Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (PS2) and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (PSP) dated for the UK. Our nation’s role-players rejoice.

Well, it appears there’s life in the old dog yet – PlayStation 2 we mean. In fact Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria could make stalwart PS2 appear to be a young whippersnapper of a console when it is released on 7 September. Square Enix has assigned development to tri-Ace, renowned (in RPG circles) for its long-running Star Ocean series. As with ‘Valkyrie Profile Lenneth’ that launched for PSP in April the storyline is completely round the bend, more overblown than Wagner’s Ring Cycle. It has something with to do with Norse gods, unwilling servants of Odin and wotnot. But you can trust tri-Ace 100 percent with its RPG innovations, which in this case include a puzzle-solving Photon Action System that allows you to hijack another person’s body, and attack combos involving up to four characters. You can adventure alongside a friend too if they’ve another controller to plug in. So don’t shelve your PS2, or if you already have a PS3 here’s something to tide you over until FFXIII.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions will be released in October for PSP. It is an updated version of the original PlayStation game that has earned legendary status since its release a decade ago. Square Enix has reworked the basic game to align itself with the Ivalice Alliance series of RPGs spearheaded by the award-winning FFXII on PS2. This means the addition of new characters, among them legendary FF-ers such as that spiky-haired dude from FFVII, Cloud Strife. When it says ‘Tactics’ it absolutely means it – you’ve 22 jobs with over 400 abilities to work with, and battles involve huge teams upon terrain that affects their abilities. Other PSP niceties include extensive animated cut-scenes plus versus battles via local Wi-Fi connection.

Good news, and hopefully more to come from Square Enix throughout the week from E3.