A PlayStation 2 role-playing game developed by tri-Ace and released in 2006, Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria is the second entry in the Valkyrie Profile series and serves as a prequel set hundreds of years before the events of the original. The narrative centers on two distinct consciousnesses — the valkyrie Silmeria and a mortal named Alicia — sharing a single body as they work to avert a catastrophe threatening to ignite war between humanity and the gods. Critics generally responded positively, noting the game's strong visual presentation and its faithfulness to the tone and design of its predecessor, though reviewers also pointed to a complex interface and steep difficulty as notable drawbacks. The title was later reissued under Square Enix's "Ultimate Release" label.
Its plot is independent of and not directly related to the first Valkyrie Profile and takes place hundreds of years before the first game. Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria is about two characters, Silmeria and Alicia, who are contained in the same body. Silmeria is one of the valkyries tasked with collecting the souls of brave warriors and delivering them to Valhalla. After she disobeyed Odin, he reincarnated her in the body of Alicia, the princess of Dipan. Silmeria was supposed to remain trapped, but she awakens in the body of the princess, which makes many people think that Alicia is insane or possessed. The king imprisons her and announces her death, but unbeknownst to the public he sends her to live in a small palace outside the city of Crell Monferaigne. In the pre-game prologue, Odin sends the current valkyrie, Hrist, to take Silmeria's soul back to Valhalla. Escaping from Hrist, Alicia/Silmeria flees into the wilderness, where they try to evade capture and attempt to avert a catastrophe that could spark a war between the gods and Midgard.
