[PS3] Battle Field Valkyrie: Gallian Chronicles (AKA: Sega trying an RPG? LOOKS GOOD!)

And another couple hundred in the entire world?

Game in question is looking amazing though. I really hope to have a triple by the time it comes out.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Hey, fellas. A demo of this game will be hitting the US PSN with the October issue of Qore, which is set to come out next week. I will be paying for the issue because I am an impatient fuck who absolutely must play this game as soon as possible.

On top of that, Japan already had a DLC difficulty level, Hard-EX, to play, and now they've released a whole extra story in the form of letting you play as the bad guys. Pretty awesome.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Perhaps it's the fact that it's an interesting new combination of genres and not Generic FPS 3086.2? Or perhaps the fact that the game's palette features more than three colors? Maybe how it's an welcome RPG to a very RPG-starved platform?

It's certainly one of the most appealing games of the remainder of the year.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

The length is something I'm curious about as well. There have been some great-length games recently like Tales of Vesperia which had me at over 50 hours by the time I beat it, and then there are games like Infinite Undiscovery which you can beat in under 20 your first time through.

I've also heard that the upcoming demo will be voiced in English, and I'm curious as to who the cast is. If Welkin is Johnny Yong Bosch and Alicia is Michelle Ruff it may be one of the few games that I just skip the English track entirely for (mostly in favor of Marina Inoue).

How ya doing, buddy?

Demo came out today on the US PSN in Qore and for free on the European PSN. I grabbed it and gave it a whirl, and it lived up to all of the hype I'd been building for myself.

Solid controls, great graphics, great soundtrack, challenging. The english voice track was thorougly "meh," so I can enjoy the Japanese track once the game hits, as well.

How ya doing, buddy?

That DLC is also coming early next year. Equally awesome.

I'll be getting this tomorrow immediately after class, sealing myself away, and playing it nonstop. I cannot wait.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I'm absolutely loving the game. My only gripe with the game at all is the dubtitles; Sometimes there will be voiced english dialogue when there is no japanese, or vice versa. Since I'm playing this in japanese, it can lead to a few gaps in the subtitles.

That aside, the rest of the game is simply amazing. The first few chapters were pretty easy, and I was worried that the game would suffer from a lack of difficulty, but now I'm at Chapter 10 and the difficulty has been skyrocketing up over the past few chapters to the point where I'm not exactly sure how I'm supposed to win the map I'm on.

When I picked up my pre-order though, Gamestop already ran out of the bonuses; apparently Sega only sent the store here 4. I've seen scans of the book and it looks really good, too. ;_;

FELIPE NO

Neither I. Then again, I installed the game right off the bat.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

You can't replay story missions, at least not until New Game+. Skirmishes are the only maps you can redo as many times as you want each playthrough.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I'm getting close to the end of the game, though I haven't really gone back to watch most of the Reports or done more than two or three Skirmish maps. Past chapter 4 or 5, the game has been consistently challenging, but never unfair. Some maps seem helpless when you start off (Chapter 16 I think in particular), but how much control you have over how you move your characters really makes planning out stages flexible and amazingly fun.

I'm not sure how I'm going to go back to regular Strategy/RPGs after this game. Fortunately I'll be able to delay returning to them (or at least take a break from them) when the Edy and Selvaria campaigns come out.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Well, it's a Japanese RPG. You shouldn't go into it expecting amazing storytelling or a groundbreaking plot or set of characters. That being said, though, the plot is still enjoyable, and it works well enough to flesh out the few main characters of Squad 7. I guess it leaves the recruits open for DLC campaigns (see: Edy and co.), but as far as the main game goes, if you're not Welkin, Isara, Largo, Rosie, Alicia, or Zaka, the plot doesn't care about you.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

As if the plot wasn't anime-y enough, they've sealed the deal by turning the game into an anime series. At least all of the cliches will be in their proper format now, though they'll probably give the stupid winged pig thing more screen time. Ugh.

I guess the game was popular enough, though. Here's hoping that means a bright future for a series of games, or at least games that play similarly.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I'm currently dead stuck at Chapter 17. The field is full of enemy tanks and anti-tank weaponry, and it's at the point where enemy Lancers are practically being used as rocket snipers. They're stupidly accurate and can one-shot anybody not in cover/at a base. This is the only map in the game so far that I've found downright frustrating.

That being said, the rest of the game has been a blast.

I was speaking idiomatically.

It seems that way. I got Aika first, then Vyse awhile later. Also my roommate got Catherine in their first batch of recruits and I didn't get her until much later on.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Just finished the game. Very nice the whole way through, will definitely be giving it multiple playthroughs eventually.

The ending, in a word.

Spoiler:

D'awwwwwwwwwwwwww.

Very happy.

Now to wait for the DLC.

Also

Spoiler:

After the credits/etc., it said "The Galliant Front: THE END" Let's have the rest of the war!

... although considering this game made both sides look like huge douchebags. Hmm.

FELIPE NO

I started a Hard Mode skirmish, and holy shit they do not mess around. Starting in a corner completely surrounded by enemy elites (this was Skirmish 1), complete with Destroyer tanks and Gatling Guns? Ouch.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

No, Kotaku got it wrong. Follow the link to the Playstation blog and you'll see that the DLC comes out next thursday, not today.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

File sizes are 220-something for Selvaria's pack, 120 for the Hard EX mode, and 80-something for Edy's pack.

Here's DLC that isn't just unlock codes.

Unless they're really, really big unlock codes.

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by GB

Hard EX mode sounds fun for the removal of the Edelweiss (which I often find a hindrance).

Keep in mind you lose your biggest mobile cover for your units, as well.

I nabbed the DLC today, only had time to try out the Edy mission once. It's rough. Very rough.

Also, this came up a few days ago, but is always good news to hear:

Quote:

We've got exciting news for the three of you that bought Sega's surprisingly wonderful strategy-RPG Valkyria Chronicles -- in the latest issue of Famitsu, Nonaka Ryutaro, the game's producer, said he was pleased with Japan's reception of the war-torn title, and expressed interest in creating another installment in the franchise. However, considering the game was a commercial flop in North America and Europe, but absolutely beloved in Japan, where the title has spawned an anime series and reached Sony's Japanese Greatest Hits status, it's not certain that any prospective Valkyria sequels would find their way beyond Japan's borders.

Still, while this isn't exactly a cold, hard confirmation of Valkyria Chronicles 2, but it should be enough to pique your interest, provided you bought the game, which Vegas odds would dictate you did not.

From Joystiq.

Please make a sequel, and please get it translated. I will buy it nine times.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Considering there's still a hell of a lot to wrap up with Valkyria, I think keeping the machine going when it's still fairly popular in japan wouldn't be a bad idea. Announcing it in the wake of the anime series would make sense, and that's wrapping up fairly close to when Tokyo Game Show hits.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Here's some more good news:

Quote:

In North America, Valkyria Chronicles jumped last week to top 5 among PS3 game sales, back on the list at #5, and behind only titles like Guitar Hero and Killzone 2. Considering the game came out last November, it’s an excellent sign that DLC, continued support from SEGA, and amazing support from all the Valkyria fans truly can have a great effect on game sales. Props to all you evangelists who are telling your friends and fellow PS3 owners to pick it up - you have made a difference!

The biggest success story, however, is in Japan - at a cheaper budget price for their re-heat of the title, it makes me extremely happy to announce that according to the Gamasutra info, Valkyria Chronicles was the highest selling game on amazon - period - in Japan last week, beating out the likes of Resident Evil 5 (Biohazard in Japan) and other blockbusters, and nestling in nicely on the same top 5 list as Yakuza 3, which ranked fifth. (Nice work to our counterparts in Japan!)

from Sega Blog.

Well, it was a late starter, but it looks like VC's starting to do a little bit better for itself.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I think the rumors stem from the fact that it was originally going to be a 360 title, but was canned for that system and was released on the PS3 instead.

Other than that I haven't heard about anything regarding a port. I'd take a sequel over a port, anyway.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?