Valis - The Fantastic Soldier is one of those weird, janky-but-charming NES action platformers that somehow sticks with you. You play as Yuko, a high school girl who gets pulled into a fantasy world and handed a magic sword—because of course she does. The controls are a little stiff, and some of the enemy patterns feel cheap, but there's something oddly satisfying about slashing through waves of monsters while this synth-heavy soundtrack blares in the background.

First level throws you right into it—jumping over bottomless pits, dodging floating eyeballs, and figuring out how the heck your sword's hitbox works. The graphics are surprisingly detailed for an NES game, especially Yuko's sprite with her flowing pink hair. Just don't expect it to play like Ninja Gaiden or anything—this is more of a "hold B and hope for the best" kind of game.

If you're into obscure retro action games with a side of anime melodrama, this one's a fun time capsule. Just keep a finger on that save state button.