It has ended... (rant about Valkyria Chronicles)

[Wing-0]

Well, as I said, it has ended. Or more like I finally beat Valkyria Chronicles! Yay!



BEWARE!!! What follows is one of my LONG WINDED RANTS ON A SINGLE TOPIC!!! But if you want to avoid spoilers, worry not. I did my best to NOT MENTION ANY!! HOLY COW! THAT WAS HARD!!


For those of you who haven`t shed (because it`s like shedding blood) the cash for a PS3 and don`t know what I talk about, and those who have, but don`t have the game, it is one of the most awesome RPGs I have ever enjoyed, and I have enjoyed quite a lot!

Valkyria Chronicles, or Valkyria of the Battlefield as it is called in its nation of origin, is a very different kind of RPG from the ones we are usually bombarded with. It is a strange kind of hybrid between a turn based strategic RPG like Langrisser, etc. and action games like Gears of War or Metal Gear Solid (the fourth one) and many others that involve guns.

How? Well, when you begin a battle, you go straight for the map in which you have your units displayed and the themy ones your characters, not you, can see.

Once selected, your character is displayed and you can move him or her until a `stamina` bar (to call it in easy terms) is depleted. This could allow you to gain an advantageous position or could leave you in the worst possible one, ready to get shot at, and believe me, the AI is quite unforgiving in the latter missions, which is quite a refreshing experience.

During this Action mode, you can get shot at by enemies, just like in action games. A good grasp of the terrain and the enemy`s advantages and disadvantages are vital.

Once you have taken position and ready your weapon or tool, time stops and you can aim at your leisure, which is a strange change of pace for first time players.

When you choose to end your phase, it is the turn of the enemy, which can move in the exact same way as you and can suffer or take advantage from the terrain as well.

As is typical in strategic games, there are classes. Still, they are only five classes of foot soldiers which are Scout, Shocktrooper, Lancer, Engineer and Sniper... as well as tanks!

Scouts can cover long distances using few Command Points (points used for taking actions in each phase). Their vision is excellent and when placed adequately, they can form defensive curtains. Once you fill a requirement, you can equip them with grenade launchers, which makes them even deadlier.

Shocktroopers cover decent distances with an adequate number of CP (Command Points) and can be equipped with flamethrowers for attacking enemies in trenches or hidden in grass. Plus, their rapid fire makes them even better for defensive curtains, only at shorter distances.

Lancers are the odd ones. They carry a rocket launcher with them which is really an anti tank weapon (In japanese they are simply called Anti Tanks, but Lancer sounds cool too).

Engineers are the ones that give maintenance to tanks and can even refill a character`s empty weapons, as well as medical support. These have low defense, but are second to the scouts in covering distances. Plus, they can disable mines, being excellent for clearing minefields, saving a helpless ally who has stepped on a mine, but hasn`t yet unpacked the ugly payload at his or her feet, as well as repairing defenses for the camps and towers for the snipers.

Snipers are obviously long ranged attackers, but with the disadvantage that they have the lowest defense and the shortest stamina of all classes. They are also the first to get shot at by the enemy, so spotting an enemy sniper and taking him out is the best course of action for the player as well. A sniper paired with an engineer is actually just as deadly as a tank packing an engineer, as the sniper only needs a high position to wreak havoc on the enemy and an engineer to keep the ammunition flowing.

Tanks are, as expected, big, bulky and pack an enormous amount of firepower. Still, they are susceptible to being destroyed if hit on the back end.

The story in this game is set in the fictional Europan continent (think alternate world here) in a WWII-like environment. The characters live in a tiny nation called Gallia, surrounded by two superpowers that are constantly at each other`s throats and view the smaller nation as a quite tasty prey, thanks to the abundant Ragnite deposits, a mineral akin to oil in the real world.

But that is not all there is to it. In the backstory of the continent, tales of the Darcsen calamity and its resolution thanks to the Valkyrur, mythical beings wielding superior technology (and special powers to boot) enrich this narrated universe. The Darcsens, being blamed for the calamity, which was an ancient war that scorched the land have little to no rights. They don`t have a land and can`t have a surname either. To make matters worse, they suffer terrible discrimination (old, plain racism) and are treated more as cheap laborers for mines or engineering.

The Valkyrur, hailed as the saviors of Europa are revered more as gods than anything else for stopping the Darcsen Calamity, yet are seemingly extinct (hell, with a name like Valkyria Chronicles, no one can think they are).

And so, the story goes.

One thing that I liked is that all the characters in the game (the important ones, of course) are given their time in the spotlight. And all of them are likable and interesting, with the protagonists Welkin Gunther and Alicia Melchiott being some of the best characters I have had the pleasure of encountering in a genre that has, for the most part, grown stale to me.

In the Militia`s Squad 7, of course, there are more characters, which most, although having no screen time, are quite a fun addition, since each of them has a distinct personality, likes and dislikes, which become apparent during battle, no less.

Making a cameo are Vyse, Aika and Fina from Skies of Arcadia. As a fan of that game, I found their inclusion in this title unexpected, but filled me with joy upon actually adding them to my selected unit. Vyse is still a challenge lover, while Aika is the upbeat girl with the funny hairdo. Fina is actually Squad 7`s medic, so each time one of your soldiers is wounded, it is Fina the one who comes and saves the day for the poor solder.

Some soldiers, having their preferences, can work perfectly well with some, but can be problematic with others, translating in their status going up or down in different ways.

Some guys like showing off in front of girls, so when accompanied by them, shoot better. Others, like a particular sniper can`t concentrate with ANYONE near her. But once she is left alone, said sniper becomes the deadliest monster of a sniper the enemy can expect and you may want.

A certain female engineer LOVES girls... but can`t stand being around males... Another engineer actually likes pain, and once his HP drops to less than half, his accuracy and other parameters boost up like crazy. A certain, female shocktrooper enjoys causing pain to the invading soldiers so much, she gets quite the boost. Yes, this game features weirdoes as well.

Of course, there are others who, like Vyse and Aika, complement each other by being together that paired become an iron wall to enemies or almost literally a knife to destroy enemy defenses.

Each of the non stellar characters display a distinct personality that actually causes the battle to go differently, by changing the setup.

Added to this, the equipment unlocked can give soldiers diifferent capabilities, for example, making three snipers entirely different. One can be optimized for firepower, another for precision, yet another for status damage. Same with the other classes.

Still, all of this would be nothing at all, without creativity in maps.

There is one for each episode, ranging from plains, forests, urban environments and of course, a fortress and even against a gigantic enemy tank. Each stage is completely different andin some cases, puzzling.

This is a game I`m very satisfied with, and one I can`t recommend enough to ANYONE who enjoys strategic RPGs, RPGs in general, anime or is a fan of Sega... No, wait... scratch that... If you are a fan of GOOD GAMES, you MUST at least rent this, and if you have the cash, OWN this game...

It`s not realistic in terms of graphics nor story, yet it remains realistic in how certain situations like racism (yes, it is an important theme here) exist and the suffering that ensues because of it, or how stronger nations occupying weaker ones in order to utilize their natural resources act.

Still, at its core, this is what one ultimately seeks when looking for a fun way to spend free time... a great game.

This game feels like Skies of Arcadia`s spiritual successor to me for some reason and has become my top favorite RPG ever, with Skies as a VERY close second.

Now that the idiots at Sony FINALLY designed a more affordable version of the PS3 that does basically all of the same as the last version, it could be a good moment to grab one and a copy of this game. Plus, there is a Japanese voice track in addition to the English one! And both of them have excellent voice talents!