Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume is one of those DS games that sneaks up on you—starts off like a solid tactical RPG, then suddenly you're sweating over every decision because, yeah, that "plume" mechanic? It lets you sacrifice party members for power boosts. Messed up, but weirdly gripping.

The battles play out on grid maps like Fire Emblem, but with VP's signature combo-heavy combat. You'll juggle positioning, timing, and whether you're ruthless enough to off a teammate when things get desperate. Story's darker than your usual SRPG too, full of Norse tragedy and choices that actually matter. Some endings are straight-up brutal.

Fair warning: the difficulty spikes hard if you play too nice and avoid sacrifices. I learned that the hard way around Chapter 3. Still, it's got that weird Valkyrie Profile charm—gothic atmosphere, killer soundtrack, and a system that makes you feel guilty for playing optimally. Classic tri-Ace.