Valkyria Chronicles is a Third-Person Tactical RPG game for PS3, PS4 and PC, both developed and published by SEGA. It was originally released in 2008 with the original PS3 version and then it was later released the PC Version in 2014, and PS4 version in 2016 as Valkyria Chronicles: Remastered.
SEGA made some of the great RPG's games like Skies of Acadia, Shining Force, Phantasy Star and of course they have two of the best open-world adventure series like Shenmue and Yakuza that I'm the big fan of these two series. I decided to give a try with the Valkyria Chronicles for PS3 to see if this game actually made me enjoy to play because I love playing SEGA games. I've played it for a week to complete and so far, I really loved this game because it's one of the best Tactical RPG games for the PS3 titles. It has beautiful cinematic story, gorgeous looking visuals animation, well presenting cutscenes, outstanding orchestral soundtrack and well made combat gameplay tactics that made the game so incredibly epic. It received highly positives reviews and earned numerous awards from several video game publications, which led a success of the game spawned a media franchise, such as anime series and manga titles. They were later released two sequel for PSP, such as Valkyria Chronicles 2 in 2010, and 3 in 2011.
Without go further do, let's talk about the game's overall.
Presentation
The game set in 1935 E.C and takes place in Europa, which is fictional region based on Europe during the early World War 2. It's starts off with the small narration of Second Europan War 2 history where it involved the evil empires of East Europan Imperial Alliance declaring the war on the Atlantic Federation, which causes the Second Europan War 2 happening.
In March 1935, the town of bruhl was under attack by Imperial Alliance troops invading the hometown of Gallia. After fighting against the Imperials, Welkin and Alicia are managed to escape to the capital city of Randgriz and joins the army group Gallian Militia. Their mission is to defeat the evil empires in order to save Atlantic Federation and Gallia.
The story in the game is sounds really stunning with excellent storyline, amazing dialogue text, and impressive cinematic scenes that keeps the game well presented and so entertaining to watch. The set of the presentation has World War 2 influence with the mix of fantasy and realistic war settings which makes the whole concepts worked really well in the game. I really liked the whole characters in the game. Welkin Gunther has interesting hobbies on natures, Alicia Melchiott has really nice bakery headwear, Largo Potter has badass sideburns and loves eating vegetables, and Bridgette Rosie Stark is more like a bad girl type, but great fighter. I say it's by far has the best story-written, fantastic presentation settings, and brilliant characters that increases the overall atmospheres.
Overall, the developers team have stepped up in right direction with outstanding overall presentation.
Gameplay
It is in third-person perspective with tactical RPG elements, which uses the turn-based battle system. you can add and select any of the playable units on the briefing options, which has different kinds of classes, such as scouts, shocktroopers, lancers, engineers, snipers and tank commander. It also has mission objectives which has a list of goals to beat a level and what to prevent from failing missions. In the gameplay, your mission is to capture the enemy's base in order to complete the mission, so you will have a overhead map view in command mode where you can select any of the units with limited command points, so both of yours and enemy's team has turn taking each is depending on the remaining command points. In the action mode, your character has limited action point which has gauge bar that tells your character's movement that can only move around till it ran out the gauge bar meaning your character won't able to move around during the in-game. You can also take cover on the objects such as grass are used for stealth combat and hiding behind the objects are also useful to protect yourself from enemy's hit projectiles.
The combat gameplay works absolutely great for the range of weapons and hit collisions. During the target mode, you can aim freely while your character still standing, allowing for head shots and other maneuvers depending on how many it's takes to kill your enemy. The scout class unit has simple balanced rifle, which is good for mild combat range, while stocktroopers has machine guns can give much damage to the enemies. The lancers and tank commander are quite good, which you can easily damage the tanks instantly if shooting on behind the enemy's tank generator, but your tank commander can also use mortar and turret gun are also useful during the battle. The engineer uses the tool kit, which allowing to recover your tank's health and giving the ammunition to different class units which is quite helpful during the battle. The sniper has better ranged weapon which can give a instant kill to the enemy, if aiming correctly on the enemy's head. You can also give orders to increase your class unit's status allowing them to have stronger attack and defence abilities at once and you can bring more reinforcements in your base depending on your remaining command points is also helps for bringing backup to your team in action.
In training field, you can improve your class units by increasing their EXP points allowing to level up your class, so you'll get some kinds of awards such as new class weapons, new orders and having better class abilities to improve your overall character's status, which is very helpful for the later chapter missions.
You can also purchase the weapons, items, armour and tank for upgrades from the R&D section to boost the overall performance allowing to make it even better and stronger.
Overall, it's plays really well with the excellent combat system, great use of tactics, challenging missions objectives, and more variety of gameplay makes the game playable, but even with the harder difficulty can be bit frustrating sometimes due to overpowered enemy's status takes a awhile to beat the level, but it's still fantastic game to play.
Graphics
The whole graphics has colourful scenery background and well designed environments that made the whole level design look totally magnificent for World War 2 settings. It has soothing visual effects that gives a game a nice fantasy look. I also loved the anime art style design that really fits for whole presentation and in-game battle which has outstanding character's design, great textures format and high quality animation that made the game look fascinating for PS3 era. I heard the PC and PS4 version is looked exactly the same as the original, but it's adds better overall performance with 60FPS and runs on 1080p to give a game more cleaner look.
Overall, it's by far the best graphics for the PS3 system that made the game looked absolutely gorgeous.
Music and Sounds
I got to admit this game has the most amazing orchestral soundtrack ever made by the composer Hitoshi Sakimoto, who are best known for scoring Final Fantasy XII, Ogre Battle, Radiant Slivergun, and Devilish, did such a ace job that really fits the game's settings. It sounds like the World War 2 vibe with dynamic instruments and atmospheric quality music that gives the game more heroic feel of the game's mood. It has great boom sound effects and impressive background sounds that really fits for cinematic cutscenes and in-game battles. The voice actors did a fine job for most of the characters with both English and Japanese audio.
Overall, it has outstanding music, impressive sound effects and fine voice cast.
Special Features
This game has two playable guest like Vyse and Aika originally from Skies of Acadia, skirmish battles, some extra chapters, downloadable content, and of course it has some unlockables stuff like music, glossary, character's biography, and weaponry. I heard the PC and PS4 version are all definitive which has all included downloadable content.
Advantages
Best written story
Beautiful cinematic scenes
Fantastic gameplay
Gorgeous animation
Outstanding soundtrack
Great special features
Disadvantages
Frustrating difficulty
No trophy support on PS3 version
Final Verdict
Presentation 9.5/10 - Best story-written, fantastic presentation settings, and brilliant characters.
Gameplay 9/10 - Excellent combat system, great use of tactics, challenging missions objectives, and more variety of gameplay.
Graphics 9/10 - Colourful scenery background, well designed environments, soothing visual effects, and quality anime art style design.
Music and sounds 9/10 - Outstanding music, impressive sound effects and fine voice cast.
Special features 8/10 - Two playable guests, skirmish battles, some extra chapters, downloadable content, and of course it has some unlockables stuff.
Overall 9/10 - Valkyria Chronicles is definitely one of the most surprising tactics RPG games for PS3 titles. The developer teams did a such a ace job that puts the game more epicly fun and entertaining to play. It has best presentation that really puts the story and characters sounds more interesting. The gameplay is well played for excellent combat system and great use of tactics that increases the fun factor. It has magnificent graphics design and outstanding music that increases the overall atmospheres.
This is definitely must own hidden gems PS3 games for the fan of the RPG genres because it is one of the best RPG games for PS3. You can also get the game for PC and PS4 as well, if you want to have definitive game performance and all completed content.
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