More details about Square-Enix's upcoming Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria, prequel to the original Playstation's Valkyrie Profile, have been translated from recent scans of the game in the pages of Famitsu. In particular, four new characters will join the fight alongside Silmeria.

Dylan is a warrior who died over 150 years ago, and he has a long history of serving Silmeria. Although he looks somewhat frightening, speaks to others harshly, and carries a sword as tall as he is, Dylan is truly kind with a deep love for his home country. Mitra was a former general and strategist for the long-gone country of Freigard. In spite of his history of service to his country, subordinates schemed and brought a charge of treason against him. Mitra subsequently died while being interrogated. In battle, he uses magic. Two more warriors -- the archer Rufus, and the wizard Rezard Valess -- will also fight with Silmeria early in the game, but no specifics are revealed of their history, or how they join with Silmeria.

Other information about the game touches upon gameplay systems that players will use. One, called Object Reading, is a skill only Silmeria has, and involves a sort of clairvoyancy in that Silmeria can read the past through specific objects. By using this skill, players can determine where they should go next in their journey. Another system, called Materialize, is an extension of the Object Reading skill. Silmeria can use Materialize to change an object from an astral state to a material one, which will be especially useful in changing the souls that serve Silmeria into living party members.

Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria is scheduled for a 2006 release in Japan. A North American release has not been announced.