War never changes… but sometimes it doesn’t have to.
Valkyria Chronicles is a treasured game for role playing fans. It originally only released on PS3, later came to PC, and now being re-released on the PS4 as a remastered version. It’s a strategy RPG featuring a comic style presentation, along with pastel colors, and an interesting turn based strategy system. It’s an all-out war, but is there reason to keep the fight going?
Taking place in the fictional “Europa” it appears as if the story in place is taking in a WW2 style atmosphere and setting. Playing as Welkin, he finds himself suddenly caught in the middle of battle and deciding that he has to help the small town or otherwise see the people suffer. Welkin is a sympathetic character who comes off light hearted if not a tad charming, but things get extremely serious for him in a very short time. His voice acting, along with the other cast, does a great job to convey the story and serious tones that Valkyria Chronicles provides. There are some light hearted moments, but rest assured, this is as serious as RPGs can come, even with its beautiful art style and presentation.
MSRP: $29.99
Platforms: PS4, PC
Price I’d Pay: $29.99
Multiplayer: N/A
How long to beat: 30+ hours
Shoot now, ask questions later
Gameplay is turn based, and anyone that has played similar strategy games know very well how these usually play. Granted, this one has a little bit of a different feel to it. While players will have to ensure they have enough points to perform specific moves or travel along the battle field, there is one huge thing to remember – true battle waits for no one. In most games of this nature, when moving a character in line with an enemy, it’s only upon their turn that they can hurt the player. Not so much here, as lining up within eye site places the characters as a target that can be fired upon immediately. It’s a bit of an odd feeling when players are not used to this real time element, but it also works in the player’s favor, as when enemies approach on their turns, auto fire occurs within line of site. It proves to be a constant element to remind myself of and use to its advantage. With this release, players will also have access to the added DLC content, though I’d recommend waiting till the game is finished before checking that out unless this is a repeated visit to Valkyria.
With age comes beauty.
Valyria Chronicles remaster is an excellent addition to the PS4 library. Its turn based, real time antics are just as fun and challenging as ever before. If this is a player’s first time trudging into battle, expect to be blown away, as long as patience persists. It’s not all out action and at times can feel a bit too hard, unless the strategies are played out exactly as they should, sometimes making the battles feel almost like a puzzle. Some of the controls feel a bit dated as well, stiff, slow, and a bit loose. Since this game is more about strategy and taking time to plan the next move, it’s not a deal breaker, but it’s the most noticeable element playing this in 2016. That aside, Valkyria Chronicles stands the test of time, and at a great price too. If this sounds appealing, enlisting for the Europa war is the best thing for a player to do at this point.
My favorite moment: The first time you get control of a tank, which is fairly early on, there is just something about the power behind it. A moment that sticks with me. The moment before that feels rather hopeless and then it appears. It’s not an instant win moment at all, but surely changes the battle, giving the player a fighting chance.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.