improvement over those early home computer versions. Plus I have an admiration for the Famicom version because of the unique spin it had.

[Naniyue]

RE: Parallax scrolling - So, they just didn't want to put forth the effort?

RE: Valis - Have you played the X68k version of Valis II?  It has an English translation.  The controls and stage layouts are frustrating, but it's still worth a go with save states.

   Almost all of the games by Telenet on the TG seem a little off in the gameplay department, but still manage to hold their own, and also provide some interesting music.  The Valis series, Exile, Final Zone II and the Cosmic Fantasy series are all memorable games.

  Have you tried the Valis Visual Collection?  It contains all of the visual scenes of II, III, and IV with audio synopses.  Kinda weird nowadays, but back then it was interesting.  There's also one for Cosmic Fantasy.

[Paranoia Dragon]

It's not necessarily that they didn't bother. It's just a little more involved then some other systems. On the Genesis & SNES, you can set tiles to be on a second layer without having to really think too much about it. You have to do more planning when doing it on the TG. It could be that they even wanted to do parallax throughout the game, but they ran out of time based on the limitations that the parent company set for when they wanted the game published.

It could be that the programmer wasn't familiar with the standard tricks to do parallax on the TG and other systems that don't have a second background. Even the Neo Geo has to do tricks, as it doesn't have a background layer at all! Everything is done with sprites on the Neo Geo!

There is one scene of parallax in Valis 3, & that's when you go is falling down the building to get the sword. The building on the left is going faster than the city on the right. I think that's the only instance of it in the game. However, in Valis 4, they clearly knew how to do parallax. In fact there's a secret level that can be accessed that uses graphics from Valis 3 and has parallax.

For some reason they chose not to do parallax when they finally got around to doing the first game. Possibly to focus more on the art and unique sprite and tile sets is my guess with that game, but once again it could be for several reasons they didn't do it.

I don't think I have the Valis Visual Collection, but I do have the one for Cosmic Fantasy. Most my collecting I got done a couple decades ago when things were so much cheaper including these visual collections but for some reason I never did pick up the Valis one.

[_joshuaTurbo]

I voted Valis III, even with the awfully difficult water/ice stage, it's IMO the most complete game of the series.

With that being said, I've only ever beaten Valis III as well, so perhaps I need to dedicate more time to the rest and work through the series?  I played a decent amount of 1 and 4, even played through about half of the SNES version of Valis IV, but 2 just seemed so bland to me. 

Valis IV I first experienced on SNES as well, but man the Turbo CD/PCE version blows it away with multiple characters and awesome cut-scenes. It even had an English fanslation recently too!  So maybe what I need to do is finally sit down with it.

Is it correct that Valis I on Super CD is actually a remastering of sorts?  Like, it's an ambitious retelling of the first game? 

[Naniyue]

  So the parallax is a time and money thing.  Not that I should be surprised.

  Yes, Part One on the Turbo is a beautiful redo.  And even I can get reasonably far in it.

  I was thinking earlier today that there are enough player characters and monsters to make a Valis brawler in Beats of Rage.  They did it for He Man, so why not?

[Paranoia Dragon]

  So the parallax is a time and money thing.  Not that I should be surprised.

  Yes, Part One on the Turbo is a beautiful redo.  And even I can get reasonably far in it.

  I was thinking earlier today that there are enough player characters and monsters to make a Valis brawler in Beats of Rage.  They did it for He Man, so why not?

I guess I would say it's a time, money, and experience kind of thing. A programmer has to know what they're doing when they don't have an extra BG layer, not to mention an artist has to iften draw things in a particular way so that parallax can be achieved. Sometimes it's a matter of simplifying certain tiles or sprites to get the right look.

[Naniyue]

Both Valis III versions are compared in the latest Gamesack episode, though most of you probably knew that already.

[_joshuaTurbo]

Both Valis III versions are compared in the latest Gamesack episode, though most of you probably knew that already.

Along with a good overview of the 16-bit Ys III ports on SNES, Genny, and Turbo CD.

More people should check out Wanderers on Genesis. It's really impressive!