Valkyria Chronicles | |
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Developer(s) | Sega WOW |
Publisher(s) | Sega |
Artist(s) | Raita Honjou |
Composer(s) | Hitoshi Sakimoto Daisuke Kawaguchi (theme song) |
Version | 1.20 |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 3, PC, Playstation 4 (Remastered) |
Release date(s) | PS3 JP April 24, 2008 AUS April 24, 2008 EU October 31, 2008 NA November 4, 2008 PC INT November 11, 2014 PS4 JP February 10, 2016 NA May 17, 2016 EU May 17, 2016 Switch JP September 27, 2018 NA October 16, 2018 EU October 16, 2018 |
Genre(s) | Tactical role-playing, real-time tactics, third person shooter |
Mode(s) | Single player |
Rating(s) | CERO: B ESRB: T OFLC: M PEGI: 16+ |
Media | Blu-ray Disc, Download |
Valkyria Chronicles, known in Japan as Battlefield Valkyria: Gallian Chronicles 戦場のヴァルキュリア - Gallian Chronicles - Senjō no Varukyuria - Gallian Chronicles, is a tactical role-playing game published by Sega, developed by their Sega WOW division exclusively for the PlayStation 3. It was released in Japan on April 24, 2008. The game's visuals, which utilize SEGA's CANVAS graphics engine, resemble a watercolor painting in motion.
A European version was then released on October 31, 2008, followed by a North American version released on November 4, 2008. The success of the game spawned multiple manga titles, a televised anime series, and two sequels on the PSP, Valkyria Chronicles 2 and Valkyria Chronicles 3. A PC port was announced on October 28th, 2014 and was released on November 11th, 2014 on Steam. A PS4 version named Valkyria Chronicles Remastered was released on February 10, 2016 in Japan, and May 17, 2016 for Europe and North America.[1] A Nintendo Switch version has also been announced and planned for a Japanese release on September 27, 2018.[2]
Setting[]
The game is set in Europa, a fictional version of Europe, in 1935. Because of its abundance of Ragnite ore, which can be refined into a powerful fuel, the neutral nation of Gallia comes under attack from the East Europan Imperial Alliance, which is itself engaged in a war with the Atlantic Federation. Players take control of a militia squad of Gallian nationals, dedicated to repelling the invasion.
Plot[]
In the year 1935 E.C., the continent of Europa is dominated by two superpowers: The autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance in the east and a commonwealth of loosely allied democracies known as the Atlantic Federation in the west. The economies of both powers depend on a precious multipurpose mineral called Ragnite. Its growing scarcity results in the Empire declaring war on the Federation, sparking the Second Europan War. The Empire uses its military superiority to quickly put the Federation on the defensive. Emboldened by their progress and momentum, the Empire decides to invade the neutral Principality of Gallia in order to seize its rich Ragnite deposits.
When Imperial forces launch an attack on the Gallian border town of Bruhl, Welkin Gunther, son of late Gallian national hero General Belgen Gunther, is forced to fight for his life alongside the town watch captain, Alicia Melchiott. Together with Welkin's adopted sister Isara and using Belgen's prototype tank from the first war, the Edelweiss, they escape to Gallia's capital, Randgriz, and subsequently join the country's militia forces. Welkin is given the rank of lieutenant and assumes command of the newly-formed Squad 7, with Alicia acting as his non-commissioned officer. Initially, members of the squad question Welkin's qualifications due to a lack of combat experience; however, he quickly earns their trust and loyalty with his tactical genius. Welkin and Alicia soon become romantically engaged.
After Squad 7 wages a successful campaign against Imperial forces, the crown prince Maximilian deploys one of his commanders, Selvaria Bles, equipped with the Ragnite lance and shield of the ancient Valkyrur race, thought to have saved the ancient world from the Darcsen race. Using her innate powers, she decimates the Gallian army. Alicia is shot by Welkin's archeologist colleague, Faldio, in order to awaken her own latent Valkyria powers. Alicia is able to drive Selveria back, allowing the Gallians to advance to the border. Selveria commits suicide in defense of the Ghirlandaio fortress, killing the self-serving Gallian commander and a large portion of the Gallian Army, but sparing Squad 7.
Maximilian, wanting to create his own empire, uses his ultimate weapon, a "land dreadnought" called the Marmota, to break through Gallia's defenses and steal a giant Valkyria lance from within Randgriz Castle. The princess reveals herself to be Darcsen - the Valkyrur rewrote history to make themselves into heroes, while an allied Darcsen tribe gained Randgriz as the spoils. With Alicia's help, Squad 7 are able to board the Marmota, destroying its engines and defeating Maximilian. Alicia and Welkin are rescued and return to Bruhl, where they marry and raise a child.
Characters[]
Main Article: List of Valkyria Chronicles characters.
Character-Relationship Diagram[]
Main Article: Character relationship diagram.
Gameplay[]
Valkyria Chronicles features a unique turn-based battle system called BLiTZ (Battle of Live Tactical Zones). Between turns, the player views an overhead map in Command Mode, but zooms in to control each individual unit on the battlefield during Action Mode. Movement and other actions are handled in real time during Action Mode, though limited by an Action Point gauge that varies for each character. During Target Mode, the player is in direct control of characters' aim while the action freezes, allowing for head shots and other maneuvers. Taking command of individual units during the player's phase costs Command Points, which can be used to either grant movement to many different units or the same unit consecutively with diminishing AP, depending on what the player wants to accomplish.
Each character in the game fulfills a specific role — for instance, Alicia is a mid-range rifle-toting scout, while Welkin is a tank commander. Other roles include assault infantry, lancers (which specialize in anti-tank warfare), snipers, and combat engineers. These various units form a rock-paper-scissors dynamic of strength and weakness. The foot soldiers (Scout, Shocktrooper, Engineer, and Sniper) are effective against slower anti-tank units; anti-tank units can quickly destroy tanks with a well-aimed shot and tanks are generally devastating against infantry, whose anti-personnel weapons are unable to inflict any damage except to a very small weakpoint. By gaining experience and completing missions, the player's army will receive new recruits and their materiel can be upgraded.
The environment also factors heavily in combat. In an urban level, for example, Snipers can be sent onto rooftops to eliminate unsuspecting enemies below. Tanks can knock down walls and other obstacles to open new paths. Buildings and other structures offer hard cover around which to maneuver. Foliage offers soft cover to reduce the chance of being spotted by the enemy and to confound their aim when seen. As the Gallian forces advance across the battlefield, control points can be captured, giving the player a tactical advantage and offering additional locations in which to call reinforcements. As Welkin, the player can issue various Orders for the purpose of things such as artillery strikes, supervising medics, and improving morale.
Development[]
The creative force behind Valkyria Chronicles consisted mainly of staff that had been involved in the Sakura Wars series, led by Producer Ryutaro Nonaka and Director Shuntaro Tanaka. Together, they desired to create a game that combined facets of their previous works: strategy elements from the Sakura Wars series, third-person action elements from Nonaka's Nightshade, and role-playing influence from Tanaka's Skies of Arcadia. Originally under the working title Gallian Panzers, the team concentrated on making the strategic and action portions of the game of equal importance. Planning aspects of game play were emphasized through the Potential skill system that distinguishes individual militiamen and -women under the player's command, giving them affinities for certain environments, conditions, and each other. Contrasting the steady pacing of other turn-based strategy titles, the third-person portion of the BLiTZ system was to have an atmosphere of immediacy and tension, achieved in part by allowing enemy soldiers to actively defend themselves during the player's turn, and vice-versa. Also important was the incorporation of battle scenarios and map designs that mimic situations from World War II era combat, such as storming beachheads, stalking through forests, or breaking through barricades in the streets of an enemy-occupied city.
To complement the gameplay, distinctive, stylistic visuals were decided upon and carried out through the CANVAS graphics engine. Adding a touch of fantasy to the mix, the development team hoped to be able to garner attention from gamers who did not play games with similar settings but more realistic combat. The use of a warm color palette took emphasis away from the "grotesque, realistic nature of war itself," as Nonaka put it, and focused instead on the characters and story. Tanaka added that, "we wanted to show that realism isn't the only thing you can do with 3D graphics." Character designs were created for the game by Raita Honjou, who, along with the rest of the development staff, aimed for a look that was described by 1UP.com's Jeremy Parish as "rustic." In early stages, designs drew more directly on examples from World War II, however, they proved to be too modern for what the team wanted to achieve. Thus, Raita aimed for a motif closer to that found in World War I, first creating Alicia and Welkin's concept illustrations and using them as a basis for the rest of the Gallian cast. World War II influence can still be seen in the designs of Imperial characters such as Gregor, whose uniform is heavily based on German officer uniforms from that period. The end result of these efforts was described by Japanese director Mamoru Oshii as giving him "an impression similar to ... the Nausicaä manga," and Nonaka admits to aiming for the style found in World Masterpiece Theater.
Musical composition was led by Hitoshi Sakimoto, who explained that the entire process of composing, recording and editing the game's tracks took a total of eight months. The game's "Main Theme" was initially composed in a variety of arrangements by Sakimoto, who then incorporated those arrangements into other pieces with contrasting tones. Like those in charge of the game's visuals, Sakimoto cited the game's story as its center and biggest inspiration for him, adding a "military color" to the score after this consideration. Other important themes written into the score are the contrast between the game's two most prominent female characters, Alicia and Selvaria, and the relationship between Alicia and Welkin.
Release[]
On September 29, 2008, SEGA of America held an exclusive Valkyria Chronicles Pre-Launch event at the Sony Metreon in San Francisco. Press and public were both invited, and SEGA used a raffle to give away Valkyria Soundtracks, Japanese figurines of the characters, matted art posters signed by the Japanese Producer Ryutaro Nonaka, and an 80 GB PS3. SEGA let the community send in questions before the event, then posed these to the Japanese Producer in an interview during the event. Pictures and a follow-up of the event were posted on the SEGA of America Blog.
Supplemental downloadable content pertaining to the game was made available for purchase via PSN, and later bundled with the PC version. First is the inclusion of a Hard EX Mode, extra challenging versions of existing skirmish missions where the Edelweiss is unavailable. Two side story chapters, "Edy’s Mission: Enter the Edy Detachment" and "Selvaria's Mission: Behind Her Blue Flame", introduce Squad 7's motliest crew led by Edy Nelson and Homer Peron, and the early portion of the invasion into Gallia as seen from the Imperial perspective. Hard EX Mode and Edy's Mission were originally released for the Japanese version on August 8, 2008, while Selvaria's Mission was released on October 31 of the same year. All three were made available in North America on April 16, 2009. A fourth DLC, titled "Edy Detachment's Formal Challenge!/Challenges of the Edy Detachment" was made available in Japan on June 26, 2009, and in North America on February 25, 2010. Included are a set of six challenge missions, each focusing on one of the game's unit classes. The addition of Trophy support has yet to occur, however, there has been some indication of possible support in the future.
Valkyria Chronicles was re-released in Japanese retail stores under The Best label on March 5, 2009 with a retail price of 3,900 Yen. This version of the game includes "Edy's Mission" without needing a separate download.
Reception[]
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Valkyria Chronicles has been critically acclaimed by numerous sources, including writers for IGN, RPGland, RPGFan, G4TV's X-Play, Gametrailers, and Gamespot. Multiple publications were impressed with the title's gameplay design, noting that it gave players a new sense of tactical freedom absent in other games of the same genre via the removal of certain staples such as a grid-based map. The active nature of combat generated positive feelings towards a more involved strategy and produced, according to Game Revolution's Chris Hudak, "nail-gnawingly tense" situations that kept the player emotionally involved in the game. Both Valkyria Chronicles's story and the way in which it was presented were cited as strong points. Longevity was also attributed to the game, with James Quentin Clark of RPGFan noting that, "the game gets better the more you play it." While pleased overall, multiple reviewers issued complaints about the sometimes questionable activity conducted by the enemy forces' artificial intelligence. Others stated that the third-person camera interfered with the ability to shoot effectively in certain situations.
Despite having garnered positive press, sales of the game were initially mixed. While it sold 77,000 copies in its first week of release in Japan, it only sold 33,000 copies in the United States during November 2008. It was the 93rd best-selling game in Japan in 2008, selling 141,589 copies. Despite weak initial North American sales, Valkyria Chronicles recovered somewhat with sales sharply increasing in April 2009 following a price cut and the simultaneous release of an anime based on the game. It later reached the top of the Steam charts the day it was released there, on 11 November 2014.[3]
Approximately a year after the game's initial release, both producer Ryutaro Nonaka and gamers surveyed by Famitsu stated interest in a sequel to the game.
Gallery[]
Achievement[]
Image | Name | Description |
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Valkyrie of the Battlefield | Obtain all decorations. | |
Congratulations, soldier! | ||
Gallian Medal of Honor | Obtain the decoration given to a Gallian who has performed exemplary service in a military or civilian office. | |
Story-related trophy. Simply complete Chapter 9. | ||
Fouzen Service Medal | Obtain the decoration given to participants in the battle to liberate Fouzen. A depiction of the city adorns this commemorative medal. | |
Story-related trophy. Simply complete Chapter 10. | ||
Naggiar Service Medal | Obtain the decoration given to participants in the confrontation at Naggiar. A likeness of the plains adorns this commemorative medal. | |
Story-related trophy. Simply complete Chapter 14. | ||
Ghirlandaio Service Medal | Obtain the decoration given to participants in the recapturing of Ghirlandaio. An image of the citadel adorns this commemorative medal. | |
Story-related trophy. Simply complete Chapter 15. | ||
Savior of Gallia | Obtain the decoration given to a person who helped save Gallia in times of need. Awarded only four times thus far, once to General Gunther. | |
Simply complete the story and start the "New Games Plus" mode. | ||
The Lance of Gallia | Obtain the decoration given to a soldier who has performed exceptionally, as by defeating an elite officer of the opposing army. | |
Simply kill any enemy "Ace" in any mission. | ||
The Bronze Arms of Gallia | Obtain the decoration given to a squad that has defeated more than 250 enemies in the defense of their homeland. | |
You will have to kill 250 enemy soldiers in total. | ||
The Silver Arms of Gallia | Obtain the decoration given to Bronze Arms awardees who have gone on to defeat a total of 500 enemies in the defense of their homeland. | |
You will have to kill 500 enemy soldiers in total. | ||
The Golden Arms of Gallia | Obtain the decoration given to Silver Arms awardees who have gone on to defeat a total of 1,000 enemies in the defense of their homeland. | |
You will have to kill 1000 enemy soldiers in total. | ||
The Splintered Horn | Obtain the decoration presented to a squad or team to honor a fallen member. It stands among Gallia's oldest decorations still issued. | |
To obtain this trophy you will have to let any of your soldiers die permanently but they have unlocked all their Potentials. | ||
The Crimson Heart | Obtain the decoration given to a soldier wounded in the line of duty. It stands among Gallia's oldest honors still being presented. | |
You will have to call the medic to save a comrade who has fallen helpless to the ground (with 0 HP). | ||
Order of the Golden Wings | Obtain the decoration presented to a squad that has reached exceptional levels of skill through training and battlefield experience. | |
You will have to raise the level of each soldier class available in the game to the maximum (which is 20) | ||
The Wings of Solidarity | Obtain the decoration given to all members of a squad that has displayed solidarity and excellence in teamwork. | |
You will have to obtain all the profiles of the various characters in the game ("Personnel" tab) and unlock all their Potentials secrets. | ||
Excellence in Leadership | Obtain the decoration given to an officer who has demonstrated remarkable skill as a leader through mastery of the art of command. | |
You will have to learn all the Orders available in the game. | ||
Excellence in Armament | Obtain the decoration presented to a squad shown to have procured a robust and effective arsenal through hard work and thorough development. | |
You must obtain all the weapons in the game (from the story, from the enemies and from Cordelia) and purchase all the upgrades. | ||
Excellence in Technology | Obtain the decoration presented to a squad shown to have assembled exemplary tanks through tireless work and exhaustive development. | |
You will have to unlock and purchase all the upgrades available for the two tanks in the game (Edelweiss and Shamrock) and collect their three secret pieces obtainable from enemies. | ||
Gallian Front Commemorative | Obtain the decoration made to celebrate the initial publication of the completed On the Gallian Front, given only to those it chronicles. | |
You will need to complete all chapters of the main story and all reports, with any rating. | ||
Order of the Holy Shield | Obtain the decoration based on the Valkyrian shield, presented to a squad shown to have earned victory without a single casualty. | |
Simply complete any mission after Chapter 10 without letting even one of your soldiers end up helpless on the ground (with 0 HP). | ||
Order of the Holy Lance | Obtain the decoration based on the Valkyrian lance, presented to a squad shown to have earned victory with exceptional speed. | |
You will need to complete any mission after Chapter 10 and get an "A" rating. | ||
Randgriz Crest of Honor | Obtain the decoration considered Gallia's highest honor, begun by House Randgriz. Given only to heroes who demonstrate complete military mastery. | |
You will need to get an "A" rating in all story missions, reports and side missions (Skirmishes), the latter for each available level ("Easy", "Normal" and "Hard"). |
Trivia[]
- The font used in the English logo for Valkyria Chronicles is Ringbearer Medium by Pete Klassen[4]
- The fonts used in the Japanese logo for Valkyria Chronicles are:
- 戦場のヴァルキュリア - DF極太ゴシック体 (DFGothicStd-W12) by DynaComware Corp.
- Gallian Chronicles - Morris Black by Dan X.
- Two minor characters from the game, Vyse Inglebard and Aika Thompson, respectively a Shocktrooper and a Scout, are based on the protagonists of another SEGA game, Skies of Arcadia, released on Dreamcast and GameCube. A third character based on the game protagonists named Fina Sellers is also present, playing the medic of Squad 7.
External Links[]
- Valkyria Chronicles Steam Page
- Valkyria Chronicles at Wikipedia (JP)
- Valkyria Chronicles at Wikipedia (EN)
- Valkyria Chronicles at Wikipedia (ITA)
References[]
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Valkyria Chronicles Series | ||
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Main Games | Valkyria Chronicles | Valkyria Chronicles 2 | Valkyria Chronicles 3 - Extra Edition | Valkyria Chronicles 4 | |
Spin-off | Valkyria Chronicles Duel | Project X Zone | Valkyria Revolution | |
Animations | Valkyria Chronicles Anime | Valkyria Chronicles 3 OVA | |
Merchandise | Action Figures | Books | Music |