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Valkyria Chronicles




  • 047 4  Wow , for a game this good it's almost unforgivable how there's been such a lack of promotions or advertisements . Plenty of other people have reviewed it here and I won't repeat most of it again suffice to say that this is hands down the best PS3 game of all time . This gem slipped into the stores so quietly that I almost missed it had it not been for the fervent recommendations of people who's played it everywhere . I almost want to purchase multiple copies just to support this game . Everyone , please support this game and spread the word so that there will be a sequel to this amazing game ! It's a definite can't miss !
    • 227 4  There is a reason everyone is giving this game a 5 star rating . It is because it has elements that appeal to alot of different game types . It is awesome .
    • 310 4  It is like playing chess , but more fun than that . Or maybe I can say it is like a card game . However , since we have graphic and story , and we can level up the characters , it is more fun . I like this type of game , and need to use some strategy to play better . It is a good game for all the age .

  • 106 4  It's all about the little things in this game . Never mind the fact that the general premise and presentation is unique and memorable , but it's the small things that will keep sinking in and makes Valkyria Chronicles a delightful experience for any fan of the strategy or tactical RPG genres or just plan anyone who enjoys a rewarding character experience in general . Just going through the installation starts to tip you off of these little things . As it progresses , the background image from the title screen slowly fills in with color from just a sketch to a full mural . It's so subtle it takes particular attention to even spot it happening . Though optional , this install makes a lot of the load times in-game practically zero and I'd highly suggest it . Starting your game you can instantly tell you're on to something special . Instead of being shoved through any content , you're shown the game interface in the extremely unique form of a novel - - one apparently being written by an author in this reality . Every cutscene and battle throughout is treated as a separate entity . Separated into Chapters , it gives a sense of meaning to your progress and lends a very unconventional third-person view over the game . Time to fight for Gallia ! The combat system itself actually lends to the story experience . You're playing the role of one squad of one regiment of one division of an army of Gallia . Not some elite group , not the pride of the army in any way . Actually quite the opposite - - as part of the militia the military higher-ups in the army have little faith in you and are quite happy to send you in as cannon fodder on the front lines . This flows into the normal course game , and eventually you'll end up with more special little tasks in particular places that make the story documentation by the narrator actually justifiable . Perhaps the aspect of this I find most interesting is that your squad and characters are just comprised of just normal everyday people . You don't have special powers or magic abilities of any sort . Some are volunteers , some are drafted . Some have friends , others prefer to work alone . You can be injured and killed just like anyone else out there . If one of your members is killed , they're gone forever . This cloud overhead instantly changes the game from just some kind of war-based or simple tactics game toward a hybrid RPG to all but the entirely coldhearted . In other words , you might start out as any random group of soldiers , but because the story develops so well it's only at your final battles that you realize you're in such a special place . This is a good thing . Moving forward , every new chapter keeps offering new little things to make you smile . You gain members and form your own specialized smaller attack squad with them . You'll end up with about 50 recruits , all of which have a very particular personality ( with voice-over dialogue included ) , special quirks and traits , and the novel will even keep a Personnel section for you that will keep adding new bits of information about them as the story progresses as they're used more in combat . With so much diversity , there are more than enough different ways to fill out your squad to match your mood . When you go into a mission , you'll have your squad comprised of 20 out of all of your available recruits , and any of these 20 is able to be used if you choose . All aspects of your squad are handled in the Headquarters tab of the novel , allowing you to change members at any time , upgrade weapons and armor , train your units ( the process to level up ) , meet with a war reporter and a few other things . The first time you head here a few chapters in , you'll have the task of picking your 20 active members - - this is harder than it sounds . As I mentioned , each has his or her own personality and you'll end up with an instant love / hate of some of them . It becomes harder and harder to keep in all the members you enjoy the most , as almost all of them have memorable lines of some sort . You'll most certainly feel some kind of real emotional connection to some of them after your battles together , so much so that losing them in combat will have you frantically going to load from your last same to prevent this . . . and some self-mental abuse for ever putting them in such a tight spot . Beyond the personalities of all your members , as they go through battles and gain levels they'll earn new potentials ( combat abilities , basically ) . Here's another place where the RPG-ness of the game kicks in nicely . Even though all units of any of the 5 job classes all gain experience levels at the same time , no two members end up the same because of these potentials . These can range from expected elements in battle such as either being stronger or weaker when caught in crossfire , to such quirky things as some characters developing such a strong love or hate of one of their comrades that it will greatly change their combat skill when around that member . For example , one of your group leaders wants to be a singer . Another member of her class has the same aspirations and gets furious when around this leader . Another member looks up to her as a role model for the future career she wants and receives bonuses instead . On top of zany quirks like this , when the abilities kick in during combat they all even have their own character dialog attached . Combat can seem rather complicated at first , but you'll get accustomed to it fairly quickly . The first half dozen missions slowly ramp up the difficulty for you and teach you basically everything you'll need to know in terms of normal battle tactics . In short , you're playing the role of the tank commander and leader of your squad , you choose units to control with CP ( command points ) , then move the unit in real-time . This includes moving , hiding in cover , firing , etc . . Naturally , your CP pool is limited . Fortunately , your opponents also have to follow these rules so you're theoretically fighting on the same terms . On top of the movements , you can issue Orders from your tank over the radio , which are mostly normal combat things like a heightened evasion , calling for a medic to heal or evacuate a wounded soldier . Just like CP , enemy generals can use these too . Moreover , all job classes are shared between you and your foes , general weapon types are the same , tanks work the same way , and so forth . The normal combat flow is to choose how to use your members to capture a particular place on the map or to eliminate a particular target - - though there are some very unique types of missions and a few times you'll simply drop your jaw at what you need to do . The overall difficulty of this game can be frustrating for some people , but in almost every case there are multiple ways to complete your objectives . There is one battle element that needs a special note attached ; the enemy AI can be simply horrible at times . Even worse is when it's completely manic . You can take advantage of foes by trapping them with crossfire , while others will walk head-on into certain death without firing a shot . Reinforcements seem to have preset actions , which might look very dumb , or might surprise you and cause an instant mission failure if you're not watching your back . This is the one thing that really holds this game back from being a truly revolutionary title that could appease players of a half dozen different genres . Between missions , you'll be going through cutscenes ( defined as episodes within chapters of the book ) which push the story forward . All have full voiceovers and have your characters moving and interacting like you'd expect of any social group . The only letdown in these scenes is that conversations that take place in closed areas such as a room are all done via character face pop-up boxes . If you feel like you need to improve your characters a bit more , you're free to engage in Skirmishes , which are basically a way to duplicate battles on some of the maps you've already fought on . All things considered , the majority of your time will be spent in storyline battles , though the percentage of time is in the 70 - 80% range compared to 90 - 95% + like in a lot of RPGs . The graphics are stunning , if not hard to describe in other terms . It's kind of a hodgepodge of what you might think of an animated television series mixed with the drawing style of manga , penned by a sketch artist for accents and flares and colored in with crayons . I'm sure that makes very little sense , but all your need to know is that it works incredibly . My only real complaint about the graphics is how granulated and pixel-y units get when you look at them from a distance or through a sniper rifle scope . It's almost as though you zoom in at what the original view was and it's not enhances . There are tons of graphical details to make up for this though , such as small smoke trails coming from shell casings falling out of machine guns , to the simply beautiful way large explosions and smoke clouds rest , to the awesome action word system of thing s in battle which continuously remind you that this is a Japanese title . It's not much , but seeing the word rummmmble trail out from behind your moving tank in a choppy motion is adorably wacky yet adds to the feel of combat . If you're using the Dualshock3 , you also get a satisfying rumble in your hands as you move the tank , too . The sound presentation is equally great . The soundtrack is quite expansive and particularly in combat the different tracks and stanzas flow together seamlessly . The only bits of music I really started to yawn at was what's played in headquarters and in book mode . As I've said , all your members have their own unique dialogue and all cutscenes are fully voiced . Moods can change mid-battle , and the music will match and special cutscenes will pop up at important moments with extra dialogue . Weapon sounds are all great and on par with what you'd expect in a full-blown shooter . Depending on your style and care for the story and members , a fair guess of time to complete the storyline is 40 - 60 hours . This goes up more if you need to repeat missions . After clearing , you're offered the proverbial new game plus feature , which lets you replay any mission and adds a difficulty level to skirmishes . You'll also have a wide range of decorations ( medals ) to collect , and you could easily sink over 100 hours into this game if you wanted to . Even past that , this is the sort of game where you might want to start from the beginning at level 1 all over again , just to watch the whole story play through . However you look at it , the game gushes personality . It took awhile , but here's a truly solid RPG for the PS3 . Looking over the game objectively it barely meets the criteria of any variant of RPG , but anyone who might see 10 seconds of a cutscene would instantly recognize it as such . It takes a hell of a game to combine so many different things you do in any single title , throw it in a blender , and actually come out with a result that is greater than the sum of its parts . It may favor players of the RPG brand and hardcore followers of Japanese titles , but there's hardly a gamer out there that wouldn't enjoy playing Valkyria Chronicles . Sega did an awesome job here and this is the sort of genre-mixer that's likely to lead to a lot of copycat types of games in the future .
    • 002 4  Over the years , my interest in RPG's had started to wane to the point where I ignored some of them simply due to the time investment . While they're great games and all , they take so long to finish and with a busy gaming schedule this year , it's hard to sink another 40 hours into one game when you could've beat 3 others and had a raucously good time on their multiplayers . However with Valkyria Chronicles , not only did it look stunning but it had a unique way of fighting and seemed to have that certain something where you probably don't really know what you're getting into but you want it anyway . But we warned , this isn't an RPG to be taken lightly but like a lot of things , the more you put into it then the sweeter the rewards . Story : It's a period meant to feel like Europe in the 1930 though with a couple changes . Europe's divided in 2 , The Federation and the Eastern European Imperial Alliance or just simply Empire , the latter of whom tries to do anything and everything to get what they want . What they want is ragnite , a valuable and incredibly useful resource and where it's abundant is the small country in the middle , Gallia , who has ties to neither side . But when the Empire invades and with a strange , powerful race thought only to exist in legend for a weapon , it's up to Welkin Gunther , Alicia Melchiott and several others to bring down the powerful Empire . Graphics : The team behind this game worked on the highly-praised Skies of Arcadia for the Dreamcast and while the art style and character designs are similar , Valkyria is really in a class of its own . Using Sega's Canvas engine , they decide to create a different approach to the visuals and while Okami was made to resemble a painting , Valkyria looks more like a drawing that's being animated at lightning speed and it's gorgeous . Kind of reminds me of the cutscenes for the Final Fantasy Tactics port for the PSP only more colorful . The 3D fighting visuals are also welcome and the boom and ratta visuals showing up when you explode something or fire your weapon has a great charm to it . It's not going for realism so don't compare it to tech-heavy games but what it lacks in realistic lighting and photo-realistic characters , it makes up for in style and art . Sound / Music : Ditto for the music which was done by Hitoshi Sakimoto who did the Final Fantasy Tactics , Vagrant Story and Odin Sphere soundtracks though he's probably best known ( positively or negatively depending on how you see it ) as the composer for Final Fantasy XII . The soundtrack here is pleasing and there's some good themes but it doesn't really have any tracks that can stand outside the game but when it's on in the game , it's welcome . Using an option to change the language to Japanese or English and either or , the voice acting is quite well-done though some roles are either overacted or lacking in emotion but I didn't mind either tracks . Gameplay : One can make a case that Valkyria's combat is a 3D version of a chess match , with soldiers and tanks replacing the rooks and queens but essentially here's how it works : a map reveals your position of your characters as well as known enemy positions . You then select who you want to control ( which uses up CP , a certain amount of moves you can make your characters do with tanks taking up 2 of them ) , game switches to a 3D view and you can run where you want to go which drains an AP gauge and if you run out , you stop permanently till the next turn . Found in the stages are places that could make good cover such as sandbags . When you've found your spot , you can press R1 which brings up your targeting where you can aim where you want to shoot , throw your grenade or to use a first aid on members with low health and after your turn it's best to crouch and end your turn right away to minimize enemies firing back ( which is unfair because they counterattack your attack in addition to when your attack is over so they're really getting 2 shots at you so it's best to end your turn quickly ) . Here's where it gets fun : you basically have 5 classes from standard scouts with decent weaponry to long-range snipers ( Marina is my preferred one due to her cute and deadly bad * * * ness ) , shocktroopers with assault rifles , lancers who are perfect for nailing tanks and engineers who can either replenish your ammo , fix / build places for cover or provide tank maintenance though they're more susceptible to damage . Knowing who to use and where to use them is key . Should a character lose all their health , they're knocked out but here's the kicker : they'll be gone forever unless you get a member of your team over , a cutscene will show a medic rushing in and that member is taking off the field , still able to be used later but gone for the rest of the battle . While you get many reserves anyway , it's probably best to keep your entire team alive . Speaking of your team , you get 20 people to use in a battle unless stated otherwise in the battle so that can make levelling up tedious right ? Wrong . Using the headquarter tab ( the whole narrative is played out like a book with pictures on the page being your cutscenes / battles ) , you can level up your characters in an amusing drill instructor way but should you say level up your snipers , every single one of your snipers levels up as well and not just whoever you use the most . Your equipment can be upgraded for better accuracy , health and whatnot and your tank can be fitted with spare treads should the enemy blast yours off leaving you immobile or strengtening the range of your fire . But don't think this game is immune to grinding as it's best to click the Skirmishes tab and take on the battles which can be fought as many times as you want and it's not just recommended , it's almost necessary since enemies after a certain amount of time will positively own your * * * so why not fight fire with fire and make your guys just as tough . I know this fall and winter has been a particularly crowded season , especially those who own all 3 consoles and the 2 handhelds ( like me ) but I implore you not to miss Valkyria Chronicles . It doesn't have the advertising of Gears of War 2 or the recognition of the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII but this game is well worth tracking down .
    • 004 4  First off the graphics are superb . They are not just traditional cell-shaded graphics . If you capture any given frame of the rendered graphics it looks like a pencil drawing that has been colored with vibrant watercolors . Simply beautiful . Each battle , or operation as it is called in game , begins with the assignment of units to the battlefield . Once these are placed the player phase begins . You select which unit to move from a top-down battlefield map . Upon selection the map fades to the actual battlefield and the camera zooms down to a 3rd person view of the unit . You are then free to run around ( as long as action points are available ) and position the unit for its attack per turn . Rinse and repeat ( not always that simple ) until victory is yours . The combination of graphics , unique and solid strategic gameplay , when mixed with the solid story the game tells make for a highly satisfactory and worthwhile gaming experience . . . if you like strategy games . Definitely a welcome addition to the PS3 ' s thin library of these type of titles .
    • 007 4  The presentation is great . The story is told from a book , and each event and battles are told through this medium . It's very fluid and it works like a history book , ensuring continuity . And yes , the game is stunning to look at . The graphic engine is like sketches with pastel watercolors . It's very unique and the animations are beautiful . The game lets you choose between Japanese and English tracks . Personally , I use Japanese track with English subs . The game plays like a tactical RPG . The battle mechanism is a hybrid of real time and turn-based . It sounds strange , but it works remarkably well . I was once a skeptic , but Sega did something special here . When battles are won , players receive experience points and money . These can be used at headquarters to level up and upgrade weapons and such . You may have up to 20 soldiers under your wing , and new ones are added throughout the game . In addition to regular campaign , there also are skirmishes as side quests . It's very refreshing to see an original IP with great gameplay and it looks beautiful to boot . A demo of this game is available at Playstation Network , so give it a try .
    • 010 4  Valkyria Chronicles is a fairly unorthodox game - it's got the art and general handling of Final Fantasy Tactics combined with the military tactics of Full Spectrum Warrior . Possessing the feeling of an RPG despite taking place during WW2 ( or a fantasy representation of it , more accurately ) , Valkyria Chronicles represents an exciting new game that should be liked by both strategy-RPG fans and the more hardcore military crowd . The game takes place in Europa - a fantastic version of Europe , where the two dominant countries are the Federation ( to the West ) and the Empire ( to the East ) . Caught between these is Gallia , a small independent nation rich with Ragnite , the world's fictional power source . The player takes the role of Lieutenant Gunther , the leader of a 20 - person unit of militiamen raised to repel an invasion by the Empire . To that end , the player must manage their squad of soldiers and drive back the enemy . From a pool of 50 soldiers ( though most have to be unlocked by progressing in the game ) the player selects 20 to serve as the active squad . Soldiers can come in one of five types . Scouts are light and fast , but are lightly armored and don't do much damage . Shock Troopers are more heavily armored and armed with machine guns , but are slower than scouts . Lancers are anti-tank troops armed with heavy rocket-tipped lances ; they are the most heavily armored , but are only useful when dealing with enemy vehicles . Engineers are armed and armored like scouts , but trade the movement speed of that class for the ability to pass ammo out to comrades , disarm mines , and repair friendly tanks . Finally , Snipers have long-range capabilities and can take out an enemy in one hit if they're lucky , but have slow movement and low defense . Besides their classes , each of the 50 unique characters has their own set of traits that affect their stats in battle . Character traits can reflect everything from upbringing ( characters are more at home in their home turf ) to sexual preference ( some characters prefer to be around lots of women or lots of men ) to more individualized personal effects ( like a character who gets a huge attack bonus for charging headlong into the enemy's guns , or a character who gets a bonus just by being around tanks ) . In addition to these traits , characters also have bonds with certain other characters , and will do better when around those characters . Finally , there are certain stats ( accuracy , damage , movement ) that differ from character to character - but the stats themselves aren't recorded , so the player has to find out for themselves which characters have which statistics . The characters ' personalities are revealed through combat - use a character a lot and a newspaper reporter will conduct an interview ( off-camera ) that puts more information in their biography . This also adds new traits to their character , as well as background information . In addition , each character has unique voice acting , and they will often call out to characters that they have bonds with . All the characters are really fleshed out by their traits and biographies , and it becomes fairly easy to find at least a few favorites that you're likely to use over and over . The gameplay itself is a sort of hybrid between turn-based strategy RPGs and tactical squad games like Full Spectrum Warrior . During a mission , the player usually has 9 soldiers ( selected by the player ) plus a command tank . At the beginning of every turn , the player has a certain number of command points ; these are used to take actions with characters . While using a command point , a character can move a set distance ( based on their class ) and take one action - either attacking or healing themselves / a nearby ally . Complicating this is Intercepting Attacks : if a character runs into the line of sight of an enemy unit , that unit will fire at him as he moves past . The same is true for the enemy , of course , so it's advisable to set up a position where you will be well defended and where you can counterattack enemies easily as they enter the area . Due to the cone-like nature of weapons fire , using cover is advisable and helpful . Besides infantry combat , the other main part of warfare in Valkyria is tanks . Your side only has one tank , which is upgradable throughout the game . The enemy , on the other hand , tends to have a few more at their disposal , necessitating the use of anti-tank Lancers . Tanks , when hit from the front , may take a while to destroy , but if a character can sneak around the back of the tank and hit its exposed radiator , the tank can be taken down easily . Tanks are very powerful ( being equipped with an armor piercing cannon , an explosive mortar , and a coaxial machine gun ) but cost 2 command points to take a turn , rather than just 1 . Leveling up and advancement is handled fairly simply , compared to a lot of similar strategy-RPGs . At the end of a battle , the player receives gold and experience based on their performance . Gold is used to develop new weapons and armor for your characters . A certain amount of gold is spent to upgrade a specific category ( rifles , for example ) , and all soldiers who use rifles are armed with the upgraded rifle . These weapons are standard issue once developed , and the only customization comes when the development paths split into certain specializations ( higher accuracy , higher damage , etc ) . In this case , you can choose for individual soldiers which weapon they should have . Leveling up works similarly - you invest experience in a class , and once you've spent enough that class levels up . This means that EVERYONE who is a member of that class levels up , regardless of whether or not they're currently in your squad , which means that there's no trouble with one unit getting way ahead of the others in experience terms . I only had a few problems with gameplay . One is that speed is emphasized heavily - not just as a nice bonus , in most cases , but as the major source of experience and money . Completing a mission quickly is worth far more than any points you might get for doing things during the mission , which on the one hand works for players who are willing to take risks and rush in , but discourages players who are more cautious and defensive . Another issue with gameplay is that the levels tend to focus more on particular objectives or gimmicks rather than straight-up warfare ; almost every level has your squad being split up , or some other condition that makes it harder than simply using regular tactics . Both of these things make the game less fun , and even in Skirmish mode ( missions that can be played an infinite number of times to get more money and experience ) they pervade the atmosphere of the game . The graphics are incredible - not just in quality , but in style , as well . The game uses a unique colored-pencil style of in-game coloration , so everything has a very artistic feel to it . Some effects - like a tank's movement or an explosion - are represented by sound effects ( like vrrm or kaboom ) popping up on-screen , which also serves to give it an illustrated appearance . The character designs are well-done , while still having a realistic aspect to them and a sort of group appearance emphasized by their standard-issue uniforms . The game in-action is really neat to watch , and the new approach to graphics is appreciated . The sound is decent enough - the English voice acting is well-done , and as mentioned each character has a unique voice and a wide variety of prompts and lines . The music is good , but ultimately forgettable ; it serves its purpose as background noise , but isn't particularly enjoyable on its own . As a whole , Valkyria Chronicles is an amazing game that tends to get caught up too much in story and gimmicks . The engine is solid and fun , and the game in basic terms is great . However , the way it's used - the reliance on objectives and unusual gameplay situations - reduces the enjoyment of the system . In addition , the lack of multiplayer is a major annoyance . All-in-all , Valkyria Chronicles is a great game that also feels like a waste , in terms of what is done with the gameplay . 8 / 10 .
    • 013 4  Back in the old days of the genre , the battlefield was a mixture of a lego diorama and a chessboard . But no more ! Finally , a SRPG that throws away grid-like maps . Your soldiers are free to roam the fields in any direction like an action game but are limited to how far they can travel based on a stamina bar . Different classes of soldiers specialize in certain skills and compliment other classes . Before a battle , you choose who's in and who'll be benchwarming . In confrontations , you have to manually aim the crosshairs of your rifle for body shots or head shots . A cover system allows allies and enemies the ability to use various waist-high objects as cover , or just hide behind a wall . : p Depending on stats , your soldier will automatically duck for cover when shot at . Stats also determine how accurate their aiming is . Your roster of characters can attack in unison when grouped together in a small squad , but thats if they have an affinity for each other . Yup , characters have . . . character . I found myself getting attached to minor subcharaters who have no effect on the plot in my army based on their individual personalities . Yeah , I'm weird . What shocked me is that SEGA brought this innovation to the genre . The creators really did an excellent job with Valkyria Chronicles . Along with the Yakuza series , this game is among my top SEGA favorites . Buy this game to support their efforts and hope for a sequel !
    • 015 4  Pros + Incredible story + Beautiful graphics + Amazing soundtrack + Unique gameplay that has a lot of balance + A lot of extra things you can do off the beaten path Cons - Your friends and family will feel neglected Sega has , by and large , given consumers a mixed bag of games . Sometimes you get games that don't live up to the potential that have been set for them and sometimes you get some downright bad games . When Sega has their head on straight , though , you get a game like Valkyria Chronicles . It's a rich tale with even richer gameplay . If there's one RPG PS3 owners must get , it is Valkyria Chronicles . Valkyria Chronicles is set in the year of 1935 , but in an alternate reality . The story itself is told some nicely rendered cel shading as well as some well written and well performed dialog . The story is told through episodes which you'll undertake . It's an overall engrossing story filled with fantastic characters who are all well defined . The cutscenes themselves are also fairly moving . It's actually quite amazing how deep and mature the story really is . Gameplay wise , Valkyria Chronicles is somewhat different from your typical tactical RPG . In most tactical RPGs , you and the enemy usually take turns to act . Valkyria Chronicles does something a little different . Instead of taking turns you have what is called Command Points . As long as you still have command points left , you can send forth any unit you like and the order with which you send them doesn't matter . You could even send one ally to do everything provided you have the correct amount of command points . When you select a unit , however , Valkyria Chronicles throws in another twist . You view the action on an overworld map , but once you select a unit the game shifts into third person where you must move them yourself as though you were play a third person shooter . It's actually quite unique and breathes a lot of new life into the Tactical RPG genre . When an enemy is in sight , you'll have to aim and fire . The enemy can , if they wish , counterattack you as well . Just the same however , you can take the proper precautions and duck behind cover if you wish . There's quite a deep strategic element to the game . This is not going to be one of those Tactical RPGs where being stronger is all that matters . It goes much deeper than that . The game is balanced in such a way that each unit , depending on what they are is useful for different things . Scouts , for example , are good at pin-pointing where the enemy is , but they lack the firepower to take them down . Snipers , on the other hand , are good on offense , but lack range and defense . No matter how you slice it , it's impossible to take complete advantage of the game . Yet for what it's worth , you never get the feeling the game is too hard or too easy . It's just right . Providing even more balance is that once you take control of a unit it isn't for an infinite amount of time . Every unit has an action gauge , and when it runs out they can no longer move . You're still allowed to take action such as healing yourself or shooting at your enemy at least . Also , if you decided to keep using the same character over and over again for each command point , you'll notice their action gauge will fill up less and less . Again , it's designed so that you can't take absolute advantage . On the surface the gameplay is somewhat simple , but it's really quite deep and asks for a lot of strategy on the players part . After completing each mission , you'll be awarded experience and a ranking . The faster you get a mission done , the better your experience and ranking . On the other hand , characters do not level up individually . Rather their class ( be they Sniper , Scout or what have you ) levels up . There's so much depth to the gameplay that you hardly realize the game doesn't actually have online or multiplayer support of any kind . It'd be nice to challenge a friend online or work cooperatively , but with how engrossing the single player experience is , it's not that big a deal . Visually , Valkyria Chronicles is an astonishing looking game . It is by far the best cel-shaded game to date . The artistic design of the environments and characters is vibrant and colorful . Everything also moves very smoothly , even when things on the battlefield get hectic . Much like the graphics , the game also sounds incredibly good . Not only is there a very catchy and moving musical score , but the voice acting is also very well done and distinguished . It's amazing how much effort Sega went through to draw you into the story . It works incredibly well . And if you happen to dislike the English voices , you'll be happy to know you can switch the audio to Japanese . Make no mistake , Valkyria Chronicles is an amazing and enchanting game . It's got a deep , mature and well thought out storyline with lovable characters , and the gameplay experience is so unique that it's engrossing . If you're an Tactical RPG fan , Valkyria Chronicles is a must own title .
    • 016 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Sometimes , being a good girlfriend means sitting on the couch and watching him play a game or playing a game together . I'm a moderate gamer ; the new controls are generally more complicated than I'm willing to commit to . He is a hard core gamer . Some games are easier to watch than others , and some are easier to play . This review is not for the hard core gamer . This review if for the girlfriend ( or boyfriend , who am I to judge ? ) that sits on the couch and watches . Clocking in at just over 40 hours , this game sometimes seems more like a cartoon than a game . The game is set up as a storybook with each mission constituting a chapter . Most chapters have one mission . At first , I found the missions kind of boring to watch , but after a few chapters , I found myself telling yelling at the screen ( or Mike ) ! Don't go there . . . . . You forgot to heal . . . . . Use the sniper ! ! ! Sometimes the battles could be frustrating , and when they took more than two tries , I'd get bored and leave the room to do something else . The characters are charming and compelling and the animation is beautiful . While the story was at times predictable , I found myself staying up past my bedtime , telling Mike that we could play just one more chapter , because I wanted to find out what happened next . Mike liked the game so much that he's already downloaded a couple of additional missions for the game , and I'm sure we'll download more if they are released .
    • 017 4  Sometimes , being a good girlfriend means sitting on the couch and watching him play a game or playing a game together . I'm a moderate gamer ; the new controls are generally more complicated than I'm willing to commit to . He is a hard core gamer . Some games are easier to watch than others , and some are easier to play . This review is not for the hard core gamer . This review if for the girlfriend ( or boyfriend , who am I to judge ? ) that sits on the couch and watches . Clocking in at just over 40 hours , this game sometimes seems more like a cartoon than a game . The game is set up as a storybook with each mission constituting a chapter . Most chapters have one mission . At first , I found the missions kind of boring to watch , but after a few chapters , I found myself telling yelling at the screen ( or Mike ) ! Don't go there . . . . . You forgot to heal . . . . . Use the sniper ! ! ! Sometimes the battles could be frustrating , and when they took more than two tries , I'd get bored and leave the room to do something else . The characters are charming and compelling and the animation is beautiful . While the story was at times predictable , I found myself staying up past my bedtime , telling Mike that we could play just one more chapter , because I wanted to find out what happened next . Mike liked the game so much that he's already downloaded a couple of additional missions for the game , and I'm sure we'll download more if they are released .
    • 021 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) First off : This is NOT a RPG . I know the trailers make it seem like a real-time RPG . It's NOT . I know everyone is billing it as a strategy / rpg . . . . . It's NOT ! In fact , aside from the Japenese presentation , story and cutscenes there's nothing remotly RPG-ish about this game . If you're looking for an RPG , this is NOT it . Now that that's out of the way I'd just like to say that this is one of the best , most unique game experiences to be released this year . If I were to describe this game , I'd call it a story-driven , real-time / turn-based strategy game . I know that sounds like alot of elements working against each other but suprisingly they all come together very well . The gameplay starts with you positioning your units on a map . When this is done you are able to take control of each unit individualy in a Eternal Sonata-ish realtime way . As you move around any enemy unit can fire at you ( you do the same when it's their turn ) and each unit is allowed to attack once during their turn . This seems simple , but believe me it works . The graphics are wonderfully ( and suprisingly ) cell-shaded . This being a PS3 only title also means there is no graphical bugging or system crashing moments ( though optional install helps ) . You can actually ENJOY the game while playing it . This game is very story-driven . Don't worry , most of the game is gameplay but there are an aweful lot of cutscenes ( some of which are optional ) . This isn't MGS4 or anything ( thank god ! ) , but strategy fans might be a bit taken aback by the more cinematic presentaion of this game . Personally I think this worked well in establishing a more personal relationship with your units on the field ( every unit has a name and personality in over 50 characters ! ) . This game probably isn't for everyone . In fact I'm sure it'll be criticized for it's overly simple take on the strategy genre . But if you're like me ( or like a great story with great gameplay ) and are looking for something different , this is a MUST BUY ( especially at Amazon's low price ! )
    • 022 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) First off : This is NOT a RPG . I know the trailers make it seem like a real-time RPG . It's NOT . I know everyone is billing it as a strategy / rpg . . . . . It's NOT ! In fact , aside from the Japenese presentation , story and cutscenes there's nothing remotly RPG-ish about this game . If you're looking for an RPG , this is NOT it . Now that that's out of the way I'd just like to say that this is one of the best , most unique game experiences to be released this year . If I were to describe this game , I'd call it a story-driven , real-time / turn-based strategy game . I know that sounds like alot of elements working against each other but suprisingly they all come together very well . The gameplay starts with you positioning your units on a map . When this is done you are able to take control of each unit individualy in a Eternal Sonata-ish realtime way . As you move around any enemy unit can fire at you ( you do the same when it's their turn ) and each unit is allowed to attack once during their turn . This seems simple , but believe me it works . The graphics are wonderfully ( and suprisingly ) cell-shaded . This being a PS3 only title also means there is no graphical bugging or system crashing moments ( though optional install helps ) . You can actually ENJOY the game while playing it . This game is very story-driven . Don't worry , most of the game is gameplay but there are an aweful lot of cutscenes ( some of which are optional ) . This isn't MGS4 or anything ( thank god ! ) , but strategy fans might be a bit taken aback by the more cinematic presentaion of this game . Personally I think this worked well in establishing a more personal relationship with your units on the field ( every unit has a name and personality in over 50 characters ! ) . This game probably isn't for everyone . In fact I'm sure it'll be criticized for it's overly simple take on the strategy genre . But if you're like me ( or like a great story with great gameplay ) and are looking for something different , this is a MUST BUY ( especially at Amazon's low price ! )
    • 023 4  First off : This is NOT a RPG . I know the trailers make it seem like a real-time RPG . It's NOT . I know everyone is billing it as a strategy / rpg . . . . . It's NOT ! In fact , aside from the Japenese presentation , story and cutscenes there's nothing remotly RPG-ish about this game . If you're looking for an RPG , this is NOT it . Now that that's out of the way I'd just like to say that this is one of the best , most unique game experiences to be released this year . If I were to describe this game , I'd call it a story-driven , real-time / turn-based strategy game . I know that sounds like alot of elements working against each other but suprisingly they all come together very well . The gameplay starts with you positioning your units on a map . When this is done you are able to take control of each unit individualy in a Eternal Sonata-ish realtime way . As you move around any enemy unit can fire at you ( you do the same when it's their turn ) and each unit is allowed to attack once during their turn . This seems simple , but believe me it works . The graphics are wonderfully ( and suprisingly ) cell-shaded . This being a PS3 only title also means there is no graphical bugging or system crashing moments ( though optional install helps ) . You can actually ENJOY the game while playing it . This game is very story-driven . Don't worry , most of the game is gameplay but there are an aweful lot of cutscenes ( some of which are optional ) . This isn't MGS4 or anything ( thank god ! ) , but strategy fans might be a bit taken aback by the more cinematic presentaion of this game . Personally I think this worked well in establishing a more personal relationship with your units on the field ( every unit has a name and personality in over 50 characters ! ) . This game probably isn't for everyone . In fact I'm sure it'll be criticized for it's overly simple take on the strategy genre . But if you're like me ( or like a great story with great gameplay ) and are looking for something different , this is a MUST BUY ( especially at Amazon's low price ! )
    • 027 4  Every once in a while , a game will appear and revolutionize its genre , such that you don't ever want to go back to playing any of its predecessors . Valkyria Chronicles is the latest of those of the tactical RPG genre . With its innovative BLiTZ combat engine , Valkyria Chronicles blows away everything that came before . This game will make you feel that grids are anachronisms in this generation of gaming .
    • 036 4  I never review things on Amazon . That being said , this game has captured my imagination like nothing else since the original X-Com game on the PC , or Final Fantasy Tactics . - If you like strategy or RPG's , buy this game . - If you like squad based combat , buy this game . - If you like anime , buy this game . - If you DISLIKE anime , this game will not piss you off . - If you liked Final Fantasy Tactics , Jeanne D'Arc , or Disgaea , buy this game . - If you like alternate history , buy this game . - If you like good character development , with an endearing story , buy this game . - If you like decently good english voice acting , but the option to listen to Japanese audio with subtitles ; buy this game . Most of all , if you appreciate creative , out of the box takes on proven formulas ; buy this game . No hype , no marketing blitz , just awesome gameplay and loads of fun ! It would be a damn shame if such a quality game based on an original IP , by what was considered a dead publisher didn't sell enough to warrant a sequel . I haven't even beat the game yet and I'm already hoping for a sequel . Spread the word , it's THAT good .
    • 039 4  The graphics on this game is unique , never seen it before . It's like watercolor fantasy book , absolutely beautiful . Graphics on SRPG usually doesn't matter , but it's nice to have . Voice acting is superb . I've played this for 1 week now , can't stop playing , it's cutting into meal & sleep time . Yes , it's that good . The gameplay is awesome , you get limited points to move your characters each turn . CAn move the same character multiple times each turn or save the points for the next turn . Plenty of strategy involved . The story is written well enough that you want to keep playing and find out the end . ( I haven't finished yet ) Overall , this one is a must buy for any SRPG or RPG gamers out there .
    • 041 4  The PS3 has a lot of great games . . . if all you want to play are sports or first person shooters . Then there's this little gem . . . Scratch that . . . it's a whopping big gem . Valkyria Chronicles is the first game in my PS3 library that can be described in its totality by this one word : FUN . You will enjoy playing this game . The story is entertaining and downright epic . Learning the strategy dynamics is rewarding and fun to execute on the battlefield , the levels are hard , but not impossible . . . and get this , they're even fun to replay . I don't know why this game isn't on more magazine covers ( or why it wasn't before its release ) and I'm troubled by the fact that some major video game web sites have yet to review it . Many years from now , when the PS3 is dead , this is one of those games that people will be hunting down on eBay or Amazon , hoping they'd played it when it was new and fresh but ready to try it even in its dated state because people speak of it as being a magical experience .
    • 049 4  Valkyria Chronicles blends real time elements into a turn-based system and it results in fun game where you never feel rushed , but isn't as slow as traditional turn-based games . The combat is great as many elements come into play . Positioning , unit type , objectives , orders and even the individual character traits all influence the battle . Better yet , I beat the game despite skipping most of the side quests and skirmishes . That's right , grinding is unnecessary in this game . I love the presentation and the story of the game every bit as much as the gameplay . The sketchbook look and pseudo-European backdrop makes Valkyria Chronicles one of the most artistically beautiful games on the PS3 . The characters are lovable and make a decent story , an engrossing story . This is easily one of the best single player experience on the PS3 and a must have for jrpg ( and especially srpg ) fans .
    • 051 4  I've bought 3 games this month : Fallout 3 , Resistance 2 , Littlebigplanet . And guess what I've been playing since last week , Valkyria Chronicles , the one I rented from gamefly . And this is the best game I've played this year . I was skeptical when I first saw the game and I wasn't impressed after playing the demo , but once I started playing the rental , I couldn't stop . The story , gameplay , presentation , and characters fit perfectly together to form an unique universe in which you don't want to get out of . I felt like I was playing MGS4 or GeoW , but it won't ends ! I'm 20 hours into it and I think I'm not even half way through . It's not repetitive like most other JRPGs which you were just trying to leveling up fighting the same creature over and over again . It's not bland like most other strategy RPGs where all maps were basically the same . Its gameplay is the story , it's not separated like two different components . Therefore it feels like an action adventure ( my favorite genre ) game and it gets better the more you play it . Its story is not what it seems like , it's mature and thought triggering . It's about war and many lives will be claimed . Difficulty will go up gradually and before you know it , you could handle different situation that show up in each chapter . AIs are not nearly as smart as you are and most of the time you'll be glad that they're not . I could't say I'm a RPG / strategy guy with FF12 , Persona3 , Disgera2 , Dragon Quest 8 , and many more I haven't finished . But I love Valkyria Chronicles . The game is not perfect , and it's hard to compare it to games in other genres . But if you ask me which game is the best this year , this game is my answer . YES it's better than MGS4 and GeoW2 . ( I'm a MGS fan ) Bottom line : This is a game you need to experience to know what it's like . You'll either love it or hate it but chances are you'll love it . Releasing w / so many hyped titles , this game's sales don't look good ; so try it and spread the word if you like it . The gaming world desperately needs games with so much heart like Valkyria Chronicles .
    • 053 4  This is the most refreshing role-playing game to come out in awhile . It combines beautiful art with great characters , a decent story , and a combat system that everyone from the most casual gamer to the most hardcore can marvel at . Do yourself a favor and download the demo .
    • 058 4  Not only one of the best games of this genre , but in all the PS3 library . - Highly addictive gameplay . - Really stylish , the graphics may not be the best out there , but they do the job in an original and interesting way . - Interesting characters and story . ( Just a little bit slow ) - A little bit easy , thanks to a ( too ) forgiving AI . Update : - At the beginning is a little bit easy , but this game IS NOT easy at all : The AI remains forgiving , but the scenarios become quite challenging after a while . Nothing to worry about , even the scenarios that seems impossible at first become even easy with a good strategy .
    • 078 4  As a gamer of 20 some years , I've seen a lot of titles . Let me tell you , this game is a great breath of fresh air , and quickly becoming one of my all-time favorites . The Good : The Canvas Engine : Absolutely beautiful ! The art style alone makes this game worth playing . Words really can't describe it , and the pictures hardly do it justice compared to seeing it on a HD TV The Blitz Engine : A wonderful blend of command strategy and first person action . From an overview map , you choose which unit you want to move . Then you take over that unit , with a set range of movement and one attack / action . You then have free range of movement on the map , which happens in Real Time , which means they will shoot at you . . . Its a little strange at first , more from being unique then unintuitive , but works very well . The Story : Told over a series of chapters , the story quickly draws you in and keeps you interested as you progress . The character development is well done , with a lot of personality given to everyone . You'll have many recruits to chose from , and each has their own feel . I've found myself releasing people from my team because I didn't like their personality . . . Character Management : Things are kept simple . Instead of upgrading individuals , you upgrade roles . If you level your scouts , all of your scouts benefit . Same with Weapons , research a new rifle , all your scouts get one . You can then go in and customize individuals with captured / special weapons . Quick and painless . The Bad : The Cut Scenes : The story is great , but the number of cutscenes gets annoying at times . I understand they segmented it so much to reduce the load times , but after the 7th story panel or so . . . The Mission Ranking : My biggest gripe . . . As a Squad leader , the safety and success of your team should be paramount . Complete your objective with several turns to spare and minimal wounded , and your thinking that mission went great , only to be slapped with a Rank D rating . . . Rank is completely based on number of turns . Stategy means nothing , losses are irrelevent . You throw your team to the wolves to finish in two turns , and are rewarded for it . To me it goes against the very feel of the story . . .
    • 079 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I don't think I need to write a long review to confirm what other reviewers had written . This game is great from every aspects , visual , audio , and gameplay . I haven't found any J-strategy RPG this great since Final Fantasy Tactics . ( Sorry , Disgaea fans . Disgaeas are good , but this one is better . ) The only thing I regret about this buy is that Amazon sold it for $49.99 for a while and I didn't get it : P But for $56.99 , its quality worths every penny . I'm a die-hard JRPG fan and this game keeps me from strangling myself for not buying X360 . Keep it up Sega : )
    • 080 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I don't think I need to write a long review to confirm what other reviewers had written . This game is great from every aspects , visual , audio , and gameplay . I haven't found any J-strategy RPG this great since Final Fantasy Tactics . ( Sorry , Disgaea fans . Disgaeas are good , but this one is better . ) The only thing I regret about this buy is that Amazon sold it for $49.99 for a while and I didn't get it : P But for $56.99 , its quality worths every penny . I'm a die-hard JRPG fan and this game keeps me from strangling myself for not buying X360 . Keep it up Sega : )
    • 081 4  I don't think I need to write a long review to confirm what other reviewers had written . This game is great from every aspects , visual , audio , and gameplay . I haven't found any J-strategy RPG this great since Final Fantasy Tactics . ( Sorry , Disgaea fans . Disgaeas are good , but this one is better . ) The only thing I regret about this buy is that Amazon sold it for $49.99 for a while and I didn't get it : P But for $56.99 , its quality worths every penny . I'm a die-hard JRPG fan and this game keeps me from strangling myself for not buying X360 . Keep it up Sega : )
    • 088 4  Most of the points I'd make about VC have been covered by other reviewers , so I'll just touch on a few things I think are important : The first few missions in the game progress pretty swiftly , as you guide 2 - 4 characters through some short maps as you get the hang of things . Then all of a sudden you're given a bunch of new menus for the 20 + characters added to your squad , each of whom have strengths and weaknesses ( though thankfully all members in a class level up together ) . It's a bit overwhelming at first , but eventually you get the hang of things and start to connect with your favorite characters and find the best strategy for each level . Speaking of which , most of the missions in the game are pretty much trial and error . You play through it once with a mix of units only to find yourself making the wrong moves of getting slaughtered from the onset . Then you fine-tune your member selection and make better use of your movement and action points each time until you are ready to play through it for real , which can be tedious at times , but does bring greater satisfaction when you see that big OPERATION COMPLETE banner and hear the victory fanfare . Several missions ( especially 7 , 14 , 17 and 18 ) are painfully difficult , almost impossible to figure out without a walkthrough . Sometimes it's because the game is cheap or doesn't inform your of things , other times it's because there's some special weak point or trick to beating a mission more easily . In a few missions , you can win easily by exploiting your knowledge of what's to come and blowing the enemy out of the water just as they appear . . . which is necessary several times . Even with all the annoyances , the game can be highly enjoyable . The storyline is interesting throughout , and several characters grow and change and you find yourself wanting to know what will happen to them next . There are several bonus missions , skirmishes and other goodies that can be bought or unlocked in the game , and after you beat it , there's a new game plus mode with harder maps to play through .
    • 090 4  I completed the game a few days ago and instantly felt compelled to play it through again . My gut reaction was to give it a five-star review but I hesitated , read a few of the negative reviews , grudgingly admitted they made a few good points and convinced myself to give it a four . This game certainly deserves the praise it has received . I don't think it can be said enough . The game is absolutely beautiful to look at ! The story , although a bit slow to start , had me fully engaged and concerned for the characters after 7 - 8 chapters . Like a well-made movie the villains are given adequate back story and reasons for their behavior . . . you just have to wait a bit for it . Game play is fantastic . Valkyria chronicles perfectly blends the classic turn-based RPG style with a third person shooter for what I thought was a unique experience . Each level presents the player with two general options or strategies . There is usually an obvious brute force method of clearing the level and a more strategic method . The brute force method will often take you more turns , drastically lower your score , but provide you with an enjoyable experience . Blasting away at enemies with your tank is sometimes worth the lower score . The more strategic method isn't often that strategic . It is a matter of figuring out which particular hoop the designers want you to jump through . This is usually accomplished by replaying the level once or twice after an untimely death , by luck , or sometimes by design . By design is listed last because it is nearly impossible to predict which hoop the game will ask you to jump through before starting the level . The pre-game map is mostly uninformative and you just have to figure it out after positioning all your troops . I could not overlook this flaw and is my main reason for giving the game four stars . Overall this game was a lot of fun . The game requires a little patience as you start playing . If you are expecting Modern Warfare you will probably be disappointed , but I expect most people know by now what they are getting into when they purchase a game like this . Thus the overwhelming numbers of positive reviews which I think the game deserves .
    • 092 4  Well not really , but its still an amazing game . Valkyria Chronicles is a PS3 exclusive RPG set in a fictional European country during World War II . RPG is loosely accurate actually ; its more of a half RPG , half turn based military strategy game . Its quite unique , and with over 30 hours of single player content plus a few DLC packs , you'll get more than your money's worth for this title . Its an RPG You control a character named Welkin Gunther ( son of a famous deceased military general ) who fights in the militia of a fictional neutral country . You command a small squad of militia up to about 10 persons on the battlefield . The story follows your militia squad and the troubles and triumphs of fighting in a war to defend your country . There are several thematic elements ( love , racism , power , greed , death ) but they aren't over done to be too obvious . And surprisingly there isn't too much dialogue . The voice acting is top notch , I was really impressed and immersed throughout the experience . Leveling your troop is done through traditional rpg style with a small twist . You fight battles which depending on how quickly you win them , nets you experience and cash . XP is used for leveling , cash is used mainly for purchasing upgraded weapons . Instead of leveling up individual characters , you level up a class . Each of your militia fighters are one of five classes : 1 . Scout 2 . Shocktrooper 3 . Lancer 4 . Engineer 5 . Sniper You don't have to worry about playing both your snipers in battles evenly so they keep the same level ( if they were to become lop-sided the lower level char would be worthless in battle ) ; instead , you level up the entire sniper class . What this allows you to do is focus on which people have the right potentials to get the job done , instead of trying to balance levels and experience . What are potentials ? Each character has passive abilities that are gradually unlocked through playing missions . Abilities may range from being a City Kid to a Desert Allergy or Sniper Killer to Likes Men or Undodgeable Shot . The City Kid ability will grant the character a boost in defense when on paved roads whereas Desert Allergy will drop the character's defense in that environment . Each character has a number of positive and negative potentials . Picking the right people for each mission plays a role in your ability to win , and win quickly Its a Turn Based Strategy , sort of . . . When in a battle : you select a character , move that character to a position , and perform one action . Actions are healing , firing a weapon or grenade , or repair ( for Engineers ) . But instead of doing all this from a top down view , once you select a character to control you drop into 3rd person mode to move that character around in real time . Then once you are in the position you want ( or your movement points are all used up ) you can select your target to fire ( you can actually do this in the reverse order : fire first then retreat ) . Once you select to fire you can't move in that mode . Enemies can't fire at you either . You can take all the time you want to in order to line up your headshot or mortar blast . Once you have taken your action you can move around some more or end your turn . When you are moving your character , enemies can fire at you but they cannot move . Also , only enemies with unlimited ammo can attack you - tanks ' machine guns , scouts ' and engineers ' rifles , and shocktroopers ' machine guns . Lancers and Snipers are zero threat during the movement phase . This unique movement style makes Valkyria Chronicles somewhat of a hybrid between real time strategy and turn based . On the one hand , you move your characters in real time . On the other , you can only move one character at a time and you move all your characters on your turn , then let the computer opponent have a turn . To make things more interesting ( and different ) , you don't just move each character once . Each turn you get a set number of Command Points ( CP ) . These points are used to select a character to act with . But you can chose to select the same character multiple times in one turn . This drastically changes the tactics available for a given mission . You can have a scout run to the other side of the map , you can have a sniper fire multiple shots , you can have a tank fire several mortar rounds to take out large packs of enemy soldiers . With a traditional turn based strategy , you only move each unit one time ; with VK whatever strategy you want to try is yours . Plus unused points carry into the next round . You can chose not to use too many points one turn . Then use the overstock of points the next turn to enable your victory . Not enough for you ? There are also command orders that you can issue to improve one or all units . These orders cost command points ( usually 1 point for 1 unit or 2 points for all units ) and they can be stacked . Orders are anything from Defense Up or Anti-tank Attack Up to Medic Evac and Sniper Support . Imagine beefing up a simple scout with increased defense and anti-tank attack . Then have it charge at tank and mess that sucka up ! 37 hours to beat the game And I haven't started the downloadable content yet . The game is spectacular in almost every way . But no game is perfect and I have a few gripes . The game follows the formula of watch some dialogue , play a mission , watch some more dialogue . Both dialogue and missions are presented in one book that you are ' reading through ' page by page . Each dialogue or mission is represented by an episode in this book . You cannot skip most episodes . They must be watched / played . There may be as many as 7 or 8 episodes between missions . Not so bad right ? The story and voice acting is good so what's the problem ? Everytime you select the next episode it asks you if you are sure that you want to play it . So follow me as we go from one mission to the next . We just beat a mission , yipee . New episode added , ok let's watch it . Yes , select the confirmation that we are sure . Great video , next episode pops up . We now select that new episode and another confirmation pops up that we have to select . And we do this 5 more times . . . You cannot queue up the episodes , you can't say yes play all the episodes until the next mission . You can't turn off the confirmation . Oh and you can't do hardly anything else in the game except play the next episode . Stop asking me if this is what I want to do ! Of course I want to see the next episode . Its the only way to get to the next mission ! Ugh , this annoys me . Next up , auto-save . Its no where to be found . Why would you make a game without auto-save ? Is this 1989 ? Every other game does this so it can't be that hard to implement . This was definitely a highly missed feature that has no reason to be absent . Lastly , trophy support . I'm a trophy whore so I missed them badly in this game . Instead the game went with this weird medal system where they don't tell you what you did to earn the medals . I love trophies , I like being able to see the game accomplishments outside of the game . You don't go with trophy support at launch that's fine ; add it later please . You don't go with trophy support at all that's fine ; don't have a similar system that's far inferior - stupid medals . Overall , this game rocks . I clocked a lot of hours of gameplay on it and I'm going to keep going with the DLC . I really hope there is a sequel in a couple years with some of these issues cleaned up . Still , the gameplay is solid and unique ; Valkyria Chronicles is a terrific title that I would recommend to any strategy fans .
    • 102 4  Not much to say . This game is flawless ; great graphics , incredible gameplay and strong story , all in one masterpiece . If you are a rpg fan and a PS3 owner then this game must be in you collection . Its an instant classic but sadly underlooked .
    • 112 4  Honestly , once the price of the PS3 dropped with the release of the PS3 slim , I said to myself , The time has come . I was finally able to afford to play this game and boy was it worth it ! I think one of the reasons I played this game was because it was made by Sega and some of the crew who produced the Sakura Taisen Series . It shows , as the systems have similarities . I can't say enough about this game and I'm sure that if you're reading my review , you've read other reviews on the specific details of the games systems , graphics , story , etc . If anything , I want my review to give you the extra push to buy it . You know what this game has to offer , don't hesitate and buy it ! If I never buy another game for my PS3 , that'd be fine , because Valkyria was worth it !
    • 122 4  Valkria Chronicles is the game that you wish you played but never tried ! It's beautiful to watch , fun to play and has a story that is well written . What else can I say that other reviews haven't ? If you like RPG's , even just a little , you should own this game because it's good . Not sure if Valkria Chronicles is for you ? Go download the free demo from the PlayStation Store and check it out . Don't forget there are also two expansion missions available for purchase if you want to extend this game .
    • 128 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is an absolute gem hidden in an unassuming package . A lot of people will pass over this game , probably unimpressed by the general style of the game ( strategy RPG ) and the art style , but those people will be making a terrible mistake . This is , quite simply , my favorite game of the next-gen systems . The game is basically a number of battles intermingled with a wealth of cutscenes and dialogue . The battles have been described plenty elsewhere so I won't get into it too much - - basically , a very interesting mix of turn-based battle with some elements of FPSs . It is one of the most unique game systems I've played and I would love to see other games use this sort of system . Each battle is well-thought-out and although the first few battles may feel the same-ish , later on the maps and layouts are much more unique and interesting , some of the battles being fairly difficult . However , the difficulty stays just right the whole way through . Although some battles are pretty damn tough , there was never a point where I was absolutely stuck and helpless . And if even you find the battles too easy , once you beat the game , there is a New Game + mode where you can fight extra battles on hard mode . These battles will DEFINITELY challenge you immensely if you're up to the task . The hard battles ( played on the same maps as the normal battles , but with completely different layouts and objectives ) , the secret weapons , and the medal system ( basically an in-game trophy system ) keeps the replay value fairly high . Everything about this game just beams with heart . The characters are wonderfully realized , complete with distinct personalities , personal development , inter-relationships , and a unique attitude and perspective for each of them . Even the random squad-mates you have each have their own story and personality . Unlike other war-ish games , your soldiers are not grunts - - they are soldiers each with their own attitude , backstory , and unique voiceovers . It's impossible to go through the game without loving or hating some of your squadmates ( not just the main characters either , ALL of the 50 + of them ) . The story starts off slow and the beginning seems to be soaked with corny-ish and happy-go-lucky dialogue . But don't count it out , though . . . midway through , the story and the emotions ramp up CONSIDERABLY . It eventually becomes an absolutely epic and mature tale right before your eyes - full of vengeance , betrayal , love , surprise , intrigue , tragedy and plenty of plot twists . It even surprised me as I was playing it , thinking to myself , Whoa ! How did this story suddenly become so epic ! ? Don't think that by this review so far , though , that everything is picture perfect . Definitely not , as there are a few things I wish were improved . For example , some of the corny dialogue , the overly-simplistic ranking system , a little too much fade-in and fade-out on the menus and such . Although I could go listing these minor things , whatever negatives there are are just overwhelmed by the positives . At the end of the day , this game - - more than any other game I've played recently - - just has a LOT of heart infused in it . It feels like the developers really CARED about the game , making it as warm and inviting as possible . From the beautiful artwork to the wonderful characters to the challenging battles all the way to the ending ( which , although I can't spoil anything , I must say fit the game PERFECTLY in nature and style . . . and was absolutely satisfying ) , this game just exudes a charm and beauty that you rarely see anymore , particularly among all the gray-brown first-person shooter clones out there .
    • 129 4  This game is an absolute gem hidden in an unassuming package . A lot of people will pass over this game , probably unimpressed by the general style of the game ( strategy RPG ) and the art style , but those people will be making a terrible mistake . This is , quite simply , my favorite game of the next-gen systems . The game is basically a number of battles intermingled with a wealth of cutscenes and dialogue . The battles have been described plenty elsewhere so I won't get into it too much - - basically , a very interesting mix of turn-based battle with some elements of FPSs . It is one of the most unique game systems I've played and I would love to see other games use this sort of system . Each battle is well-thought-out and although the first few battles may feel the same-ish , later on the maps and layouts are much more unique and interesting , some of the battles being fairly difficult . However , the difficulty stays just right the whole way through . Although some battles are pretty damn tough , there was never a point where I was absolutely stuck and helpless . And if even you find the battles too easy , once you beat the game , there is a New Game + mode where you can fight extra battles on hard mode . These battles will DEFINITELY challenge you immensely if you're up to the task . The hard battles ( played on the same maps as the normal battles , but with completely different layouts and objectives ) , the secret weapons , and the medal system ( basically an in-game trophy system ) keeps the replay value fairly high . Everything about this game just beams with heart . The characters are wonderfully realized , complete with distinct personalities , personal development , inter-relationships , and a unique attitude and perspective for each of them . Even the random squad-mates you have each have their own story and personality . Unlike other war-ish games , your soldiers are not grunts - - they are soldiers each with their own attitude , backstory , and unique voiceovers . It's impossible to go through the game without loving or hating some of your squadmates ( not just the main characters either , ALL of the 50 + of them ) . The story starts off slow and the beginning seems to be soaked with corny-ish and happy-go-lucky dialogue . But don't count it out , though . . . midway through , the story and the emotions ramp up CONSIDERABLY . It eventually becomes an absolutely epic and mature tale right before your eyes - full of vengeance , betrayal , love , surprise , intrigue , tragedy and plenty of plot twists . It even surprised me as I was playing it , thinking to myself , Whoa ! How did this story suddenly become so epic ! ? Don't think that by this review so far , though , that everything is picture perfect . Definitely not , as there are a few things I wish were improved . For example , some of the corny dialogue , the overly-simplistic ranking system , a little too much fade-in and fade-out on the menus and such . Although I could go listing these minor things , whatever negatives there are are just overwhelmed by the positives . At the end of the day , this game - - more than any other game I've played recently - - just has a LOT of heart infused in it . It feels like the developers really CARED about the game , making it as warm and inviting as possible . From the beautiful artwork to the wonderful characters to the challenging battles all the way to the ending ( which , although I can't spoil anything , I must say fit the game PERFECTLY in nature and style . . . and was absolutely satisfying ) , this game just exudes a charm and beauty that you rarely see anymore , particularly among all the gray-brown first-person shooter clones out there .
    • 144 4  This is easily the best RPG available on the PS3 and the one all PS3 owners have been waiting for . I normally get sick of strategy RPG's within a few hours , but I can't put this one down . It's been forever since I've actually played through an entire RPG and was still begging for more at the end . A second play-through is definitely going to happen . If you love RPG's you will love this game . Period .
    • 149 4  The art style is simply amazing in this . I also prefer how there is no what I call walk around and try to figure out what to do next elements . In Valkyria Chronicles you're either watching actual important story elements or playing the game . There are no moments of okay , now what ? that have frustrated me about RPGs in the past . The gameplay is also really cool and , at least for me , different . This will most likely be the only game that I feel I have to replay again released this year .
    • 151 4  This game won't be everyone's game of the year , but it will be mine . Original gameplay , engaging story and characters and a stirring soundtrack all conspired to engage me in this game more than in any other for a long time . You'll need some tolerance of anime and for taking things easy to get full enjoyment from the game , but other than that I recommend everyone at least give it a try .
    • 163 4  Ladies and gentlemen . I'm not going to say much about how this game plays since you can find great video reviews in youtube , gametrailers , etc . . . so let's skip all the BS and get to the road straight . If you don't buy this game , you are missing this gen's greatest turn based strategy game . I have handful of PS3 games in my library , but this game is definitely something I will keep . . . well , FOREVER .
    • 171 4  I rank this amongst the best video games I've played . The strategy elements were fun , I enjoyed the characters stories , and I loved the art style which was different than most games . My only gripe was the download expansions , I thought they were not very fun or worth the money , but they weren't part of the game that is being sold here so I won't mark it down because the expansion stunk . Great game !
    • 176 4  Im not much of a strategy game player , I prefer RPG and Action / Adventure , Platformers . The demo for the ps3 got me because I thought the game play was interesting , I purchased it and love the game . The story is solid , the characters are likable , graphics overall are simple and yet so beautiful . The strategics involved are fun and challenging on where to plant a unit ( character ) and when to attack what . The maps are great and each never repeating itself , only in skirmish , but thats the point of it > . o I really hope they make more games like this .
    • 179 4  I didn't know at all if I would like this game , but I decided to try it out anyways . It is a great game . It is fun , has a great storyline , is easy to learn and play . Has excellent graphics , and can be a whole family affair . While I'm not going to go into an in depth description of the game , it is well made and the characters , units , and the book like layout of the game get you involved and into the game . One of the things I loved , was the storyline , it really has a good story not just a generic plot . That being said , at times I found myself wanting to get back to the action faster instead of listening to the story but it didn't take away from this game at all . It has a hint of WWII European nuetral country with an fantasy twist that makes it all the more exciting . All in all I give it 5 stars , if you buy it you won't be dissapointed .
    • 182 4  This game is just so great . Turn-based strategy made great on a console . This game also has a charm and fun factor that many other games lack . Highly recommended ! ( Note : I only reserve 5 ratings for the very best of games , like Metal Gear Solid 4 , Uncharted 2 , etc . )
    • 184 4  I'm inclined to say it's my favorite game ever . . . I love the fire emblem series , Civilization , Final Fantasy series , but this beats them all in my opinion . Great story , characters , gameplay , music . It is not difficult the first time through so the pacing works perfect . I thought the artistic style worked perfectly . The book mode worked perfect . Only downsides I saw were a few cheesy dialogues and the AI was fairly dumb ( at least in the first run through . . . maybe better in the harder mode ) . These didn't take away from the fun of the game though .
    • 193 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I've played a dozen or so games on the PS3 and I'm not one of those people who has to own every game . I find a game that I like and I usually finish it and then I move on to the next . That said , I had never heard of this game but I was impressed with the number of positive reviews so I took a chance and bought it . Wow , was I pleasantly surprised . This is a great strategy game with one of the best interfaces that I've seen . The rules are simple but the way that they are implemented leads to infinite variety and a lot of fun . One reviewer said that this game is like chess and I would agree . Basically there are six classes , each with their own specialty . . . scouts , infantry , engineers , snipers , tanks , and anti-tanks . What I like is the flexibility of the classes . For example , engineers are primarily used to repair tanks and replenish weapons but they can also attack if necessary and do reasonable damage , anti-tank units can attack any target , etc . In addition , as you gain experience and money , you can upgrade classes and equipment . There is a nice balance here that you never have enough to upgrade everything so you need to choose carefully . Then there is the interface itself . . . each battle starts in an overhead command mode that shows the terrain , location of units , visible enemy units , etc . Command points are allocated for each turn and you move units based on these points . When a unit is selected , you take control of it in a 3D first person environment , which is very well done . The graphics are anime-like and quite attractive with a nice sense of style . One point of note is that there is no life-like violence , blood , profanity , etc . This is a family oriented game that can be enjoyed by everyone . I like realistic violence as much as anyone and I did not miss it here at all . In fact , it would have seemed out of place . If this were all there was to the game , it would be good but not great . But this game goes above and beyond . There must be literally hours of dialog that tells an interesting story as the game progresses and I mean much more dialog than I've heard before , enough to make a movie and then some . Character development is enough to really add emotional content . My only minor complaint is that the dialog can be a bit corny in places . . . for example , the Largo vegetable stuff , which seems aimed at young children . In addition , the music is good with what must be 30 different songs playing at various times . Sound effects are great , in-game comments are funny . Each member of your squad has dialog and some of it is very funny . Jann the gay Lancer is my favorite . For example , each character has special abilities that are triggered by environmental events . When Jann is around a group of men , he might say , Wow , look at all the muscles or just breath heavily . Interestingly , I found that the reviewers who left negative comments were mostly off base . A few complained that the game was too linear and I disagree . With the exception of two ( out of at least 30 ) battles , each has an infinite number of solutions depending on your style of play . Personally , I like to get the A rating and this requires completing the battle in as few turns as possible but you could easily take your time and play defensively , wiping all enemy units off the map . Sometimes it is difficult to figure out how to do this but I was successful every time , after I learned the rules . Another reviewer complained that battles had to be completed as the designers intended . This is also not true . For example , I never developed or used the sniper class at all , which I'm sure goes contrary to what the developers intended . Furthermore , after I finished the game , I went online to see how others completed the levels and their strategy was always quite different than mine . A few others complained about the lack of realism and yes , grenades don't detonate mines , enemy units don't turn around when a tank blows up right behind them , etc , but this is ridiculous . No game perfectly reflects reality and if it did , it would probably be boring . What is important is knowing the rules to the game and developing strategy based on those rules . Finally , there are folks that commonly complain about missing features such as the lack of online or multiplayer modes . I also find this absurd because the game says one player only . The real question should be , does the game perform as advertised , and the answer here is a resounding Yes . Enjoy the game for what it is and not what it could be . Personally , this is my favorite PS3 game with the exception of Ratchet & Clank , which is also remarkably well done . Both of these games are probably a bit easy for the hard-core gamer but nevertheless very enjoyable .
    • 194 4  I've played a dozen or so games on the PS3 and I'm not one of those people who has to own every game . I find a game that I like and I usually finish it and then I move on to the next . That said , I had never heard of this game but I was impressed with the number of positive reviews so I took a chance and bought it . Wow , was I pleasantly surprised . This is a great strategy game with one of the best interfaces that I've seen . The rules are simple but the way that they are implemented leads to infinite variety and a lot of fun . One reviewer said that this game is like chess and I would agree . Basically there are six classes , each with their own specialty . . . scouts , infantry , engineers , snipers , tanks , and anti-tanks . What I like is the flexibility of the classes . For example , engineers are primarily used to repair tanks and replenish weapons but they can also attack if necessary and do reasonable damage , anti-tank units can attack any target , etc . In addition , as you gain experience and money , you can upgrade classes and equipment . There is a nice balance here that you never have enough to upgrade everything so you need to choose carefully . Then there is the interface itself . . . each battle starts in an overhead command mode that shows the terrain , location of units , visible enemy units , etc . Command points are allocated for each turn and you move units based on these points . When a unit is selected , you take control of it in a 3D first person environment , which is very well done . The graphics are anime-like and quite attractive with a nice sense of style . One point of note is that there is no life-like violence , blood , profanity , etc . This is a family oriented game that can be enjoyed by everyone . I like realistic violence as much as anyone and I did not miss it here at all . In fact , it would have seemed out of place . If this were all there was to the game , it would be good but not great . But this game goes above and beyond . There must be literally hours of dialog that tells an interesting story as the game progresses and I mean much more dialog than I've heard before , enough to make a movie and then some . Character development is enough to really add emotional content . My only minor complaint is that the dialog can be a bit corny in places . . . for example , the Largo vegetable stuff , which seems aimed at young children . In addition , the music is good with what must be 30 different songs playing at various times . Sound effects are great , in-game comments are funny . Each member of your squad has dialog and some of it is very funny . Jann the gay Lancer is my favorite . For example , each character has special abilities that are triggered by environmental events . When Jann is around a group of men , he might say , Wow , look at all the muscles or just breath heavily . Interestingly , I found that the reviewers who left negative comments were mostly off base . A few complained that the game was too linear and I disagree . With the exception of two ( out of at least 30 ) battles , each has an infinite number of solutions depending on your style of play . Personally , I like to get the A rating and this requires completing the battle in as few turns as possible but you could easily take your time and play defensively , wiping all enemy units off the map . Sometimes it is difficult to figure out how to do this but I was successful every time , after I learned the rules . Another reviewer complained that battles had to be completed as the designers intended . This is also not true . For example , I never developed or used the sniper class at all , which I'm sure goes contrary to what the developers intended . Furthermore , after I finished the game , I went online to see how others completed the levels and their strategy was always quite different than mine . A few others complained about the lack of realism and yes , grenades don't detonate mines , enemy units don't turn around when a tank blows up right behind them , etc , but this is ridiculous . No game perfectly reflects reality and if it did , it would probably be boring . What is important is knowing the rules to the game and developing strategy based on those rules . Finally , there are folks that commonly complain about missing features such as the lack of online or multiplayer modes . I also find this absurd because the game says one player only . The real question should be , does the game perform as advertised , and the answer here is a resounding Yes . Enjoy the game for what it is and not what it could be . Personally , this is my favorite PS3 game with the exception of Ratchet & Clank , which is also remarkably well done . Both of these games are probably a bit easy for the hard-core gamer but nevertheless very enjoyable .
    • 196 4  Valkyria Chronicles is set on an alternate reality of WWII . Throughout the game you'll retell historical events such as the invasion of Normandy , the atomic bomb on Hiroshima , and ultimately the fall of the Nazi's , all as analogous events in this fictional universe . It even addresses things such as the racial persecution of Jews ; but where the game really shines when it gets into Norse Mythology and introduces the Valkyria . The watercolor storytelling is absolutely beautiful and refreshingly original , and it delivers a powerful story which makes you really feel for the main characters . Once you get hooked , you'll need to finish this one . That said , this is not an action game . The gameplay can be a little slow for some , but for those up to the challenge , it is quite a bit of fun . Completing some of the battles feels like a real achievement . If you didn't get enough on your playthrough , there's some downloadable content too . Highly Recommended for the Tactical RPG fans ; one of my favorite RPGs .
    • 201 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I was going to buy this from gamestop but they wanted 50 bucks used . Bought new from amazon for 40 . The game is awesome and different then all other srpg I have played . The art style is cool but not all to my liking . Great game with a good challenge to beat .
    • 204 4  I had no expectations when I downloaded the demo for this game ; I had no idea what it was like , I had no clue what it was about , and I didn't know what kind of gameplay it had . It blew me away . If there's never a sequel to this game , I think I'll cry . I'll wait forever . If it's not until the next PS , fine , I'll buy whatever necessary for me to play a sequel . It's that good . There are a lot of really positive reviews for this game already , and people have pretty thoroughly described what it's like , so I'll say that the two biggest selling points for me in the end were the 1 ) gameplay and 2 ) the characters . Well , the art is absolutely gorgeous , so that too . The gameplay ? Someone described it - negatively - as a chess game where the characters shoot at each other . How this is a bad thing is beyond me . It's fun , it's strategic , and when it's time to shoot the enemy , it drops you into third-person shooter mode and you're with your soldier , trying to headshot an Imperial . Speaking of your soldier , the characters are great . You've got a huge cast of characters to choose from , with unique personality traits and problems . Here are some examples : Vyse ( cameoing from Skies of Arcadia ) : laughs like a loon when he shoots someone ( HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ! ) . And it never . ever . gets old . Jane : sometimes says , Scream for me ! right before she unloads her machine gun into someone's head . Alternately , Die , Imps , die ! Welkin : Loves nature , and will say so dreamily whenever he's out in it . Even though he's the one driving a huge TANK right through it . The gameplay is super fun , the characters are great , the art is gorgeous , the plot is cheesy but skippable if you're not into that sort of thing ( people who hate cut-scenes : just hit start and it'll skip to the end , very courteous ) , and it has three DLCs if you want to spend an extra $5 each to extend the game . And you will , you really will .
    • 209 4  I've always enjoyed strategy games , especially ones involving war . I've been looking for something to replace my old Panzer General game from the PS1 . This game did that and much more . You get to play general on a much smaller scale of course . It only involves a squad , not an entire army . The graphics and sounds are very good . You get to control each individual soldier . You can pick and choose which type of soldiers you want to start each mission with . It has high replay value due to the ability to play selected missions at will . And , since you control individual soldiers ' actions , the outcome of each engagement is different . Highly recommend this for the armchair general / squad leader . One thing that I wish I could turn off is the redundant animation that occasionally cuts in . But , they are quick and come in seemlessly .
    • 211 4  I'm not a big console gamer . I'm still trying to figure out the circles and triangles , and how people play a FPS with a controller . I buy games because of the reviews and hype hoping I will see what the big deal is but I usually don't like them . InFamous being the exception . And I'm not a big anime fan . I mean , it's ok , I have nothing against it , it looks cool , I just never got into it . But this game makes me love my PS3 and anime ! It feels like I'm part of a movie , a good movie !
    • 213 4  This game is the most sophisticated strategy game I've ever played . The graphics , as many have said , are just plain beautiful . The game play is intense . Every move counts . Be prepared to think about tactics and strategy as you never have before . This game is very unforgiving - much like combat ( I can only imagine ) . I gave this game 4 stars only because the loading screens are frustratingly long - - especially considering that you will have to reload frequently , because the game is that hard . That said , it forces you to think very carefully and plan your battle well . It's a little frustrating that the pre-battle briefings don't give you much information about the lay of the land or the enemy forces . This means that you will have to play a few rounds first before you rethink your own forces and their deployment . Be prepared to play 2 or 3 hours on any one battle . The tone of the game is sober and gives you a feel of commanding a battlefield - - rather than just playing a silly video game . You wind up caring about your characters , and you hate to see them get killed . When a character falls in combat , you can send another character over to call a medic , so you won't loose him / her forever . All-in-all excellent game . 4 stars for long loading screens and long between battle story development . ( bah ! Story development ! ) A must have for any anime fan .
    • 223 4  Simply put , Valkyria Chronicles is one of the best games this generation . Amidst a horde of generic first person shooters and sports games , Valkyria Chronicles actually innovates its genre and even elevates it to a new level . Simple and addicting gameplay combined with the need for strategic positioning creates a dynamic battle system that can't just can't be found in other strategic RPGs . With breathtaking , unique watercolor visuals , a cast of fun characters , and a story that tells of what goes on behind the face of war , Valkyria Chronicles is truly a gem of this generation .
    • 224 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkyria Chronicles is simply one of the best PS3 games to date . The game features beautifully animated graphics , an interesting engaging story & characters , a great musical score , and a fantastic original battle system . Battles start out with an over head view of the battle field . From there , you choose which squad members to deploy . Squad members consist of different classes such as Scouts , Shock Troopers , Lancers , engineers , and snipers . Each class has there own strengths and short comings and it's up to you to make wise decisions about how to utilize them on the battle field . In all there are about 50 different unique characters you can recruit to form your squad . Once you choose a unit to move , the game moves into a third person perspective . You are then free to move , aim and shoot in real time . You have a set amount of movements to make in a turn before the computer takes it's turn to make movements against you . The battles are challenging & exciting with out ever becoming tediously hard . The characters and story are heartwarming and combined with the amazingly drawn art style - the game makes for a truly unique experience . I would highly recommend this game for fans of RPGs / SRPGs , children , or anyone who is looking for an enjoyable game .
    • 225 4  Valkyria Chronicles is simply one of the best PS3 games to date . The game features beautifully animated graphics , an interesting engaging story & characters , a great musical score , and a fantastic original battle system . Battles start out with an over head view of the battle field . From there , you choose which squad members to deploy . Squad members consist of different classes such as Scouts , Shock Troopers , Lancers , engineers , and snipers . Each class has there own strengths and short comings and it's up to you to make wise decisions about how to utilize them on the battle field . In all there are about 50 different unique characters you can recruit to form your squad . Once you choose a unit to move , the game moves into a third person perspective . You are then free to move , aim and shoot in real time . You have a set amount of movements to make in a turn before the computer takes it's turn to make movements against you . The battles are challenging & exciting with out ever becoming tediously hard . The characters and story are heartwarming and combined with the amazingly drawn art style - the game makes for a truly unique experience . I would highly recommend this game for fans of RPGs / SRPGs , children , or anyone who is looking for an enjoyable game .
    • 231 4  I tried the demo and wasn't that impressed , but I kept hearing great things about this game . So I saw a deal on it , and snapped it up to give it a chance beyond the demo . At this point - I spent the weekend playing it , and its awesome ! I'm so hooked on this game ! I love the beautiful art style , and the graphics are amazing ! The tanks , the people , the clothes are all beautifully rendered . The girl characters are all drawn so cute - but they also look very tough and powerful . The style is so heart achingly cool and Japanese . . . The gameplay is highly addictive . Its like a GI Joe version of chess mixed up with a 3rd person shooter but all done with anime and a sweeping orchestral soundtrack . The only bad thing is that I probably should have waited until I was closer to the end before buying the downloadable content ( I was looking for ways to get more experience points , but so far the DLC stuff seems seperate from the main campaign ) Although , the DLC does look cool and I will eventually play it . And sometimes , the story gets a little too light hearted ( although its not always that way and it can get gritty at times ) . This game is a true gem , and I definitely recommend it ! Easily one of the best games I've played recently .
    • 235 4  This game is nothing but beautiful in its art direction . Through the entire game I never tired of the artwork . The music tended to be a bit plain and unnoticeable but overall the art direction of the game was superb . The story and universe the game crafted felt very unique for the genre ( anime ) . Obviously a alternate world war one / two universe it had a much more serious and grave tone than found in a typical japanese RPG . This fell apart as the game went on though . With ideas of magic and cheesy last boss fights ruining the imagine of a serious and brutal war . I almost didn't finish the game because I could feel the experience slipping away . The game play was unique and a nice breath of fresh air into the strategy RPG genre . The real time combat when you / enemy are maneuvering into position makes for actual strategy on the battlefield . Hiding behind sandbags , retreating for cover , setting up oppressing fire so the enemy can't advance , etc . . . The only problem I had was I found it too easy . The enemy would often be able to defeat me but would for some reason attack a useless unit or just pass on their turn . Until you beat the game there is no harder difficulty setting . You have a squad of soldiers you get to choose from in ever battle . Each with their own unique personalities , traits , sound effects and background . I found them to be quite engaging and added a hint of personality to each battle when I assembled my squad of soldiers . Given that these soldiers can die and never be used again also makes you care a bit about them when they are wounded or in trouble . You risk a bit more trying to make sure they get out safe . Overall worth playing . The menus are a bit slow and alot of the non-combat unit / weapon management screens are cumbersome and slow but ultimately easy to navigate . If you RPG's or strategy games of any variety the game is worth checking out .
    • 242 4  Anyone who likes RPGs - - especially Tactical RPGs - - simply must play this game . It is the culmination of everything good in the genre . This may sound like hyperbole , but I honestly do not feel like I'm exaggerating . The story could not possibly be better . I get chills as I sit here thinking about how to describe it ; it's that good . The character development and interactions are some of the best I've ever seen in a game . I found myself loving each and every one of the main characters , and the drama that goes on behind the scenes of the war is completely absorbing . Graphically , it sublime . Some of the best use of cel-shading in the business . The overall tone and atmosphere are simply incredible . No , it's not a gritty , realistic portrayal of war , but it's not meant to be . And the gameplay - - dear god , the gameplay ! A totally fresh and innovative mix of tactical turn-based play with over-the-shoulder third-person action . The class system is tight and engaging , and bringing the right mix of talent to each scenario is a great part of the game's challenge . My fondest wish is that Sega will do a fantasy title along these same lines , something with a little melee and magic ! And while the tale told in Valkyria Chronicles is certainly epic , I could go for something even longer and more involved . ( There is downloadable content available , but I haven't had a chance to play it yet . ) Anyway , it's obvious that I just can't say enough good things about this game . It's by far my favorite PS3 title to date , and I'm hoping to see a lot more of its kind in the future !
    • 245 4  RPG / Strategy / Shooter Never thought I'd see all three combined in a game . But in Valkyria , this is done very well . Amazingly fun game with a deep story . This game can be quite the challenge . This is probably THE best game on the PS3 to date .
    • 254 4  This game is the best game of it's kind on any system . If you love strategy , if you love JRPGs you must check this one out . Top notch graphics , sound , story and gameplay . Sega has taken a genre of gaming and really taken it to the next level . Not only have they bumped up the graphics like you would expect in a next gen title , but the gameplay as well . They have really added a great dimension to the strategy genre . Just a beautiful game .
    • 256 4  I won't go into great detail about this game because if you are reading this , you likely didn't get here by accident . This is a niche game on the least popular gaming system in the US , so you likley heard about this from a friend or website who advised picking it up . That said , as someone who is a passing JRPG fan , I never got into the Strategy JRPGs much . I enjoyed Final Fantasy Tactics years ago on the PSOne , and Vagrant Story as well . But games like Fire Emblem , Disgea and a few others , I felt the learning curve was too steep and ultimately put them down before getting very far . What makes Valkyria Chronicles really great is that it's easily accessible to anyone who's ever played a JRPG . Aside from absolutely beautify artwork and an engine that runs near flawless on the PS3 , what really makes this game shine is the simple but entertaining game play . The game is structured such that you see a chunk of anime style cut-scene which tells the story , then you progress to a playable strategy section . Once you beat it , you get more story and the game goes back and forth between the two . If you haven't already downloaded the demo on PSN , do so . The demo is just the first bit of the game which covers the tutorial . If you make it through the demo , you'll have no problems with the full game . Only a few times have I gotten stuck on this game , and in all cases I was simply approaching the challenge the wrong way . After considering my options and trying different approaches , I was able to get through . One last thing , the game does have an optional install that is several Gigs in size . While you may not want to give up the HDD space , I recommend it for this game , even if you uninstall it as soon as you're done . It really improves the load times and keeps the game from breaking flow .
    • 264 4  I had been hearing some buzz about this game for a little while , but I've been pretty wary of a lot of the PS3 ' s sub-par releases . I decided to check out some screenshots to see what it looked like and my interest was piqued . Visually just about everything in this game is about the best I could expect , I love animation style for the cut scenes as well . Probably my favorite part is the old-school batman style noise animations that pop up , hilarious ! I wish they would make a Valkyria Chronicles Anime or something to further the experience . At first I had a little trouble getting used to some of the camera angles , and sometimes turning can be a little clunky when trying to position your tank / soldiers ( which on the tanks can suck since it burns your AP ) . Overall the controls are pretty good though , and I think the original method in which you control the flow of battle is a refreshing change from most other turn based strategy games , it really breaks up the flow of just clicking on a bunch of stationary units and telling them where to go . The strategy elements can get very in-depth . Though you can beat most of the game without thinking too much , to really excel in this game can take a lot of tactical thinking and trying to use every CP you get to the most advantage . I just beat it a few days ago and I've already jumped back in to get an A rating on every mission . Probably the best part of this game is the storyline . While some of it might be a bit cliche , the sheer depth of optional content is astounding . The layout of the game is based on a book on the war , making the amount of content fitting . My only problem with this layout is that you can kind of see what is going to happen a few scenes from where you are . All of the problems I had with the game pale in comparison to the amazing job the designers did , if you have any interest in strategy games this is a must buy .
    • 266 4  I picked up Valkyria Chronicles due to the fantastic reviews all across the board and my desire to pick up an rpg after quite a while of not playing one . Valkyria Chronicles met and exceeded my expectations . The graphics are gorgeous . I am not a fan of anime but the way this game is presented helps to draw you in to the fantastic story . The gameplay is a mixture of strategy , first person shooter , and role-playing . The three blend so well together that it is almost like a new gaming experience . Overall , I would recommend this game to anyone who loves strategy or role-playing games as I believe most anyoneone interested in either genre would appreciate this game .
    • 268 4  I'm not exactly sure what it is about the game that makes me love it , but I'll list a few elements : 1 ) Nostalgic JRPG / Anime-Feel : This is not going to apply to most folks , but for me there was a feeling in the art , voice acting , and story that just gave a good sense of nostalgia . 2 ) Graphics : The game is beautiful , it is very difficult to dispute that . Unless you have an unreasonable hatred for the Anime / Manga style of art , you will probably think the same . 3 ) Addicting Gameplay : The factors are there . Getting experience , leveling up , unlocking new Orders and equipment for my squad - - I just kept wanting to grind to get my troops to the next level . 4 ) What-happens-next-syndrome : The game was addicting for more than just leveling up . I just always wanted to see what the next chapter had in store for Squad 7 . Those are the four biggest factors in my opinion . The music and other factors are decent , to say the least . I just really love the game . I will play through it again to get Rank A on all the battles . Too bad there aren't any trophies .
    • 271 4  I have about 9 hours of play on the game , and so far I like what I see . The game is beautiful , but of course anyone can see that . It's been a while since I play a good strategy game , and this game does not disappoint . Choosing between the different classes of soldiers , deciding whether to attack head on ( usually not the best choice ) or go for the sneak attack , handpicking your squad from the different soldiers available . Oh , and the fact that you can save at any time , including within the battles , is very nice indeed . The only downsides I've seen so far is the unfortunate bad aiming of some of the Lancers , and how one wrong move can really screw up the rest of the battle , and you have to start all over . But , of course , that's where the save anytime feature comes in handy . If you actually remember to use it , that is . - UPDATE - So I've finished the game , and currently playing through a second time . I loved the story and the battles kept getting more challenging . An absolutely great game . It deserves to be purchased . And just in case you were wondering , the Lancers ' accuracy does not get better as they are leveled up . But at least they don't get worse .
    • 275 4  In terms of military strategy , you have to view this game like you would a war . As a strategist , your first objective is to halt resupply and reinforcement : stopping the enemy's logistics eliminates their possibility of victory in a protracted engagement . Looking at the base capture element of the game , it reflects that reality of war . The kill and capture of remaining soldiers follows , so it makes sense that the base capture would give you the highest rank . Point maximization is the elimination of force multipliers ( tanks and artillery ) , commanders ( their officers and elites ) , and capturing bases . This game rewards you for doing all three in as few turns as possible . From my experience , it is illustrating the importance and realism of combat strategy based around actual military principle , instead of kill every enemy on the field as you encounter them . I could see adding two things to the game : the ability for soldiers to be captured if they are outwitted and you sneak close enough to them ( instead of shooting them in the back of the head ) and the option to continue the battle after meeting base capture objectives to eliminate the remaining enemy forces . The AI in this game is moderate . It appears to use some group tactics , but with the high availability of explosive tools and battle field obstacles , the enemies cluster together too closely and don't take advantage of player mistakes and opportunities to exploit weaknesses in lines and control of key terrain ( rooftops , hills , etc . ) . It would be great if they released a sequel that included online multiplayer . This game is an excellent standalone blend of action RPG and turn-based strategy that produces high replay value in single player campaign and skirmish missions . If it were better marketed ( and still could be ) , this game can help sell more PS3s and provide an introduction to exclusive PS3 titles . I only hope that I see more of the same on PS3 !
    • 276 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is one of the greatest tactical RPG's i've ever played . Back in September I was making up my mind between the ps3 and the xbox 360 . . . this one game is what tilted the choice to ps3 that should speak volumes . After seeing the trailer I got hooked .
    • 277 4  This is one of the greatest tactical RPG's i've ever played . Back in September I was making up my mind between the ps3 and the xbox 360 . . . this one game is what tilted the choice to ps3 that should speak volumes . After seeing the trailer I got hooked .
    • 288 4  It's not often that you come across a game that marries both fun and depth , but Valkyria Chronicles does so in almost every conceivable way . In many senses a fanciful retelling of WWII , the game doesn't shy from harder topics ( even reflecting on interment of Jews / Darksens ) but also keeps things looking up with determined hope and throws in moments of laughter right when they're needed . A few of the characters seem to have obligatory personality faults ( Rosie ) , but everybody has virtues , vices , and a past you can understand if not empathize with . I guarantee you , by the end you WILL be attached to many of them . Story : 8 / 10 Maybe not pushing the limits of the PS3 , but everything is crisp and colorful - though like many PS3 games , some menu text is hard to read on non-HD screens . You may have to get used to the artwork - everything within looks pretty much like the game cover - but I find it beautiful from portraits to scenery . The realism is there in muzzle flashes and acceptable smoke from explosions , though some may find the onomatopoeias ( Foom ) too quirky . Don't judge before you see it in context , I find everything works well and if you don't like it you might be surprised at how easily it fades into the background . Graphics : 7.5 / 10 General sound and music volume can be independently altered , and there's even an option for the Japanese dub from the start - though both dubs are good , I found some of the female Japanese voicing to be annoying . Unfortunately , voices are tied with effects , so if you mute one the other is also lost . Sound effects all sound fitting , from bolt-action rifles to Valkyrian energy blasts . Sound : 7.5 / 10 I take special notice of music , but it's rare that I find one that is both fitting throughout and enthralling both in-context and out . The opening is a little slower than I think could have been done but everything is beautiful and does an excellent job of carrying the emotional intensity . Once you beat the game the first time , the whole soundtrack is even available for listening between missions . Many of the tracks are sedate enough out of context that I wouldn't recommend the soundtrack , but that falls to each person's tastes . Music : 8 / 10 This game has something for everybody , and that's both a plus and a possible problem to watch for . RPG fans will love upgrading equipment from your tank to the troops , action fans will like directing the soldiers through fields , forests , and trenches ( complete with a beach invasion that practically says No , this isn't Vierville-sur-Mer ! Really ! ) However , people not normally fans of those elements need not despair : they don't tend to form bottlenecks . I'm not a fan of console shooters , but I still enjoyed slipping troops through front lines and lining up head-shots . Unlike Fire Emblem , when soldiers are shot down you have a chance to send an ally to save them . Gameplay : 8 / 10 While you have to watch what you upgrade or level in the first play-through , training missions loosely replicating certain story missions allow you to build experience and money . After completing the game once , besides a plethora of bonus options , you get to play through the campaign again - and can replay story missions at will to either improve your rank or rake in the money . The glossary even gives you information on what every single of your soldiers did post-war , besides all the nifty stuff you unlocked along the way . Replayability : 8 / 10 Combining colorful visuals , elegant music , engaging gameplay , and a great plot , there's almost nothing I can say against this spectacular game . A pity it's not multi-console , but gamers who are sitting on the fence should take notice of gems like this . Internet-connected may want to try the free demo on the Playstation Network to give you an idea of how the missions feel , even if it misses the grandeur of the full game's heart and scale . Overall : 9.4 / 10
    • 294 4  things i liked : good story line , fantastic game play , beautiful graphics , balance of different video game genres things i didn't like : load times can be a bit long even with the install ( i really want to play ) , the english voice is a bit cheesy ( i switched to japanese which improved it ) , soundtrack is okay , not great this is my first review , i've never felt compelled to review a game until i played valkyria . Just to qualify , I'm by no means a fan of RPGs or SPRGs . 75% of the games I own are either shooters or action / adventure . Moreover , I typically don't have the patience for RPGs . This game is incredible in its ability to merge multiple genres into a well-unified structured masterpiece ( i do not use this term lightly ) . the live first person portions of the game gives you the element of real time interaction , the battle setups will have you playing multiple times as you try to develop the best strategy and the story ( while not spectacular ) is engaging enough to keep you interested in the characters . I have over 20 PS3 games that includes metal gear , little big planet , unchartered , etc , and without doubt valkyria chronicles is my favorite . typically i play a game once , beat it and put it on my shelf with the slim possibility that i'll play it again . i'm about 1 / 3 of the way through this game and have replayed most levels at least a few times - it's that addicting . if you haven't had a chance i strongly urge you to pick up this game .
    • 304 4  First off , I only played the downloadable demo , so please take that into consideration while reading this review . The tutorial was pretty straight forward and easy to understand . The gameplay is unique and fun ! After a few plays of this game , though , I fear it might become monotonous , but I can't tell having only played the demo . The demo was good enough for me to keep this one near the top of my wishlist . I would like to gripe about one small aspect of the game . Before the skirmish starts , it gives you an overview of the different types of legions in your army . Pay attention and don't fly through them too quickly because there is no way to go back to them besides ending the game and starting over . This information is very important before your first skirmish . I had to do start over 3 times before I was able to read all 9 of the legion types . The gameplay is pretty simple . You command an army , and you only get so many moves per turn . You move your characters into position and attack the enemy . Once your turn is over , the enemy gets turns as well . Strategies such as finding cover and attaining the high ground can be helpful while playing this game . Also , for most parts of the game , you can take your time and plan your moves . It is not the type of fast paced reactionary game like most first person shooters . I would recommend this game to strategists and RPG fans who like a more laid back gameplay .
    • 307 4  Not more much to add about this game from the other reviews . Bought it for the $19.99 price tag and enjoyed it . The game reminds me a Speed Racer cartoon . I replayed this game one time , that's about it . It is really unlike any RPG out there . This would be a good intro RPG for pre-teens . This game should be rated E for everyone . It has a side quest that teaches kids about how good veggies are and how you should eat them - - all the while you have to clear the path of enemies so that secure a veggie supply line . Has a good message for racial tolerance . One of the few games out there with a hidden moral story line - - all this while you get to blast wannabe Nazi's .
    • 316 4  This is an incredible game . It now has a cult-like following , but it was not popular at release . I got it a couple months ago , put it on the shelf , finally picked it up a few weeks ago and it is incredible . The graphics are wonderfully not technical and the story line is done very well . It is challenging , but it is not frustratingly difficult . One of my favorite games I own .
    • 322 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Played the game for over 40 hours . I'm a bit lazy about writing reviews . When I first bought the game , I was very excited to play due to all the 5 star reviews . After playing it for a while , I got bored and put it down . Months later I just picked it up b / c I had no other games to play . Right now , I'm having fun planning out my strategies . I got the game play down now and am finding the missions easier to defeat . Overall , I would recommend this game . Its lengthy and unique , which will require some planning and strategy . The graphics and story line are nice . If VC2 comes out , I would buy it . This game is an easy 4.5 and much better than Infamous and Uncharted 2 , which was the reason I started to Valkyria again .
    • 323 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Played the game for over 40 hours . I'm a bit lazy about writing reviews . When I first bought the game , I was very excited to play due to all the 5 star reviews . After playing it for a while , I got bored and put it down . Months later I just picked it up b / c I had no other games to play . Right now , I'm having fun planning out my strategies . I got the game play down now and am finding the missions easier to defeat . Overall , I would recommend this game . Its lengthy and unique , which will require some planning and strategy . The graphics and story line are nice . If VC2 comes out , I would buy it . This game is an easy 4.5 and much better than Infamous and Uncharted 2 , which was the reason I started to Valkyria again .
    • 324 4  Played the game for over 40 hours . I'm a bit lazy about writing reviews . When I first bought the game , I was very excited to play due to all the 5 star reviews . After playing it for a while , I got bored and put it down . Months later I just picked it up b / c I had no other games to play . Right now , I'm having fun planning out my strategies . I got the game play down now and am finding the missions easier to defeat . Overall , I would recommend this game . Its lengthy and unique , which will require some planning and strategy . The graphics and story line are nice . If VC2 comes out , I would buy it . This game is an easy 4.5 and much better than Infamous and Uncharted 2 , which was the reason I started to Valkyria again .
    • 329 4  It's a beautiful game , the graphics are simple and beautiful , with a sketchy , illustrated quality to them . The gameplay is awesome , I love the combination of strategy and action ! The characters each have their own histories , likes and dislikes , and great personalities - - I can find myself really caring about them , and not wanting them to die . It really makes me play the game better . If you like RPG's with a healthy mix of strategy and action , lovable characters , clear objectives , and a very enjoyable storyline , go with Valkyria Chronicles . It's a good bet . I rented it first , and after paying way too much in rental fees , decided to make the purchase . : )
    • 331 4  This is one of the best games I've played in years . The art in it is downright beautiful . It sort of reminds me of Final Fantasy Tactics in a way . The strategy is pretty good , you really have to think about how to go about defeating your enemy . The cut scenes are high-quality anime style . If you have a PS3 you need this game .
    • 335 4  I love the gameplay , the graphics , storyline and just about most aspects of the game . the only con I have right now is that I'm stuck and can't get paste a certain stage . ( also little to no cheat codes fyi . ) Also , no multiplayer mode .
    • 337 4  I originally first saw this game at a Tokyo Game Show preview ( Titled , Valkyria of the Battlefield ) , long before the game was to even be announced for western release . I didn't think too much of it at the time . Fast forward a year and a half later , and it has become my favorite PS3 game to date even now . Developed by WOW Overworks ( Skies of Arcadia fame ) , Valkyria Chronicles is an SRPG with realtime aspects and unique visuals . The story stars Welkin Gunther and Alicia Melchiott and company in a fictional world similar to Europe during World War II . Caught between two overwhelming nations , The Federation and the Imperial Alliance , Welkin and his squad must help save their formerly neutral nation of Gallia from impending invasion . The graphics and music are absolutely amazing . The game features a very unique game engine called Canvas engine that makes the game look similar to painting and at times concept art , except that they move ; it's not simple cel-shading that some claim . The designs of the game are very reminiscent of Miyazaki's exaggerated mechanical designs from Nausicaa : Valley of the Wind , and sets itself apart from any other PS3 game . The music is by Hitoshi Sakimoto , known mostly for composing the music for Final Fantasy Tactics . Every single track in its sound track sounds excellent : from the menu theme to the final credits song . The game also features dual-audio , giving the players a choice between English-dubbed voices or the original Japanese voices . I personally liked the English voices far more than the Japanese ones , and I usually prefer it the other way around for JRPGs . The voice casting is really excellent , even for lesser important characters . The gameplay and story are definitely far better than what I had anticipated . I suppose it helps that I did not encounter any spoilers prior to playing the game . If you like typical stories of JRPG games , you'll almost for certain will like the one in Valkyria Chronicles . The characters are extremely memorable , even the ones not featured in cutscenes . I fell in love with the gameplay when the demo of the game was first released , and that was after seeing gameplay videos . The game lets the player control each unit individually . After selecting a unit , the game goes into realtime mode where nearby enemies will shoot at you , until the player opts the selected unit to perform an action such as using an item or aiming their gun . The gameplay is very easy to adapt to , and becomes more complicated and tactical as the story progresses . If you own a PS3 , this is a game that should not be missed , especially if you are a fan of strategy RPGs or even just Japanese RPGs in general . Don't let it become a hidden gem that you'll regret not getting several years down the road when it becomes rare .
    • 339 4  If you're a fan of strategy games or RPGs , this game will not let you down . It is a blast from the get-go and never gets boring . It's the most entertaining game I've played in years . The visual style was the primary reason I bought this game . The shaders employed generate some great eye candy and make it look like you're playing a hand-drawn comic book ( see the video preview ) . Gameplay . First off , there's TONS of it . A + for content - it is robust ( and a bit more is available through the Playstation Store ) . Second , many of the battles make you use your noggin , and nearly all provide you with a great deal of flexibility to choose just how you want to go about achieving the mission's goal . Each battle offers something a bit different from all previous ones , so it's not just one soldier-on-soldier skirmish after another . Each battle is designed to be unique , with different battlefield effects being used , different terrain , and different enemy types present . The battles are neither repetitive nor boring . In between battles , there is a decent amount of maintenance mode stuff to do - upgrading weapons and tanks , leveling up soldiers , changing the members of your squad , and customizing each soldier's equippage . There's enough stuff there to satisfy the appetite and to give a nice little break between battles , and I felt like I had plenty of options to choose from and enough control over it all to do things my way ( flexibility and individuality - - things that make games fun ) . Story . The game has a great storyline mirroring some WWII themes , but it is sufficiently removed from reality that you don't get depressed . : ) The cutscenes are entertaining , and the characters are interesting . The five mainline characters are fully and deeply developed throughout the game , and there are some decent ' major events ' along the way that enhance the overall depth of the story . 5 stars . I hope for a sequel .

  • 206 4  This game blends great battles with a very cool story . Each battle requires you to select your troops , plan out your attack , and strike with precision . The setting is most reminiscent of WW2 with an anime twist . Each troop has an individual personality , and their special talents can be activated for example by placing them next to one of their friends , or by walking in grass . I definitely recommend picking this game up for anyone into strategy games .
    • 109 4  This is an amazing game . Truly fantastic : from the watercolor-like artistic an very beautiful graphics , to the game's demanding strategy . I haven't played a game like this , period . Everything just comes together : graphics , design , music , plot . I'm glad I bought a PS3 . This has depth in every concept .
    • 119 4  I like this game cause it requires you think and it has alot of depth with the weapons and characters you can use which allows you to fight the way that fits your style
    • 157 4  I just have to say this game is great , the graphics are just beautiful , the gameplay is great and has a nice story , i really think that if you own a ps3 this is as must have in your collection , great job Sega .
    • 189 4  Great game . combines both elements perfectly . If you don't have fun playing this game then you are not human .
    • 302 4  Not much to add that hasn't been said already . This is a beautiful game with a very good design and great character development . Lots of fun ! Every PS3 owner should get this game .
    • 319 4  This is game is a pretty good game . If you haven't played it I suggest you do .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) A mixture of great genres ( such as Strategy , and 3rd person ) make us this game . This game has something for everyone . The artwork and graphics are smooth and easy on the eyes . I would recommend this game to all players , hardcore or casual .
    • 216 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) this game combines strategy rpg elements and 3rd person shooters . it is one of the best games on PS3 and really is the best rpg on ps3 . trust me and get this game you wont be disappointed and you actually cry a little : p
    • 295 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) One of the best games of 2008 , too bad it didn't get a lot of press .
    • 342 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) A mixture of great genres ( such as Strategy , and 3rd person ) make us this game . This game has something for everyone . The artwork and graphics are smooth and easy on the eyes . I would recommend this game to all players , hardcore or casual .
    • 343 4  A mixture of great genres ( such as Strategy , and 3rd person ) make us this game . This game has something for everyone . The artwork and graphics are smooth and easy on the eyes . I would recommend this game to all players , hardcore or casual .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) As a gamer of 20 some years , I've seen a lot of titles . Let me tell you , this game is a great breath of fresh air , and quickly becoming one of my all-time favorites . The Good : The Canvas Engine : Absolutely beautiful ! The art style alone makes this game worth playing . Words really can't describe it , and the pictures hardly do it justice compared to seeing it on a HD TV The Blitz Engine : A wonderful blend of command strategy and first person action . From an overview map , you choose which unit you want to move . Then you take over that unit , with a set range of movement and one attack / action . You then have free range of movement on the map , which happens in Real Time , which means they will shoot at you . . . Its a little strange at first , more from being unique then unintuitive , but works very well . The Story : Told over a series of chapters , the story quickly draws you in and keeps you interested as you progress . The character development is well done , with a lot of personality given to everyone . You'll have many recruits to chose from , and each has their own feel . I've found myself releasing people from my team because I didn't like their personality . . . Character Management : Things are kept simple . Instead of upgrading individuals , you upgrade roles . If you level your scouts , all of your scouts benefit . Same with Weapons , research a new rifle , all your scouts get one . You can then go in and customize individuals with captured / special weapons . Quick and painless . The Bad : The Cut Scenes : The story is great , but the number of cutscenes gets annoying at times . I understand they segmented it so much to reduce the load times , but after the 7th story panel or so . . . The Mission Ranking : My biggest gripe . . . As a Squad leader , the safety and success of your team should be paramount . Complete your objective with several turns to spare and minimal wounded , and your thinking that mission went great , only to be slapped with a Rank D rating . . . Rank is completely based on number of turns . Stategy means nothing , losses are irrelevent . You throw your team to the wolves to finish in two turns , and are rewarded for it . To me it goes against the very feel of the story . . .
    • 005 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The presentation is great . The story is told from a book , and each event and battles are told through this medium . It's very fluid and it works like a history book , ensuring continuity . And yes , the game is stunning to look at . The graphic engine is like sketches with pastel watercolors . It's very unique and the animations are beautiful . The game lets you choose between Japanese and English tracks . Personally , I use Japanese track with English subs . The game plays like a tactical RPG . The battle mechanism is a hybrid of real time and turn-based . It sounds strange , but it works remarkably well . I was once a skeptic , but Sega did something special here . When battles are won , players receive experience points and money . These can be used at headquarters to level up and upgrade weapons and such . You may have up to 20 soldiers under your wing , and new ones are added throughout the game . In addition to regular campaign , there also are skirmishes as side quests . It's very refreshing to see an original IP with great gameplay and it looks beautiful to boot . A demo of this game is available at Playstation Network , so give it a try .
    • 006 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The presentation is great . The story is told from a book , and each event and battles are told through this medium . It's very fluid and it works like a history book , ensuring continuity . And yes , the game is stunning to look at . The graphic engine is like sketches with pastel watercolors . It's very unique and the animations are beautiful . The game lets you choose between Japanese and English tracks . Personally , I use Japanese track with English subs . The game plays like a tactical RPG . The battle mechanism is a hybrid of real time and turn-based . It sounds strange , but it works remarkably well . I was once a skeptic , but Sega did something special here . When battles are won , players receive experience points and money . These can be used at headquarters to level up and upgrade weapons and such . You may have up to 20 soldiers under your wing , and new ones are added throughout the game . In addition to regular campaign , there also are skirmishes as side quests . It's very refreshing to see an original IP with great gameplay and it looks beautiful to boot . A demo of this game is available at Playstation Network , so give it a try .
    • 030 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Certainly not everyone will appreciate this game due to it's strategic turn based battle system . But if you do enjoy a more chess like battle system , or if you take the game for what it is then it's hard to not enjoy it . I would've liked a few more upgrade options and ways to customize the units , but that in no way means that the current options aren't enough . Overall , I'd have to say that this is my favorite PS3 title so far as everything was done very well ( gameplay , graphics , story , ect )
    • 040 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The PS3 has a lot of great games . . . if all you want to play are sports or first person shooters . Then there's this little gem . . . Scratch that . . . it's a whopping big gem . Valkyria Chronicles is the first game in my PS3 library that can be described in its totality by this one word : FUN . You will enjoy playing this game . The story is entertaining and downright epic . Learning the strategy dynamics is rewarding and fun to execute on the battlefield , the levels are hard , but not impossible . . . and get this , they're even fun to replay . I don't know why this game isn't on more magazine covers ( or why it wasn't before its release ) and I'm troubled by the fact that some major video game web sites have yet to review it . Many years from now , when the PS3 is dead , this is one of those games that people will be hunting down on eBay or Amazon , hoping they'd played it when it was new and fresh but ready to try it even in its dated state because people speak of it as being a magical experience .
    • 046 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Wow , for a game this good it's almost unforgivable how there's been such a lack of promotions or advertisements . Plenty of other people have reviewed it here and I won't repeat most of it again suffice to say that this is hands down the best PS3 game of all time . This gem slipped into the stores so quietly that I almost missed it had it not been for the fervent recommendations of people who's played it everywhere . I almost want to purchase multiple copies just to support this game . Everyone , please support this game and spread the word so that there will be a sequel to this amazing game ! It's a definite can't miss !
    • 048 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkyria Chronicles blends real time elements into a turn-based system and it results in fun game where you never feel rushed , but isn't as slow as traditional turn-based games . The combat is great as many elements come into play . Positioning , unit type , objectives , orders and even the individual character traits all influence the battle . Better yet , I beat the game despite skipping most of the side quests and skirmishes . That's right , grinding is unnecessary in this game . I love the presentation and the story of the game every bit as much as the gameplay . The sketchbook look and pseudo-European backdrop makes Valkyria Chronicles one of the most artistically beautiful games on the PS3 . The characters are lovable and make a decent story , an engrossing story . This is easily one of the best single player experience on the PS3 and a must have for jrpg ( and especially srpg ) fans .
    • 050 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I've bought 3 games this month : Fallout 3 , Resistance 2 , Littlebigplanet . And guess what I've been playing since last week , Valkyria Chronicles , the one I rented from gamefly . And this is the best game I've played this year . I was skeptical when I first saw the game and I wasn't impressed after playing the demo , but once I started playing the rental , I couldn't stop . The story , gameplay , presentation , and characters fit perfectly together to form an unique universe in which you don't want to get out of . I felt like I was playing MGS4 or GeoW , but it won't ends ! I'm 20 hours into it and I think I'm not even half way through . It's not repetitive like most other JRPGs which you were just trying to leveling up fighting the same creature over and over again . It's not bland like most other strategy RPGs where all maps were basically the same . Its gameplay is the story , it's not separated like two different components . Therefore it feels like an action adventure ( my favorite genre ) game and it gets better the more you play it . Its story is not what it seems like , it's mature and thought triggering . It's about war and many lives will be claimed . Difficulty will go up gradually and before you know it , you could handle different situation that show up in each chapter . AIs are not nearly as smart as you are and most of the time you'll be glad that they're not . I could't say I'm a RPG / strategy guy with FF12 , Persona3 , Disgera2 , Dragon Quest 8 , and many more I haven't finished . But I love Valkyria Chronicles . The game is not perfect , and it's hard to compare it to games in other genres . But if you ask me which game is the best this year , this game is my answer . YES it's better than MGS4 and GeoW2 . ( I'm a MGS fan ) Bottom line : This is a game you need to experience to know what it's like . You'll either love it or hate it but chances are you'll love it . Releasing w / so many hyped titles , this game's sales don't look good ; so try it and spread the word if you like it . The gaming world desperately needs games with so much heart like Valkyria Chronicles .
    • 056 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Not only one of the best games of this genre , but in all the PS3 library . - Highly addictive gameplay . - Really stylish , the graphics may not be the best out there , but they do the job in an original and interesting way . - Interesting characters and story . ( Just a little bit slow ) - A little bit easy , thanks to a ( too ) forgiving AI . Update : - At the beginning is a little bit easy , but this game IS NOT easy at all : The AI remains forgiving , but the scenarios become quite challenging after a while . Nothing to worry about , even the scenarios that seems impossible at first become even easy with a good strategy .
    • 057 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Not only one of the best games of this genre , but in all the PS3 library . - Highly addictive gameplay . - Really stylish , the graphics may not be the best out there , but they do the job in an original and interesting way . - Interesting characters and story . ( Just a little bit slow ) - A little bit easy , thanks to a ( too ) forgiving AI . Update : - At the beginning is a little bit easy , but this game IS NOT easy at all : The AI remains forgiving , but the scenarios become quite challenging after a while . Nothing to worry about , even the scenarios that seems impossible at first become even easy with a good strategy .
    • 077 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) As a gamer of 20 some years , I've seen a lot of titles . Let me tell you , this game is a great breath of fresh air , and quickly becoming one of my all-time favorites . The Good : The Canvas Engine : Absolutely beautiful ! The art style alone makes this game worth playing . Words really can't describe it , and the pictures hardly do it justice compared to seeing it on a HD TV The Blitz Engine : A wonderful blend of command strategy and first person action . From an overview map , you choose which unit you want to move . Then you take over that unit , with a set range of movement and one attack / action . You then have free range of movement on the map , which happens in Real Time , which means they will shoot at you . . . Its a little strange at first , more from being unique then unintuitive , but works very well . The Story : Told over a series of chapters , the story quickly draws you in and keeps you interested as you progress . The character development is well done , with a lot of personality given to everyone . You'll have many recruits to chose from , and each has their own feel . I've found myself releasing people from my team because I didn't like their personality . . . Character Management : Things are kept simple . Instead of upgrading individuals , you upgrade roles . If you level your scouts , all of your scouts benefit . Same with Weapons , research a new rifle , all your scouts get one . You can then go in and customize individuals with captured / special weapons . Quick and painless . The Bad : The Cut Scenes : The story is great , but the number of cutscenes gets annoying at times . I understand they segmented it so much to reduce the load times , but after the 7th story panel or so . . . The Mission Ranking : My biggest gripe . . . As a Squad leader , the safety and success of your team should be paramount . Complete your objective with several turns to spare and minimal wounded , and your thinking that mission went great , only to be slapped with a Rank D rating . . . Rank is completely based on number of turns . Stategy means nothing , losses are irrelevent . You throw your team to the wolves to finish in two turns , and are rewarded for it . To me it goes against the very feel of the story . . .
    • 082 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is absolutely fantastic . It's made by Overworks the same people who made the excellent Skies of Arcadia . The other reviews are already doing this game justice , so I'll just say this : if you have a PS3 and like any kind of RPG you need to play this game .
    • 083 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is absolutely fantastic . It's made by Overworks the same people who made the excellent Skies of Arcadia . The other reviews are already doing this game justice , so I'll just say this : if you have a PS3 and like any kind of RPG you need to play this game .
    • 097 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is a master piece , if you own a PS3 you owe it to your self to pick up this game ASAP.If you don't own a PS3 you owe it to your self to pick up a PS3 and this game ASAP ! Seriously , even if this game doesn't look like your idea of fun . Trust me , a random person on Amazon , this game is the most fun you'll have all year ( and then some ! ) This game is one of my favorite games ever , and if you don't like this game , then you just plain don't like fun ! The game has everything , great gameplay , great graphics , great music and sound , and not to forget the great story ! The Story is so amazingly good ! BUY THIS GAME ALREADY !
    • 100 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Not much to say . This game is flawless ; great graphics , incredible gameplay and strong story , all in one masterpiece . If you are a rpg fan and a PS3 owner then this game must be in you collection . Its an instant classic but sadly underlooked .
    • 101 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Not much to say . This game is flawless ; great graphics , incredible gameplay and strong story , all in one masterpiece . If you are a rpg fan and a PS3 owner then this game must be in you collection . Its an instant classic but sadly underlooked .
    • 103 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) All you need to know is that the PS3 has been sorely missing RPGs . This game single-handedly redeemed the system . If you like RPGs at all ( particularly strategy RPGs ) you owe it to yourself to experience this game .
    • 107 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is an amazing game . Truly fantastic : from the watercolor-like artistic an very beautiful graphics , to the game's demanding strategy . I haven't played a game like this , period . Everything just comes together : graphics , design , music , plot . I'm glad I bought a PS3 . This has depth in every concept .
    • 108 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is an amazing game . Truly fantastic : from the watercolor-like artistic an very beautiful graphics , to the game's demanding strategy . I haven't played a game like this , period . Everything just comes together : graphics , design , music , plot . I'm glad I bought a PS3 . This has depth in every concept .
    • 110 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Honestly , once the price of the PS3 dropped with the release of the PS3 slim , I said to myself , The time has come . I was finally able to afford to play this game and boy was it worth it ! I think one of the reasons I played this game was because it was made by Sega and some of the crew who produced the Sakura Taisen Series . It shows , as the systems have similarities . I can't say enough about this game and I'm sure that if you're reading my review , you've read other reviews on the specific details of the games systems , graphics , story , etc . If anything , I want my review to give you the extra push to buy it . You know what this game has to offer , don't hesitate and buy it ! If I never buy another game for my PS3 , that'd be fine , because Valkyria was worth it !
    • 111 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Honestly , once the price of the PS3 dropped with the release of the PS3 slim , I said to myself , The time has come . I was finally able to afford to play this game and boy was it worth it ! I think one of the reasons I played this game was because it was made by Sega and some of the crew who produced the Sakura Taisen Series . It shows , as the systems have similarities . I can't say enough about this game and I'm sure that if you're reading my review , you've read other reviews on the specific details of the games systems , graphics , story , etc . If anything , I want my review to give you the extra push to buy it . You know what this game has to offer , don't hesitate and buy it ! If I never buy another game for my PS3 , that'd be fine , because Valkyria was worth it !
    • 113 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I had read a bit before I purchased this game . I was excited to try it . I have not been disappointed . Valkyria Chronicles is an excellent game . Wonderful music and graphics . Excellently thought out characters and story . This game is easy to find at a bargain price . It is a shame it is not more well known than it is . I have been playing games for over 20 years and it is right up there with the best games I have ever played . I hope more people would take the time to discover this game .
    • 114 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I had read a bit before I purchased this game . I was excited to try it . I have not been disappointed . Valkyria Chronicles is an excellent game . Wonderful music and graphics . Excellently thought out characters and story . This game is easy to find at a bargain price . It is a shame it is not more well known than it is . I have been playing games for over 20 years and it is right up there with the best games I have ever played . I hope more people would take the time to discover this game .
    • 130 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) probably the best game on ps3 last year and one of the best strategy rpg's ever , rivaling fire emblam and final fantasy tactics
    • 141 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) There's just no reason not to pick up VC ! I'm not a huge strategy RPG fan , but I found this game much more captivating than even Advance Wars . Great cast of characters , looks beautiful , amazing soundtrack , and above all , it's fun . Pick it up , and give your support to one of the best PS3 exclusives ever .
    • 143 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is easily the best RPG available on the PS3 and the one all PS3 owners have been waiting for . I normally get sick of strategy RPG's within a few hours , but I can't put this one down . It's been forever since I've actually played through an entire RPG and was still begging for more at the end . A second play-through is definitely going to happen . If you love RPG's you will love this game . Period .
    • 145 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This has got to be the best ps3 game I've owned . Everything about it is fantastic , from the music to the game play . Flawless in my opinion and I've enjoyed the variety of missions .
    • 146 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This has got to be the best ps3 game I've owned . Everything about it is fantastic , from the music to the game play . Flawless in my opinion and I've enjoyed the variety of missions .
    • 156 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I just have to say this game is great , the graphics are just beautiful , the gameplay is great and has a nice story , i really think that if you own a ps3 this is as must have in your collection , great job Sega .
    • 158 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Everything about this game is amazingly well done . It's immensely fun and one of the most beautiful games to date . No PS3 owner should be without Valkyria Chronicles .
    • 159 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Everything about this game is amazingly well done . It's immensely fun and one of the most beautiful games to date . No PS3 owner should be without Valkyria Chronicles .
    • 161 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Ladies and gentlemen . I'm not going to say much about how this game plays since you can find great video reviews in youtube , gametrailers , etc . . . so let's skip all the BS and get to the road straight . If you don't buy this game , you are missing this gen's greatest turn based strategy game . I have handful of PS3 games in my library , but this game is definitely something I will keep . . . well , FOREVER .
    • 162 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Ladies and gentlemen . I'm not going to say much about how this game plays since you can find great video reviews in youtube , gametrailers , etc . . . so let's skip all the BS and get to the road straight . If you don't buy this game , you are missing this gen's greatest turn based strategy game . I have handful of PS3 games in my library , but this game is definitely something I will keep . . . well , FOREVER .
    • 164 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) What a great game ! It seems like moving artwork . Never before have I seen such a fun and beautiful game .
    • 165 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) What a great game ! It seems like moving artwork . Never before have I seen such a fun and beautiful game .
    • 174 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Im not much of a strategy game player , I prefer RPG and Action / Adventure , Platformers . The demo for the ps3 got me because I thought the game play was interesting , I purchased it and love the game . The story is solid , the characters are likable , graphics overall are simple and yet so beautiful . The strategics involved are fun and challenging on where to plant a unit ( character ) and when to attack what . The maps are great and each never repeating itself , only in skirmish , but thats the point of it > . o I really hope they make more games like this .
    • 175 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Im not much of a strategy game player , I prefer RPG and Action / Adventure , Platformers . The demo for the ps3 got me because I thought the game play was interesting , I purchased it and love the game . The story is solid , the characters are likable , graphics overall are simple and yet so beautiful . The strategics involved are fun and challenging on where to plant a unit ( character ) and when to attack what . The maps are great and each never repeating itself , only in skirmish , but thats the point of it > . o I really hope they make more games like this .
    • 185 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is amazing in that everytime you play it , it's different than the last time you played it . Of course you must excuse me , on the battlefield it is different every time ! This is a good ol ' RPG like all the others , but it is made so well and so different . It's good to have some difference but still have a great RPG story line ! Valkyria will be in my PS3 for ever until they make a new one . Loved the battle play , loved the not so cheezy store line unlike most rpg's ! Thank you Sega for making your second best game in history , behind sonic for the sega genesis !
    • 186 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is amazing in that everytime you play it , it's different than the last time you played it . Of course you must excuse me , on the battlefield it is different every time ! This is a good ol ' RPG like all the others , but it is made so well and so different . It's good to have some difference but still have a great RPG story line ! Valkyria will be in my PS3 for ever until they make a new one . Loved the battle play , loved the not so cheezy store line unlike most rpg's ! Thank you Sega for making your second best game in history , behind sonic for the sega genesis !
    • 188 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Great game . combines both elements perfectly . If you don't have fun playing this game then you are not human .
    • 190 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I'm not really in the mood to write a long review , suffice to say Valkyria Chronicles is the best game I've played in a while , I'd recommend it to any one even if you don't think you're going to like it ( I didn't think I was going to ) , and that I'll probably write a longer review later . By the way you can use R2 instead of going into another menu while in book mode .
    • 191 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I'm not really in the mood to write a long review , suffice to say Valkyria Chronicles is the best game I've played in a while , I'd recommend it to any one even if you don't think you're going to like it ( I didn't think I was going to ) , and that I'll probably write a longer review later . By the way you can use R2 instead of going into another menu while in book mode .
    • 199 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I was pleasantly surprised with how much fun I had playing this game . Reminds me of an improved WWII version of Final Fantasy Tactics ( which I loved ) .
    • 205 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game blends great battles with a very cool story . Each battle requires you to select your troops , plan out your attack , and strike with precision . The setting is most reminiscent of WW2 with an anime twist . Each troop has an individual personality , and their special talents can be activated for example by placing them next to one of their friends , or by walking in grass . I definitely recommend picking this game up for anyone into strategy games .
    • 207 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I've always enjoyed strategy games , especially ones involving war . I've been looking for something to replace my old Panzer General game from the PS1 . This game did that and much more . You get to play general on a much smaller scale of course . It only involves a squad , not an entire army . The graphics and sounds are very good . You get to control each individual soldier . You can pick and choose which type of soldiers you want to start each mission with . It has high replay value due to the ability to play selected missions at will . And , since you control individual soldiers ' actions , the outcome of each engagement is different . Highly recommend this for the armchair general / squad leader . One thing that I wish I could turn off is the redundant animation that occasionally cuts in . But , they are quick and come in seemlessly .
    • 208 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I've always enjoyed strategy games , especially ones involving war . I've been looking for something to replace my old Panzer General game from the PS1 . This game did that and much more . You get to play general on a much smaller scale of course . It only involves a squad , not an entire army . The graphics and sounds are very good . You get to control each individual soldier . You can pick and choose which type of soldiers you want to start each mission with . It has high replay value due to the ability to play selected missions at will . And , since you control individual soldiers ' actions , the outcome of each engagement is different . Highly recommend this for the armchair general / squad leader . One thing that I wish I could turn off is the redundant animation that occasionally cuts in . But , they are quick and come in seemlessly .
    • 210 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I'm not a big console gamer . I'm still trying to figure out the circles and triangles , and how people play a FPS with a controller . I buy games because of the reviews and hype hoping I will see what the big deal is but I usually don't like them . InFamous being the exception . And I'm not a big anime fan . I mean , it's ok , I have nothing against it , it looks cool , I just never got into it . But this game makes me love my PS3 and anime ! It feels like I'm part of a movie , a good movie !
    • 218 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The strategy elements , combined with the character building and familiarity make this game an essential PS3 title . The available depth and the story line create a game that is memorable , a rare find with today's thousands of glamorous titles . Despite the war setting , the characters ' constant struggles and humane desires offsets much of the animated violence , possibly making this a game for elder teens whose families are worried about excessive violent tendencies in media .
    • 228 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is an excellcent game that you must have on PS3 . Good innovation for RPG game .
    • 236 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is definately the hidden gem of the PS3 . Good story w / a beautiful soundtrack . Fun gameplay . Great game . Very addicting . Thats all there is to it . Buy it . There's a reason why it's still expensive . It's worth it .
    • 241 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Anyone who likes RPGs - - especially Tactical RPGs - - simply must play this game . It is the culmination of everything good in the genre . This may sound like hyperbole , but I honestly do not feel like I'm exaggerating . The story could not possibly be better . I get chills as I sit here thinking about how to describe it ; it's that good . The character development and interactions are some of the best I've ever seen in a game . I found myself loving each and every one of the main characters , and the drama that goes on behind the scenes of the war is completely absorbing . Graphically , it sublime . Some of the best use of cel-shading in the business . The overall tone and atmosphere are simply incredible . No , it's not a gritty , realistic portrayal of war , but it's not meant to be . And the gameplay - - dear god , the gameplay ! A totally fresh and innovative mix of tactical turn-based play with over-the-shoulder third-person action . The class system is tight and engaging , and bringing the right mix of talent to each scenario is a great part of the game's challenge . My fondest wish is that Sega will do a fantasy title along these same lines , something with a little melee and magic ! And while the tale told in Valkyria Chronicles is certainly epic , I could go for something even longer and more involved . ( There is downloadable content available , but I haven't had a chance to play it yet . ) Anyway , it's obvious that I just can't say enough good things about this game . It's by far my favorite PS3 title to date , and I'm hoping to see a lot more of its kind in the future !
    • 243 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) RPG / Strategy / Shooter Never thought I'd see all three combined in a game . But in Valkyria , this is done very well . Amazingly fun game with a deep story . This game can be quite the challenge . This is probably THE best game on the PS3 to date .
    • 244 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) RPG / Strategy / Shooter Never thought I'd see all three combined in a game . But in Valkyria , this is done very well . Amazingly fun game with a deep story . This game can be quite the challenge . This is probably THE best game on the PS3 to date .
    • 250 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I picked this game up some time ago , and it took me a while to get around to actually playing it . My first venture into the game was a little confusing . I had expected a free roam turn based RPG . Instead , I found a strange mix of RPG , strategy , and third person action . The funny thing is that it works . I think other reviews have done an excellent job of covering the basics of the game , and wanted to add my voice to the many who have enjoyed this game . It is a shame that there aren't more RPG options available on the PS3 , and this one is worth picking up .
    • 251 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I picked this game up some time ago , and it took me a while to get around to actually playing it . My first venture into the game was a little confusing . I had expected a free roam turn based RPG . Instead , I found a strange mix of RPG , strategy , and third person action . The funny thing is that it works . I think other reviews have done an excellent job of covering the basics of the game , and wanted to add my voice to the many who have enjoyed this game . It is a shame that there aren't more RPG options available on the PS3 , and this one is worth picking up .
    • 255 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I won't go into great detail about this game because if you are reading this , you likely didn't get here by accident . This is a niche game on the least popular gaming system in the US , so you likley heard about this from a friend or website who advised picking it up . That said , as someone who is a passing JRPG fan , I never got into the Strategy JRPGs much . I enjoyed Final Fantasy Tactics years ago on the PSOne , and Vagrant Story as well . But games like Fire Emblem , Disgea and a few others , I felt the learning curve was too steep and ultimately put them down before getting very far . What makes Valkyria Chronicles really great is that it's easily accessible to anyone who's ever played a JRPG . Aside from absolutely beautify artwork and an engine that runs near flawless on the PS3 , what really makes this game shine is the simple but entertaining game play . The game is structured such that you see a chunk of anime style cut-scene which tells the story , then you progress to a playable strategy section . Once you beat it , you get more story and the game goes back and forth between the two . If you haven't already downloaded the demo on PSN , do so . The demo is just the first bit of the game which covers the tutorial . If you make it through the demo , you'll have no problems with the full game . Only a few times have I gotten stuck on this game , and in all cases I was simply approaching the challenge the wrong way . After considering my options and trying different approaches , I was able to get through . One last thing , the game does have an optional install that is several Gigs in size . While you may not want to give up the HDD space , I recommend it for this game , even if you uninstall it as soon as you're done . It really improves the load times and keeps the game from breaking flow .
    • 263 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I had been hearing some buzz about this game for a little while , but I've been pretty wary of a lot of the PS3 ' s sub-par releases . I decided to check out some screenshots to see what it looked like and my interest was piqued . Visually just about everything in this game is about the best I could expect , I love animation style for the cut scenes as well . Probably my favorite part is the old-school batman style noise animations that pop up , hilarious ! I wish they would make a Valkyria Chronicles Anime or something to further the experience . At first I had a little trouble getting used to some of the camera angles , and sometimes turning can be a little clunky when trying to position your tank / soldiers ( which on the tanks can suck since it burns your AP ) . Overall the controls are pretty good though , and I think the original method in which you control the flow of battle is a refreshing change from most other turn based strategy games , it really breaks up the flow of just clicking on a bunch of stationary units and telling them where to go . The strategy elements can get very in-depth . Though you can beat most of the game without thinking too much , to really excel in this game can take a lot of tactical thinking and trying to use every CP you get to the most advantage . I just beat it a few days ago and I've already jumped back in to get an A rating on every mission . Probably the best part of this game is the storyline . While some of it might be a bit cliche , the sheer depth of optional content is astounding . The layout of the game is based on a book on the war , making the amount of content fitting . My only problem with this layout is that you can kind of see what is going to happen a few scenes from where you are . All of the problems I had with the game pale in comparison to the amazing job the designers did , if you have any interest in strategy games this is a must buy .
    • 274 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) In terms of military strategy , you have to view this game like you would a war . As a strategist , your first objective is to halt resupply and reinforcement : stopping the enemy's logistics eliminates their possibility of victory in a protracted engagement . Looking at the base capture element of the game , it reflects that reality of war . The kill and capture of remaining soldiers follows , so it makes sense that the base capture would give you the highest rank . Point maximization is the elimination of force multipliers ( tanks and artillery ) , commanders ( their officers and elites ) , and capturing bases . This game rewards you for doing all three in as few turns as possible . From my experience , it is illustrating the importance and realism of combat strategy based around actual military principle , instead of kill every enemy on the field as you encounter them . I could see adding two things to the game : the ability for soldiers to be captured if they are outwitted and you sneak close enough to them ( instead of shooting them in the back of the head ) and the option to continue the battle after meeting base capture objectives to eliminate the remaining enemy forces . The AI in this game is moderate . It appears to use some group tactics , but with the high availability of explosive tools and battle field obstacles , the enemies cluster together too closely and don't take advantage of player mistakes and opportunities to exploit weaknesses in lines and control of key terrain ( rooftops , hills , etc . ) . It would be great if they released a sequel that included online multiplayer . This game is an excellent standalone blend of action RPG and turn-based strategy that produces high replay value in single player campaign and skirmish missions . If it were better marketed ( and still could be ) , this game can help sell more PS3s and provide an introduction to exclusive PS3 titles . I only hope that I see more of the same on PS3 !
    • 285 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I am sure I'm not alone in being one of the people who purchased their PS3 originally as a Blu-ray player with some media server abilities , but hoped down the road there would be some good game titles for it ( especially RPGs ) . Valkyria Chronicles does not disappoint . The story is excellent and really sucks you in . The more you play , the more you care about the main characters ( and I assume the rest of the squad , as they talk a bit , as well in combat , but since I played through in the original Japanese with subtitles , I didn't hear everything they were shouting out on the battlefield ) . The combat is a great mix of real-time and turn based strategy that keeps you on your toes . The difficult of the missions varies greatly and you'll find yourself wanting to play again to try different squad configurations . Highly recommended !
    • 301 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Not much to add that hasn't been said already . This is a beautiful game with a very good design and great character development . Lots of fun ! Every PS3 owner should get this game .
    • 313 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I love SRPG ( Strategic Role Playing Games ) which are turn based with large teams . And this is the best I have played on the PS3 . If you like anime and turn based games then this is a must buy , If not then try it out when you get the chance .
    • 317 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is game is a pretty good game . If you haven't played it I suggest you do .
    • 318 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is game is a pretty good game . If you haven't played it I suggest you do .
    • 320 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) One of the most underrated games for the ps3 in my opinion . A very interesting take on turn-based RPGs . Great visual style . Only reason I dont give it 5 stars : story is kind of slow and at times it has boring filler story but u can skip it . That flaw does not take away from gameplay though , which is top notch .
    • 330 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is one of the best games I've played in years . The art in it is downright beautiful . It sort of reminds me of Final Fantasy Tactics in a way . The strategy is pretty good , you really have to think about how to go about defeating your enemy . The cut scenes are high-quality anime style . If you have a PS3 you need this game .
    • 340 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkyria Chronicles is a smart , well written and beautifully rendered game . The battle system is both tactical and action based in a way that no other game has successfully combined them . I despise anime / manga art styles , but this is such a wonderful experiences , I was quickly able to get past that and have fallen in love with this game in a way I haven't done for years . If you have a PS3 , you MUST buy this game . You won't regret it !

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I almost passed this game up . I kept reading about the beautiful graphics before it was released . I tend to be let down by a lot of RPG's lately . I am a big fan of the Tactics style RPG's but even those are getting old because it's the same thing over and over . I decided to download Valkyria Chronicles demo when it was put on the Playstation store . I just wanted to check out the bragged about graphics and figured it was just another great looking RPG with a lame story and poor battle system . I couldn't have been more wrong . In the demo you get to play a tutorial and a skirmish . . . . . that's all I needed and I preordered the game right away . Its hard to describe what genre this game is , could be called a tactics live action role playing game I guess . I am sure there are a lot of reviews that tell about the game play so I won't get into that . I will point out my favorite and not so favorite parts . I really like how they make all the characters unique people . There are the main characters , but even the soldiers are their own person and not just nameless , faceless extras . Each person has strengths and weaknesses that makes the game that much better . Some people have desert allergy so you can't use them effectively in sandy conditions where other are country or city bred so they shine even more when in their element . That was a nice twist to add onto the game . Some things that I don't care for is this game is very story happy . . . meaning you watch story clip after story clip before you get to play a battle . At points the story can get childish ( Hans the pig ) and the acting at times is a little blah . . . . this is war and sometimes it seems like its no big deal to the characters as they all seem in a good mood all the time even though their homeland was just invaded and they are fighting for their lives . It would have been nice to have it a little darker of story telling . With that said , the game play more than makes up for it and it's a top rated game all the way . A single battle can take an hour , even 2 hours as my first boss battle lasted just last night . I am not sure the length of the game , from what I have been reading about chapter numbers it seems like I am about 1 / 2 done and it seems like I just started so it might be a little on the short side . The game does seem to have a lot of replay value though and I will most likely play through it again to get higher rankings than I have been . Because of the prices of games now I tend to buy very few but for any tactics rpg fan , I think you will really love this game and it would be a must buy .
    • 018 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I almost passed this game up . I kept reading about the beautiful graphics before it was released . I tend to be let down by a lot of RPG's lately . I am a big fan of the Tactics style RPG's but even those are getting old because it's the same thing over and over . I decided to download Valkyria Chronicles demo when it was put on the Playstation store . I just wanted to check out the bragged about graphics and figured it was just another great looking RPG with a lame story and poor battle system . I couldn't have been more wrong . In the demo you get to play a tutorial and a skirmish . . . . . that's all I needed and I preordered the game right away . Its hard to describe what genre this game is , could be called a tactics live action role playing game I guess . I am sure there are a lot of reviews that tell about the game play so I won't get into that . I will point out my favorite and not so favorite parts . I really like how they make all the characters unique people . There are the main characters , but even the soldiers are their own person and not just nameless , faceless extras . Each person has strengths and weaknesses that makes the game that much better . Some people have desert allergy so you can't use them effectively in sandy conditions where other are country or city bred so they shine even more when in their element . That was a nice twist to add onto the game . Some things that I don't care for is this game is very story happy . . . meaning you watch story clip after story clip before you get to play a battle . At points the story can get childish ( Hans the pig ) and the acting at times is a little blah . . . . this is war and sometimes it seems like its no big deal to the characters as they all seem in a good mood all the time even though their homeland was just invaded and they are fighting for their lives . It would have been nice to have it a little darker of story telling . With that said , the game play more than makes up for it and it's a top rated game all the way . A single battle can take an hour , even 2 hours as my first boss battle lasted just last night . I am not sure the length of the game , from what I have been reading about chapter numbers it seems like I am about 1 / 2 done and it seems like I just started so it might be a little on the short side . The game does seem to have a lot of replay value though and I will most likely play through it again to get higher rankings than I have been . Because of the prices of games now I tend to buy very few but for any tactics rpg fan , I think you will really love this game and it would be a must buy .
    • 019 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I almost passed this game up . I kept reading about the beautiful graphics before it was released . I tend to be let down by a lot of RPG's lately . I am a big fan of the Tactics style RPG's but even those are getting old because it's the same thing over and over . I decided to download Valkyria Chronicles demo when it was put on the Playstation store . I just wanted to check out the bragged about graphics and figured it was just another great looking RPG with a lame story and poor battle system . I couldn't have been more wrong . In the demo you get to play a tutorial and a skirmish . . . . . that's all I needed and I preordered the game right away . Its hard to describe what genre this game is , could be called a tactics live action role playing game I guess . I am sure there are a lot of reviews that tell about the game play so I won't get into that . I will point out my favorite and not so favorite parts . I really like how they make all the characters unique people . There are the main characters , but even the soldiers are their own person and not just nameless , faceless extras . Each person has strengths and weaknesses that makes the game that much better . Some people have desert allergy so you can't use them effectively in sandy conditions where other are country or city bred so they shine even more when in their element . That was a nice twist to add onto the game . Some things that I don't care for is this game is very story happy . . . meaning you watch story clip after story clip before you get to play a battle . At points the story can get childish ( Hans the pig ) and the acting at times is a little blah . . . . this is war and sometimes it seems like its no big deal to the characters as they all seem in a good mood all the time even though their homeland was just invaded and they are fighting for their lives . It would have been nice to have it a little darker of story telling . With that said , the game play more than makes up for it and it's a top rated game all the way . A single battle can take an hour , even 2 hours as my first boss battle lasted just last night . I am not sure the length of the game , from what I have been reading about chapter numbers it seems like I am about 1 / 2 done and it seems like I just started so it might be a little on the short side . The game does seem to have a lot of replay value though and I will most likely play through it again to get higher rankings than I have been . Because of the prices of games now I tend to buy very few but for any tactics rpg fan , I think you will really love this game and it would be a must buy .
    • 037 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The graphics on this game is unique , never seen it before . It's like watercolor fantasy book , absolutely beautiful . Graphics on SRPG usually doesn't matter , but it's nice to have . Voice acting is superb . I've played this for 1 week now , can't stop playing , it's cutting into meal & sleep time . Yes , it's that good . The gameplay is awesome , you get limited points to move your characters each turn . CAn move the same character multiple times each turn or save the points for the next turn . Plenty of strategy involved . The story is written well enough that you want to keep playing and find out the end . ( I haven't finished yet ) Overall , this one is a must buy for any SRPG or RPG gamers out there .
    • 038 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The graphics on this game is unique , never seen it before . It's like watercolor fantasy book , absolutely beautiful . Graphics on SRPG usually doesn't matter , but it's nice to have . Voice acting is superb . I've played this for 1 week now , can't stop playing , it's cutting into meal & sleep time . Yes , it's that good . The gameplay is awesome , you get limited points to move your characters each turn . CAn move the same character multiple times each turn or save the points for the next turn . Plenty of strategy involved . The story is written well enough that you want to keep playing and find out the end . ( I haven't finished yet ) Overall , this one is a must buy for any SRPG or RPG gamers out there .
    • 062 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is one of the best exclusive titles out for the PS3 . In a year dominated by such titles as Metal Gear Solid 4 , Gears of War 2 , and Grand Theft Auto 4 , I think I will most remember titles like Valkyria Chronicles . I had no expectations for it , and no idea what it would be like . I was wowed by the unique graphics , and fresh spin on traditional SRPG gameplay , though the story is standard anime fare . I think its impact on me was all the greater since I wasn't sure what to expect . It has also proven to have a great deal of replay value . You'll want to spend ' just one more turn ' perfecting your strategies in skirmish mode , and the set piece battles in the story mode are varied and challenging . If you're interested in this game I strongly recommend checking it out the demo on the Playstation Store , or renting it from a service like Gamefly . I was almost immediately sold .
    • 120 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkria Chronicles is the game that you wish you played but never tried ! It's beautiful to watch , fun to play and has a story that is well written . What else can I say that other reviews haven't ? If you like RPG's , even just a little , you should own this game because it's good . Not sure if Valkria Chronicles is for you ? Go download the free demo from the PlayStation Store and check it out . Don't forget there are also two expansion missions available for purchase if you want to extend this game .
    • 121 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkria Chronicles is the game that you wish you played but never tried ! It's beautiful to watch , fun to play and has a story that is well written . What else can I say that other reviews haven't ? If you like RPG's , even just a little , you should own this game because it's good . Not sure if Valkria Chronicles is for you ? Go download the free demo from the PlayStation Store and check it out . Don't forget there are also two expansion missions available for purchase if you want to extend this game .
    • 126 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Let me be blunt . Valkyria Chronicles is simply one of the finest strategy games available . It is a rich , seamless experience that surpasses some of the finest examples of action and / or tactics games . Presented in a truly beautiful art style with a genuinely original and well crafted story , the entire campaign shows a level of craftsmanship that is increasingly rare . Superb voice acting gives real depth to the well-rounded and likable characters . If you own a Playstation 3 and do not own this game , you are missing a true gem that is a real mark of excellence for the system , as well as what should be a point of pride for the talented staff who created it . Renting it is simply a waste of money , considering that once you get a taste , I promise that you will buy it .
    • 291 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkyria Chronicles was purchased on the same day I purchased my Playstation 3 MGS4 Gun-Metal Gray 40GB system and I am glad that this was the first game that I purchased . The graphics , sound , and story are absolutely incredible . It can be a very challenging game , but it is definitely worth the money , trust me .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I completed the game a few days ago and instantly felt compelled to play it through again . My gut reaction was to give it a five-star review but I hesitated , read a few of the negative reviews , grudgingly admitted they made a few good points and convinced myself to give it a four . This game certainly deserves the praise it has received . I don't think it can be said enough . The game is absolutely beautiful to look at ! The story , although a bit slow to start , had me fully engaged and concerned for the characters after 7 - 8 chapters . Like a well-made movie the villains are given adequate back story and reasons for their behavior . . . you just have to wait a bit for it . Game play is fantastic . Valkyria chronicles perfectly blends the classic turn-based RPG style with a third person shooter for what I thought was a unique experience . Each level presents the player with two general options or strategies . There is usually an obvious brute force method of clearing the level and a more strategic method . The brute force method will often take you more turns , drastically lower your score , but provide you with an enjoyable experience . Blasting away at enemies with your tank is sometimes worth the lower score . The more strategic method isn't often that strategic . It is a matter of figuring out which particular hoop the designers want you to jump through . This is usually accomplished by replaying the level once or twice after an untimely death , by luck , or sometimes by design . By design is listed last because it is nearly impossible to predict which hoop the game will ask you to jump through before starting the level . The pre-game map is mostly uninformative and you just have to figure it out after positioning all your troops . I could not overlook this flaw and is my main reason for giving the game four stars . Overall this game was a lot of fun . The game requires a little patience as you start playing . If you are expecting Modern Warfare you will probably be disappointed , but I expect most people know by now what they are getting into when they purchase a game like this . Thus the overwhelming numbers of positive reviews which I think the game deserves .
    • 089 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I completed the game a few days ago and instantly felt compelled to play it through again . My gut reaction was to give it a five-star review but I hesitated , read a few of the negative reviews , grudgingly admitted they made a few good points and convinced myself to give it a four . This game certainly deserves the praise it has received . I don't think it can be said enough . The game is absolutely beautiful to look at ! The story , although a bit slow to start , had me fully engaged and concerned for the characters after 7 - 8 chapters . Like a well-made movie the villains are given adequate back story and reasons for their behavior . . . you just have to wait a bit for it . Game play is fantastic . Valkyria chronicles perfectly blends the classic turn-based RPG style with a third person shooter for what I thought was a unique experience . Each level presents the player with two general options or strategies . There is usually an obvious brute force method of clearing the level and a more strategic method . The brute force method will often take you more turns , drastically lower your score , but provide you with an enjoyable experience . Blasting away at enemies with your tank is sometimes worth the lower score . The more strategic method isn't often that strategic . It is a matter of figuring out which particular hoop the designers want you to jump through . This is usually accomplished by replaying the level once or twice after an untimely death , by luck , or sometimes by design . By design is listed last because it is nearly impossible to predict which hoop the game will ask you to jump through before starting the level . The pre-game map is mostly uninformative and you just have to figure it out after positioning all your troops . I could not overlook this flaw and is my main reason for giving the game four stars . Overall this game was a lot of fun . The game requires a little patience as you start playing . If you are expecting Modern Warfare you will probably be disappointed , but I expect most people know by now what they are getting into when they purchase a game like this . Thus the overwhelming numbers of positive reviews which I think the game deserves .
    • 305 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Not more much to add about this game from the other reviews . Bought it for the $19.99 price tag and enjoyed it . The game reminds me a Speed Racer cartoon . I replayed this game one time , that's about it . It is really unlike any RPG out there . This would be a good intro RPG for pre-teens . This game should be rated E for everyone . It has a side quest that teaches kids about how good veggies are and how you should eat them - - all the while you have to clear the path of enemies so that secure a veggie supply line . Has a good message for racial tolerance . One of the few games out there with a hidden moral story line - - all this while you get to blast wannabe Nazi's .
    • 306 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Not more much to add about this game from the other reviews . Bought it for the $19.99 price tag and enjoyed it . The game reminds me a Speed Racer cartoon . I replayed this game one time , that's about it . It is really unlike any RPG out there . This would be a good intro RPG for pre-teens . This game should be rated E for everyone . It has a side quest that teaches kids about how good veggies are and how you should eat them - - all the while you have to clear the path of enemies so that secure a veggie supply line . Has a good message for racial tolerance . One of the few games out there with a hidden moral story line - - all this while you get to blast wannabe Nazi's .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I played the demo for this game and decided upon finishing it that I must have this game . It was very satisfying and brings in a few new elements to this strategy RPG . I purchased the game the next day and spent all day being sick and playing this game . I had a buddy over that is also into strategy games and he was very pleased and impressed with it as well . It has both real time and turn based elements . You start each turn from a strategic top down map view of the battle field that indicates the positions of all of your units and any enemy units you have line of site on . You choose a unit and are then thrust into a close over the shoulder third person perspective where you have 3d camera control and may move your selected character around the 3d world until you are out of movement points . At any point during your movement phase if you pass within range of an enemy unit you will be fired upon in real time . You may switch to aim mode at any time which freezes the action and allows you to select and study each opponent in view and choose who to attack and where to attack them . There are several types of characters with strengths and weaknesses . Some have more armor , some can move farther , different weapons like multi-shot rifle , many shot machine gun , single shot sniper rifle , anti tank rpg , some have special abilities like engineers that can disarm mines . Each character has a certain set of personality traits as well , such as some like being around others and will get a defense boost when around team mates or allergies which will decrease accuracy if in pollinated places like grassy areas . This adds a tricky tactical and strategic dynamic to the game . Some characters even like other specific characters better making them better team mates when grouped together . I haven't really gotten a handle on all these details yet but am aware of their existence . What is most fun is the dynamic way in which game play changes throughout the various phases of turns , 2d strategery , 3d execution in real time , turn based tactics , all great pieces brought together in a very entertaining fashion here . It reminds very much of Final Fantasy Tactics both in story and feel , as well as musical score ; Tactics being one of my all time favorite games . Each chapter consists of several story elements leading up to and following each battle sequence . The story is entertaining and engaging . The artistic and graphical style is cell shading , which is originally rendered in 3d and then the cell shading technique is applied to give it an anime / comic book style and feel to it . This is done very well here fits very well , making the game entertaining and fun to look at . Some of the story elements play out in cut scene fashion while others are presented in a statement by statement fashion , requiring you to engage to trigger the next statement for the length of the cut scene . Why this latter style is implemented at all is unclear ; I personally feel that , since both have spoken parts accompanying the text , there is little need for text by text scenes , except that maybe it saves quite a bit of rendering for those cut scenes . . . not like storage is a problem on blue ray though . The environments could be a bit more interactive . For instance there was a rubbled building that looked like I could hide behind a partially standing wall , but I was unable to traverse the varied dirt terrain , instead the game treated this entire structural area as solid surface or wall and I could not approach any further than the boarder of the defined area . Also you can only duck for cover behind sand bags , not rocks or tree stumps or boxes , which is too bad because these elements are everywhere and ducking gives you significant tactical advantages like defensive boosts and critical hit immunity . Short comings are few and far between in my opinion , however . I give Valkyria Chronicles a solid Great . While not being perfect it is entirely entertaining , beautifully presented , engaging , and satisfying . Down time is not boring or tedious and maintaining your squad simple and rewarding . Note that I am only on chapter 5 and feel that I am still gearing up in this game , meaning that there should be plenty of content still to be had .
    • 020 4  I almost passed this game up . I kept reading about the beautiful graphics before it was released . I tend to be let down by a lot of RPG's lately . I am a big fan of the Tactics style RPG's but even those are getting old because it's the same thing over and over . I decided to download Valkyria Chronicles demo when it was put on the Playstation store . I just wanted to check out the bragged about graphics and figured it was just another great looking RPG with a lame story and poor battle system . I couldn't have been more wrong . In the demo you get to play a tutorial and a skirmish . . . . . that's all I needed and I preordered the game right away . Its hard to describe what genre this game is , could be called a tactics live action role playing game I guess . I am sure there are a lot of reviews that tell about the game play so I won't get into that . I will point out my favorite and not so favorite parts . I really like how they make all the characters unique people . There are the main characters , but even the soldiers are their own person and not just nameless , faceless extras . Each person has strengths and weaknesses that makes the game that much better . Some people have desert allergy so you can't use them effectively in sandy conditions where other are country or city bred so they shine even more when in their element . That was a nice twist to add onto the game . Some things that I don't care for is this game is very story happy . . . meaning you watch story clip after story clip before you get to play a battle . At points the story can get childish ( Hans the pig ) and the acting at times is a little blah . . . . this is war and sometimes it seems like its no big deal to the characters as they all seem in a good mood all the time even though their homeland was just invaded and they are fighting for their lives . It would have been nice to have it a little darker of story telling . With that said , the game play more than makes up for it and it's a top rated game all the way . A single battle can take an hour , even 2 hours as my first boss battle lasted just last night . I am not sure the length of the game , from what I have been reading about chapter numbers it seems like I am about 1 / 2 done and it seems like I just started so it might be a little on the short side . The game does seem to have a lot of replay value though and I will most likely play through it again to get higher rankings than I have been . Because of the prices of games now I tend to buy very few but for any tactics rpg fan , I think you will really love this game and it would be a must buy .
    • 042 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I played the demo for this game and decided upon finishing it that I must have this game . It was very satisfying and brings in a few new elements to this strategy RPG . I purchased the game the next day and spent all day being sick and playing this game . I had a buddy over that is also into strategy games and he was very pleased and impressed with it as well . It has both real time and turn based elements . You start each turn from a strategic top down map view of the battle field that indicates the positions of all of your units and any enemy units you have line of site on . You choose a unit and are then thrust into a close over the shoulder third person perspective where you have 3d camera control and may move your selected character around the 3d world until you are out of movement points . At any point during your movement phase if you pass within range of an enemy unit you will be fired upon in real time . You may switch to aim mode at any time which freezes the action and allows you to select and study each opponent in view and choose who to attack and where to attack them . There are several types of characters with strengths and weaknesses . Some have more armor , some can move farther , different weapons like multi-shot rifle , many shot machine gun , single shot sniper rifle , anti tank rpg , some have special abilities like engineers that can disarm mines . Each character has a certain set of personality traits as well , such as some like being around others and will get a defense boost when around team mates or allergies which will decrease accuracy if in pollinated places like grassy areas . This adds a tricky tactical and strategic dynamic to the game . Some characters even like other specific characters better making them better team mates when grouped together . I haven't really gotten a handle on all these details yet but am aware of their existence . What is most fun is the dynamic way in which game play changes throughout the various phases of turns , 2d strategery , 3d execution in real time , turn based tactics , all great pieces brought together in a very entertaining fashion here . It reminds very much of Final Fantasy Tactics both in story and feel , as well as musical score ; Tactics being one of my all time favorite games . Each chapter consists of several story elements leading up to and following each battle sequence . The story is entertaining and engaging . The artistic and graphical style is cell shading , which is originally rendered in 3d and then the cell shading technique is applied to give it an anime / comic book style and feel to it . This is done very well here fits very well , making the game entertaining and fun to look at . Some of the story elements play out in cut scene fashion while others are presented in a statement by statement fashion , requiring you to engage to trigger the next statement for the length of the cut scene . Why this latter style is implemented at all is unclear ; I personally feel that , since both have spoken parts accompanying the text , there is little need for text by text scenes , except that maybe it saves quite a bit of rendering for those cut scenes . . . not like storage is a problem on blue ray though . The environments could be a bit more interactive . For instance there was a rubbled building that looked like I could hide behind a partially standing wall , but I was unable to traverse the varied dirt terrain , instead the game treated this entire structural area as solid surface or wall and I could not approach any further than the boarder of the defined area . Also you can only duck for cover behind sand bags , not rocks or tree stumps or boxes , which is too bad because these elements are everywhere and ducking gives you significant tactical advantages like defensive boosts and critical hit immunity . Short comings are few and far between in my opinion , however . I give Valkyria Chronicles a solid Great . While not being perfect it is entirely entertaining , beautifully presented , engaging , and satisfying . Down time is not boring or tedious and maintaining your squad simple and rewarding . Note that I am only on chapter 5 and feel that I am still gearing up in this game , meaning that there should be plenty of content still to be had .
    • 043 4  I played the demo for this game and decided upon finishing it that I must have this game . It was very satisfying and brings in a few new elements to this strategy RPG . I purchased the game the next day and spent all day being sick and playing this game . I had a buddy over that is also into strategy games and he was very pleased and impressed with it as well . It has both real time and turn based elements . You start each turn from a strategic top down map view of the battle field that indicates the positions of all of your units and any enemy units you have line of site on . You choose a unit and are then thrust into a close over the shoulder third person perspective where you have 3d camera control and may move your selected character around the 3d world until you are out of movement points . At any point during your movement phase if you pass within range of an enemy unit you will be fired upon in real time . You may switch to aim mode at any time which freezes the action and allows you to select and study each opponent in view and choose who to attack and where to attack them . There are several types of characters with strengths and weaknesses . Some have more armor , some can move farther , different weapons like multi-shot rifle , many shot machine gun , single shot sniper rifle , anti tank rpg , some have special abilities like engineers that can disarm mines . Each character has a certain set of personality traits as well , such as some like being around others and will get a defense boost when around team mates or allergies which will decrease accuracy if in pollinated places like grassy areas . This adds a tricky tactical and strategic dynamic to the game . Some characters even like other specific characters better making them better team mates when grouped together . I haven't really gotten a handle on all these details yet but am aware of their existence . What is most fun is the dynamic way in which game play changes throughout the various phases of turns , 2d strategery , 3d execution in real time , turn based tactics , all great pieces brought together in a very entertaining fashion here . It reminds very much of Final Fantasy Tactics both in story and feel , as well as musical score ; Tactics being one of my all time favorite games . Each chapter consists of several story elements leading up to and following each battle sequence . The story is entertaining and engaging . The artistic and graphical style is cell shading , which is originally rendered in 3d and then the cell shading technique is applied to give it an anime / comic book style and feel to it . This is done very well here fits very well , making the game entertaining and fun to look at . Some of the story elements play out in cut scene fashion while others are presented in a statement by statement fashion , requiring you to engage to trigger the next statement for the length of the cut scene . Why this latter style is implemented at all is unclear ; I personally feel that , since both have spoken parts accompanying the text , there is little need for text by text scenes , except that maybe it saves quite a bit of rendering for those cut scenes . . . not like storage is a problem on blue ray though . The environments could be a bit more interactive . For instance there was a rubbled building that looked like I could hide behind a partially standing wall , but I was unable to traverse the varied dirt terrain , instead the game treated this entire structural area as solid surface or wall and I could not approach any further than the boarder of the defined area . Also you can only duck for cover behind sand bags , not rocks or tree stumps or boxes , which is too bad because these elements are everywhere and ducking gives you significant tactical advantages like defensive boosts and critical hit immunity . Short comings are few and far between in my opinion , however . I give Valkyria Chronicles a solid Great . While not being perfect it is entirely entertaining , beautifully presented , engaging , and satisfying . Down time is not boring or tedious and maintaining your squad simple and rewarding . Note that I am only on chapter 5 and feel that I am still gearing up in this game , meaning that there should be plenty of content still to be had .
    • 222 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Simply put , Valkyria Chronicles is one of the best games this generation . Amidst a horde of generic first person shooters and sports games , Valkyria Chronicles actually innovates its genre and even elevates it to a new level . Simple and addicting gameplay combined with the need for strategic positioning creates a dynamic battle system that can't just can't be found in other strategic RPGs . With breathtaking , unique watercolor visuals , a cast of fun characters , and a story that tells of what goes on behind the face of war , Valkyria Chronicles is truly a gem of this generation .
    • 234 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is nothing but beautiful in its art direction . Through the entire game I never tired of the artwork . The music tended to be a bit plain and unnoticeable but overall the art direction of the game was superb . The story and universe the game crafted felt very unique for the genre ( anime ) . Obviously a alternate world war one / two universe it had a much more serious and grave tone than found in a typical japanese RPG . This fell apart as the game went on though . With ideas of magic and cheesy last boss fights ruining the imagine of a serious and brutal war . I almost didn't finish the game because I could feel the experience slipping away . The game play was unique and a nice breath of fresh air into the strategy RPG genre . The real time combat when you / enemy are maneuvering into position makes for actual strategy on the battlefield . Hiding behind sandbags , retreating for cover , setting up oppressing fire so the enemy can't advance , etc . . . The only problem I had was I found it too easy . The enemy would often be able to defeat me but would for some reason attack a useless unit or just pass on their turn . Until you beat the game there is no harder difficulty setting . You have a squad of soldiers you get to choose from in ever battle . Each with their own unique personalities , traits , sound effects and background . I found them to be quite engaging and added a hint of personality to each battle when I assembled my squad of soldiers . Given that these soldiers can die and never be used again also makes you care a bit about them when they are wounded or in trouble . You risk a bit more trying to make sure they get out safe . Overall worth playing . The menus are a bit slow and alot of the non-combat unit / weapon management screens are cumbersome and slow but ultimately easy to navigate . If you RPG's or strategy games of any variety the game is worth checking out .
    • 240 4  The gameplay is very addictive and such a unique experience that everyone should try , even if you just rent the game . Valkyria Chronicles is also very hard to find , none of my local stores have it in-stock so I would suggest getting this game while you can .
    • 280 4  Valkyria Chronicles is a refreshing , one-of-a-kind game with a few nitpicky problems . It is , by far , the best Tactical RPG that has been released this generation of consoles , and I'd go so far as to say the past two generations . From an RPG snob like myself , I have absolutely no problem recommending it to anybody who is a fan of the genre , or to anybody who wants to learn what it means to love a game .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I'm not exactly sure what it is about the game that makes me love it , but I'll list a few elements : 1 ) Nostalgic JRPG / Anime-Feel : This is not going to apply to most folks , but for me there was a feeling in the art , voice acting , and story that just gave a good sense of nostalgia . 2 ) Graphics : The game is beautiful , it is very difficult to dispute that . Unless you have an unreasonable hatred for the Anime / Manga style of art , you will probably think the same . 3 ) Addicting Gameplay : The factors are there . Getting experience , leveling up , unlocking new Orders and equipment for my squad - - I just kept wanting to grind to get my troops to the next level . 4 ) What-happens-next-syndrome : The game was addicting for more than just leveling up . I just always wanted to see what the next chapter had in store for Squad 7 . Those are the four biggest factors in my opinion . The music and other factors are decent , to say the least . I just really love the game . I will play through it again to get Rank A on all the battles . Too bad there aren't any trophies .
    • 115 4  I had read a bit before I purchased this game . I was excited to try it . I have not been disappointed . Valkyria Chronicles is an excellent game . Wonderful music and graphics . Excellently thought out characters and story . This game is easy to find at a bargain price . It is a shame it is not more well known than it is . I have been playing games for over 20 years and it is right up there with the best games I have ever played . I hope more people would take the time to discover this game .
    • 167 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I find this game as very fun and addictive . Every move counts in the battle , as you need to think about what unit you will move next and what your enemies will do when it is their turn to attack . Not only that I love the water-color artbook style , but I find that the overall presentation is excellent . In between battles , there are different episodes presented as in a storybook . These episodes are optional , but they are fun to watch and feel much like Japanese Anime . Overall , a very good experience so far , as I just finished Chapter 6 . I learned from the reviews that Chapter 7 will be very difficult and frustrating , so I'll see if it will change my ratings of the game !
    • 168 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I find this game as very fun and addictive . Every move counts in the battle , as you need to think about what unit you will move next and what your enemies will do when it is their turn to attack . Not only that I love the water-color artbook style , but I find that the overall presentation is excellent . In between battles , there are different episodes presented as in a storybook . These episodes are optional , but they are fun to watch and feel much like Japanese Anime . Overall , a very good experience so far , as I just finished Chapter 6 . I learned from the reviews that Chapter 7 will be very difficult and frustrating , so I'll see if it will change my ratings of the game !
    • 237 4  This game is definately the hidden gem of the PS3 . Good story w / a beautiful soundtrack . Fun gameplay . Great game . Very addicting . Thats all there is to it . Buy it . There's a reason why it's still expensive . It's worth it .
    • 267 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I'm not exactly sure what it is about the game that makes me love it , but I'll list a few elements : 1 ) Nostalgic JRPG / Anime-Feel : This is not going to apply to most folks , but for me there was a feeling in the art , voice acting , and story that just gave a good sense of nostalgia . 2 ) Graphics : The game is beautiful , it is very difficult to dispute that . Unless you have an unreasonable hatred for the Anime / Manga style of art , you will probably think the same . 3 ) Addicting Gameplay : The factors are there . Getting experience , leveling up , unlocking new Orders and equipment for my squad - - I just kept wanting to grind to get my troops to the next level . 4 ) What-happens-next-syndrome : The game was addicting for more than just leveling up . I just always wanted to see what the next chapter had in store for Squad 7 . Those are the four biggest factors in my opinion . The music and other factors are decent , to say the least . I just really love the game . I will play through it again to get Rank A on all the battles . Too bad there aren't any trophies .
    • 308 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) It is like playing chess , but more fun than that . Or maybe I can say it is like a card game . However , since we have graphic and story , and we can level up the characters , it is more fun . I like this type of game , and need to use some strategy to play better . It is a good game for all the age .
    • 309 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) It is like playing chess , but more fun than that . Or maybe I can say it is like a card game . However , since we have graphic and story , and we can level up the characters , it is more fun . I like this type of game , and need to use some strategy to play better . It is a good game for all the age .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) It's all about the little things in this game . Never mind the fact that the general premise and presentation is unique and memorable , but it's the small things that will keep sinking in and makes Valkyria Chronicles a delightful experience for any fan of the strategy or tactical RPG genres or just plan anyone who enjoys a rewarding character experience in general . Just going through the installation starts to tip you off of these little things . As it progresses , the background image from the title screen slowly fills in with color from just a sketch to a full mural . It's so subtle it takes particular attention to even spot it happening . Though optional , this install makes a lot of the load times in-game practically zero and I'd highly suggest it . Starting your game you can instantly tell you're on to something special . Instead of being shoved through any content , you're shown the game interface in the extremely unique form of a novel - - one apparently being written by an author in this reality . Every cutscene and battle throughout is treated as a separate entity . Separated into Chapters , it gives a sense of meaning to your progress and lends a very unconventional third-person view over the game . Time to fight for Gallia ! The combat system itself actually lends to the story experience . You're playing the role of one squad of one regiment of one division of an army of Gallia . Not some elite group , not the pride of the army in any way . Actually quite the opposite - - as part of the militia the military higher-ups in the army have little faith in you and are quite happy to send you in as cannon fodder on the front lines . This flows into the normal course game , and eventually you'll end up with more special little tasks in particular places that make the story documentation by the narrator actually justifiable . Perhaps the aspect of this I find most interesting is that your squad and characters are just comprised of just normal everyday people . You don't have special powers or magic abilities of any sort . Some are volunteers , some are drafted . Some have friends , others prefer to work alone . You can be injured and killed just like anyone else out there . If one of your members is killed , they're gone forever . This cloud overhead instantly changes the game from just some kind of war-based or simple tactics game toward a hybrid RPG to all but the entirely coldhearted . In other words , you might start out as any random group of soldiers , but because the story develops so well it's only at your final battles that you realize you're in such a special place . This is a good thing . Moving forward , every new chapter keeps offering new little things to make you smile . You gain members and form your own specialized smaller attack squad with them . You'll end up with about 50 recruits , all of which have a very particular personality ( with voice-over dialogue included ) , special quirks and traits , and the novel will even keep a Personnel section for you that will keep adding new bits of information about them as the story progresses as they're used more in combat . With so much diversity , there are more than enough different ways to fill out your squad to match your mood . When you go into a mission , you'll have your squad comprised of 20 out of all of your available recruits , and any of these 20 is able to be used if you choose . All aspects of your squad are handled in the Headquarters tab of the novel , allowing you to change members at any time , upgrade weapons and armor , train your units ( the process to level up ) , meet with a war reporter and a few other things . The first time you head here a few chapters in , you'll have the task of picking your 20 active members - - this is harder than it sounds . As I mentioned , each has his or her own personality and you'll end up with an instant love / hate of some of them . It becomes harder and harder to keep in all the members you enjoy the most , as almost all of them have memorable lines of some sort . You'll most certainly feel some kind of real emotional connection to some of them after your battles together , so much so that losing them in combat will have you frantically going to load from your last same to prevent this . . . and some self-mental abuse for ever putting them in such a tight spot . Beyond the personalities of all your members , as they go through battles and gain levels they'll earn new potentials ( combat abilities , basically ) . Here's another place where the RPG-ness of the game kicks in nicely . Even though all units of any of the 5 job classes all gain experience levels at the same time , no two members end up the same because of these potentials . These can range from expected elements in battle such as either being stronger or weaker when caught in crossfire , to such quirky things as some characters developing such a strong love or hate of one of their comrades that it will greatly change their combat skill when around that member . For example , one of your group leaders wants to be a singer . Another member of her class has the same aspirations and gets furious when around this leader . Another member looks up to her as a role model for the future career she wants and receives bonuses instead . On top of zany quirks like this , when the abilities kick in during combat they all even have their own character dialog attached . Combat can seem rather complicated at first , but you'll get accustomed to it fairly quickly . The first half dozen missions slowly ramp up the difficulty for you and teach you basically everything you'll need to know in terms of normal battle tactics . In short , you're playing the role of the tank commander and leader of your squad , you choose units to control with CP ( command points ) , then move the unit in real-time . This includes moving , hiding in cover , firing , etc . . Naturally , your CP pool is limited . Fortunately , your opponents also have to follow these rules so you're theoretically fighting on the same terms . On top of the movements , you can issue Orders from your tank over the radio , which are mostly normal combat things like a heightened evasion , calling for a medic to heal or evacuate a wounded soldier . Just like CP , enemy generals can use these too . Moreover , all job classes are shared between you and your foes , general weapon types are the same , tanks work the same way , and so forth . The normal combat flow is to choose how to use your members to capture a particular place on the map or to eliminate a particular target - - though there are some very unique types of missions and a few times you'll simply drop your jaw at what you need to do . The overall difficulty of this game can be frustrating for some people , but in almost every case there are multiple ways to complete your objectives . There is one battle element that needs a special note attached ; the enemy AI can be simply horrible at times . Even worse is when it's completely manic . You can take advantage of foes by trapping them with crossfire , while others will walk head-on into certain death without firing a shot . Reinforcements seem to have preset actions , which might look very dumb , or might surprise you and cause an instant mission failure if you're not watching your back . This is the one thing that really holds this game back from being a truly revolutionary title that could appease players of a half dozen different genres . Between missions , you'll be going through cutscenes ( defined as episodes within chapters of the book ) which push the story forward . All have full voiceovers and have your characters moving and interacting like you'd expect of any social group . The only letdown in these scenes is that conversations that take place in closed areas such as a room are all done via character face pop-up boxes . If you feel like you need to improve your characters a bit more , you're free to engage in Skirmishes , which are basically a way to duplicate battles on some of the maps you've already fought on . All things considered , the majority of your time will be spent in storyline battles , though the percentage of time is in the 70 - 80% range compared to 90 - 95% + like in a lot of RPGs . The graphics are stunning , if not hard to describe in other terms . It's kind of a hodgepodge of what you might think of an animated television series mixed with the drawing style of manga , penned by a sketch artist for accents and flares and colored in with crayons . I'm sure that makes very little sense , but all your need to know is that it works incredibly . My only real complaint about the graphics is how granulated and pixel-y units get when you look at them from a distance or through a sniper rifle scope . It's almost as though you zoom in at what the original view was and it's not enhances . There are tons of graphical details to make up for this though , such as small smoke trails coming from shell casings falling out of machine guns , to the simply beautiful way large explosions and smoke clouds rest , to the awesome action word system of thing s in battle which continuously remind you that this is a Japanese title . It's not much , but seeing the word rummmmble trail out from behind your moving tank in a choppy motion is adorably wacky yet adds to the feel of combat . If you're using the Dualshock3 , you also get a satisfying rumble in your hands as you move the tank , too . The sound presentation is equally great . The soundtrack is quite expansive and particularly in combat the different tracks and stanzas flow together seamlessly . The only bits of music I really started to yawn at was what's played in headquarters and in book mode . As I've said , all your members have their own unique dialogue and all cutscenes are fully voiced . Moods can change mid-battle , and the music will match and special cutscenes will pop up at important moments with extra dialogue . Weapon sounds are all great and on par with what you'd expect in a full-blown shooter . Depending on your style and care for the story and members , a fair guess of time to complete the storyline is 40 - 60 hours . This goes up more if you need to repeat missions . After clearing , you're offered the proverbial new game plus feature , which lets you replay any mission and adds a difficulty level to skirmishes . You'll also have a wide range of decorations ( medals ) to collect , and you could easily sink over 100 hours into this game if you wanted to . Even past that , this is the sort of game where you might want to start from the beginning at level 1 all over again , just to watch the whole story play through . However you look at it , the game gushes personality . It took awhile , but here's a truly solid RPG for the PS3 . Looking over the game objectively it barely meets the criteria of any variant of RPG , but anyone who might see 10 seconds of a cutscene would instantly recognize it as such . It takes a hell of a game to combine so many different things you do in any single title , throw it in a blender , and actually come out with a result that is greater than the sum of its parts . It may favor players of the RPG brand and hardcore followers of Japanese titles , but there's hardly a gamer out there that wouldn't enjoy playing Valkyria Chronicles . Sega did an awesome job here and this is the sort of genre-mixer that's likely to lead to a lot of copycat types of games in the future .
    • 008 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkyria Chronicles is a fairly unorthodox game - it's got the art and general handling of Final Fantasy Tactics combined with the military tactics of Full Spectrum Warrior . Possessing the feeling of an RPG despite taking place during WW2 ( or a fantasy representation of it , more accurately ) , Valkyria Chronicles represents an exciting new game that should be liked by both strategy-RPG fans and the more hardcore military crowd . The game takes place in Europa - a fantastic version of Europe , where the two dominant countries are the Federation ( to the West ) and the Empire ( to the East ) . Caught between these is Gallia , a small independent nation rich with Ragnite , the world's fictional power source . The player takes the role of Lieutenant Gunther , the leader of a 20 - person unit of militiamen raised to repel an invasion by the Empire . To that end , the player must manage their squad of soldiers and drive back the enemy . From a pool of 50 soldiers ( though most have to be unlocked by progressing in the game ) the player selects 20 to serve as the active squad . Soldiers can come in one of five types . Scouts are light and fast , but are lightly armored and don't do much damage . Shock Troopers are more heavily armored and armed with machine guns , but are slower than scouts . Lancers are anti-tank troops armed with heavy rocket-tipped lances ; they are the most heavily armored , but are only useful when dealing with enemy vehicles . Engineers are armed and armored like scouts , but trade the movement speed of that class for the ability to pass ammo out to comrades , disarm mines , and repair friendly tanks . Finally , Snipers have long-range capabilities and can take out an enemy in one hit if they're lucky , but have slow movement and low defense . Besides their classes , each of the 50 unique characters has their own set of traits that affect their stats in battle . Character traits can reflect everything from upbringing ( characters are more at home in their home turf ) to sexual preference ( some characters prefer to be around lots of women or lots of men ) to more individualized personal effects ( like a character who gets a huge attack bonus for charging headlong into the enemy's guns , or a character who gets a bonus just by being around tanks ) . In addition to these traits , characters also have bonds with certain other characters , and will do better when around those characters . Finally , there are certain stats ( accuracy , damage , movement ) that differ from character to character - but the stats themselves aren't recorded , so the player has to find out for themselves which characters have which statistics . The characters ' personalities are revealed through combat - use a character a lot and a newspaper reporter will conduct an interview ( off-camera ) that puts more information in their biography . This also adds new traits to their character , as well as background information . In addition , each character has unique voice acting , and they will often call out to characters that they have bonds with . All the characters are really fleshed out by their traits and biographies , and it becomes fairly easy to find at least a few favorites that you're likely to use over and over . The gameplay itself is a sort of hybrid between turn-based strategy RPGs and tactical squad games like Full Spectrum Warrior . During a mission , the player usually has 9 soldiers ( selected by the player ) plus a command tank . At the beginning of every turn , the player has a certain number of command points ; these are used to take actions with characters . While using a command point , a character can move a set distance ( based on their class ) and take one action - either attacking or healing themselves / a nearby ally . Complicating this is Intercepting Attacks : if a character runs into the line of sight of an enemy unit , that unit will fire at him as he moves past . The same is true for the enemy , of course , so it's advisable to set up a position where you will be well defended and where you can counterattack enemies easily as they enter the area . Due to the cone-like nature of weapons fire , using cover is advisable and helpful . Besides infantry combat , the other main part of warfare in Valkyria is tanks . Your side only has one tank , which is upgradable throughout the game . The enemy , on the other hand , tends to have a few more at their disposal , necessitating the use of anti-tank Lancers . Tanks , when hit from the front , may take a while to destroy , but if a character can sneak around the back of the tank and hit its exposed radiator , the tank can be taken down easily . Tanks are very powerful ( being equipped with an armor piercing cannon , an explosive mortar , and a coaxial machine gun ) but cost 2 command points to take a turn , rather than just 1 . Leveling up and advancement is handled fairly simply , compared to a lot of similar strategy-RPGs . At the end of a battle , the player receives gold and experience based on their performance . Gold is used to develop new weapons and armor for your characters . A certain amount of gold is spent to upgrade a specific category ( rifles , for example ) , and all soldiers who use rifles are armed with the upgraded rifle . These weapons are standard issue once developed , and the only customization comes when the development paths split into certain specializations ( higher accuracy , higher damage , etc ) . In this case , you can choose for individual soldiers which weapon they should have . Leveling up works similarly - you invest experience in a class , and once you've spent enough that class levels up . This means that EVERYONE who is a member of that class levels up , regardless of whether or not they're currently in your squad , which means that there's no trouble with one unit getting way ahead of the others in experience terms . I only had a few problems with gameplay . One is that speed is emphasized heavily - not just as a nice bonus , in most cases , but as the major source of experience and money . Completing a mission quickly is worth far more than any points you might get for doing things during the mission , which on the one hand works for players who are willing to take risks and rush in , but discourages players who are more cautious and defensive . Another issue with gameplay is that the levels tend to focus more on particular objectives or gimmicks rather than straight-up warfare ; almost every level has your squad being split up , or some other condition that makes it harder than simply using regular tactics . Both of these things make the game less fun , and even in Skirmish mode ( missions that can be played an infinite number of times to get more money and experience ) they pervade the atmosphere of the game . The graphics are incredible - not just in quality , but in style , as well . The game uses a unique colored-pencil style of in-game coloration , so everything has a very artistic feel to it . Some effects - like a tank's movement or an explosion - are represented by sound effects ( like vrrm or kaboom ) popping up on-screen , which also serves to give it an illustrated appearance . The character designs are well-done , while still having a realistic aspect to them and a sort of group appearance emphasized by their standard-issue uniforms . The game in-action is really neat to watch , and the new approach to graphics is appreciated . The sound is decent enough - the English voice acting is well-done , and as mentioned each character has a unique voice and a wide variety of prompts and lines . The music is good , but ultimately forgettable ; it serves its purpose as background noise , but isn't particularly enjoyable on its own . As a whole , Valkyria Chronicles is an amazing game that tends to get caught up too much in story and gimmicks . The engine is solid and fun , and the game in basic terms is great . However , the way it's used - the reliance on objectives and unusual gameplay situations - reduces the enjoyment of the system . In addition , the lack of multiplayer is a major annoyance . All-in-all , Valkyria Chronicles is a great game that also feels like a waste , in terms of what is done with the gameplay . 8 / 10 .
    • 009 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkyria Chronicles is a fairly unorthodox game - it's got the art and general handling of Final Fantasy Tactics combined with the military tactics of Full Spectrum Warrior . Possessing the feeling of an RPG despite taking place during WW2 ( or a fantasy representation of it , more accurately ) , Valkyria Chronicles represents an exciting new game that should be liked by both strategy-RPG fans and the more hardcore military crowd . The game takes place in Europa - a fantastic version of Europe , where the two dominant countries are the Federation ( to the West ) and the Empire ( to the East ) . Caught between these is Gallia , a small independent nation rich with Ragnite , the world's fictional power source . The player takes the role of Lieutenant Gunther , the leader of a 20 - person unit of militiamen raised to repel an invasion by the Empire . To that end , the player must manage their squad of soldiers and drive back the enemy . From a pool of 50 soldiers ( though most have to be unlocked by progressing in the game ) the player selects 20 to serve as the active squad . Soldiers can come in one of five types . Scouts are light and fast , but are lightly armored and don't do much damage . Shock Troopers are more heavily armored and armed with machine guns , but are slower than scouts . Lancers are anti-tank troops armed with heavy rocket-tipped lances ; they are the most heavily armored , but are only useful when dealing with enemy vehicles . Engineers are armed and armored like scouts , but trade the movement speed of that class for the ability to pass ammo out to comrades , disarm mines , and repair friendly tanks . Finally , Snipers have long-range capabilities and can take out an enemy in one hit if they're lucky , but have slow movement and low defense . Besides their classes , each of the 50 unique characters has their own set of traits that affect their stats in battle . Character traits can reflect everything from upbringing ( characters are more at home in their home turf ) to sexual preference ( some characters prefer to be around lots of women or lots of men ) to more individualized personal effects ( like a character who gets a huge attack bonus for charging headlong into the enemy's guns , or a character who gets a bonus just by being around tanks ) . In addition to these traits , characters also have bonds with certain other characters , and will do better when around those characters . Finally , there are certain stats ( accuracy , damage , movement ) that differ from character to character - but the stats themselves aren't recorded , so the player has to find out for themselves which characters have which statistics . The characters ' personalities are revealed through combat - use a character a lot and a newspaper reporter will conduct an interview ( off-camera ) that puts more information in their biography . This also adds new traits to their character , as well as background information . In addition , each character has unique voice acting , and they will often call out to characters that they have bonds with . All the characters are really fleshed out by their traits and biographies , and it becomes fairly easy to find at least a few favorites that you're likely to use over and over . The gameplay itself is a sort of hybrid between turn-based strategy RPGs and tactical squad games like Full Spectrum Warrior . During a mission , the player usually has 9 soldiers ( selected by the player ) plus a command tank . At the beginning of every turn , the player has a certain number of command points ; these are used to take actions with characters . While using a command point , a character can move a set distance ( based on their class ) and take one action - either attacking or healing themselves / a nearby ally . Complicating this is Intercepting Attacks : if a character runs into the line of sight of an enemy unit , that unit will fire at him as he moves past . The same is true for the enemy , of course , so it's advisable to set up a position where you will be well defended and where you can counterattack enemies easily as they enter the area . Due to the cone-like nature of weapons fire , using cover is advisable and helpful . Besides infantry combat , the other main part of warfare in Valkyria is tanks . Your side only has one tank , which is upgradable throughout the game . The enemy , on the other hand , tends to have a few more at their disposal , necessitating the use of anti-tank Lancers . Tanks , when hit from the front , may take a while to destroy , but if a character can sneak around the back of the tank and hit its exposed radiator , the tank can be taken down easily . Tanks are very powerful ( being equipped with an armor piercing cannon , an explosive mortar , and a coaxial machine gun ) but cost 2 command points to take a turn , rather than just 1 . Leveling up and advancement is handled fairly simply , compared to a lot of similar strategy-RPGs . At the end of a battle , the player receives gold and experience based on their performance . Gold is used to develop new weapons and armor for your characters . A certain amount of gold is spent to upgrade a specific category ( rifles , for example ) , and all soldiers who use rifles are armed with the upgraded rifle . These weapons are standard issue once developed , and the only customization comes when the development paths split into certain specializations ( higher accuracy , higher damage , etc ) . In this case , you can choose for individual soldiers which weapon they should have . Leveling up works similarly - you invest experience in a class , and once you've spent enough that class levels up . This means that EVERYONE who is a member of that class levels up , regardless of whether or not they're currently in your squad , which means that there's no trouble with one unit getting way ahead of the others in experience terms . I only had a few problems with gameplay . One is that speed is emphasized heavily - not just as a nice bonus , in most cases , but as the major source of experience and money . Completing a mission quickly is worth far more than any points you might get for doing things during the mission , which on the one hand works for players who are willing to take risks and rush in , but discourages players who are more cautious and defensive . Another issue with gameplay is that the levels tend to focus more on particular objectives or gimmicks rather than straight-up warfare ; almost every level has your squad being split up , or some other condition that makes it harder than simply using regular tactics . Both of these things make the game less fun , and even in Skirmish mode ( missions that can be played an infinite number of times to get more money and experience ) they pervade the atmosphere of the game . The graphics are incredible - not just in quality , but in style , as well . The game uses a unique colored-pencil style of in-game coloration , so everything has a very artistic feel to it . Some effects - like a tank's movement or an explosion - are represented by sound effects ( like vrrm or kaboom ) popping up on-screen , which also serves to give it an illustrated appearance . The character designs are well-done , while still having a realistic aspect to them and a sort of group appearance emphasized by their standard-issue uniforms . The game in-action is really neat to watch , and the new approach to graphics is appreciated . The sound is decent enough - the English voice acting is well-done , and as mentioned each character has a unique voice and a wide variety of prompts and lines . The music is good , but ultimately forgettable ; it serves its purpose as background noise , but isn't particularly enjoyable on its own . As a whole , Valkyria Chronicles is an amazing game that tends to get caught up too much in story and gimmicks . The engine is solid and fun , and the game in basic terms is great . However , the way it's used - the reliance on objectives and unusual gameplay situations - reduces the enjoyment of the system . In addition , the lack of multiplayer is a major annoyance . All-in-all , Valkyria Chronicles is a great game that also feels like a waste , in terms of what is done with the gameplay . 8 / 10 .
    • 072 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Pros : - Very addicting strategic gameplay - Beautiful artistic visuals - Memorable characters - Spectacular presentation - Lots of variety Cons : - No unlockables or additional content - Many AI issues Gameplay Valkyria Chronicles is a strategy RPG like never seen before . Traditionally , strategy RPG's have used geometrical grids in a 2D turn-based environment . Valkyria Chronicles is also turn-based , but functions in a 3D world using combat most similar to a third-person shooter . There are a range of different classes all with their own strengths and weaknesses including Lancers , Scouts , Stormtroopers , Snipers , Engineers and Tanks . Each class accommodates each-other and the abilities involved create tactics that mimic the qualities of chess . Thankfully , unlike other SRPG's , Valkyria Chronicles gives out a ranking at the end of every battle that rewards you for how well you did . This translates into not only experience points but currency as well . The experience points are then used to level up the different classes however you would like and prevents you from feeling like whatever characters you started with you are stuck with . On the other hand , the currency is used for research & development which means new weapons , armor and outfitting for your tanks . The game progresses through a series of chapters within a book , and each chapter includes at least 1 battle as well as several cutscenes . The story is very lighthearted and the character development is absolutely spectacular . It is a game that is very easy to pick-up and play and the introduction really helps ease even the newest newcomer into the gameplay mechanics and strategies involved . However , the story is very typical and features some personalities that can be annoying , but thankfully the voice acting is excellent . Controls Valkyria Chronicles is based on a 3D strategic plane , and the controls really accommodate the gameplay . Once a unit is selected from the tactical map , the camera is brought down to the player's level and you are free to move about . Movement distance is restricted on each turn based on the class of the character , and the movement is very tight and responsive . Once your character is in position for an attack , the press of R1 pauses the map and allows you to line up a shot . At this point the game turns into somewhat of a third-person shooter , which makes the game about as unique as any game in history . The menu also doesn't suffer from lag whatsoever and really helps make the experience smooth and intuitive . Graphics One of the most unique features of Valkyria Chronicles is the art style . Valkyria Chroncles features fully 3D cell-shaded graphics like never seen before . The game resembles a beautiful drawing and helps support the light-hearted atmosphere . Each unit , texture and background looks like it has been hand drawn and the presentation is absolutely magnificent . The palette used mimics that of an anime and really proves to be successful in every regard . Sound The sound effects of Valkyria Chronicles are very basic but also very fitting . However , the real strength of the audio is in the original soundscore . Valkyria Chronicles quite simply has one of the better RPG music scores of this generation . The theme song is one of the best I've heard and really captures the mood of the game . To accompany that is a terrific voice cast featuring many successful actors and actresses from all over Hollywood . Every sound made by the game is deliberate and captivating . Lasting Appeal With a 40 hour campaign mode as well as some extras on the second playthrough , Valkyria Chronicles has plenty of replayability . The first playthrough is well-worth the purchase alone and once you've finished the game , your save file allows you to keep your character levels , and unlocks on your second playthrough . Also , on the second playthrough you're allows access to Hard mode on skirmishes which aren't just harder versions of their former selves , but rather a completely different battle on the same map . The lack of trophies is a serious bummer but with some great DLC on the way , Valkyria Chronicles has plenty of value . Rating : Story : 8.5 Gameplay : 9.5 Graphics : 9.0 Controls : 9.5 Sound : 9.0 Replay Value : 8.5 Overall : 9.1 Own , Rent , Avoid : Own : The overall value of Valkyria Chronicles is very high , and long story mode mixed with the fantastic gameplay makes this a definite must-have . Last Thoughts : Valkyria Chronicles is an incredible experience all wrapped up in rich gameplay . With a stunning look , sound and feel , Valkyria Chronicles is a game that will be memorable for many years to come .
    • 105 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) It's all about the little things in this game . Never mind the fact that the general premise and presentation is unique and memorable , but it's the small things that will keep sinking in and makes Valkyria Chronicles a delightful experience for any fan of the strategy or tactical RPG genres or just plan anyone who enjoys a rewarding character experience in general . Just going through the installation starts to tip you off of these little things . As it progresses , the background image from the title screen slowly fills in with color from just a sketch to a full mural . It's so subtle it takes particular attention to even spot it happening . Though optional , this install makes a lot of the load times in-game practically zero and I'd highly suggest it . Starting your game you can instantly tell you're on to something special . Instead of being shoved through any content , you're shown the game interface in the extremely unique form of a novel - - one apparently being written by an author in this reality . Every cutscene and battle throughout is treated as a separate entity . Separated into Chapters , it gives a sense of meaning to your progress and lends a very unconventional third-person view over the game . Time to fight for Gallia ! The combat system itself actually lends to the story experience . You're playing the role of one squad of one regiment of one division of an army of Gallia . Not some elite group , not the pride of the army in any way . Actually quite the opposite - - as part of the militia the military higher-ups in the army have little faith in you and are quite happy to send you in as cannon fodder on the front lines . This flows into the normal course game , and eventually you'll end up with more special little tasks in particular places that make the story documentation by the narrator actually justifiable . Perhaps the aspect of this I find most interesting is that your squad and characters are just comprised of just normal everyday people . You don't have special powers or magic abilities of any sort . Some are volunteers , some are drafted . Some have friends , others prefer to work alone . You can be injured and killed just like anyone else out there . If one of your members is killed , they're gone forever . This cloud overhead instantly changes the game from just some kind of war-based or simple tactics game toward a hybrid RPG to all but the entirely coldhearted . In other words , you might start out as any random group of soldiers , but because the story develops so well it's only at your final battles that you realize you're in such a special place . This is a good thing . Moving forward , every new chapter keeps offering new little things to make you smile . You gain members and form your own specialized smaller attack squad with them . You'll end up with about 50 recruits , all of which have a very particular personality ( with voice-over dialogue included ) , special quirks and traits , and the novel will even keep a Personnel section for you that will keep adding new bits of information about them as the story progresses as they're used more in combat . With so much diversity , there are more than enough different ways to fill out your squad to match your mood . When you go into a mission , you'll have your squad comprised of 20 out of all of your available recruits , and any of these 20 is able to be used if you choose . All aspects of your squad are handled in the Headquarters tab of the novel , allowing you to change members at any time , upgrade weapons and armor , train your units ( the process to level up ) , meet with a war reporter and a few other things . The first time you head here a few chapters in , you'll have the task of picking your 20 active members - - this is harder than it sounds . As I mentioned , each has his or her own personality and you'll end up with an instant love / hate of some of them . It becomes harder and harder to keep in all the members you enjoy the most , as almost all of them have memorable lines of some sort . You'll most certainly feel some kind of real emotional connection to some of them after your battles together , so much so that losing them in combat will have you frantically going to load from your last same to prevent this . . . and some self-mental abuse for ever putting them in such a tight spot . Beyond the personalities of all your members , as they go through battles and gain levels they'll earn new potentials ( combat abilities , basically ) . Here's another place where the RPG-ness of the game kicks in nicely . Even though all units of any of the 5 job classes all gain experience levels at the same time , no two members end up the same because of these potentials . These can range from expected elements in battle such as either being stronger or weaker when caught in crossfire , to such quirky things as some characters developing such a strong love or hate of one of their comrades that it will greatly change their combat skill when around that member . For example , one of your group leaders wants to be a singer . Another member of her class has the same aspirations and gets furious when around this leader . Another member looks up to her as a role model for the future career she wants and receives bonuses instead . On top of zany quirks like this , when the abilities kick in during combat they all even have their own character dialog attached . Combat can seem rather complicated at first , but you'll get accustomed to it fairly quickly . The first half dozen missions slowly ramp up the difficulty for you and teach you basically everything you'll need to know in terms of normal battle tactics . In short , you're playing the role of the tank commander and leader of your squad , you choose units to control with CP ( command points ) , then move the unit in real-time . This includes moving , hiding in cover , firing , etc . . Naturally , your CP pool is limited . Fortunately , your opponents also have to follow these rules so you're theoretically fighting on the same terms . On top of the movements , you can issue Orders from your tank over the radio , which are mostly normal combat things like a heightened evasion , calling for a medic to heal or evacuate a wounded soldier . Just like CP , enemy generals can use these too . Moreover , all job classes are shared between you and your foes , general weapon types are the same , tanks work the same way , and so forth . The normal combat flow is to choose how to use your members to capture a particular place on the map or to eliminate a particular target - - though there are some very unique types of missions and a few times you'll simply drop your jaw at what you need to do . The overall difficulty of this game can be frustrating for some people , but in almost every case there are multiple ways to complete your objectives . There is one battle element that needs a special note attached ; the enemy AI can be simply horrible at times . Even worse is when it's completely manic . You can take advantage of foes by trapping them with crossfire , while others will walk head-on into certain death without firing a shot . Reinforcements seem to have preset actions , which might look very dumb , or might surprise you and cause an instant mission failure if you're not watching your back . This is the one thing that really holds this game back from being a truly revolutionary title that could appease players of a half dozen different genres . Between missions , you'll be going through cutscenes ( defined as episodes within chapters of the book ) which push the story forward . All have full voiceovers and have your characters moving and interacting like you'd expect of any social group . The only letdown in these scenes is that conversations that take place in closed areas such as a room are all done via character face pop-up boxes . If you feel like you need to improve your characters a bit more , you're free to engage in Skirmishes , which are basically a way to duplicate battles on some of the maps you've already fought on . All things considered , the majority of your time will be spent in storyline battles , though the percentage of time is in the 70 - 80% range compared to 90 - 95% + like in a lot of RPGs . The graphics are stunning , if not hard to describe in other terms . It's kind of a hodgepodge of what you might think of an animated television series mixed with the drawing style of manga , penned by a sketch artist for accents and flares and colored in with crayons . I'm sure that makes very little sense , but all your need to know is that it works incredibly . My only real complaint about the graphics is how granulated and pixel-y units get when you look at them from a distance or through a sniper rifle scope . It's almost as though you zoom in at what the original view was and it's not enhances . There are tons of graphical details to make up for this though , such as small smoke trails coming from shell casings falling out of machine guns , to the simply beautiful way large explosions and smoke clouds rest , to the awesome action word system of thing s in battle which continuously remind you that this is a Japanese title . It's not much , but seeing the word rummmmble trail out from behind your moving tank in a choppy motion is adorably wacky yet adds to the feel of combat . If you're using the Dualshock3 , you also get a satisfying rumble in your hands as you move the tank , too . The sound presentation is equally great . The soundtrack is quite expansive and particularly in combat the different tracks and stanzas flow together seamlessly . The only bits of music I really started to yawn at was what's played in headquarters and in book mode . As I've said , all your members have their own unique dialogue and all cutscenes are fully voiced . Moods can change mid-battle , and the music will match and special cutscenes will pop up at important moments with extra dialogue . Weapon sounds are all great and on par with what you'd expect in a full-blown shooter . Depending on your style and care for the story and members , a fair guess of time to complete the storyline is 40 - 60 hours . This goes up more if you need to repeat missions . After clearing , you're offered the proverbial new game plus feature , which lets you replay any mission and adds a difficulty level to skirmishes . You'll also have a wide range of decorations ( medals ) to collect , and you could easily sink over 100 hours into this game if you wanted to . Even past that , this is the sort of game where you might want to start from the beginning at level 1 all over again , just to watch the whole story play through . However you look at it , the game gushes personality . It took awhile , but here's a truly solid RPG for the PS3 . Looking over the game objectively it barely meets the criteria of any variant of RPG , but anyone who might see 10 seconds of a cutscene would instantly recognize it as such . It takes a hell of a game to combine so many different things you do in any single title , throw it in a blender , and actually come out with a result that is greater than the sum of its parts . It may favor players of the RPG brand and hardcore followers of Japanese titles , but there's hardly a gamer out there that wouldn't enjoy playing Valkyria Chronicles . Sega did an awesome job here and this is the sort of genre-mixer that's likely to lead to a lot of copycat types of games in the future .
    • 152 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) First of all Valkyria Chronicals is the finest , not to mention most fun , RPG I've played in years ! Between its beautiful brush-stroke art style and its generally lighthearted story it creates an enchanting experience that drew me in for the 35 hours it took to finish the story campaign . Even after finishing the story the game drew me back in with its challenging but fair New Game + options , especially the Hard difficulty skirmishes . My only complaint is there isn't Trophy support for PSN but even without them there are ingame Decorations to earn which give an extra bit of fun challenge when you're looking for an excuse to sit down and enjoy the visuals again .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Most of the points I'd make about VC have been covered by other reviewers , so I'll just touch on a few things I think are important : The first few missions in the game progress pretty swiftly , as you guide 2 - 4 characters through some short maps as you get the hang of things . Then all of a sudden you're given a bunch of new menus for the 20 + characters added to your squad , each of whom have strengths and weaknesses ( though thankfully all members in a class level up together ) . It's a bit overwhelming at first , but eventually you get the hang of things and start to connect with your favorite characters and find the best strategy for each level . Speaking of which , most of the missions in the game are pretty much trial and error . You play through it once with a mix of units only to find yourself making the wrong moves of getting slaughtered from the onset . Then you fine-tune your member selection and make better use of your movement and action points each time until you are ready to play through it for real , which can be tedious at times , but does bring greater satisfaction when you see that big OPERATION COMPLETE banner and hear the victory fanfare . Several missions ( especially 7 , 14 , 17 and 18 ) are painfully difficult , almost impossible to figure out without a walkthrough . Sometimes it's because the game is cheap or doesn't inform your of things , other times it's because there's some special weak point or trick to beating a mission more easily . In a few missions , you can win easily by exploiting your knowledge of what's to come and blowing the enemy out of the water just as they appear . . . which is necessary several times . Even with all the annoyances , the game can be highly enjoyable . The storyline is interesting throughout , and several characters grow and change and you find yourself wanting to know what will happen to them next . There are several bonus missions , skirmishes and other goodies that can be bought or unlocked in the game , and after you beat it , there's a new game plus mode with harder maps to play through .
    • 087 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Most of the points I'd make about VC have been covered by other reviewers , so I'll just touch on a few things I think are important : The first few missions in the game progress pretty swiftly , as you guide 2 - 4 characters through some short maps as you get the hang of things . Then all of a sudden you're given a bunch of new menus for the 20 + characters added to your squad , each of whom have strengths and weaknesses ( though thankfully all members in a class level up together ) . It's a bit overwhelming at first , but eventually you get the hang of things and start to connect with your favorite characters and find the best strategy for each level . Speaking of which , most of the missions in the game are pretty much trial and error . You play through it once with a mix of units only to find yourself making the wrong moves of getting slaughtered from the onset . Then you fine-tune your member selection and make better use of your movement and action points each time until you are ready to play through it for real , which can be tedious at times , but does bring greater satisfaction when you see that big OPERATION COMPLETE banner and hear the victory fanfare . Several missions ( especially 7 , 14 , 17 and 18 ) are painfully difficult , almost impossible to figure out without a walkthrough . Sometimes it's because the game is cheap or doesn't inform your of things , other times it's because there's some special weak point or trick to beating a mission more easily . In a few missions , you can win easily by exploiting your knowledge of what's to come and blowing the enemy out of the water just as they appear . . . which is necessary several times . Even with all the annoyances , the game can be highly enjoyable . The storyline is interesting throughout , and several characters grow and change and you find yourself wanting to know what will happen to them next . There are several bonus missions , skirmishes and other goodies that can be bought or unlocked in the game , and after you beat it , there's a new game plus mode with harder maps to play through .
    • 104 4  All you need to know is that the PS3 has been sorely missing RPGs . This game single-handedly redeemed the system . If you like RPGs at all ( particularly strategy RPGs ) you owe it to yourself to experience this game .
    • 253 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is the best game of it's kind on any system . If you love strategy , if you love JRPGs you must check this one out . Top notch graphics , sound , story and gameplay . Sega has taken a genre of gaming and really taken it to the next level . Not only have they bumped up the graphics like you would expect in a next gen title , but the gameplay as well . They have really added a great dimension to the strategy genre . Just a beautiful game .
    • 269 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I have about 9 hours of play on the game , and so far I like what I see . The game is beautiful , but of course anyone can see that . It's been a while since I play a good strategy game , and this game does not disappoint . Choosing between the different classes of soldiers , deciding whether to attack head on ( usually not the best choice ) or go for the sneak attack , handpicking your squad from the different soldiers available . Oh , and the fact that you can save at any time , including within the battles , is very nice indeed . The only downsides I've seen so far is the unfortunate bad aiming of some of the Lancers , and how one wrong move can really screw up the rest of the battle , and you have to start all over . But , of course , that's where the save anytime feature comes in handy . If you actually remember to use it , that is . - UPDATE - So I've finished the game , and currently playing through a second time . I loved the story and the battles kept getting more challenging . An absolutely great game . It deserves to be purchased . And just in case you were wondering , the Lancers ' accuracy does not get better as they are leveled up . But at least they don't get worse .
    • 270 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I have about 9 hours of play on the game , and so far I like what I see . The game is beautiful , but of course anyone can see that . It's been a while since I play a good strategy game , and this game does not disappoint . Choosing between the different classes of soldiers , deciding whether to attack head on ( usually not the best choice ) or go for the sneak attack , handpicking your squad from the different soldiers available . Oh , and the fact that you can save at any time , including within the battles , is very nice indeed . The only downsides I've seen so far is the unfortunate bad aiming of some of the Lancers , and how one wrong move can really screw up the rest of the battle , and you have to start all over . But , of course , that's where the save anytime feature comes in handy . If you actually remember to use it , that is . - UPDATE - So I've finished the game , and currently playing through a second time . I loved the story and the battles kept getting more challenging . An absolutely great game . It deserves to be purchased . And just in case you were wondering , the Lancers ' accuracy does not get better as they are leveled up . But at least they don't get worse .
    • 328 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) It's a beautiful game , the graphics are simple and beautiful , with a sketchy , illustrated quality to them . The gameplay is awesome , I love the combination of strategy and action ! The characters each have their own histories , likes and dislikes , and great personalities - - I can find myself really caring about them , and not wanting them to die . It really makes me play the game better . If you like RPG's with a healthy mix of strategy and action , lovable characters , clear objectives , and a very enjoyable storyline , go with Valkyria Chronicles . It's a good bet . I rented it first , and after paying way too much in rental fees , decided to make the purchase . : )

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Once in a while , when Sega isn't delivering yet another disappointing Sonic title or an underutilized product , they would take the time to carefully construct a game design that would immerse gamers with a different yet fascinating gaming experience . That's what Sega ( or rather the crew who did Flying Pirate Ships ) did with Valkyria Chronicles , a game that meets preconceptions of being a beautiful war epic , so beautiful that one can forgive its flaws ; that being said , I can't forget about them either . This review will cover the faults I had with this game , instead of the usual assets . Besides , this game already has plenty of approvals if its average Amazon score says anything . - 1 : Loading times . That's the main issue I have with this time . I had the option to install the game onto the hard drive to reduce loading times , but even when I did , it still takes a while to start a game or load a save data . The battle saves are a convenient addition to prevent mishaps during mission , but loading them is an inconvenient flipside . If my sniper missed an enemy by a hair or inconvenience killed my valuable shocktrooper , I had to load a previous battle save and wait 30 seconds . It's ridiculous that I have to wait half a minute to retry something I screwed up 10 seconds ago . Of course , any experienced tactical gamer won't need to use battle saves to get through with the missions , but if anyone wants to get A ranks in these missions , battle saves are a must and they can test one's patience . - 2 : Menu layouts . I really like the novel appearance of the game ; it makes the transition from one chapter to another feel natural . Novelty is different from execution , thus the menu system is actually pretty sluggish , from the way I have to select a tab and the sub-menus with the menu screen ; the latter is due to being slow . Also , I have to click each story view ( not counting the sub-story ones ) before I can proceed to my mission , which could've been more simpler if the game tries to weave each story view automatically instead of proceeding to one scattered plot point to another ; yeah , there were some story views that actually did it automatically , but there wasn't enough of them . I'm aware there's a New Game + bonus where I can go straight to the missions , but that doesn't change how the story is presented . The menu layout is far from a nightmare , but it does make the game feel like a chore . - 3 : The battle map cursor . Am I the only who thinks the arrow moves slowly even when the analog stick is push either direction the furthest ? The crew didn't think to incorporate context sensitivity for that portion of the game , because trying to select a soldier which is on the opposite side from where the rest of the squad is quite dull . One might as well use the D-Pad and hope the cursor would quickly select the squad member from a distance . - 4 : The Villains . What I like about the story of tragedy , love , and hot Valkyrie action is the emphasis on characters . Even though there's a war going on , the game takes its sweet time to establish the main & supporting cast , giving them motivations & quirks , and how some characters grow to become endearing . It's too bad that the villains weren't as fleshed out , since most scenes have them setting up plans and nothing else . Sure , the glossary tab in the menu system fill in those details about the bad guys , but that's not a good substitute for cinematics . There's also the feeling that most of them were dumb ; not to give too much away , one character had a powerful earth-shaking arsenal and decided to use a rifle in the end , and the other had an engine-powered superweapon which can be defeat by pulling the plug ( that was anti-climatic ) . Yeah , it's a plot issue rather than a gameplay issue , but I wanted to rag on it anyway . - 5 : The intro movie . This admittedly isn't so much a flaw as it is a caution . This story has plenty of plot twists , but most of which are predictable ; a couple of which have been blatantly exposed ON THE INTRO ITSELF ! I might be almost a year too late to make a difference , but if there's anyone who hasn't played the game and hasn't seen the clips online , do yourself a favor and SKIP THE CINEMATIC INTRO . You'll miss the beautiful music , but it'll make the game's story a lot more astounding when you don't know what to expect . There was another issue that I can't skip or fast-forward the enemy phases , but I might be asking for too much . Otherwise , Valkyria Chronicles is nothing less than stunning . The action aspect of the battle system is was refreshing and quite addicting , there's a good amount of freedom to how the soldiers & tanks move and how they aim & shoot ( though at heart it's still a tactical game , not a straight-out shooter ) ; the fact that the non-playable soldiers automatically shot at whoever's in their range is a nice touch . Due to their flexibility , the battles here stand out from other strategy RPGs , although how I get to these battles is rather cumbersome . Again , the flaws are forgivable for the game's other aspects , beside the accessible battle system : a good story , an emotionally excellent music , and the unique use of hatching in a wonderful presentation . Valkyria Chronicles is a one-of-a-kind PS3 title . [ Reviewer's View : Downloadable Content ] I purchased two of the game's DLCs , Enter The Edy Detachment and Behind The Blue Flame . The Edy report is a light-hearted side-story about the most annoying side character of the game leading a rag-tag group of soldiers to protect a village . Behind The Blue Flame is surprisingly another light-hearted side-story about a cowardice newbie engineer partaking a conquest mission with main antagonist ( and somewhat-promiscuous for this side-story ) Valkyrur Selvaria Bles . The second DLC actually gives some details on the enemy side ( Selvaria in particular ) , which I mentioned were lacking in the main story . The first DLC is just silly , and honestly , that's one side-story that I don't want to know about the squad . If I had to choose one DLC title worth paying five dollars , it would be Blue Flame . It had more missions , a secret weapon to unlock , and if one can get A ranks on those missions , one can play as a Valkyria ! Selvaria is indestructible as her normal self , but her Valkyria form is awesome , although her super-strong beam weapon seems to hit only one grunt or tank at the time rather than multiple enemies as the game mentioned . Edy has little to offer for the price , as there's only one mission , albeit a hard mission that requires some thinking ; it did have that hilarious ending if one beats the mission with the highest rank , which should count for something .
    • 093 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Once in a while , when Sega isn't delivering yet another disappointing Sonic title or an underutilized product , they would take the time to carefully construct a game design that would immerse gamers with a different yet fascinating gaming experience . That's what Sega ( or rather the crew who did Flying Pirate Ships ) did with Valkyria Chronicles , a game that meets preconceptions of being a beautiful war epic , so beautiful that one can forgive its flaws ; that being said , I can't forget about them either . This review will cover the faults I had with this game , instead of the usual assets . Besides , this game already has plenty of approvals if its average Amazon score says anything . - 1 : Loading times . That's the main issue I have with this time . I had the option to install the game onto the hard drive to reduce loading times , but even when I did , it still takes a while to start a game or load a save data . The battle saves are a convenient addition to prevent mishaps during mission , but loading them is an inconvenient flipside . If my sniper missed an enemy by a hair or inconvenience killed my valuable shocktrooper , I had to load a previous battle save and wait 30 seconds . It's ridiculous that I have to wait half a minute to retry something I screwed up 10 seconds ago . Of course , any experienced tactical gamer won't need to use battle saves to get through with the missions , but if anyone wants to get A ranks in these missions , battle saves are a must and they can test one's patience . - 2 : Menu layouts . I really like the novel appearance of the game ; it makes the transition from one chapter to another feel natural . Novelty is different from execution , thus the menu system is actually pretty sluggish , from the way I have to select a tab and the sub-menus with the menu screen ; the latter is due to being slow . Also , I have to click each story view ( not counting the sub-story ones ) before I can proceed to my mission , which could've been more simpler if the game tries to weave each story view automatically instead of proceeding to one scattered plot point to another ; yeah , there were some story views that actually did it automatically , but there wasn't enough of them . I'm aware there's a New Game + bonus where I can go straight to the missions , but that doesn't change how the story is presented . The menu layout is far from a nightmare , but it does make the game feel like a chore . - 3 : The battle map cursor . Am I the only who thinks the arrow moves slowly even when the analog stick is push either direction the furthest ? The crew didn't think to incorporate context sensitivity for that portion of the game , because trying to select a soldier which is on the opposite side from where the rest of the squad is quite dull . One might as well use the D-Pad and hope the cursor would quickly select the squad member from a distance . - 4 : The Villains . What I like about the story of tragedy , love , and hot Valkyrie action is the emphasis on characters . Even though there's a war going on , the game takes its sweet time to establish the main & supporting cast , giving them motivations & quirks , and how some characters grow to become endearing . It's too bad that the villains weren't as fleshed out , since most scenes have them setting up plans and nothing else . Sure , the glossary tab in the menu system fill in those details about the bad guys , but that's not a good substitute for cinematics . There's also the feeling that most of them were dumb ; not to give too much away , one character had a powerful earth-shaking arsenal and decided to use a rifle in the end , and the other had an engine-powered superweapon which can be defeat by pulling the plug ( that was anti-climatic ) . Yeah , it's a plot issue rather than a gameplay issue , but I wanted to rag on it anyway . - 5 : The intro movie . This admittedly isn't so much a flaw as it is a caution . This story has plenty of plot twists , but most of which are predictable ; a couple of which have been blatantly exposed ON THE INTRO ITSELF ! I might be almost a year too late to make a difference , but if there's anyone who hasn't played the game and hasn't seen the clips online , do yourself a favor and SKIP THE CINEMATIC INTRO . You'll miss the beautiful music , but it'll make the game's story a lot more astounding when you don't know what to expect . There was another issue that I can't skip or fast-forward the enemy phases , but I might be asking for too much . Otherwise , Valkyria Chronicles is nothing less than stunning . The action aspect of the battle system is was refreshing and quite addicting , there's a good amount of freedom to how the soldiers & tanks move and how they aim & shoot ( though at heart it's still a tactical game , not a straight-out shooter ) ; the fact that the non-playable soldiers automatically shot at whoever's in their range is a nice touch . Due to their flexibility , the battles here stand out from other strategy RPGs , although how I get to these battles is rather cumbersome . Again , the flaws are forgivable for the game's other aspects , beside the accessible battle system : a good story , an emotionally excellent music , and the unique use of hatching in a wonderful presentation . Valkyria Chronicles is a one-of-a-kind PS3 title . [ Reviewer's View : Downloadable Content ] I purchased two of the game's DLCs , Enter The Edy Detachment and Behind The Blue Flame . The Edy report is a light-hearted side-story about the most annoying side character of the game leading a rag-tag group of soldiers to protect a village . Behind The Blue Flame is surprisingly another light-hearted side-story about a cowardice newbie engineer partaking a conquest mission with main antagonist ( and somewhat-promiscuous for this side-story ) Valkyrur Selvaria Bles . The second DLC actually gives some details on the enemy side ( Selvaria in particular ) , which I mentioned were lacking in the main story . The first DLC is just silly , and honestly , that's one side-story that I don't want to know about the squad . If I had to choose one DLC title worth paying five dollars , it would be Blue Flame . It had more missions , a secret weapon to unlock , and if one can get A ranks on those missions , one can play as a Valkyria ! Selvaria is indestructible as her normal self , but her Valkyria form is awesome , although her super-strong beam weapon seems to hit only one grunt or tank at the time rather than multiple enemies as the game mentioned . Edy has little to offer for the price , as there's only one mission , albeit a hard mission that requires some thinking ; it did have that hilarious ending if one beats the mission with the highest rank , which should count for something .
    • 094 4  Once in a while , when Sega isn't delivering yet another disappointing Sonic title or an underutilized product , they would take the time to carefully construct a game design that would immerse gamers with a different yet fascinating gaming experience . That's what Sega ( or rather the crew who did Flying Pirate Ships ) did with Valkyria Chronicles , a game that meets preconceptions of being a beautiful war epic , so beautiful that one can forgive its flaws ; that being said , I can't forget about them either . This review will cover the faults I had with this game , instead of the usual assets . Besides , this game already has plenty of approvals if its average Amazon score says anything . - 1 : Loading times . That's the main issue I have with this time . I had the option to install the game onto the hard drive to reduce loading times , but even when I did , it still takes a while to start a game or load a save data . The battle saves are a convenient addition to prevent mishaps during mission , but loading them is an inconvenient flipside . If my sniper missed an enemy by a hair or inconvenience killed my valuable shocktrooper , I had to load a previous battle save and wait 30 seconds . It's ridiculous that I have to wait half a minute to retry something I screwed up 10 seconds ago . Of course , any experienced tactical gamer won't need to use battle saves to get through with the missions , but if anyone wants to get A ranks in these missions , battle saves are a must and they can test one's patience . - 2 : Menu layouts . I really like the novel appearance of the game ; it makes the transition from one chapter to another feel natural . Novelty is different from execution , thus the menu system is actually pretty sluggish , from the way I have to select a tab and the sub-menus with the menu screen ; the latter is due to being slow . Also , I have to click each story view ( not counting the sub-story ones ) before I can proceed to my mission , which could've been more simpler if the game tries to weave each story view automatically instead of proceeding to one scattered plot point to another ; yeah , there were some story views that actually did it automatically , but there wasn't enough of them . I'm aware there's a New Game + bonus where I can go straight to the missions , but that doesn't change how the story is presented . The menu layout is far from a nightmare , but it does make the game feel like a chore . - 3 : The battle map cursor . Am I the only who thinks the arrow moves slowly even when the analog stick is push either direction the furthest ? The crew didn't think to incorporate context sensitivity for that portion of the game , because trying to select a soldier which is on the opposite side from where the rest of the squad is quite dull . One might as well use the D-Pad and hope the cursor would quickly select the squad member from a distance . - 4 : The Villains . What I like about the story of tragedy , love , and hot Valkyrie action is the emphasis on characters . Even though there's a war going on , the game takes its sweet time to establish the main & supporting cast , giving them motivations & quirks , and how some characters grow to become endearing . It's too bad that the villains weren't as fleshed out , since most scenes have them setting up plans and nothing else . Sure , the glossary tab in the menu system fill in those details about the bad guys , but that's not a good substitute for cinematics . There's also the feeling that most of them were dumb ; not to give too much away , one character had a powerful earth-shaking arsenal and decided to use a rifle in the end , and the other had an engine-powered superweapon which can be defeat by pulling the plug ( that was anti-climatic ) . Yeah , it's a plot issue rather than a gameplay issue , but I wanted to rag on it anyway . - 5 : The intro movie . This admittedly isn't so much a flaw as it is a caution . This story has plenty of plot twists , but most of which are predictable ; a couple of which have been blatantly exposed ON THE INTRO ITSELF ! I might be almost a year too late to make a difference , but if there's anyone who hasn't played the game and hasn't seen the clips online , do yourself a favor and SKIP THE CINEMATIC INTRO . You'll miss the beautiful music , but it'll make the game's story a lot more astounding when you don't know what to expect . There was another issue that I can't skip or fast-forward the enemy phases , but I might be asking for too much . Otherwise , Valkyria Chronicles is nothing less than stunning . The action aspect of the battle system is was refreshing and quite addicting , there's a good amount of freedom to how the soldiers & tanks move and how they aim & shoot ( though at heart it's still a tactical game , not a straight-out shooter ) ; the fact that the non-playable soldiers automatically shot at whoever's in their range is a nice touch . Due to their flexibility , the battles here stand out from other strategy RPGs , although how I get to these battles is rather cumbersome . Again , the flaws are forgivable for the game's other aspects , beside the accessible battle system : a good story , an emotionally excellent music , and the unique use of hatching in a wonderful presentation . Valkyria Chronicles is a one-of-a-kind PS3 title . [ Reviewer's View : Downloadable Content ] I purchased two of the game's DLCs , Enter The Edy Detachment and Behind The Blue Flame . The Edy report is a light-hearted side-story about the most annoying side character of the game leading a rag-tag group of soldiers to protect a village . Behind The Blue Flame is surprisingly another light-hearted side-story about a cowardice newbie engineer partaking a conquest mission with main antagonist ( and somewhat-promiscuous for this side-story ) Valkyrur Selvaria Bles . The second DLC actually gives some details on the enemy side ( Selvaria in particular ) , which I mentioned were lacking in the main story . The first DLC is just silly , and honestly , that's one side-story that I don't want to know about the squad . If I had to choose one DLC title worth paying five dollars , it would be Blue Flame . It had more missions , a secret weapon to unlock , and if one can get A ranks on those missions , one can play as a Valkyria ! Selvaria is indestructible as her normal self , but her Valkyria form is awesome , although her super-strong beam weapon seems to hit only one grunt or tank at the time rather than multiple enemies as the game mentioned . Edy has little to offer for the price , as there's only one mission , albeit a hard mission that requires some thinking ; it did have that hilarious ending if one beats the mission with the highest rank , which should count for something .
    • 172 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) If you dont like turn based games then this is likely not the game for you . Having said that , this is an excellent game and it has just a few faults . There's endless but thankfully easily skippable cutscenes . Its a shame the cut scenes are so dull because the characters could have been entertaining if only the better cut scenes were included . As it is , there's some dialog that will have you rolling your eyeballs . As others have pointed out there's only 2 ways of taking a tank out : 1 . with your tank 2 . with a character that has an anti-tank weapon . That's fine but the chance of missing with either 1 or 2 is crazy high . It's not a game breaker at all , but I can see some gamers getting impatient with the process of taking down an enemy tank . Weapon and armor upgrades are sorta pointless - - you dont have a lot of choices yet the game makes you go thru a process to buy them anyway . You can save at any time including during combat , so the high difficulty level is to some degree lessened by being able to save . Otherwise , it is a very very solid turn based game and one of the PS3 games out there .
    • 257 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) BUY THIS GAME IF YOU LIKE ANIME / MANGE OR LIKE STRATEGY / WAR GAMES OR IF YOU WANT SOMETHING FRESH AND NEW OR IF YOU JUST HAVE A PS3 ! ! When I first saw the video for this game I could hardly wait for it to come out . I am a huge Anime / Manga and strategy-genre fan ; I've played Fire Emblem for the Nintendo DS , Gamecube and Wii , and let me say that this game completely overtook my expectations as a strategy game ! In this game the people you control and move , move freely in third person 3 - d like a shooter or adventure game ( unlike Fire Emblem where you move players on a chess-like board ) . When you move people closer to the enemy , the enemy may also start attacking you , though it's your turn , just like an enemy would in a shooter or other game . Your players do the same thing too , depending on the class , when the enemy moves in to attack , your players could kill the enemy on their own turn if positioned right ! You also will be able to upgrade your characters weapons and armor classes as the story progresses . Another thing that sets this game apart from other Strategy and RPG games , is you don't level up each character , you level up each class instead . Unlike Fire Emblem where you would want to use this weak player to level them up , but you are afraid of losing them because you know that they are a piece of crap right now ; well when you level the class in VC any new or old player will be the highest level of that class . Even the weapons are set that way , once you upgrade your weapons , everyone will have the highest level weapon ! Another thing they do better than FE is when a players power reaches zero , the player lies on the ground for 3 turns before dying , allowing ANY one of your characters to approach their fallen comrade and call for the teams medic to evacuate them to safety ! Once the player is evacuated , you can re-summon them from a base after 2 turns ! On FE however , once the power bar hits zero that's it ! Say goodbye to a fave character ! Another plus about the game is the ability to aim when attacking , striking an enemy in the head will result in critical damage and take less shots to kill them ; rather than hitting an enemy in the body where it may take 5 times the amount of shots .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Over the years , my interest in RPG's had started to wane to the point where I ignored some of them simply due to the time investment . While they're great games and all , they take so long to finish and with a busy gaming schedule this year , it's hard to sink another 40 hours into one game when you could've beat 3 others and had a raucously good time on their multiplayers . However with Valkyria Chronicles , not only did it look stunning but it had a unique way of fighting and seemed to have that certain something where you probably don't really know what you're getting into but you want it anyway . But we warned , this isn't an RPG to be taken lightly but like a lot of things , the more you put into it then the sweeter the rewards . Story : It's a period meant to feel like Europe in the 1930 though with a couple changes . Europe's divided in 2 , The Federation and the Eastern European Imperial Alliance or just simply Empire , the latter of whom tries to do anything and everything to get what they want . What they want is ragnite , a valuable and incredibly useful resource and where it's abundant is the small country in the middle , Gallia , who has ties to neither side . But when the Empire invades and with a strange , powerful race thought only to exist in legend for a weapon , it's up to Welkin Gunther , Alicia Melchiott and several others to bring down the powerful Empire . Graphics : The team behind this game worked on the highly-praised Skies of Arcadia for the Dreamcast and while the art style and character designs are similar , Valkyria is really in a class of its own . Using Sega's Canvas engine , they decide to create a different approach to the visuals and while Okami was made to resemble a painting , Valkyria looks more like a drawing that's being animated at lightning speed and it's gorgeous . Kind of reminds me of the cutscenes for the Final Fantasy Tactics port for the PSP only more colorful . The 3D fighting visuals are also welcome and the boom and ratta visuals showing up when you explode something or fire your weapon has a great charm to it . It's not going for realism so don't compare it to tech-heavy games but what it lacks in realistic lighting and photo-realistic characters , it makes up for in style and art . Sound / Music : Ditto for the music which was done by Hitoshi Sakimoto who did the Final Fantasy Tactics , Vagrant Story and Odin Sphere soundtracks though he's probably best known ( positively or negatively depending on how you see it ) as the composer for Final Fantasy XII . The soundtrack here is pleasing and there's some good themes but it doesn't really have any tracks that can stand outside the game but when it's on in the game , it's welcome . Using an option to change the language to Japanese or English and either or , the voice acting is quite well-done though some roles are either overacted or lacking in emotion but I didn't mind either tracks . Gameplay : One can make a case that Valkyria's combat is a 3D version of a chess match , with soldiers and tanks replacing the rooks and queens but essentially here's how it works : a map reveals your position of your characters as well as known enemy positions . You then select who you want to control ( which uses up CP , a certain amount of moves you can make your characters do with tanks taking up 2 of them ) , game switches to a 3D view and you can run where you want to go which drains an AP gauge and if you run out , you stop permanently till the next turn . Found in the stages are places that could make good cover such as sandbags . When you've found your spot , you can press R1 which brings up your targeting where you can aim where you want to shoot , throw your grenade or to use a first aid on members with low health and after your turn it's best to crouch and end your turn right away to minimize enemies firing back ( which is unfair because they counterattack your attack in addition to when your attack is over so they're really getting 2 shots at you so it's best to end your turn quickly ) . Here's where it gets fun : you basically have 5 classes from standard scouts with decent weaponry to long-range snipers ( Marina is my preferred one due to her cute and deadly bad * * * ness ) , shocktroopers with assault rifles , lancers who are perfect for nailing tanks and engineers who can either replenish your ammo , fix / build places for cover or provide tank maintenance though they're more susceptible to damage . Knowing who to use and where to use them is key . Should a character lose all their health , they're knocked out but here's the kicker : they'll be gone forever unless you get a member of your team over , a cutscene will show a medic rushing in and that member is taking off the field , still able to be used later but gone for the rest of the battle . While you get many reserves anyway , it's probably best to keep your entire team alive . Speaking of your team , you get 20 people to use in a battle unless stated otherwise in the battle so that can make levelling up tedious right ? Wrong . Using the headquarter tab ( the whole narrative is played out like a book with pictures on the page being your cutscenes / battles ) , you can level up your characters in an amusing drill instructor way but should you say level up your snipers , every single one of your snipers levels up as well and not just whoever you use the most . Your equipment can be upgraded for better accuracy , health and whatnot and your tank can be fitted with spare treads should the enemy blast yours off leaving you immobile or strengtening the range of your fire . But don't think this game is immune to grinding as it's best to click the Skirmishes tab and take on the battles which can be fought as many times as you want and it's not just recommended , it's almost necessary since enemies after a certain amount of time will positively own your * * * so why not fight fire with fire and make your guys just as tough . I know this fall and winter has been a particularly crowded season , especially those who own all 3 consoles and the 2 handhelds ( like me ) but I implore you not to miss Valkyria Chronicles . It doesn't have the advertising of Gears of War 2 or the recognition of the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII but this game is well worth tracking down .
    • 001 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Over the years , my interest in RPG's had started to wane to the point where I ignored some of them simply due to the time investment . While they're great games and all , they take so long to finish and with a busy gaming schedule this year , it's hard to sink another 40 hours into one game when you could've beat 3 others and had a raucously good time on their multiplayers . However with Valkyria Chronicles , not only did it look stunning but it had a unique way of fighting and seemed to have that certain something where you probably don't really know what you're getting into but you want it anyway . But we warned , this isn't an RPG to be taken lightly but like a lot of things , the more you put into it then the sweeter the rewards . Story : It's a period meant to feel like Europe in the 1930 though with a couple changes . Europe's divided in 2 , The Federation and the Eastern European Imperial Alliance or just simply Empire , the latter of whom tries to do anything and everything to get what they want . What they want is ragnite , a valuable and incredibly useful resource and where it's abundant is the small country in the middle , Gallia , who has ties to neither side . But when the Empire invades and with a strange , powerful race thought only to exist in legend for a weapon , it's up to Welkin Gunther , Alicia Melchiott and several others to bring down the powerful Empire . Graphics : The team behind this game worked on the highly-praised Skies of Arcadia for the Dreamcast and while the art style and character designs are similar , Valkyria is really in a class of its own . Using Sega's Canvas engine , they decide to create a different approach to the visuals and while Okami was made to resemble a painting , Valkyria looks more like a drawing that's being animated at lightning speed and it's gorgeous . Kind of reminds me of the cutscenes for the Final Fantasy Tactics port for the PSP only more colorful . The 3D fighting visuals are also welcome and the boom and ratta visuals showing up when you explode something or fire your weapon has a great charm to it . It's not going for realism so don't compare it to tech-heavy games but what it lacks in realistic lighting and photo-realistic characters , it makes up for in style and art . Sound / Music : Ditto for the music which was done by Hitoshi Sakimoto who did the Final Fantasy Tactics , Vagrant Story and Odin Sphere soundtracks though he's probably best known ( positively or negatively depending on how you see it ) as the composer for Final Fantasy XII . The soundtrack here is pleasing and there's some good themes but it doesn't really have any tracks that can stand outside the game but when it's on in the game , it's welcome . Using an option to change the language to Japanese or English and either or , the voice acting is quite well-done though some roles are either overacted or lacking in emotion but I didn't mind either tracks . Gameplay : One can make a case that Valkyria's combat is a 3D version of a chess match , with soldiers and tanks replacing the rooks and queens but essentially here's how it works : a map reveals your position of your characters as well as known enemy positions . You then select who you want to control ( which uses up CP , a certain amount of moves you can make your characters do with tanks taking up 2 of them ) , game switches to a 3D view and you can run where you want to go which drains an AP gauge and if you run out , you stop permanently till the next turn . Found in the stages are places that could make good cover such as sandbags . When you've found your spot , you can press R1 which brings up your targeting where you can aim where you want to shoot , throw your grenade or to use a first aid on members with low health and after your turn it's best to crouch and end your turn right away to minimize enemies firing back ( which is unfair because they counterattack your attack in addition to when your attack is over so they're really getting 2 shots at you so it's best to end your turn quickly ) . Here's where it gets fun : you basically have 5 classes from standard scouts with decent weaponry to long-range snipers ( Marina is my preferred one due to her cute and deadly bad * * * ness ) , shocktroopers with assault rifles , lancers who are perfect for nailing tanks and engineers who can either replenish your ammo , fix / build places for cover or provide tank maintenance though they're more susceptible to damage . Knowing who to use and where to use them is key . Should a character lose all their health , they're knocked out but here's the kicker : they'll be gone forever unless you get a member of your team over , a cutscene will show a medic rushing in and that member is taking off the field , still able to be used later but gone for the rest of the battle . While you get many reserves anyway , it's probably best to keep your entire team alive . Speaking of your team , you get 20 people to use in a battle unless stated otherwise in the battle so that can make levelling up tedious right ? Wrong . Using the headquarter tab ( the whole narrative is played out like a book with pictures on the page being your cutscenes / battles ) , you can level up your characters in an amusing drill instructor way but should you say level up your snipers , every single one of your snipers levels up as well and not just whoever you use the most . Your equipment can be upgraded for better accuracy , health and whatnot and your tank can be fitted with spare treads should the enemy blast yours off leaving you immobile or strengtening the range of your fire . But don't think this game is immune to grinding as it's best to click the Skirmishes tab and take on the battles which can be fought as many times as you want and it's not just recommended , it's almost necessary since enemies after a certain amount of time will positively own your * * * so why not fight fire with fire and make your guys just as tough . I know this fall and winter has been a particularly crowded season , especially those who own all 3 consoles and the 2 handhelds ( like me ) but I implore you not to miss Valkyria Chronicles . It doesn't have the advertising of Gears of War 2 or the recognition of the upcoming Final Fantasy XIII but this game is well worth tracking down .
    • 177 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I didn't know at all if I would like this game , but I decided to try it out anyways . It is a great game . It is fun , has a great storyline , is easy to learn and play . Has excellent graphics , and can be a whole family affair . While I'm not going to go into an in depth description of the game , it is well made and the characters , units , and the book like layout of the game get you involved and into the game . One of the things I loved , was the storyline , it really has a good story not just a generic plot . That being said , at times I found myself wanting to get back to the action faster instead of listening to the story but it didn't take away from this game at all . It has a hint of WWII European nuetral country with an fantasy twist that makes it all the more exciting . All in all I give it 5 stars , if you buy it you won't be dissapointed .
    • 178 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I didn't know at all if I would like this game , but I decided to try it out anyways . It is a great game . It is fun , has a great storyline , is easy to learn and play . Has excellent graphics , and can be a whole family affair . While I'm not going to go into an in depth description of the game , it is well made and the characters , units , and the book like layout of the game get you involved and into the game . One of the things I loved , was the storyline , it really has a good story not just a generic plot . That being said , at times I found myself wanting to get back to the action faster instead of listening to the story but it didn't take away from this game at all . It has a hint of WWII European nuetral country with an fantasy twist that makes it all the more exciting . All in all I give it 5 stars , if you buy it you won't be dissapointed .
    • 195 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkyria Chronicles is set on an alternate reality of WWII . Throughout the game you'll retell historical events such as the invasion of Normandy , the atomic bomb on Hiroshima , and ultimately the fall of the Nazi's , all as analogous events in this fictional universe . It even addresses things such as the racial persecution of Jews ; but where the game really shines when it gets into Norse Mythology and introduces the Valkyria . The watercolor storytelling is absolutely beautiful and refreshingly original , and it delivers a powerful story which makes you really feel for the main characters . Once you get hooked , you'll need to finish this one . That said , this is not an action game . The gameplay can be a little slow for some , but for those up to the challenge , it is quite a bit of fun . Completing some of the battles feels like a real achievement . If you didn't get enough on your playthrough , there's some downloadable content too . Highly Recommended for the Tactical RPG fans ; one of my favorite RPGs .
    • 287 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) It's not often that you come across a game that marries both fun and depth , but Valkyria Chronicles does so in almost every conceivable way . In many senses a fanciful retelling of WWII , the game doesn't shy from harder topics ( even reflecting on interment of Jews / Darksens ) but also keeps things looking up with determined hope and throws in moments of laughter right when they're needed . A few of the characters seem to have obligatory personality faults ( Rosie ) , but everybody has virtues , vices , and a past you can understand if not empathize with . I guarantee you , by the end you WILL be attached to many of them . Story : 8 / 10 Maybe not pushing the limits of the PS3 , but everything is crisp and colorful - though like many PS3 games , some menu text is hard to read on non-HD screens . You may have to get used to the artwork - everything within looks pretty much like the game cover - but I find it beautiful from portraits to scenery . The realism is there in muzzle flashes and acceptable smoke from explosions , though some may find the onomatopoeias ( Foom ) too quirky . Don't judge before you see it in context , I find everything works well and if you don't like it you might be surprised at how easily it fades into the background . Graphics : 7.5 / 10 General sound and music volume can be independently altered , and there's even an option for the Japanese dub from the start - though both dubs are good , I found some of the female Japanese voicing to be annoying . Unfortunately , voices are tied with effects , so if you mute one the other is also lost . Sound effects all sound fitting , from bolt-action rifles to Valkyrian energy blasts . Sound : 7.5 / 10 I take special notice of music , but it's rare that I find one that is both fitting throughout and enthralling both in-context and out . The opening is a little slower than I think could have been done but everything is beautiful and does an excellent job of carrying the emotional intensity . Once you beat the game the first time , the whole soundtrack is even available for listening between missions . Many of the tracks are sedate enough out of context that I wouldn't recommend the soundtrack , but that falls to each person's tastes . Music : 8 / 10 This game has something for everybody , and that's both a plus and a possible problem to watch for . RPG fans will love upgrading equipment from your tank to the troops , action fans will like directing the soldiers through fields , forests , and trenches ( complete with a beach invasion that practically says No , this isn't Vierville-sur-Mer ! Really ! ) However , people not normally fans of those elements need not despair : they don't tend to form bottlenecks . I'm not a fan of console shooters , but I still enjoyed slipping troops through front lines and lining up head-shots . Unlike Fire Emblem , when soldiers are shot down you have a chance to send an ally to save them . Gameplay : 8 / 10 While you have to watch what you upgrade or level in the first play-through , training missions loosely replicating certain story missions allow you to build experience and money . After completing the game once , besides a plethora of bonus options , you get to play through the campaign again - and can replay story missions at will to either improve your rank or rake in the money . The glossary even gives you information on what every single of your soldiers did post-war , besides all the nifty stuff you unlocked along the way . Replayability : 8 / 10 Combining colorful visuals , elegant music , engaging gameplay , and a great plot , there's almost nothing I can say against this spectacular game . A pity it's not multi-console , but gamers who are sitting on the fence should take notice of gems like this . Internet-connected may want to try the free demo on the Playstation Network to give you an idea of how the missions feel , even if it misses the grandeur of the full game's heart and scale . Overall : 9.4 / 10
    • 338 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) If you're a fan of strategy games or RPGs , this game will not let you down . It is a blast from the get-go and never gets boring . It's the most entertaining game I've played in years . The visual style was the primary reason I bought this game . The shaders employed generate some great eye candy and make it look like you're playing a hand-drawn comic book ( see the video preview ) . Gameplay . First off , there's TONS of it . A + for content - it is robust ( and a bit more is available through the Playstation Store ) . Second , many of the battles make you use your noggin , and nearly all provide you with a great deal of flexibility to choose just how you want to go about achieving the mission's goal . Each battle offers something a bit different from all previous ones , so it's not just one soldier-on-soldier skirmish after another . Each battle is designed to be unique , with different battlefield effects being used , different terrain , and different enemy types present . The battles are neither repetitive nor boring . In between battles , there is a decent amount of maintenance mode stuff to do - upgrading weapons and tanks , leveling up soldiers , changing the members of your squad , and customizing each soldier's equippage . There's enough stuff there to satisfy the appetite and to give a nice little break between battles , and I felt like I had plenty of options to choose from and enough control over it all to do things my way ( flexibility and individuality - - things that make games fun ) . Story . The game has a great storyline mirroring some WWII themes , but it is sufficiently removed from reality that you don't get depressed . : ) The cutscenes are entertaining , and the characters are interesting . The five mainline characters are fully and deeply developed throughout the game , and there are some decent ' major events ' along the way that enhance the overall depth of the story . 5 stars . I hope for a sequel .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Sega has innovated in a genre that I thought couldn't be innovated any further . They've blended traditional turn based strategy ( think FF Tactics ) and 3rd person shooting ( think Gears of War ) into one seamless package . It works surprisingly well and adds a much needed shot in the arm to an otherwise aging and increasingly stale genre . I've been looking for a quality new feeling experience for a long time and this one fits the bill perfectly . Sega gets super high marks in my book across the board - Story , Graphics , Sound , Replay Value , all of it . HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to fans of the strategy rpg genre . It's a CRIME against humanity that this game isn't selling better . Hopefully word of mouth will give it a much deserved long tail .
    • 132 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Sega has innovated in a genre that I thought couldn't be innovated any further . They've blended traditional turn based strategy ( think FF Tactics ) and 3rd person shooting ( think Gears of War ) into one seamless package . It works surprisingly well and adds a much needed shot in the arm to an otherwise aging and increasingly stale genre . I've been looking for a quality new feeling experience for a long time and this one fits the bill perfectly . Sega gets super high marks in my book across the board - Story , Graphics , Sound , Replay Value , all of it . HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to fans of the strategy rpg genre . It's a CRIME against humanity that this game isn't selling better . Hopefully word of mouth will give it a much deserved long tail .
    • 133 4  Sega has innovated in a genre that I thought couldn't be innovated any further . They've blended traditional turn based strategy ( think FF Tactics ) and 3rd person shooting ( think Gears of War ) into one seamless package . It works surprisingly well and adds a much needed shot in the arm to an otherwise aging and increasingly stale genre . I've been looking for a quality new feeling experience for a long time and this one fits the bill perfectly . Sega gets super high marks in my book across the board - Story , Graphics , Sound , Replay Value , all of it . HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to fans of the strategy rpg genre . It's a CRIME against humanity that this game isn't selling better . Hopefully word of mouth will give it a much deserved long tail .
    • 283 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I have always been a PC gamer and got into the MMORPG games . I recently bought a PSP and started to try the turn based SRPG like FF tactics and Jeanne of Arc . When I saw this game out decided to give it a try for all the positive reviews . Let me tell you I LOVE this game ! If you like Turn Based SRPG this is the game for you !
    • 298 4  WOW , It's seriously one of the best games ever . Don't bother comparing it to FFT , Tactics Ogre , or any of that . VC is something unique , beautiful , and special . Do yourself a favor and play it all the way through . . . this is a game to own and love .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The fact that this game has five stars with 100 customer reviews says it all . There is very little , if anything I can contribute that hasn't already been said , so maybe a few suggestions / critiques might help us to see an even better sequel ! Fist and foremost , I would love to see multi-player support . This game is so innovative from the interaction and combat to the water-color style graphics and characters that you NEED to be able to enjoy this game with friends . Also , and this is REALLY nit-picking , some visual customization might be cool such as unit emblems , camouflage , etc . Sega did an awesome job on the outfits , but a little variety would be a great addition . Lastly , and the only thing I actually did not like , is that you can max out your unit's experience fairly quickly . I had all of my units at level 20 before I finished the game a second time through . I don't really see any reason for this limitation , but oh well . Additional experience for individual units based on what they do in combat would also be a nice addition , but , again , nit-picking ! This is the most I've enjoyed a game since COD : Modern Warfare and I hope , apparently along with quite a number of other people , that Sega is considering a sequel to what is already a strategy classic .
    • 116 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is what you would want from an RPG : something not too hard to learn to play with a story line you care about . Yes , we all know war stories are done to death . And yes , we all know war stories from the 1930s era are DEFINITELY done to death ! However , this one has a bit of mystery and excitement to it once you encounter one of the namesakes of the game . The game controls and maps are easy to get the hang of , which frees up your brain for actual combat strategy . You also have a multitude of persons to choose from to make your elite squad . Each has it's own personality with strengths and weaknesses , and you'll figure out which you do and don't want to deal with REAL quick ! ! ! To top it off , you actually end up CARING about your squad members , which adds to a wonderfully rich experience . Overall , largely underrated game that I give two thumbs up . I'm on my way now to play it all over again with my clear game data !
    • 117 4  This game is what you would want from an RPG : something not too hard to learn to play with a story line you care about . Yes , we all know war stories are done to death . And yes , we all know war stories from the 1930s era are DEFINITELY done to death ! However , this one has a bit of mystery and excitement to it once you encounter one of the namesakes of the game . The game controls and maps are easy to get the hang of , which frees up your brain for actual combat strategy . You also have a multitude of persons to choose from to make your elite squad . Each has it's own personality with strengths and weaknesses , and you'll figure out which you do and don't want to deal with REAL quick ! ! ! To top it off , you actually end up CARING about your squad members , which adds to a wonderfully rich experience . Overall , largely underrated game that I give two thumbs up . I'm on my way now to play it all over again with my clear game data !
    • 123 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) When I first started playing this game , I was initially turned off to it due to the unfamiliar battle style and the fact that the entire story part consists of watching movie clips . Let me tell you though , sticking with it was very well worth it ! The battle style is very well explained in other posts so I won't go into it , but there's nothing else like it and simply put : it works and is EXTREMELY satisfying . There's nothing quite like the feeling of winning a long battle . A useful tip that may save you some frustration : you can save at any point during the battle so if you do something totally stupid you can reload ! As far as the story goes , don't let the simple anime-style art and the fact that it consists solely of cutscenes deter you . The story takes a little while to get going , but once it does it's powerful and moving . In closing , I'm sad that this game hasn't gotten more attention than others released around its time , and I sincerely hope to see lots of DLC and a sequel !
    • 124 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) When I first started playing this game , I was initially turned off to it due to the unfamiliar battle style and the fact that the entire story part consists of watching movie clips . Let me tell you though , sticking with it was very well worth it ! The battle style is very well explained in other posts so I won't go into it , but there's nothing else like it and simply put : it works and is EXTREMELY satisfying . There's nothing quite like the feeling of winning a long battle . A useful tip that may save you some frustration : you can save at any point during the battle so if you do something totally stupid you can reload ! As far as the story goes , don't let the simple anime-style art and the fact that it consists solely of cutscenes deter you . The story takes a little while to get going , but once it does it's powerful and moving . In closing , I'm sad that this game hasn't gotten more attention than others released around its time , and I sincerely hope to see lots of DLC and a sequel !
    • 137 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I have play many rpg ( snes and beyond ) and this is in my top 5 of all times ( trust me there is a ton games i like and love ) . this game is masterpiece a divine stroke of originality from it's graphics / soundtrack / game play / awesome story and all.this game is simply brilliant it's a SHAME the it got forgotten during the holidays FULL OF SEQUEL and AAA game rush but if you love turn-based strategy rpg or rpg heck even if you don't like this type of games you owe it to yourself to go and buy this game this game will make a believer out of you
    • 138 4  I have play many rpg ( snes and beyond ) and this is in my top 5 of all times ( trust me there is a ton games i like and love ) . this game is masterpiece a divine stroke of originality from it's graphics / soundtrack / game play / awesome story and all.this game is simply brilliant it's a SHAME the it got forgotten during the holidays FULL OF SEQUEL and AAA game rush but if you love turn-based strategy rpg or rpg heck even if you don't like this type of games you owe it to yourself to go and buy this game this game will make a believer out of you
    • 246 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The fact that this game has five stars with 100 customer reviews says it all . There is very little , if anything I can contribute that hasn't already been said , so maybe a few suggestions / critiques might help us to see an even better sequel ! Fist and foremost , I would love to see multi-player support . This game is so innovative from the interaction and combat to the water-color style graphics and characters that you NEED to be able to enjoy this game with friends . Also , and this is REALLY nit-picking , some visual customization might be cool such as unit emblems , camouflage , etc . Sega did an awesome job on the outfits , but a little variety would be a great addition . Lastly , and the only thing I actually did not like , is that you can max out your unit's experience fairly quickly . I had all of my units at level 20 before I finished the game a second time through . I don't really see any reason for this limitation , but oh well . Additional experience for individual units based on what they do in combat would also be a nice addition , but , again , nit-picking ! This is the most I've enjoyed a game since COD : Modern Warfare and I hope , apparently along with quite a number of other people , that Sega is considering a sequel to what is already a strategy classic .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is a real gem and in years to come will be looked back on with the same fondness as Panzer dragoon Saga . The presentation is flawless and consistent with some of the prettiest graphics of this generation . The game has one of the most accessable and well thought out menus systems on a srpg , so as already mentioned if you're new the to genre you will find the game easy to get into . Voice acting is also of a high standard . The battles are tense but rarely frustrating as you can save mid battle and if you do fail its easy to see the holes in your plan . Valkyria Chronicles is a timely reminder of just how inventive Sega can be , and playing this game brings back fond memories of my Dreamcast . BUY THIS GAME NOW !
    • 054 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I am not going to repeat what others have said in this review . I like short reviews , but this game is a masterpiece . I love the style , and the turn base system with many RPG elements like leveling , classes , and weapons upgrades as you progress . The story book is really nicely done , and the animation is very nice . This is art . If you love RPG , strategy , and story , this game has it in spades . The only thing I am disappointed is that there is no sequels for it , well for the PSP , but thats another story . GET THIS GAME !
    • 095 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) ok , msg 4 , drake's fortune , resistance , all these mega big titles have awesome graphics and are fun to play . . but Valkyria is so different . graphically , it's very artistic and beautiful unlike being too realistic and has very strong and engaging story . . . very pleasing story . not like hardcore msg4 story . also , ok . i can be bias here but I AM HAVING THE MOST FUN PLAYING THIS GAME ! ! ! it's not fps . . but real time strategy / RPG / Manga . very unique . u have to play this game !
    • 098 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is a master piece , if you own a PS3 you owe it to your self to pick up this game ASAP.If you don't own a PS3 you owe it to your self to pick up a PS3 and this game ASAP ! Seriously , even if this game doesn't look like your idea of fun . Trust me , a random person on Amazon , this game is the most fun you'll have all year ( and then some ! ) This game is one of my favorite games ever , and if you don't like this game , then you just plain don't like fun ! The game has everything , great gameplay , great graphics , great music and sound , and not to forget the great story ! The Story is so amazingly good ! BUY THIS GAME ALREADY !
    • 248 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is a real gem and in years to come will be looked back on with the same fondness as Panzer dragoon Saga . The presentation is flawless and consistent with some of the prettiest graphics of this generation . The game has one of the most accessable and well thought out menus systems on a srpg , so as already mentioned if you're new the to genre you will find the game easy to get into . Voice acting is also of a high standard . The battles are tense but rarely frustrating as you can save mid battle and if you do fail its easy to see the holes in your plan . Valkyria Chronicles is a timely reminder of just how inventive Sega can be , and playing this game brings back fond memories of my Dreamcast . BUY THIS GAME NOW !
    • 249 4  This game is a real gem and in years to come will be looked back on with the same fondness as Panzer dragoon Saga . The presentation is flawless and consistent with some of the prettiest graphics of this generation . The game has one of the most accessable and well thought out menus systems on a srpg , so as already mentioned if you're new the to genre you will find the game easy to get into . Voice acting is also of a high standard . The battles are tense but rarely frustrating as you can save mid battle and if you do fail its easy to see the holes in your plan . Valkyria Chronicles is a timely reminder of just how inventive Sega can be , and playing this game brings back fond memories of my Dreamcast . BUY THIS GAME NOW !

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is the most sophisticated strategy game I've ever played . The graphics , as many have said , are just plain beautiful . The game play is intense . Every move counts . Be prepared to think about tactics and strategy as you never have before . This game is very unforgiving - much like combat ( I can only imagine ) . I gave this game 4 stars only because the loading screens are frustratingly long - - especially considering that you will have to reload frequently , because the game is that hard . That said , it forces you to think very carefully and plan your battle well . It's a little frustrating that the pre-battle briefings don't give you much information about the lay of the land or the enemy forces . This means that you will have to play a few rounds first before you rethink your own forces and their deployment . Be prepared to play 2 or 3 hours on any one battle . The tone of the game is sober and gives you a feel of commanding a battlefield - - rather than just playing a silly video game . You wind up caring about your characters , and you hate to see them get killed . When a character falls in combat , you can send another character over to call a medic , so you won't loose him / her forever . All-in-all excellent game . 4 stars for long loading screens and long between battle story development . ( bah ! Story development ! ) A must have for any anime fan .
    • 024 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I can't stand anime , I am often irritated by the cutesy story presented in Valkyria Chronicles , but the gameplay is so addicting and deep I can't stop playing it . Probably one of my most favorite games of the last 2 years .
    • 118 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I like this game cause it requires you think and it has alot of depth with the weapons and characters you can use which allows you to fight the way that fits your style
    • 180 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is just so great . Turn-based strategy made great on a console . This game also has a charm and fun factor that many other games lack . Highly recommended ! ( Note : I only reserve 5 ratings for the very best of games , like Metal Gear Solid 4 , Uncharted 2 , etc . )
    • 181 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is just so great . Turn-based strategy made great on a console . This game also has a charm and fun factor that many other games lack . Highly recommended ! ( Note : I only reserve 5 ratings for the very best of games , like Metal Gear Solid 4 , Uncharted 2 , etc . )
    • 238 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The gameplay is very addictive and such a unique experience that everyone should try , even if you just rent the game . Valkyria Chronicles is also very hard to find , none of my local stores have it in-stock so I would suggest getting this game while you can .
    • 239 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The gameplay is very addictive and such a unique experience that everyone should try , even if you just rent the game . Valkyria Chronicles is also very hard to find , none of my local stores have it in-stock so I would suggest getting this game while you can .
    • 261 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I'm new to JRPG's but I think Valkyria Chronicles is an amazing game . The game is a third person turn base RPG with real time elements thrown in the mix . The game contains great character development , pacing , and has an in-depth story . You will get your moneys worth out of this game for it is very time consuming . There are 18 chapters in this game and I'm on chapter 8 right now and already have 15 hours put into the game . i would recommend this game to anyone looking for a good challenge as well as someone who is looking to expand their video game interests .
    • 265 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I picked up Valkyria Chronicles due to the fantastic reviews all across the board and my desire to pick up an rpg after quite a while of not playing one . Valkyria Chronicles met and exceeded my expectations . The graphics are gorgeous . I am not a fan of anime but the way this game is presented helps to draw you in to the fantastic story . The gameplay is a mixture of strategy , first person shooter , and role-playing . The three blend so well together that it is almost like a new gaming experience . Overall , I would recommend this game to anyone who loves strategy or role-playing games as I believe most anyoneone interested in either genre would appreciate this game .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is very different and unique in game play and style . The best way to describe it would be if you took a turned base combat system combined it with a third person shooter and then combined it with the game Risk . Basically it's world war 2 retold with different names . The game might not be for everyone but once you get past some of the cheesy dialogue , the characters start to grow on you . The graphics is very unique it looks like every thing is draw with color pencils which looks great . Like any rpg this is very heavy story based game and has a lot of cut scenes between battles . The only thing I didn't like about this game is the cheap deaths because when your on defense your guys will hardly ever fire at incoming enemies were as they will always fire at you . Besides that this game is fun . This game is not perfect but if you're looking for a different type of game like I was , you'll definitely be rewarded with this game .
    • 031 4  Certainly not everyone will appreciate this game due to it's strategic turn based battle system . But if you do enjoy a more chess like battle system , or if you take the game for what it is then it's hard to not enjoy it . I would've liked a few more upgrade options and ways to customize the units , but that in no way means that the current options aren't enough . Overall , I'd have to say that this is my favorite PS3 title so far as everything was done very well ( gameplay , graphics , story , ect )
    • 060 4  I'm afraid that this game will be overlooked by many because of its lack of advertising , which is quite unfortunate since this is easily one of the best games I've played this year . The game is a strategy RPG , but it's unlike any I've ever played before . Instead of moving your characters around on a grid where enemies can't attack you unless it's their turn , movement is real-time in a full 3D world . If you move too near an enemy , they are going to start shooting at you . The game feels more like a strategy game than an RPG , which is pretty rare for games of this type . So if you're looking for a good strategy game on the PS3 , look no further - Valkyria Chronicles is one of the best . Or if you're not sure , you can try the demo on PSN to see how the combat system works .
    • 063 4  This is one of the best exclusive titles out for the PS3 . In a year dominated by such titles as Metal Gear Solid 4 , Gears of War 2 , and Grand Theft Auto 4 , I think I will most remember titles like Valkyria Chronicles . I had no expectations for it , and no idea what it would be like . I was wowed by the unique graphics , and fresh spin on traditional SRPG gameplay , though the story is standard anime fare . I think its impact on me was all the greater since I wasn't sure what to expect . It has also proven to have a great deal of replay value . You'll want to spend ' just one more turn ' perfecting your strategies in skirmish mode , and the set piece battles in the story mode are varied and challenging . If you're interested in this game I strongly recommend checking it out the demo on the Playstation Store , or renting it from a service like Gamefly . I was almost immediately sold .
    • 192 4  I'm not really in the mood to write a long review , suffice to say Valkyria Chronicles is the best game I've played in a while , I'd recommend it to any one even if you don't think you're going to like it ( I didn't think I was going to ) , and that I'll probably write a longer review later . By the way you can use R2 instead of going into another menu while in book mode .
    • 220 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is very different and unique in game play and style . The best way to describe it would be if you took a turned base combat system combined it with a third person shooter and then combined it with the game Risk . Basically it's world war 2 retold with different names . The game might not be for everyone but once you get past some of the cheesy dialogue , the characters start to grow on you . The graphics is very unique it looks like every thing is draw with color pencils which looks great . Like any rpg this is very heavy story based game and has a lot of cut scenes between battles . The only thing I didn't like about this game is the cheap deaths because when your on defense your guys will hardly ever fire at incoming enemies were as they will always fire at you . Besides that this game is fun . This game is not perfect but if you're looking for a different type of game like I was , you'll definitely be rewarded with this game .
    • 221 4  This game is very different and unique in game play and style . The best way to describe it would be if you took a turned base combat system combined it with a third person shooter and then combined it with the game Risk . Basically it's world war 2 retold with different names . The game might not be for everyone but once you get past some of the cheesy dialogue , the characters start to grow on you . The graphics is very unique it looks like every thing is draw with color pencils which looks great . Like any rpg this is very heavy story based game and has a lot of cut scenes between battles . The only thing I didn't like about this game is the cheap deaths because when your on defense your guys will hardly ever fire at incoming enemies were as they will always fire at you . Besides that this game is fun . This game is not perfect but if you're looking for a different type of game like I was , you'll definitely be rewarded with this game .

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is by far one of the best games I have seen in ages , and considering that I remember playing games on an NES , that means something . It has some of the best graphics , gameplay and user experience of any game for any system out there . However , the story is the big win . Valkyria Chronicles has one of the most engaging and in depth story lines I have ever seen , no wonder they are making an anime series based off the game . It truly is an immersive experience where one becomes very much attached to the characters , who become like old friends to the player . For me myself , the story is so good that I have integrated it into a fan fiction that I am writing that also includes Eureka Seven , Star Trek , Star Wars and few other excellent stories . The characters I find I can relate to extremely well , as they do not seem overly fictional or impossible . One character in particular , who dies during the story , I have not run into a single person who has not cried over that character's death . I alone was so moved by this character that I resurrected them for my fan fiction as they were that good of a character . To quote 1 - up's game review again . . . This is , without question , the best tactics game on the PS3 - - and it's one of the best games on PS3 , period . . . . this is so innovative and so polished a game that if you pass it up , the real moron is you . So if you really want this game , it is worth every penny not only for the game , but also for the PS3 to play it on .
    • 032 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is what I've been waiting for long time . The graphic and sound are the top notch , and more impressively it has fun that I experienced from old Genesis or SNES RPG . The game mechanic is easy to pick up and requires tactics as well .
    • 033 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This game is what I've been waiting for long time . The graphic and sound are the top notch , and more impressively it has fun that I experienced from old Genesis or SNES RPG . The game mechanic is easy to pick up and requires tactics as well .
    • 064 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) This is by far one of the best games I have seen in ages , and considering that I remember playing games on an NES , that means something . It has some of the best graphics , gameplay and user experience of any game for any system out there . However , the story is the big win . Valkyria Chronicles has one of the most engaging and in depth story lines I have ever seen , no wonder they are making an anime series based off the game . It truly is an immersive experience where one becomes very much attached to the characters , who become like old friends to the player . For me myself , the story is so good that I have integrated it into a fan fiction that I am writing that also includes Eureka Seven , Star Trek , Star Wars and few other excellent stories . The characters I find I can relate to extremely well , as they do not seem overly fictional or impossible . One character in particular , who dies during the story , I have not run into a single person who has not cried over that character's death . I alone was so moved by this character that I resurrected them for my fan fiction as they were that good of a character . To quote 1 - up's game review again . . . This is , without question , the best tactics game on the PS3 - - and it's one of the best games on PS3 , period . . . . this is so innovative and so polished a game that if you pass it up , the real moron is you . So if you really want this game , it is worth every penny not only for the game , but also for the PS3 to play it on .
    • 154 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) All I can say is WOW . I am 32 years old and ever since the NES I have loved video games . In particular rpg's and strategy games . I agree with another reviewer on amazon that the recent rpg's have lost the charm and fun many had in older console generations . I bought both a Xbox360 and a Ps3 and to date , I have played more rpg's on the Xbox than the ps3 . After loving the ps1 and ps2 library of solid rpg's , I have been shocked that Sony has abandoned one of its largest core gamers in this generation . I first heard about this game only recently and was happy a rpg / srpg was coming to the ps3 . However , there was little fanfare from Sony or the video game magazines so I wasn't expecting much . All I can simply say is that this is one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played . The story is amazing , the graphics charming , music solid , and gameplay addictive as any game in recent memory . You will enjoy many hours playing this gem of a game . What really frustrates me is the lack of promotion Sony has given this game . With Sony starving right now for these types of exclusive games , why not promote the heck out of this . Seriously folks , this game is a system seller . Remember Sony , many gamers bought a ps3 expecting good rpg's , not for a million 1st person shooters . Oh , and thank you Sega for giving us this AMAZING game .
    • 155 4  All I can say is WOW . I am 32 years old and ever since the NES I have loved video games . In particular rpg's and strategy games . I agree with another reviewer on amazon that the recent rpg's have lost the charm and fun many had in older console generations . I bought both a Xbox360 and a Ps3 and to date , I have played more rpg's on the Xbox than the ps3 . After loving the ps1 and ps2 library of solid rpg's , I have been shocked that Sony has abandoned one of its largest core gamers in this generation . I first heard about this game only recently and was happy a rpg / srpg was coming to the ps3 . However , there was little fanfare from Sony or the video game magazines so I wasn't expecting much . All I can simply say is that this is one of the most enjoyable games I have ever played . The story is amazing , the graphics charming , music solid , and gameplay addictive as any game in recent memory . You will enjoy many hours playing this gem of a game . What really frustrates me is the lack of promotion Sony has given this game . With Sony starving right now for these types of exclusive games , why not promote the heck out of this . Seriously folks , this game is a system seller . Remember Sony , many gamers bought a ps3 expecting good rpg's , not for a million 1st person shooters . Oh , and thank you Sega for giving us this AMAZING game .
    • 278 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkyria Chronicles is a refreshing , one-of-a-kind game with a few nitpicky problems . It is , by far , the best Tactical RPG that has been released this generation of consoles , and I'd go so far as to say the past two generations . From an RPG snob like myself , I have absolutely no problem recommending it to anybody who is a fan of the genre , or to anybody who wants to learn what it means to love a game .
    • 279 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Valkyria Chronicles is a refreshing , one-of-a-kind game with a few nitpicky problems . It is , by far , the best Tactical RPG that has been released this generation of consoles , and I'd go so far as to say the past two generations . From an RPG snob like myself , I have absolutely no problem recommending it to anybody who is a fan of the genre , or to anybody who wants to learn what it means to love a game .
    • 299 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) And I've been gaming since the NES days . Be sure to get the downloadable content when it comes out , too !

  • Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) When I say that this is the best game Sega's put out since the Dreamcast Era , I don't mean it lightly . I loved the Dreamcast era games and Valkyria doesn't only match their quality but it may actually beat out some of the games Sega put out during its final days in the hardware market . The battle system is hard to describe accurately but I think it would be best described as a turn based strategy game with some shooter elements . You pick a number of troops at the start of a battle , then tell them where to go and what to do until you run out of Command Points . Additionally you must worry about things such as ammo , cover , and making constant strategic decisions . The story isn't anything amazing but at the same time it's very fun and enjoyable . It doesn't take itself too seriously and mostly sells itself on its cast of colorful and fun characters . The setting is is aesthetically reminiscent of World War 2 era Europe , but aside from aesthetics and some technology that's where the differences end . If you're thinking of buying this game to get a history lesson you'll be sorely disappointed , because it quickly becomes obvious that this is a fantasy game with some historical decorations . All in all I rate this title very highly , and in terms of feel and quality would compare it to Skies of Arcadia : Legends for the GameCube , which happens to have been made by the same developers . If I had to find a fault it'd be with its pacing . The battles are swift enough early on , but as the game progresses you'll find yourself in the middle of battles that can literally take hours to play through . This is mostly a simple consequence of the scale on which these battles take place , though the developers could have refined game play slightly to make things move faster . Regardless I'm going to give this title five stars . Slight pacing issues aside the game is amazing and should be a wonderful change of pace for Japanese RPG fans who might be growing tired of straight up turn based RPG's or tactical RPG's like Disgaea : Hour of Darkness .
    • 059 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I'm afraid that this game will be overlooked by many because of its lack of advertising , which is quite unfortunate since this is easily one of the best games I've played this year . The game is a strategy RPG , but it's unlike any I've ever played before . Instead of moving your characters around on a grid where enemies can't attack you unless it's their turn , movement is real-time in a full 3D world . If you move too near an enemy , they are going to start shooting at you . The game feels more like a strategy game than an RPG , which is pretty rare for games of this type . So if you're looking for a good strategy game on the PS3 , look no further - Valkyria Chronicles is one of the best . Or if you're not sure , you can try the demo on PSN to see how the combat system works .
    • 134 4  Amazon Verified Purchase ( What's this ? ) This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) When I say that this is the best game Sega's put out since the Dreamcast Era , I don't mean it lightly . I loved the Dreamcast era games and Valkyria doesn't only match their quality but it may actually beat out some of the games Sega put out during its final days in the hardware market . The battle system is hard to describe accurately but I think it would be best described as a turn based strategy game with some shooter elements . You pick a number of troops at the start of a battle , then tell them where to go and what to do until you run out of Command Points . Additionally you must worry about things such as ammo , cover , and making constant strategic decisions . The story isn't anything amazing but at the same time it's very fun and enjoyable . It doesn't take itself too seriously and mostly sells itself on its cast of colorful and fun characters . The setting is is aesthetically reminiscent of World War 2 era Europe , but aside from aesthetics and some technology that's where the differences end . If you're thinking of buying this game to get a history lesson you'll be sorely disappointed , because it quickly becomes obvious that this is a fantasy game with some historical decorations . All in all I rate this title very highly , and in terms of feel and quality would compare it to Skies of Arcadia : Legends for the GameCube , which happens to have been made by the same developers . If I had to find a fault it'd be with its pacing . The battles are swift enough early on , but as the game progresses you'll find yourself in the middle of battles that can literally take hours to play through . This is mostly a simple consequence of the scale on which these battles take place , though the developers could have refined game play slightly to make things move faster . Regardless I'm going to give this title five stars . Slight pacing issues aside the game is amazing and should be a wonderful change of pace for Japanese RPG fans who might be growing tired of straight up turn based RPG's or tactical RPG's like Disgaea : Hour of Darkness .
    • 135 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) When I say that this is the best game Sega's put out since the Dreamcast Era , I don't mean it lightly . I loved the Dreamcast era games and Valkyria doesn't only match their quality but it may actually beat out some of the games Sega put out during its final days in the hardware market . The battle system is hard to describe accurately but I think it would be best described as a turn based strategy game with some shooter elements . You pick a number of troops at the start of a battle , then tell them where to go and what to do until you run out of Command Points . Additionally you must worry about things such as ammo , cover , and making constant strategic decisions . The story isn't anything amazing but at the same time it's very fun and enjoyable . It doesn't take itself too seriously and mostly sells itself on its cast of colorful and fun characters . The setting is is aesthetically reminiscent of World War 2 era Europe , but aside from aesthetics and some technology that's where the differences end . If you're thinking of buying this game to get a history lesson you'll be sorely disappointed , because it quickly becomes obvious that this is a fantasy game with some historical decorations . All in all I rate this title very highly , and in terms of feel and quality would compare it to Skies of Arcadia : Legends for the GameCube , which happens to have been made by the same developers . If I had to find a fault it'd be with its pacing . The battles are swift enough early on , but as the game progresses you'll find yourself in the middle of battles that can literally take hours to play through . This is mostly a simple consequence of the scale on which these battles take place , though the developers could have refined game play slightly to make things move faster . Regardless I'm going to give this title five stars . Slight pacing issues aside the game is amazing and should be a wonderful change of pace for Japanese RPG fans who might be growing tired of straight up turn based RPG's or tactical RPG's like Disgaea : Hour of Darkness .
    • 148 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) The art style is simply amazing in this . I also prefer how there is no what I call walk around and try to figure out what to do next elements . In Valkyria Chronicles you're either watching actual important story elements or playing the game . There are no moments of okay , now what ? that have frustrated me about RPGs in the past . The gameplay is also really cool and , at least for me , different . This will most likely be the only game that I feel I have to replay again released this year .
    • 197 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) VC is a fun game to play , but with its unique combination of turn-based 1st person shooter and RPG , it is not the kind of game that will please a majority of gamers . The game is certainly not hard to beat if you play like most players do , but the trick is beating it with the least amount of turns played and without reloading - this game is all about discovering where the enemies lay hidden in the fog of war and getting to your objectives with the least amount of casualties and wasted effort . If you resist the urge to reload until you've finish each phase , you'll certainly get the most out of this beautiful game .
    • 203 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) I had no expectations when I downloaded the demo for this game ; I had no idea what it was like , I had no clue what it was about , and I didn't know what kind of gameplay it had . It blew me away . If there's never a sequel to this game , I think I'll cry . I'll wait forever . If it's not until the next PS , fine , I'll buy whatever necessary for me to play a sequel . It's that good . There are a lot of really positive reviews for this game already , and people have pretty thoroughly described what it's like , so I'll say that the two biggest selling points for me in the end were the 1 ) gameplay and 2 ) the characters . Well , the art is absolutely gorgeous , so that too . The gameplay ? Someone described it - negatively - as a chess game where the characters shoot at each other . How this is a bad thing is beyond me . It's fun , it's strategic , and when it's time to shoot the enemy , it drops you into third-person shooter mode and you're with your soldier , trying to headshot an Imperial . Speaking of your soldier , the characters are great . You've got a huge cast of characters to choose from , with unique personality traits and problems . Here are some examples : Vyse ( cameoing from Skies of Arcadia ) : laughs like a loon when he shoots someone ( HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ! ) . And it never . ever . gets old . Jane : sometimes says , Scream for me ! right before she unloads her machine gun into someone's head . Alternately , Die , Imps , die ! Welkin : Loves nature , and will say so dreamily whenever he's out in it . Even though he's the one driving a huge TANK right through it . The gameplay is super fun , the characters are great , the art is gorgeous , the plot is cheesy but skippable if you're not into that sort of thing ( people who hate cut-scenes : just hit start and it'll skip to the end , very courteous ) , and it has three DLCs if you want to spend an extra $5 each to extend the game . And you will , you really will .
    • 259 4  This review is from : Valkyria Chronicles ( Video Game ) Amazing graphics , fun gameplay , and a great story make this game a must have . If you have any interest in RPGs , or have been playing them for years , you will not regret checking out this game .

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