If anything,
the year 2008 will be remembered by gamers as a very good year for role-playing
games across all consoles including the PlayStation 3. With enough compelling
RPGs already in store shelves, you can add more to your holiday shopping list.
Valkyria Chronicles for the PlayStation 3 is another strong RPG that is
just as satisfying and as deep as the recent releases and trust me when I say
that it will have you hooked from start to finish.
Long live
the people’s army!
In an alternate
reality version of Europe, during the mid-1930s, the winds of war blow through
the continent. The Empire has declared war against the Federation in the west
and suddenly the Empire thinks it can not only win against the Federation but
also rule over all of Europa. Sweeping into the neutral countries like Nazi
Germany, the Empire sets its sights on the peaceful land of Gallia. At the same
time, however, a young man named Welkin Gunther arrives into his hometown of
Bruhl after a year’s absence only to find it being evacuated before the Empire’s
forces arrive. It is here that he meets Alicia, a town resident that also acts
as town watchwoman. When his town is attacked, Welkin is forced into action and
becomes leader of Squad 7.
The story, told
in a series of short episodes via a book with numerous chapters, is a rich tale that is deep and powerfully emotional. You’ll not only come to enjoy
the story but also come to genuinely like the characters as well. You’ll be
swept in by Welkin’s Squad 7 as they attempt to drive back the Empire’s armored
forces despite the fact that they’re outmatched and lack the firepower the
Empire clearly possesses. Still, despite the overwhelming odds, the ragtag army
of Gallia is willing to fight and die for their country and their freedom. This
is a squad that is made up of a baker’s daughter, an aspiring school teacher and
his sister named Isra (who pilots a tank) as well as a motley crew of Gallia’s
sons and daughters willing to fight back.
As satisfying
as the story is it’s the battles that will keep you hooked. Valkyria
Chronicles isn’t your traditional RPG where you can freely explore your
surroundings and jump into action when you come into contact with enemies. In
fact, the only time you take control of your characters is during battles that
appear in episodes straight from the book. Taking a strategic approach to combat,
the game’s battles are turn based in nature but you can select a character and
move them in real-time. You are given a set number of turns before it’s your
enemy’s turn to make their move. This means you have to think over each move you
make in the game and how you approach the enemy on the battlefield.
Once you select
a character during battle, you can move them around wherever you want them to be
and can crouch behind cover or take careful aim for when you want headshots.
There’s meter limiting your moments so you can just run around shooting and
ducking for cover. This actually amps up the difficulty in a good way and will
have you thinking strategically. Welkin commands his father’s famous tank in the
game and – while it’s limited in movement – it makes up for it with its tough
armor and powerful cannon. Coming up with ways of mobilizing your foot soldiers
and making good use of your tank is what makes the battles more of a cerebral
workout rather than a mindless action one.
Victory is
yours … if you don’t mess it up
Each battle
also contains conditions you should meet in order to secure a victory. Most
conditions require that Alicia or Welkin doesn’t get killed in action but there
are other conditions such as not allowing the enemy to blow up the gates to the
city. The only problem is that if you don’t meet the conditions mentioned, you
must start all over again from the beginning. This might frustrate gamers who
have gotten far during battle. Also, many of your characters are sometimes duds
when it comes to shooting. I mean, how can you miss a guy standing a few inches
away … with a grenade even.
Still, there
are more good things going for this game that really overshadow those few gripes
I have with this title. As leader, you can set up each unit under your command
any way you see fit. That means setting up Scouts, Snipers and Engineers in ways
that will benefit you during major battles that take place later in the game.
It’s easy to issue commands and selecting the characters or units you want to
move is done by selecting their icon on the battle area. These simplistic
controls allow you the freedom to come up with your own plans. This is good news
seeing as your opponents aren’t dumb.
A beautiful
war
As far as the
graphics are concerned, Valkyria Chronicles is absolutely stunning and
contains some truly beautiful art direction that makes every background,
character model and visual effect really stand out. While the characters don’t
have too many facial expressions, they’re still able to convey feeling and
that’s a good thing. Meanwhile, battles contain enough visual effects to be
impressive. I also liked the manga-styled words that pop up that represent sound
effects.
Speaking of
sound, the game has some truly cinematic soundtrack with lovely melodies that
would have fit well if this were an animated feature. With a lovely score, it’s
also great to find a good voice cast that gives each character plenty of
personality. If you prefer, you can also switch the voices to Japanese to give
the game a more traditional anime feel. Either way, you’re in for a pleasant
treat in the visual and audio elements of the game.
Valkyria
Chronicles for the
PlayStation 3 is one of those games that epic masterpieces are mode of and
believe me when I say that it is well worth your time and money. Aside from its
challenging battles on the virtual battlefield, the game’s story says a lot
about war, humanity, loyalty and love. While there are a few issues that could
have been better, it’s easy to overlook these small flaws thanks to the many
great things this game does right. Consider this one highly recommended.
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Gameplay: 9.2
You’ll have a blast
following Welkin and his troops through the game’s many chapters that tell a
very human and emotional story. The real-time, turn-based battles are both fun
and occasionally very frustrating if you’re not big on strategy. Still, there’s
a lot to this game that won’t fail to surprise you.
Graphics: 9.0
The game’s graphics
are absolutely gorgeous and definitely looks like it belongs on a
next-generation console. Aside from the lovely art direction and manga-come-to-life
visual effects, the character models just stand out nicely.
Sound: 9.0
Aside from the
gorgeous visuals, Valkyria Chronicles also contains a beautiful score
that is just as emotional as the storytelling itself. It compliments the solid
voice acting in the game. I just wish there was more to the sound effects.
Difficulty: Hard
Coming up with a
good strategy is the key to victory but even then the enemy can turn a
disadvantage into an advantage at a moments notice. Expect to get a cerebral
work out when the enemy has the upper hand in the later part of the game.
Concept: 9.0
It’s a strategy game
with real-time battles and a deep story that just as good as any epic
role-playing game. There’s just a lot to like about this game that includes
impressive battles and great customization options that allow you to turn your
little army into a force to be reckoned with in the later chapters.
Overall: 9.2
It’s games like
Valkyria Chronicles that make me glad I’m a game reviewer. This is a game
that weaves a deeply moving and powerful story while adding an action-packed
strategy twist to the genre. In other words, this is a PlayStation 3 game
destined to become a console favorite.