I decided to release a patch for the japanese version of the game, granting the Select Map function and half damage. The maps and such don't have all the marking the translated version has, however; I gained the tiles for that by using kana space, which I can't do here.

It still makes the game a lot easier, though.

Patch

That's good, because Part 5 and on are all lesbian hentai games. I'm not kidding, either. :|

Here's how the series breaks down:

Valis: MSX and Sharp X6
Unplayable messes, really.

Valis: PC-8801
A much better version of the MSX game, but still choppy scrolling and such.

Valis: NES
The one I'm hacking/translating. It's probably one of the hardest in the series, just because of the mazelike level structure. You can find maps, but you have to be able to keep track of where you are to really attempt it, which is nearly impossible. I'm attempting to make this more playable.

Valis II: Sharp x68000
Back to standard side scroller fair. I haven't played much of this, but it's pretty different from...

Valis II: PCE-CD: The first of the "modern" Valis games, it's gameplay style is used for the rest of the series.

Valis III: PCE-CD & Sega Genesis
Plays like PCE-CD II, but has three different characters you can switch between. This is the first game in the series I played way back in the day.

Valis: Sega Genesis
A remake of Valis in the style of II and III. Pretty fun.

Syd of Valis: Sega Genesis
An SD version of Valis II. Not all that fun.

Valis IV: PCE-CD
I'm playing through this one now; It has the three character aspect again, but the level design seems kind of uninspired.

Super Valis IV: Super NES
Any of the fun in the PCE-CD version was somehow sucked out of this. You can only play as one character, and the level design has gone from uninspired to tedious. Also, you don't get nearly as much health bonuses now. Think of this as Dracula X VS Rondo of Blood, only worse.

Valis: PCE-CD
Another remake of Valis I, this is probably the best entry in the entire series.

Valis X: PC
Hentai games. A pity, this series could've been successfully resurrected as legitimate games, I think.