Critical Acclaim is generally a way for a game to become a success in the eyes of gamers. This generally follows with sales success with a few exceptions being held in higher regard. Games such as Okami and Ico even Mirrors Edge and Dead Space have fallen to the same fate this generation. Well there is a game that has been a sales disappointment considering the reception it received from critics and I personally was guilty of not picking this game up until now. The game is Valkyria Chronicles, a Playstation 3 exclusive from 2008.

Since I have finally picked the game up, brand new for under 50 Dollars, is it worth the time and money for people to go back and take the Journey into Gallia during the rush of games coming out in the first half of 2010?

While that is a complex question to answer after only 4 or so hours into the game, initial impressions make me say yes. A common misconception about this game is that it is simply Turned Based JRPG, in reality though it is a much more complex game to describe, though relatively simple to play. With some simple RPG elements introduced to a Turn Based Strategy Game played half in an overhead map view and the other half in a Third Person Perspective more akin to a Third Person Shooter than a JRPG.

From this perspective, you then are able to move your character around the environment. Watch out though because if you are close enough to an enemy you will be shot at. While controlling your character you can enter the targeting mode at anytime, though it is slightly useless when you’re not close to an enemy. While in targeting mode, you can select an enemy and choose where you want to aim (during this the enemy NPC’s are frozen) and a dice roll in the back determines if you hit.

But that is enough about the gameplay for now, while it is fun (and challenging) the games true strength lies in its story and graphical style. Imagine a small peaceful country in the midst of Word War II being invaded by the military superpower only referred to as The Empire. The Empire, a thinly veiled attempt at creating a Nazi like enemy, are quickly shown to be the bad guys. Considering the first appearance in the game is of them invading Welkin’s, the main character of the story, home town and pointing a gun at his sister.

What is surprising is how Sega were able to make the story not a giant cliché that we are used to from JRPG’s up to this point. The story is told with a lot of innocence with Welkin, Alica and Isara all being recruited into the Militia, the volunteer section of the Gallian Army. Welkin being the son of a great general, and having his own tank might have helped, gets put in charge of Squad 7. Within the first 5 chapters some memorable moments of the story have already etched themselves in my brain such as; the love story brewing between Welkin and Alica after she arrested him, Alica finding and then adopting a piglet and Welkin proving himself to the rest of his squad to stop an internal rift that had started. While at times it seems they are trying to squeeze too much out of the story, overall it creates what feels like a fleshed out world.

While I touched on them before the visuals really need praising, with style elements taken from comic books and a water colour painting/cell shaded look it creates a depth to the world that forces you to remember it. In a world full of realistic looking games, it is great to see a game with a different artistic direction (as did Borderlands this year)

Valkyria Chronicles for me so far has become a relaxing experience outside of the battles and challenging inside. With the pacing now revealing why it is a bit too cut scene heavy in the first few chapters my main complaint about the game is gone. I will report back later when more hours have been put into the game.