Valkyria Chronicles

[Revalos]

I picked this up yesterday because I knew I'd like it from the way the graphics were done and the conceptual alternative reality fantasy/WWII storyline.

I was not disappointed.

This is a very unique game. It is also a very Japanese game. I bet a lot of people picked it up and immediately went "WTF is going on here?" You have to give it a couple of hours before you actually get to the real gameplay (picking squads, assigning units, weapon R&D, and using specific units in engagements) to get a feel for it, but I bet a lot of folks who like tactical games, but also like turn based military games will enjoy this game. It isn't Final Fantasy Tactics, but that is probably the closest game I've played like this.

The biggest let down is the linear storyline. There is literally no control over choices or anything that happens plotwise (at least as much as I've played). If they had included a Fable-like alignment system, this game would be sold out everywhere. But as it stands, I really like that it is not like any other game I've played.

Anyway, it is worth a rental to just about anyone, and probably worth buying once the price drops for Christmas or Thanksgiving if you've got a PS3 and are a big RTS/TBS military person. Or you can be a freak like me and pay $60 right now.

[Stretch]

I bought this on Friday, along with a bunch of other games (stupid random impulses...)

I like it, but I kind of wish I hadn't bought it, because I'm pretty sure after I beat it I'll never play it again. Like MGS 4, GTA IV, and just about every other game I have.

Oh well. W/e.

EDIT: I will say I got insanely PO'd and almost broke the game disc after playing the 7th mission like five times before I finally beat the fucker.

[Kuyuk]

was hoping it was a PC game : (

[Revalos]

I bought this on Friday, along with a bunch of other games (stupid random impulses...)

I like it, but I kind of wish I hadn't bought it, because I'm pretty sure after I beat it I'll never play it again. Like MGS 4, GTA IV, and just about every other game I have.

Oh well. W/e.

EDIT: I will say I got insanely PO'd and almost broke the game disc after playing the 7th mission like five times before I finally beat the fucker.

Oh, I guarentee I'll be the same way. But it is almost always true these days with games that you are basically playing it through once and you're done. There are very few games I'll pick back up again due to non-linearity (Final Fantasy Tactics is probably the most notable example) and even fewer to go through a single player mission driven system like in VC (COD4's single player missions being the exception, I must have played those through five times now, I never get bored of that AC-130 mission or the sniper mission!).

I've been told that there will be quite a bit of DLC for VC. Probably expansions too since the game has been very successful in Japan and is highly rated here too. I really hope they can put in a random engagement generator at some point. That would really help the replay factor.

What bogged you down on 7? I can't remember which one that was. I've had a few miscues so far, but I haven't found a mission I found impossible. I have a problem with the speed component on occasion (I want to kill everyone) I just got my first "B" speedwise on the princess rescue mission through sheer luck (got a huge XP and money bonus too).

[Stretch]

7 was the level where you square off against Maximilian in the first tank - pain in the ass to knock all the turrets out, take out the three radiators, and THEN try to take out the tank itself.

There are a few expansions that are out for the Japanese version that will be developed for the US version -- the one I heard about lets you play as the other side and try to suppress the "good" side. It's slated for US release in 2009 I think.

In any case I just finished the game storyline - I really liked the character dev in this game. It should have been cheesy as hell, but somehow it worked. The two or three episodes right after the smoke bomb mission were pretty powerful, and the vocals for Rosie's song were beautifully done.

5 stars.

[Revalos]

The character development is a huge part of why I like this game. 50+ characters, and you learn each of their stories and why they are there. And they all are different. AND IT ACTUALLY FUCKING MATTERS TO THE GAME!

Don't use Wavy and Darcsen haters in the same mission, Always group Ted and Melville, all that kind of stuff...that is what makes a game worth playing, when there are all sorts of little things that if you pay attention to the stories of the characters you'll get advantages.

I really hope that more game designers realize that this kind of stuff is appealing to a large segment of the non-frothing gaming population and makes more like this. But we'll see.