Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkhuni (PC) Review

Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkhuni combines high-octane slash 'em up action with… Oy vey. Look, let's just get it all out in the open. Like the Senran Kagura franchise, this is a game that takes its love for mammary glands seriously. Although there is never a point where the exceptional busts or other naughty bits are left entirely exposed, there's still more than enough imagery to occupy the mind with lascivious thoughts. It's shameless, ridiculous, and possibly even cruel. All of this teasing is enough to make someone want to lose their mind.

It's interesting, because for the most part, the storyline is surprisingly nuanced and thoughtful. The seven Valkyries of Bhikkhuni have quite a lot of depth to go along with their "plot." They have dreams, goals, and their own methods for achieving them. However, due to their unique treatment program, they find themselves engaged in conflict quite often. Still, there is a thread of trust that links these individuals. Perhaps over time it can become an unbreakable bond. It's also nice that the heroines have their own personalities, and there's a lot of chemistry between them. They go through some rough moments together, but it helps them become stronger and grow. That said, the well-told and involving story is duty-bound to talk about boobs, whenever the opportunity presents itself. Think of it as a form of levity.

Essentially, the heroines take on dual roles, "Extars" and "Liberators." The Extar serves as the weapon, while the Liberator is the one who wields it... erm… her. For the player, the task is simple. Over the course of dozens of missions, they'll lead the seven playable characters through armies of feeble warriors and bloodthirsty rivals. The levels are simplistic in structure and design, serving more as arenas for the frequent battles. The fighting is fast, frenetic, and errs on the simplistic end. All of the devastating combos and dizzying evasive manoeuvres are mere button pushes away. The Extar's role is linked with the drive system. Depending on the level of experience, Extars can confer additional moves and strength to the Liberator.

To really get the most out of Valkyrie Drive: Bhikkhuni, the player should make ample use of the phantom moves. These aerial-based techniques can lead to battles with added dimension. To better explain the process, picture Momo, the rollerblading, lance-swinging, mysterious gal. She's gloomy and more than a little scary, considering she threatens to kill anyone that crosses her. Anyway, she can be an ally and a friend, but at the moment, she's the enemy, and she's pursuing Rinka. Sensing an opening, Rinka leaps into the air and immediately comes down with a crushing blow. Now, Momo has been knocked flat to the ground, momentarily senseless.

While this is a fine opportunity to land a couple hits, the player has the option to explore more complex and rewarding combinations. By holding down and then releasing the jump button, Rinka performs a charge move that lifts both her and her combatant into the air. Unfortunately for Momo, she's now trapped in a vortex of chains. Rinka can perform multiple attacks in a row, do another launcher, or deliver a stunning phantom blast, which sends her opponent flying across the arena. These attacks can be combined, propelling the two of them ever higher. With the right timing and a little guesswork, the player-character can defeat her rival with unparalleled style. However, Momo isn't entirely vulnerable, and will make attempts to counter. Overall, the battles between Valkyries are dynamic and fast-paced, making them consistently interesting, despite the small selection of playable fighters.

The fights with regular adversaries are fun, though they lack any method for countering phantom attacks. On the normal difficulty, these foes can't hope to compete with Valkyries. Still, there is fun to be had in crushing armies of weaklings, particularly when a small crowd can be obliterated with phantom attacks. Inevitably, the heroines will face the Four Pillar Gods. These behemoths are large multi-weak point affairs. Early on, they come off as surprisingly frail. As the story progresses, the titans become more effective killers, which helps subsequent battles maintain their freshness. On average, missions don't take long to complete. Some require a bit of exploration to collect all of the treasures, but they rarely - if ever - take more than ten minutes to complete.

Occasionally, secret items - such as lingerie - require a suitable "rack rank" in order to obtain. What is a rack rank? Consider the nature of this game for a second. Got it? Yep, it's exactly what you think it is. Raising one's rack rank is accomplished in the dressing room, and it involves an excessive amount of touching and poking. It's…well…yeah. Anyway, there are other bonuses tied to this mode, such as additional customisation items. Especially…hmm "thorough" players will be able to massage their favourite Valkyrie.

Players have a wealth of other features available to them. There are tutorials that cover every aspect of the game. A challenge mode, which tests how familiar one is with each technique, is also available. The Survival mode is a fun challenge, as well. With limited resources, Valkyries must survive multiple floors filled with legions of foes. Fair warning, the prizes tend to be more underwear. There has to be more than one hundred types of panties in this game. Fans of competitive play might also enjoy the multiplayer modes. Matches involving more than two players are bound to descend into carnage, but it can be entertaining in short bursts.