Perhaps one of the last truly great Sega titles, Valkyria Chronicles arrives on PS4 burnished with a silky smooth 60fps makeover. Originally developed by the team responsible for the Dreamcast classic Skies of Arcadia, the game was widely praised upon its original release, and this highdefinition update appears ahead of a follow-up slated for release in Japan at the end of the year.
The game casts you as Welkin Gunther, a university student returning home from study to find his province in peril. A victim of the conflict between the East Europan Imperial Alliance and the Atlantic Federation, the town of Bruhl is a tiny outpost in the neutral country of Gallia, dragged into war due to its rich mineral resources.
Welkin is forced to abandon his peaceful, wildlife-sketching persona and make good use of his military background, joining forces with town watch captain Alicia and unearthing his father's rather improbably named tank Edelweiss to repel enemy invaders. Soon players find themselves knee deep in turn-based RPG action, superbly rendered in pencil lines with pastel shading, providing a strangely wistful edge to the outbreaks of fierce combat.
Movement and combat are handled in real-time during action mode, though endeavours are limited in movement by an action point gauge, which allots a varying amount of points for each type of character. During target mode, the player directly controls the character''s aim while the action freezes, allowing for a more considered shot.
Taking control of individual units during the player''s turn costs command points, which can either be spent moving several different units, or saved to lavish on one favourite, although this strategy greatly diminishes the unit's action points. There's a variety of ways to engage each group of enemies, and gaining experience lends you more abilities to use in the skirmishes that follow.
With a stirring soundtrack and captivating campaign, there's no doubt that players who missed this first time around would be wise to remedy their oversight with this edition, and those already under its charming spell will be hoping that this release generates enough of a buzz to encourage a Western release of the forthcoming Valkyria: Azure Revolution. – The Independent