LogFAQs > #899678911

36. Valkyria Chronicles Remastered
Original Release: 2016
Developer: Sega
Platform: PS4

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Something strange happened to me over the years: I sudden developed a rather severe case of impatience. I can't sit still. I can't deal with 30+ minute wait times anywhere I go. I get angry if I get stuck trying to put something together. And I can't remain calm when playing through games like Valkyria Chronicles. Whoops, one of my favorite characters died...fuck this I'm done. Which is exactly what happened somewhere around Chapter 14 or 15 after spending multiple retries and hours attempting to beat it.

It's not that Valkyria Chronicles is hard, it's just that I no longer have the patience for stuff like that, and it sucks and I should probably seek counseling because this (which may be attributed to ADD) is affecting not only the games I play but also my well-being. Back in the late 90's I remember spending days - weeks even - developing a strategy and grinding to get through certain fights in FFT without losing anyone. Even in 2005 I was able to get through Sacred Stones without getting triggered. But until then, I guess the SRPG genre isn't really for me.

Oh, and autosaving every round and reloading? Gimme a break, that's just stupid and I hate doing that as well (even though I do it all the time).

But Valkyria Chronicles is actually a great game! Playing carefully, I got lots of satisfaction from winning a mission. I love the details in every map and the counterpart WWII the game takes place in. Maps like the one in Vasel on the east side were well made and made me feel like I was in the midst of an European town affected by WWII. I actually even grew attached to some characters who were random mooks that joined your team, like good ol' Jan. I've always felt like this is one of the better SRPG franchises because of the thrill of moving your units while shots are being fired. It was just so exciting, and I still have fond memories.

One of the issues I've run into in VC was a sort of gimmick the game forced on me in nearly every battle. Boss battles were also completely ridiculous. I didn't mind the gimmick stuff all that much; this isn't Wild ARMs XF which is fucking stupid about that shit. Still, it was getting annoying in some parts...one battle you have to avoid sandstorms, another you've got an invincible valkyrie running around shooting you while you try to mow down the enemies, and don't get me started on chapter 9. This was a utterly, COMPLETELY pointless chapter where you need to somehow stop a convoy moving through a Pac-Man-like maze by getting behind it but also not letting it spot you. No Sega, this battle did not involve skill, it involved consulting a FAQ.

I'll be honest, I'll buy and play Valkyria Chronicles 4 because I want to give the SRPG another chance. I don't think I really hate the genre that much, I just hate the constant load/reload and making a simple mistake costing the life of a valuable team member. Still, Valkyria Chronicles was a beautiful, stylish game that did many things right and had a great concept. It's just a tad frustrating.

Oh, and I should mention it took me a while to play this. I had access to the original, but I briefly played Valkyria Chronicles II for PSP (not on this list because I played like an hour) and disliked it. I could've bought the game earlier when I got a PS3 but I still had a rather bitter taste in my mouth from its lackluster-seeming sequel.