Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Retroblog: Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)

Originally posted: Feb 3, '09

Valkyria Chronicles is an exclusive strategy-rpg for the PS3. What you'll first notice when you boot up the game is the fancy stationery type of graphics and it's what will get you hooked on this game for a long time, much like the new Prince Of Persia's graphics this one is also unique and fresh to the eyes. Aside from that it also has a good linear story about war, some say it's childish but never the less, it won't make you lose interest from the game itself. This one has many things to read, and you'll also notice that quickly because of the booklike menus that contains the chapters, you'll really feel like reading a fantasy war novel. It also has short cut scenes but each one is more than enough for you to feast your eyes by making you scroll through scenes of the wonderful artistic rendition of this games makers.

If you ask me what game can I compare this one, no it's not Final Fantasy Tactics and not Disgaea too, because in this one you don't get grids but for every character you move, you'll get a limited amount of movement points not represented by grids but by bringing you to the action by letting you control them like 3rd person shooters. And it really is action because once you select a character to move and then you face enemies, you won't get the time to think what to do next because they'll immediately attack you once you get in their line of sight. Now, it really is a unique kind of SRPG right, but guess what I'll compare this one to, and it's not because of the gameplay but of the whole environment itself, it's none other that the Advance Wars on the GameBoy Advance. Why? because both of them has war setting, so it's given that they both have soldiers, tanks, artilleries, and you capture bases to win.

Anyway, this game is made by Sega, and I'm really surprised to know that they can make this kind of game, why only now? And you should also know that this game received great reviews from your trusted game sites like IGN and Gamespot but it didn't receive that much attention from the gaming crowd. I guess there's something wrong with Sega's advertising department. If they can only push games like this to the mainstream, then we'll see more good RPGs without the Square-Enix label, and lately Squeenix's not publishing good RPGs so it may just be the right time for others to shine.

If you played other games by Sega you'll find cameos here, though the only ones I knew are Vyse and Aika from Skies Of Arcadia back in Gamecube. Now, I reckon ths is the best RPG yet available for the PS3 barring multi-plat ones, so you should really give this a try if you got a PS3 and get ready to feast your eyes in this hidden jewel. Squad 7, move out!

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