2/2 Death is Permanent
Even though a lot of humour has been put into Valkyria, war is no laughing matter as your troops can permanently die, with the exception of the main characters. This means you have to think before you jump. When a characters HP runs out in a battle situation you have three turns to get to them before the enemy or the turns run out. This mortality of permanently loosing characters ads a nice slice of realism to the game and makes you takes more care in your actions. It’s not always pleasant when you loose a great soldier, but it helps teach the player that your actions have dire consequences. Thankfully, you don’t loose all your XP when a character dies; all new recruits are automatically boosted up to the new level. The main asset you loose are the blending of personality traits. Depending on how you look at the equal playing field is good when you’re a streamlining an army, and bad if you wanted that personal touch of creating an ultra-soldier.
Command HQ
Speaking of recruits, Squad 7, the militia faction you command has a maximum limit of twenty members. New members can be added and old members can be dismissed at the Command HQ. The command HQ is accessible at all times except during missions. Inside the HQ you can upgrade your solders by spending experience points you gain in the missions, along with investing in research to better outfit you squad. This goes for your tank as well which can be majorly overhauled with a number of improvements including spear treads, upgraded armour, and weapon bonuses. One complaint that comes up is that Valkyria is customizable enough. The weapon selection is fairly weak with only the standards used like assault rifles and sniper rifles. It would have been nice to see a little more development in this area of the game.
New Game+
Valkyria Chronicles also supports a new game+ feature which is excellent. Since the main missions can not be replayed, you will have to wait until the next time around. To boost your skills you can hit the Skirmish missions that are optional battles to help you earn more points in the game. These are accessible after the first few chapters. Side quests have also been inputted into the code which extend the game time a considerable amount. Depending on how much you want to get out of Valkyria Chronicles I could see the average game running close to 30-35hrs.
The visuals are outstanding in Valkryia and will stop you in your tracks as you enjoy this alternative WWI strategy game. The alternative styling Sega Japan has gone for is a sketched, coloured pencil look which is unlike any other game I have seen before. Actually, Valkyria looks similar to the upcoming Prince of Persia title. The vibrant colours and pencil shading makes the game feel like your a watching a sketch artist draw out the story in some high-art anime. Adding on to the unique art style in Valkyria is a great sense of direction with detailed and interesting character and environmental designs. Don't mistake Valkyria for a cell-shaded because the look is uniquely its own.
Musically, Valkyria Chronicles delivers an appropriate soundtrack. The diversity in the style isn’t too noticeable, but the slight changes from war marches to romantic cut-scenes are all played out with the perfect touch. All the moods are calmly fitted to pull the most out of the on-screen action. The voice acting follows suit with a great cast of characters that stay right on the line of being a little over-the-top and totally believable. The only aspect in the audio that isn’t too impressive is the effects that come off being a little underpowered and bland. A little more punch could have been added. All-in-all, Valkyria Chronicles is a outstanding project that is fresh and visually stimulating.
Valkyria Chronicles does an outstanding job making the most out their ambitious title. The real-time/turn-based strategy action in Valkyria has just the right amount of depth to make it enjoyable for all levels of gamers. The more you play Valkyria the more you will love it. Beyond the main story their a few things to keep you occupied along side the ability to take advantage of the new game+ feature and do it all over again.
The visuals in Valkyria Chronicles are outstanding with an unique stylistic approach. Valkyria Chronicles is captivating when it is running in full motion, so much so that you won’t be able to take your eyes off the action Valkyria Chronicles really tries hard to be its own property without becoming a patch worked clone of similar games and it successes. This is a bold new title from Sega that will hopefully spawn a few others in editions in the future. Valkyria Chronicles is a must buy for all strategy role-playing fans and a worth a look for anyone else who wants something a little more diverse then the current crop of holiday blockbusters.
Gameplay:8.5, Graphics:9.5, Sound:8.5, Innovation:9, Mojo:9 Final: 8.9 / 10
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