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The Tokyo Game Show might now be a distant memory, but for many fans one its highlights would be the long-teased announcement of Valkyria Chronicles III, the third installment in the beloved franchise.
Unfortunately, some peals were delight were replaced with cries of internet rage once the game’s platform was announced. Like Valkyria Chronicles II, it would be a PlayStation Portable game. Declarations were quickly made that, also like Valkyria Chronicles II, would also be “crippled” by Sega's misguided choice of platform. It wouldn't be another "true" sequel, but the second cheap cash-in, made with no regard for the true fans who know better.
And with just a couple of months until Valkyria Chronicles III's Japanese launch, the whining has started again, regardless of the fact that Valkyria Chronicles II was long proven to be every bit the equal of its predecessor, and in many ways even better.
Our review of the game likely wasn’t enough to convince some of those crazy people, so I’ve compiled a list of reasons why the PSP sequel is better, which I will use to casually dismiss some of those complaints, before they distort the perception of the games to come.
1. You’re just jealous
Obviously, the first thing that one must casually dismiss if this feature is to go anywhere is the most apparent one: some of the “concerned” fans and would-be fans are simply *ahem* “butthurt”. Valkyria Chronicles II is not on a platform they own or care to own, and therefore it must suck and no one needs or wants it anyway.
Knowing that the sequel will be on the same platform, the only logical conclusion is that it will be an abomination even more horrible than the previous one that wasn’t on a platform you own or care for, which means that Sega is a dumb company that only makes mistakes. Look, I can’t begrudge anyone for being miffed at not being able to get a game, but I can begrudge those who try to disguise that bitterness as genuine concern for the quality of the product.
2. In fact, you ARE playing it wrong
I’m a firm believer in the idea that a game design structures its reward system in such a way that the player is encouraged to play according to the developer’s intent. This might seem like a given to you, but you’d be surprised how many people ignore that when they make assumptions about a game’s quality. What do I mean, exactly? I mean that certain criticisms of the way Valkyria Chronicles II plays as compared to the original are being misinterpreted, that some critics are wrongly assuming that the smaller platform forced the team at Sega Wow Overworks to compromise its vision, ending up with a product less faithful to the original's formula.
Here goes. Players of Valkyria Chronicles should remember the game’s mission grading system, wherein rewards in cash and XP were adjusted based on several factors, chief among them being speed, i.e. finishing the mission in as few turns as possible. Thus, for many players, getting those A’s and S’s generally meant blitzing the objective with just a few units and doing all sorts of things that generally killed the notion that Valkyria Chronicles was some kind of return to the “glory days” of ponderous, slow-paced tactical games like X-COM and Jagged Alliance. The nine-man squad then, was rendered quite pointless, as moving every unit would simply use up precious command points.
Compare that notion to Valkyria Chronicles II’s design. A six-member ceiling, and an emphasis on making use of the area transition mechanic to switch out units as needed, for greater efficiency and speed. If games are meant to be played with the objective of maximizing the rewards, then VC2 is far closer to the “soul” of the Valkyria Chronicles design philosophy than the original ever was. It was never an anime X-COM, and the expectations that it should have been border on unreasonable.
And if you’re the type to insist that all games must allow for every style of play and still be fun, allow me to use a hypothetical situation from Dead Rising 2. In that game, you can maximize your PP rewards by using combo weapons, which also do much more damage to zombies and open up a lot of special attack options. The impetus to use them over regular weapons should be obvious. But for some reason you, due to childhood trauma, absolutely refuse to use combo weapons. Your alcoholic babysitter used to beat you with Knife Gloves and Spiked Bats and Chainsaw Paddles and make you promise not to tell, and as such you can’t bring yourself to make or use those awful things, even against virtual zombies.
That in mind, are you still going to blame Capcom and Blue Castle games for not making the use of regular bats and non-combo weapons less rewarding or fun? Of course not. If you refuse to play the game according to the designer’s intent, you take your enjoyment into your own hands. It’s the same situation with Valkyria Chronicles II. You simply can’t argue that the original was the truly “faithful” one when the sequel is much more tailored to match expected behavior to concrete reward.
And if you do play by their rules and end up not having any fun? Well, that’s what bad reviews and nasty comments are for.
3. You just need to look, because it’s all still there
Everyone loved the original’s story. You can’t read a single round of Valkyria Chronicles’ praises without going into it. Yet, when the sequel hit, there seemed to be this perception that due to the handheld’s smaller size, the team was somehow forced to write a lesser tale. For some unfathomable reason, in the era when gamers are most realizing that bigger - bigger budgets, more marketing, more what-have-you - wasn’t necessarily better, with Valkyria Chronicles II, smaller meant worse.
But let’s think about that story, then. Distilled down to its core, it’s a tale about a plucky bunch of youngsters turning back a largely faceless evil to save the land. Most Imperial soldiers literally wear masks to hide their humanity, and the one DLC mission that allows you to play from the other side barely adds a smidgen of that to the jack-booted invaders. It’s still loaded with all the sweet sentimentality and ham-fisted moralizing common to most every anime and JRPG. What’s so praiseworthy about that?
No, Valkyria Chronicles’ strength wasn’t in the core of its plot but in the details and subtexts that made it feel so refreshing next to the endless parade of sci-fi/fantasy amalgams that characterized its peers. The game’s faux-World War II setting allowed to a resonant point of entry into territory that no game set in the actual second World War would dare tread, exploring issues such as genocide and the idea that history is written by the victors.
Where am I going with this? My point is that the accusations of Valkyria Chronicles II had skewed “too anime” are misguided. Sure, the shift to a school setting opened it up to engage more cliches, but the subtexts and tweaks that made the original so refreshing are all still there for anyone willing to look past the surface. If anything, they’re even more intriguing than before, taking the foundations laid before and building on them to end up with something that has even more texture and impact.
Think about it. Gallia is a country so exhausted that it’s forced to send raw cadets into combat against other Gallians. Rather than fighting a dehumanized, external foe, the cast participates in a sectarian civil war, one rooted in the ethnic and social prejudices that were treated as a side-note in the original. The enemy isn’t fighting to capture Gallia’s Ragnite, or to claim its ancient fantasy WMDs. They’re fighting because they don’t like that a lady with black hair is in charge. That doesn’t just resonate with the good-versus-evil tones of World War II, but even with some modern conflicts going on today. All it takes is a little thought.
4. You’re getting more than dossier entries
Perhaps the dumbest complaint I’ve read about Valkyria Chronicles II’s alleged hobbling at the hands of the handheld has been that, due to the PSP’s inferior memory space, characters no longer have the same amount of text in their dossier entries. Squad members are then devolved into mere names on a list, devoid of development and character.
The accusation is both narrow-minded and can only come from willful ignorance or even malice. If anything, the miscellaneous characters of Valkyria Chronicles II are even more well-developed than their first-entry counterparts, and are given many more opportunities to grow. The original certainly did not give anyone else besides the principal cast and a few fan favorites their own sets of cutscenes and special missions.
Valkyria Chronicles II does indeed employ more cliche high-school character archetypes than the first one, but for every Melissa, whose only cutout is a variation on Cover Tom, there’s a Helmut, an “exchange student” who is in all but name a political prisoner, held hostage to preserve the fragile peace. None of these developments could happen (or make sense) as progressively unlocked paragraphs can can be ignored entirely.
5. You know that making games is expensive
Finally, let’s address the main battle tank in the room. Everyone knows it: The PSP is a cheaper platform to develop on. It probably cost Sega a fraction of Valkyria Chronicles’ budget to develop the sequel, and it will cost them a fraction to develop Valkyria Chronicles III as well. Asset creation is by far the most time-consuming and expensive part of high-end game development, and it would be delusional to think that this didn’t play a factor in the decision to shift to handhelds.
Furthermore, the shift does acknowledge one other thing: Japan is calling the shots on this one. Valkyria Chronicles barely sold in North America, even after its post-discount sales spike. In Glorious Nippon though, the game spawned two manga adaptations, a novelization, and an anime series, all before hitting the Greatest Hits lineup. The PSP is doing a lot better in Japan than anywhere else, regularly beating out the home consoles and giving the DS a run for its money. It would be stupid not to think about relocating to the cheaper platform that has a larger install base, if the depth and complexity of the original formula could be preserved. And with Valkyria Chronicles II, it has.
6. You’re right, it isn’t perfect
Of course, the game isn’t perfect. Valkyria Chronicles II’s design may more in line with the reward system, but it still doesn’t satisfy players who expect the game to reward slower, ponderous style. The credit system encourages too much repetitive farming, ultimately undermining the improved class customization that would have encouraged better use of more squadmates. The majority of missions are basically variants on the same two or three basic templates, featuring considerable reuse of maps. Folks who don’t have or want a PSP but still want a Valkyria Chronicles game are entirely justified in being miffed, too. No one enjoys not having the platform a great exclusive is on.
And technology does indeed have its limits. I myself don’t believe the series can advance much farther than what Valkyria Chronicles III promises while still remaining on the PSP, thanks in part to the weaknesses that dampened the impact of its still-unparalleled CANVAS-engine aesthetic. Hardware does matter...eventually.
All things considered, there are definitely valid reasons to criticize Valkyria Chronicles II and project that apprehension onto the next installment. That it will be a lesser game for being on a “lesser” platform just isn't one of them.
Contest:
4:00 PM on 12.01.2010 | 
I would like to see another Valkyria Chronicles on PS3, (the first one was beautiful), but having played the PSP version. I can no longer complain about it.
The game is boss.
Also, dem tits are huge.
I like awesome graphics.
I would have like to have seen VCIII on the PS3.
It's not.
I am disappointed.
...But I have confidence that VCIII will be a great portable game.
So in the end. I am content.
I think you need to replay VC1 if you really feel that way. Regardless, I'm really looking forward to VC3, because it looks much better than VC2. VC2 will go down as the worst in the series. Even the developers feel that way. Even though it is a 10/10 game, and a masterpiece in it's own way.
Consoles... gleaming utopia.
Handhelds... filthy ghetto.
Some people can't wrap their heads around the idea that you can have a wonderful, comparable, sometimes SUPERIOR gaming experience on a portable as opposed to a home console.
Look, I can understand why you're praising VC2, and I agree, it's a genuinely good game. The game made huge improvements in certain areas. The ability to change classes was great and I welcomed the increased number of vehicle modifications. My problem is this insistence that it's superior to VC1 in every imaginable way when it's clearly not. My biggest issue is that VC1 was much shorter than VC2, which might sound like a bad thing, but honestly, that's a great thing when you realize why exactly VC2 is so long.
I decided to start writing down how long I spent grinding in the game. Out of the 152 missions I have played in VC2, at least 47 of them were played solely because I had to replay the same set of missions repeatedly just to get some arbitrary reward like Atk II or Mrch X. To do even more research, out of the 52 hours I've spent playing the game, at least 12 of them were spent grinding. Now playing specific missions to get rewards isn't necessarily bad, but my issue is that these rewards were completely random. Sure, every mission rewarded a single type, but the specific subset of that type was completely random. That means if I needed my Scout to get a Mrch II X, it wouldn't matter whether he captured the most bases or killed the most units, it was all completely random. And since I have the luck of a black cat impaled by broken mirror shards under a ladder covered in dirt from a grave, this means that while Helmut will struggle just to get one diploma, that jackass Joachim will have 7. It got to the point where I reasoned that within canon, Helmut, being a political prisoner, was being purposely discriminated against to prevent him from moving up in the ranks.
I'm probably rambling for too long, but this one issue out of many is killing the game for me. I really want to enjoy it, but now I play it as a chore. It's not fun for me anymore, I'm just playing it now because I want to beat it. If the story wasn't starting to pick up, I would've dropped it entirely.
All that said though, I will admit that VC3 has impressed me so far, and having heard the news that they're getting rid of the horrible credits system, I now honestly believe VC3 has what it takes to live up to the high bar that VC1 set.
If I had ended up enjoying the first one, I would be upset that VC II and VC III were on PSP, not because of a lack of quality, but just because I don't own a PSP. It'd be more sad than truly upset.
It was a good game... for the PSP. But I'm never going to be convinced it was as good as VCI. I played VCI again right after VCII, and it just made me furious.
Between idiotic grinding/item based advancement, throw away shonen characters with a crap high school story, compromised albeit slightly control scheme, it's just not as good. I can live with the smaller squad size, because VCI rarely required using much more that 4-6 characters anyway, but the area transition mechanic was crap too. You know what's faster than moving characters between heavily recycled areas? Larger areas that aren't recycled dozens of times over, as the game is filled to the brim with empty filler levels that are as throw away as the characters. But you can't do that, because its on the PSP, and this game was desperate to be longer than its predecessor.
But in all fairness, there were things that VCII brought to the table that I liked. I did like the concept opening up classes to all characters, and I do like the idea of fleshing out class advancement at the idividual characters, over the over-simplified elites at level 10 system from VCI. I just hated it that they mixed it up with random drop items. I also really liked that they provided more options in terms of vehicles and customization.
And I do like what I've seen about VCIII. It would just be better game on PS3. And it would succeed on PS3 too, if Sega actually did it a favor it didn't do the first game, and FUCKING MARKET IT.
I can't speak for others, but this is my belief when it comes to handheld gaming; Handheld games can definitely be superior to console games, provided they are designed with the handheld in mind. Games like The World Ends With You and Professor Layton are definitely superior to most large budget games on consoles simply because they are well designed for handhelds. I would never want to play either of those two games on a console. On the same note though, I would never want to play any FPS on the planet on a handheld (I know they exist, in my opinion, they are all terrible). So playing VC2 on the PSP after having played VC1 on the PS3 feels limited to a degree.
I like looking at giant TVs.
Though to be fair, Josh covered most of the bases not only for VCII and VCIII, but most handheld exclusivess. Games are expensive to make, PSP and DS are rather dominant platforms in Japan versus consoles. The time where consoles were dominant over there have passed and handheld development being cheaper, this choices are only logical.
I can't really compare VC to VC2, as I don't have a PS3 yet (but intend to soon), but there are plenty of exclusives on PSP and DS where similar wild, irrational claims are made. I mean, I'm sorry you wanted an Okami sequel in HD, but your buddies didn't buy enough of the game on PS2 and Wii to warrant such a gamble. And when you have assets as good as SE had for Kingdom Hearts 2, why not keep on using them a bit longer via PSP, 3DS and even DS (even if it was just FMV there?
MGS: Peace Walker is easily #2 to Snake Eater in my book and much of the reason behind that the "limitations" gave rise to a new design approach that I would actually consider better for the series than one continuous mission. A system with multiple missions and RPG elements just works better for the series. And all the history, trivia and story of a MGS is still there, just in admittedly awesome motion comic form. Game was pretty damn epic for PSP.
So yeah, be hutthurt about such things if you want. I'm of the opinion that handhelds will continue to become more relevant in the future. And if 3DS is any indication, there is interest there for that from people that never would have considered a portable before, its largely because of the games lined up, too.
"Sure, the shift to a school setting opened it up to engage more cliches, but the subtexts and tweaks that made the original so refreshing are all still there for anyone willing to look past the surface."
There is nothing refreshing about any of the characters in VC2 because they are *all* cliches. There's not a single character you could point to as being representative of a real human being. Everything has been so anime-ified and designed to cater to otaku fetishes that they simply can't be ignored to find a single sane, likeable one among them.
The peripheral cast of VC1 mostly had simple realistic backstories like "this guy was a farmer before the war" or "this girl worked at a bar". It may be boring, but it grounds the game world. In VC2, everybody has some tragic backstory or glaring personality deficiency that has to be overcome.
Additionally, VC2 treads on every single high school anime trope. Plucky loser-filled class beats snooty "perfect" class. Perfect bitch girl rivalry with plucky main character & co. Slacker main character bad at school but awesome at combat(sports). Bikini pool party (note that they took the time to animate this when many other more important scenes are not). Time for the girls to fret about "weighing in" including size envy. Obsessive otaku character (ooh they made it a girl how daring...or maybe I should say wish fulfillment). Boy in love with his sister. Girl pretending to be boy. School festival. The Tri-Wizard Cup. This isn't even half of them. Taking a few here or there would not be a problem, but it's like they literally took a list of genre tropes and tried to make sure they hit them all.
Finally, the biggest problem with VC2 is the randomized award system. There is aboslutely 0 way to influence what rewards are given to which participating characters after battle. This is a huge problem when you need to earn specific rewards to promote your characters to better classes. Whether you've used a character once or ten times in a battle, they all have the same random chance at earning any of the rewards possible from the battle. It's beyond frustrating to have to spend 4 hours grinding the same type of mission over and over again, just so your one specific charater that's missing a Certificate or AttkII X will finally win the lottery and have one of those credits land on them so you can promote them. Even rotating a large cast of characters through each mission only mitigates so much of the randomness. It is this factor that truly killed my enthusiasm for the game far more than any substandard rehashed setting or characters.
...
PLEASE!!!
The PSP is already an amazing handheld with a stellar library, and this only makes it that much better.
Why does destructod hate the PS3 so much? Jim's just an antiSony troll and everyone else has M$'s meat shove so far down there throat its balls come out there ass.
talk about sh*t journalism.
I'm definitely looking forward to VC3 and will continue to support the series as much as I can, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that the 2nd game left a bad taste in my mouth and has definitely brought down my level of excitement for seeing more games in the series. I really truly hope that the third game will manage to capture the same type of feeling I had when first playing the original, as that unique charm and style that made the game stand out for me was completely absent in the sequel, regardless of whatever "improvements" were made.
Anywho on topic: I loved the first game and what I've played of the second so far has been enjoyable. It's made some marked improvements but at the same time I feel some areas have been compromised somewhat - due to design chocies rather than any hardware limitation I might add.
I also do have to disagree with one point in the article - the story is definitely far more anime-ified. Which isn't really bothering me too much but it does detract from the experience a tad especially when compared to VC1.
Either way I'm greatly looking forward to VC3 regardless of platform. I'm just glad they're continuing to support the series.
I respect your opinion for liking VC2, and I really wanted to like it as much as VC1. Unfortunately I still felt like the game fell short, but not for the generalizations some people made.
It's mostly the fact that they put a sequel to a console game on a handheld. If it had started on a handheld no one would have cared.
I don't think anyone would have wanted Majora's Mask on he gbc.
honestly I don't care anymore.
Call me when a Valkyria Chronicles is on the Ps3 again then I'll begin to care again.
To just hear even some here, not able to play the game, because of the lack of a PSP sums up a lot.
Meanwhile, Platinum Games are cleaning industry house, with a more global mindset, built on better, fun games. Why are Sega watching all this in a confused fashion? Think Sega, if VC were an action rpg game, instead of a strategy rpg, it might actually sell better. Its never going to have a chance on PSP, though.
I don't think anything is wrong with the PSP. It's a cool system. But I don't own one, and I have no plans to buy one. However, I do have a PS3 and a copy of Valkyria Chronicles. I want more of that.
It's... alright. Not liking the setting anywhere near as much as much as VC1. It's like they mixed a high-school anime with a war movie, and it's more than a little jarring.
Plus, I just don't like playing long, drawn out games on handhelds. To me, handhelds are meant to play quick-burst, arcade-style games. Fighters, Shmups, Puzzlers - that's handheld gaming. Anything that you can thoroughly enjoy well before the system starts warning you that the battery is about to die, or your neck starts cramping because you've been looking at a 45 degree downward angle for 2 hours.
@Bigmoose
Try putting that TV and console in your pocket and get back to us. Portability is the name of the game.
Oh well, time to start dropping hints for Christmas.
"Consoles... gleaming utopia.
Handhelds... filthy ghetto."
Does that group should be considered "people"?
I'm still a bit displeased that the main VC series is in mobile only but I'm not going to complain.
2) a game shouldn't be labeled as better than another game because A) I just established that "good" is subjective, as is "better" and "best" and B) you're implying that there is some sort of "quality scale", when really enjoyment is an abstract idea. (Another reason why scores should be abolished from all reviews, but that's another argument for another day)
3) You points are mostly fallacies anyways. I'm suspecting this is just you venting after an argument.
VC2 great gameplay cliche'd story and characters (though cliche doesn't mean that they are not likable). That's how I think of the two games, anyway.
VC3 looks like its gonna merge the best of both games.
on topic i'll be buying this both once VCIII comes here in the west.
please Sega make Valkyria Chronicles IV for the PS3 this time ^^
just clarification, he's been writing this for a couple days. His last post about VCIII was on like the 28th or 29th and mentioned this post would be up and coming.
as for "better"...I like the lack of grind needed in VCI, but I really like the versatility of units in VCII, so no one will ever win. However, with about 80 hours on VCII and another 50+ with VCI, VCIII is a definite purchase for me.
*gets beat up*
I wouldn't be averse to an iPad version, aside from having to buy one. I was actually hoping Sega was going to shock us all and put VC3 on the 3DS.