Board 8 > Anything I should know going into Valkyria Chronicles?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I just finished XCOM and wanted more tactical gameplay, but I feel like all of these have their own quirks to watch out for...

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One class is SO overpowered it makes the game ridiculously easy. (scouts)

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I remember it being pretty self-explanatory. One thing to note is that you get a lot more deployment slots than you need and often it's beneficial (or at least not detrimental) to under-deploy.

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I was curious about the deployment; at least so far, it feels like I have several units falling behind as I focus on those already at the front line.

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XP is determined by how few turns you take to complete missions

they sorta make up for it by letting you do side missions called "Skirmishes", which are grindable, between chapters

so I guess what I'm saying is...don't feel pressured I suppose, you can make up for it later

The game has an imaginary point system, sorta like Pokemon. IIRC if you get 10 points, the individual character gains a "level". Its unlocked by talking to the reporter lady. When you do that, you gain some backstory on your character and they unlock an ability.

Some characters you can do this twice

Points are won by downing enemies, taking over bases, but protip, if your character evacs a downed party member, its an automatic level up. but again, you have to talk to the reporter lady to unlock that level. Its a weird system that has a few steps and they don't explain it. I guess its supposed to be a "surprise" when your character randomly gets a story written about them and they get an ability

also, while they ARE required for most story missions, including Largo and Rosie gives you two extra Command Points

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Go in blind. It's better that way on first playthrough.

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You gain EXP based on how quick you can win, like Pun says, and the skirmishes can be used to beef up your squad. I had more fun with battles when I was taking my time. I would go in blind, like DC says. The game is more fun casually even if you aren't hitting S rank every battle.

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SwiftyDC posted...

Go in blind. It's better that way on first playthrough.

This. The game is ruined when you start trying to break it.

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Watch out for mega tanks

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I wouldn't worry about your S-ranking missions on your first playthrough at all - you will still have enough XP to keep your troops at a good level, even if you rarely play skirmishes (and you can easily learn how to S-rank a skirmish in under 10mins and get a ton of XP really quickly if you want to). It's a lot more fun to just play the missions as they come IMO.

Try using Orders - they are really powerful.

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OH, one last thing

Just like YOUR army, the enemy army has commanders with names. And they WILL be named when you fight them

When you down an enemy, you have the option of "picking up their body". You just walk over them. I guess you're executing them.

IIRC in the japanese version, you get extra items if you do this but it was removed.

HOWEVER, if you do this to the named commanders, you get a gun/gun part. Usually theres one in every story battle. Its completely optional and I didn't know this until the second playthrough. The guns are usually situational but they did come in handy for me sometimes. its fun

Also, while we're on the subject
this game does have Perma deaths. It takes a LONG time for it to happen but it can happen

but if the enemy moves over a downed party member, it instantly runs out their clock and they die immediately

fortunately they don't ACTIVELY try to do this. If your party member just so happens to be in the way then it just happens

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Generic enemy weapons suck, never use them.

shane15 posted...

This. The game is ruined when you start trying to break it.

Seconded. These games have very bad level design and VC1 is by far the worst of the bunch.

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i think i own this game on steam, but remember the opening ten minutes being super anime in a way i didn't like

would you say it gets more or less anime standard as the game goes on? i've thought about reinstalling

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banananor posted...

would you say it gets more or less anime standard as the game goes on? i've thought about reinstalling

The plot is basically Anime WW2 but you really only see the anime influences in the story. The characters themselves don't really fall into typical anime tropes or act like generic anime characters in my opinion.

It's nowhere near the level of anime as like a Tales game or something like that. If Tales is a 10/10 on the anime scale then Valkyria is like a 3 or 4.

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banananor posted...

i think i own this game on steam, but remember the opening ten minutes being super anime in a way i didn't like

would you say it gets more or less anime standard as the game goes on? i've thought about reinstalling

IMO, VC1 is the least "anime" game in the series. I've heard people that do not like anime tropes have enjoyed the game, so it might be worth a shot.

I don't remember the plot too well though.

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why the hell would you buy an anime lookin game and not like the anime

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Sniperdog117 posted...

IMO, VC1 is the least "anime" game in the series. I've heard people that do not like anime tropes have enjoyed the game, so it might be worth a shot.

Yeah I just played VC4 a few months ago and it's WAY more anime than VC1. The characters all feel like cartoon characters compared to VC1 characters

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I hope I didn't come off as trying to get ahead of the game before starting; I think my main concern was whether there were things like permadeath or the possibility of outright failing as in XCOM

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VC3 is the best game in the series. It's a damn crime that never got an official localisation and was put on the PSP with limited hardware.

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CasanovaZelos posted...

I hope I didn't come off as trying to get ahead of the game before starting; I think my main concern was whether there were things like permadeath or the possibility of outright failing as in XCOM

Perma death is a thing. But it's not like FE where they die the second they lose a round. When a unit falls they just lie on the floor and if an enemy touches them within 3 turns that's it they die. If you get to them first though they're fine. Someone else will have to confirm this but i believe they also come back after 3 turns have passed and nobody has touched them

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shane15 posted...

Someone else will have to confirm this but i believe they also come back after 3 turns have passed and nobody has touched them

They do disappear after three turns, but I don't think the enemy AI actively tries to touch them. Could be wrong on that but I have seen the AI pass up tagging bodies a lot.

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For VC 1...

1. Being LITERALLY Ran over by Tanks(Including the Batomys)/APCs does nothing besides knock units around if you're not already at 0 HP [it will kill you/call the medic if you are]. The only exception to this is the Land Battleship Marmota, which instant kills everything it runs over-- though it only moves at specific moments, and you're given a ton of warning that it's about to move and where it will move.
2. Prepare thine rear for Chapter 7. This map is a huge dick kick, and there's no real preparing for it. It's got a lot of ways to die, and all of one or 2 ways to win. I will say this about that map, LOOK CAREFULLY at the terrain, there's a choke point that's not too obvious. Also, Gatling Laser cannot pen the front of your Panzer (the Edelweiss is a Panzer 3/4 with a walker bulldog turret until around Chapter 10 or 11 where it upgrades into a Panzer 7 "King Tiger"), though it will instant kill everything else, including your tank from behind.

shane15 posted...

Perma death is a thing. But it's not like FE where they die the second they lose a round. When a unit falls they just lie on the floor and if an enemy touches them within 3 turns that's it they die. If you get to them first though they're fine. Someone else will have to confirm this but i believe they also come back after 3 turns have passed and nobody has touched them

If a unit goes untouched for 3 turns after being defeated, they die.


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