Six-Year-Old JRPG Beats Assassin's Creed Unity in Steam Charts

StewShearerOld

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Jan 5, 2013
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Six-Year-Old JRPG Beats Assassin's Creed Unity in Steam Charts


The PC port of <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/valkyria%20chronicles>Valkyria Chronicles claimed the top spot on Steam's download chart following its November 11th release.

When Valkyria Chronicles first launched in 2008 on the PlayStation 3, it wasn't what you'd call a huge hit. Despite glowing reviews and a PS3 library that was still somewhat lackluster, its first month <a href=http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/news/a138405/valkyria-chronicles-flops-in-us.html#~oVwEJ3qlsnQczd>in North America, for instance, saw it only sell 33,000 units. These sales would <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/92294-Valkyria-Chronicles-Sales-Suddenly-Up-400>later improve after a substantial price drop, but the game never wound up being that tremendous a success outside of Japan.

Six years and a new port later, however, it would seem the game's fortunes have changed. As announced on Steam this Monday and, arguably against the odds, it became an instant hit among its customers beating out other highly anticipated games like Assassin's Creed Unity for the position of top download that day. Sega, understandably, has been happy with the reception to the game's re-release.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the fans for their support in the phenomenal success of this launch," said John Clark, Sega Europe's Senior Vice President of Commercial Publishing. "We're also delighted at the response from the Steam community which indicates that newcomers to the series are finding it as enchanting and engaging as those who have played it before."

[gallery=3512]

For those not in the know, Valkyria Chronicles is a Japanese strategy RPG that follows the efforts of the nation of Gallia as it tries to repel an invasion from an imperialistic Empire. The game earned praise for its engaging combat, interesting story and, perhaps above all else, its gorgeous visuals which were specially designed to like they were hand and pencil drawn. It would receive two sequels on the PSP, only the first of which would make it American shores.




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FalloutJack

Bah weep grah nah neep ninny bom
Nov 20, 2008
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Well, that'll be because Valkyria Chronicles has a little thing called quality. Good system, decent graphics, engaging war story...

AC hasn't been much for a while.
 

DeepReaver

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Feb 25, 2009
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I wonder if it is due to it being cheaper or if it is due to the game actually being out of beta before it launched.
 

wooty

Vi Britannia
Aug 1, 2009
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Good, I'm glad at this news. Valkyria is still the best thing I ever bought for the PS3 and I'm still in love with the graphical style.
 

jdogtwodolla

phbbhbbhpbhphbhpbttttt......
Feb 12, 2009
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Was this game really an RPG? I thought it was like a more direct XCOM sort of deal.
 

Sigmund Av Volsung

Hella noided
Dec 11, 2009
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1)Lol
2)More Lol
3)Lol 2: Electric Boogaloo
4)Ubi did a worse job at porting than a Japanese development team who worked exclusively on the PS3, and that's amazing XD
5)This game had 0 hype surrounding the port job, whilst Assassin's Creed Unity had enough power behind it to overthrow Belgium
6)Perhaps more Japanese devs will consider the PC as a viable platform, though I'm not sure if it's enough to overcome the broader perception of the platform in Japan. Nonetheless, I hold out hope that we will see more ports
7)Hey Ubi! You want to know why people are buying this game? Because they can run it at 60 fps and 1080p!
8)We might also get more niche games coming our way! :D

In closing, vive le PC!
 

rofltehcat

New member
Jul 24, 2009
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Is it good? I watched a let's play and the combat system seemed very strange. Other than that it just looks gorgeous!
 

ryukage_sama

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Mar 12, 2009
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This was always one of my favorite PS3 titles, and I'm happy that it will be playable for years to come thanks to a PC release. If this game is part of the the Steam Winter sale, I might pick it up.
 

esserin

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Nov 10, 2014
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Yay!

Hopefully, this will lead them to port the other valkyria chronicles games.
Here's hoping SEGA doesn't drop the ball and decides "Nah, ports are stupid."
 

Gizmo1990

Insert funny title here
Oct 19, 2010
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FalloutJack said:
Well, that'll be because Valkyria Chronicles has a little thing called quality. Good system, decent graphics, engaging war story...

AC hasn't been much for a while.
I cannot agree more. I alrady own it on PS3 but I got it agian anyway, mainly because I am lazy and don't want to have ot change from PC to PS3 if I want to play it but mostly because I love this game.

Plus I have to say that it is one of the best ports I have played in a very long time. I just wish I could go into the offices of the big AAA publishers, sit them in frount of this artical and shout 'See! This is what happens when you don't half arse it!!!!!!!'.
 

Dreiko_v1legacy

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Aug 28, 2008
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This is like Xcom but better and more anime-like, with a very touching and badass story rather than generic "alien plot 23" style storyline. It's a pity it wasn't more praised all this time, honestly.


Hopefully, they'll bring over the third VC game or even better make a fourth one for ps4.



Also, if you guys like fighting games, Selvaria and Alicia are in a fighting game! It's called Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax. Here:

 

Tanis

The Last Albino
Aug 30, 2010
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THIS:
Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS! Please-Do-Well-Enough-To-Get-VC2-Ported-To-Steam-Like-SE-Did-With-FF4DS!
Is the chant of my people.

VC3 has a fan-made translations that's REALLY well done.

The whole damn series could use a 'HD Port' like AC:L got.
I'd LOVE to see the trilogy of PC and or PS3/PS4/etc.
 

The Rogue Wolf

Stealthy Carnivore
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...gamers rewarded quality over hype?

Did I wake up in the Twilight Zone this morning? Or were the shots of AC:U's missing faces [https://33.media.tumblr.com/58e2ba84fabc2f2966556ab3a58e6b19/tumblr_nexfpzwoKT1tj3i33o2_1280.jpg] just that off-putting?
 

Aiddon_v1legacy

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Nov 19, 2009
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jdogtwodolla said:
Was this game really an RPG? I thought it was like a more direct XCOM sort of deal.
XCom is probably a better comparison, but it's more intimate due to being able to control units directly and go for more unorthodox strategies. The RPG progression is also more overt as classes level up instead of characters.
 

Erttheking

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I know I'm extremely in the minority here but...not a fan of Valkyria Chronicles. A friend and I play it on her system and it is way too cutesy. And I like a lot of cutesy JRPGs but this just goes a little too far. Then again that might have something to do with a lot of the cutesy JRPGs I like take place in fantasy settings, where as this one is based on a war that actually happened...I think that might be my problem. Such cutesy crap with a war that actually happened leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Especially when they try and work in the holocaust. Also the combat can get really frustrating later on.

I'm rambling really, I don't hate the game, I just feel the need to explain why I don't like it, seeing as how I'm alone on that front.

Still if people like it, I'm glad they do.
 

GAunderrated

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Jul 9, 2012
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erttheking said:
I know I'm extremely in the minority here but...not a fan of Valkyria Chronicles. A friend and I play it on her system and it is way too cutesy. And I like a lot of cutesy JRPGs but this just goes a little too far. Then again that might have something to do with a lot of the cutesy JRPGs I like take place in fantasy settings, where as this one is based on a war that actually happened...I think that might be my problem. Such cutesy crap with a war that actually happened leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Especially when they try and work in the holocaust. Also the combat can get really frustrating later on.

I'm rambling really, I don't hate the game, I just feel the need to explain why I don't like it, seeing as how I'm alone on that front.

Still if people like it, I'm glad they do.
It is funny you only see the game as "cutesy" because it is the only game I have ever seen maturely present the holocost and racism in a real way. The only one missing out by not playing a good game because of the asthetic is yourself.
 

Trishbot

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May 10, 2011
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Valkyria Chronicles faces load every time.

Seriously, if you have a PC, and you like good games, go buy this game.

If you have it already, buy it again or gift it to someone else.

I'm glad to see this underrated game getting some love over a half-decade after release.
 

DrunkOnEstus

In the name of Harman...
May 11, 2012
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Gladly bought it, at GMG it was 16 bucks with the November coupon. Someone stole my PS3 disc a couple years ago so I was elated that I got to buy it and have it run better and look pretty (not that it played badly on PS3).

Now pretty pretty please have an HD collection or something of 2 & 3. Translate 3 and sell them separately or something, whatever, you can see that it'll sell well! For my PC people, it's a pretty damned good port too.
 

iniudan

New member
Apr 27, 2011
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Dreiko said:
This is like Xcom but better and more anime-like, with a very touching and badass story rather than generic "alien plot 23" style storyline. It's a pity it wasn't more praised all this time, honestly.


Hopefully, they'll bring over the third VC game or even better make a fourth one for ps4.



Also, if you guys like fighting games, Selvaria and Alicia are in a fighting game! It's called Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax. Here:


WTF with the Thumbnail. I know Selvaria is well endowed, but that just ridiculous.