Renovation's Valis III, a more polished Telenet series sequel. Still dated but more generous and playable.
Your verdict
Category
Action1 player12+
Description
Warrior Valis III battles demons in fantastic kingdoms in this Telenet Mega Drive action game. Published by Telenet, released in Japan in June 1991. Action game with Valis III and her allies with varied powers, fantasy levels and powerful demonic bosses.
Valis III review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
The narrative scenes are treated as Japanese animation sequences: large fixed illustrations, tight framing on faces, zoom effects on the key images. In play, the lightly armoured heroine and her allies each have their own palette and body language, against scenery of temples and floating cities.
The themes borrow from the symphonic register of the animated series of the period: broad melodies carried by synthetic strings, harmonic build-ups on the key scenes, motifs tied to each character. The battle pieces keep that singing writing rather than tipping into plain percussion.
Gameplay
"Solid"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Beneath that gleaming armor, the heroine carves through enemies with a fluidity that makes every leap and sword swing feel just right. Anime-style cutscenes break the adventure into satisfying narrative beats, while magic adds flair to the heaviest fights. Equal parts brisk and melancholic, it's a 16-bit action-platformer that still carries plenty of charm today.
Valis III closed the heroine's trilogy on Sega's 16-bit machine, distributed in Japan by Renovation under Telenet's banner. The Mega Drive cut trims some PC Engine cutscenes, making it a distinct edition rather than a straight port. A modest Japanese run and the enduring cult around the Valis series keep demand firm, particularly for complete copies retaining their spine card and instruction booklet.
Is Valis III still worth playing in 2026?
A more accomplished entry in the series, Valis III has Yuko and her allies fight across fantasy realms, in 2D action carried by generous cutscenes telling a story of sacrifice. The ability to switch between heroines of distinct abilities enriches the game, and the staging impressed for its time. The handling stays improvable and the difficulty uneven. An estimable pick for fans of retro narrative 2D action and lovers of the Valis series on the Mega Drive.
