henke on 11/11/2018 at 19:04
We're going back to World War II, only this time... it's ANIME!!! ^___________^
[video=youtube;x_unym8oSow]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_unym8oSow[/video]
I was gonna finish Frozen Synapse 2's SP campaign before getting into this, but 31 hours into that one it's still going and I've gotten bored. Also, I wanted something portable to play while visiting my folks this weekend, so I picked up Valkyria Chronicles 4 for the Switch.
I'm loving it! The turn-based third-person combat is as delicious as ever, and mostly unchanged from the first game, except for the addition of a new mortar unit and an APC. My only complaints are that it's a tad too easy (there's no Hard mode, only Normal/Easy) and you'll spend almost as much time watching cutscenes as fighting. While I am enjoying the characters and the story as much as the first game, it's still a bit much.
icemann on 12/11/2018 at 07:59
The first game was terrible. Worst combat system in a JRPG ever. Uninstalled it within an hour of gameplay.
Renzatic on 12/11/2018 at 08:06
Really? I think you're the only person I've seen on the entire internet who didn't like Valkyria Chronicles.
What's weird is that I have a Switch, I want VC4, but, for some reason, decided to rebuy VC1 again. I guess I did that cuz I'm dumb.
Sulphur on 12/11/2018 at 08:16
Wait until he sees the combat system in Resonance of Fate, it'll probably be enough to turn Oz inside out instead of merely being upside down.
Anyway, Valk is a strategy/tactical RPG thing like FF Tactics or whatever, it's not a JRPG so no one should go in expecting it to play like one.
icemann on 12/11/2018 at 11:22
I'm a great lover of strategy JRPGS. I'm currently playing Disgaea 2 which is strategy JRPG heaven. I'd not put Valkyria in the same category as its only quasi turn based, as you still get shot at whilst issuing commands. So say you have a team member selected and take more than a second or two to work out what your going to do, then that member will be shot dead.
The computer doesn't suffer from this penalty at all. That is just a horrible, horrible game mechanic. If your going to have a squad based RPG that deals with action points for actions, and has turns then make it fully turn based. Not quasi.
I'd not put Valyria in the same category as FF Tactics or Disgaea at all. The quasi turn based nature if it, makes it completely different.
Sulphur on 12/11/2018 at 11:48
The computer-controlled opponents will absolutely get shot automatically if they're in range of your units. If you want time to think, go into aim mode, and they won't shoot - which is actually a bit unfair. If you don't like the quasi turn-based nature of it, that's fine, it is a pretty eccentric approach, but there's nothing underbaked about it. While there are some questionable design decisions, like the metric used for ranking, I can't fault the actual gameplay.
As far as the genre's concerned, it's a tactical RPG because like it or not, it's an evolution of FFT and its ilk.
henke on 12/11/2018 at 11:59
No, the AI also gets intercepted by fire from your units when they move. You do have to plan ahead before charging enemies, and be ready to react quickly if you unexpectedly walk into their line of sight.
There is a slight learning-curve, but personally I find the combat system a joy to play.
edit: Sulphur beat me to it.
henke on 21/11/2018 at 07:09
I am really into this. So much so that I've barely played RDR2 in the past week because all my couchgaming-time is going to VC4.
I'm on chapter 9 now, a few more crinkles to the gameplay have been introduced. For instance you can now have your lieutenants order 2 other units to follow them, letting you move 3 units at once. The gameplay is quite easy though, but that somehow doesn't impact the level of despair you feel from the developing story. This really is one of those times where a great narrative elevates a good game into a great one. One thing it does better than any other turn based strategy game is tie the missions very strongly to the story, so you always know exactly what you're fighting for and what each battle means.
PigLick on 21/11/2018 at 07:49
What are you playing it on? I was thinking about getting this for the Switch.
henke on 21/11/2018 at 10:26
Yeah I'm on the Switch too. Plays great both on the big screen and in handheld. Tho it is noticeably (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptGrgkczgEA) lower resolution on Switch than PS4, if that kinda thing bothers you.