Valkyria Chronicles Spin-Off Will Expand Series by Ditching Its Best Parts

StewShearerOld

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Jan 5, 2013
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Valkyria Chronicles Spin-Off Will Expand Series by Ditching Its Best Parts


Valkyria: Azure Revolution will swap out the series' tactics gameplay for more action focused battles.

Late last year, the fine folks at Famitsu confirmed that Valkyria Chronicles, hot on the heels of <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/138590-Valkyria-Chronicles-Tops-Steam-Charts-After-Release#&gid=gallery_3512&pid=1>an unexpectedly successful PC port, would be receiving <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/161452-Valkyria-Chronicles-IV-Announced-for-PS4>a PS4 sequel (now) dubbed Valkyria: Azure Revolution. While the game has yet to be confirmed for release outside of Japan, its mere existence has fans of the franchise understandably excited. Those same fans will, in turn, likely be interested in seeing some recently streamed footage of gameplay taken from a demo for the game.

Included in the Japanese release of <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/166077-Valkyria-Chronicles-Remastered-Coming-to-North-America-and-Europe#&gid=gallery_5512&pid=1>Valkyria Chronicles Remastered, the demo follows a trio of player-controlled characters fighting against a troop of hostile soldiers. The footage seems to indicate that the new game will be abandoning the turn-based tactics mechanics of the first three games in the series and will instead be adopting an squad-based action combat system. In the footage, streamed by <a href=http://www.twitch.tv/hamachin/v/42638738>Twitch user Hamachin, the player fights through the enemy soldiers using both firearms and melee weapons, with the AI managing the characters not under their direct control. The demo culminates in a boss battle against a spider-like mech which the players have to bring down by disabling its legs and attacking a glowing blue core.

Being a fan of the series myself, I'm going to go ahead and say that I'm a tad disappointed by the direction Azure Revolution's developers at Media Vision seem to be taking. Part of what people loved about the original games were their take on strategy RPGs. While there were elements of action RPGs in the former formula, it was still very much a tactics game at heart. This feels to me like its tilting the scales too much in the other direction. Don't get me wrong, I can still see Valkyria Chronicles in this and it definitely looks like something I could enjoy playing. I just wonder about the wisdom of expanding on a recently revived franchise by removing many of the things people liked about it most.

Source: Gamespot


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Casual Shinji

Should've gone before we left.
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Jul 18, 2009
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Yeah, I don't know how much I'll like this. Could be good, but it just seems like the standard JRPG fare now, when the original's gameplay was tense and high stakes. You had to plan ahead, take risks, and combatants could actually die. This is like if XCOM turned into Mass Effect.

...

Well, at least the original will get a remaster.
 

Fox12

AccursedT- see you space cowboy
Jun 6, 2013
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Not entirely accurate. This weird thing is definitely an action game, but they're going to keep making tactical games alongside it.
 

The Wykydtron

"Emotions are very important!"
Sep 23, 2010
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I dunno, the original VC's combat was far from perfect. Cover was only cover if it felt like it half the time, flanking cover didn't work because crouching units are gods and after you finish shooting you have to spam the fuck out of the end turn button before you get shot to pieces. It's like if in XCOM someone took shots at you during your turn but politely stopped shooting when you start the aim command. Also your tanks have a tendency of getting onehit by some cheeky scrublord with an RPG coming from behind you for an instant game over.

All action combat might be a questionable move but VC's combat was in need of some changes for the sequel, it's definitely not some sacred mechanical wonder. I still need to finish VC actually, that Gurren Lagann ripoff of a land battleship is ridiculously hard but there's probably some way to cheese it. VC is basically Anime World War 2: Rise of the Cheese.
 

Worgen

Follower of the Glorious Sun Butt.
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Whatever, just wash your hands.
I'm not surprised they would mess things up. After all, this was the game that gave us sudden silly boobs.

In the middle of an otherwise serious trailer, we suddenly have giant red boobs.
 

Casual Shinji

Should've gone before we left.
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Worgen said:
I'm not surprised they would mess things up. After all, this was the game that gave us sudden silly boobs.

In the middle of an otherwise serious trailer, we suddenly have giant red boobs.
Her boobs were always bordering on ludicrous... This just shatters that border into a zillion pieces.
 

Snotnarok

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They're taking a note from Square-Enix, take something that's highly successful and liked based on it's gameplay and mechanics .....and throw that all out and make something completely different to appeal to non-fans.
 

Pinky's Brain

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Snotnarok said:
They're taking a note from Square-Enix, take something that's highly successful and liked based on it's gameplay and mechanics .....and throw that all out and make something completely different to appeal to non-fans.
So did MGR:R, as long as they don't call it a sequel why would it be a problem?
 

Snotnarok

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Pinky said:
Snotnarok said:
They're taking a note from Square-Enix, take something that's highly successful and liked based on it's gameplay and mechanics .....and throw that all out and make something completely different to appeal to non-fans.
So did MGR:R, as long as they don't call it a sequel why would it be a problem?
While I agree that's fine given it's quite a good game but as I've gathered from a very ranty friend, the VC series has been mishandled horribly and they've only had 1 major game released on PC/Console and from there it's been weird PSP spinoffs, one of which didn't even make it here.

So MGS enjoys a number of solid titles in a series 1-5 and then spinoffs, vs 1 solid title and a mess of other ones.
 

Baresark

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I have to say, I'm super disappointed. I loved VC, I spent night after night unlocking things and trying to get the best possible score in that game. This looks... well it looks boring. I bought the PSP games, only to find out that I couldn't download them on my Vita for the simple purpose that they are designated as PSP only for no good reason. Sega... just when dropping balls all day long.
 

balladbird

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Baresark said:
I have to say, I'm super disappointed. I loved VC, I spent night after night unlocking things and trying to get the best possible score in that game. This looks... well it looks boring. I bought the PSP games, only to find out that I couldn't download them on my Vita for the simple purpose that they are designated as PSP only for no good reason. Sega... just when dropping balls all day long.
Was that still an issue for you? I downloaded my copy of VC 2 onto my vita without incident. It would suck to have them suddenly deny that

As to the news... I don't want to write the sequel off, but can't deny that the majority of history argues these changes bode ill. I'll see what develops this year
 

Baresark

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balladbird said:
Baresark said:
I have to say, I'm super disappointed. I loved VC, I spent night after night unlocking things and trying to get the best possible score in that game. This looks... well it looks boring. I bought the PSP games, only to find out that I couldn't download them on my Vita for the simple purpose that they are designated as PSP only for no good reason. Sega... just when dropping balls all day long.
Was that still an issue for you? I downloaded my copy of VC 2 onto my vita without incident. It would suck to have them suddenly deny that

As to the news... I don't want to write the sequel off, but can't deny that the majority of history argues these changes bode ill. I'll see what develops this year
Maybe they fixed it. The issue I had was I bought it shortly after I got rid of my PS3. It wouldn't download directly to the Vita for me, but you could always copy the game using the PS3, which last I checked is not functionality they put into the PS4... but it has been a while since I tried. I should try again!
 

nomotog_v1legacy

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The Wykydtron said:
I dunno, the original VC's combat was far from perfect. Cover was only cover if it felt like it half the time, flanking cover didn't work because crouching units are gods and after you finish shooting you have to spam the fuck out of the end turn button before you get shot to pieces. It's like if in XCOM someone took shots at you during your turn but politely stopped shooting when you start the aim command. Also your tanks have a tendency of getting onehit by some cheeky scrublord with an RPG coming from behind you for an instant game over.

All action combat might be a questionable move but VC's combat was in need of some changes for the sequel, it's definitely not some sacred mechanical wonder. I still need to finish VC actually, that Gurren Lagann ripoff of a land battleship is ridiculously hard but there's probably some way to cheese it. VC is basically Anime World War 2: Rise of the Cheese.
VC's combat had some problems.. OK a lot of problems, but there is a difference between making sacred hamburger and this. This isn't even close. If they didn't have the same name, I doubt people could tell they were related. The new game could turn out well, but it's not what fans were wishing for.
 

PunkRex

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Oh... OH... OH NO, THAT'S COOL, YEAH, NO, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE! HAHAHA!! FINE, FINE, FINE!!! Yup, it's not like the original game was one of my all time faves and the distinct turn based, movement/cover orientated combat, focus on ranged/explosive weapons as well as vehicles, NOT TO MENTION characters that actually looked like they were part of a military and not some pissed off cosplayers fucking about in a field are the reasons that I love said game so much! It doesn't bother me at all that this game has completely thrown all those aspects out the window to make a slash'em'up were you fight Scarabs from Halo, OH WAIT, they do have ranged weapons, th-that seem to do jack shit but fuck, COOL SWORDS, AM I RIGHT?! What? Nah, I aint mad, I AINT MAD! I still have Fire Emblem, which isn't AT ALL turning into a dating simulator with piss poor aesthetics, HAHA! HAHAHA!! I AINT ANGRY!!!


... just... just don't touch me... please...
 

scotth266

Wait when did I get a sub
Jan 10, 2009
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I like VC but at the same time it's a game with a buttload of flaws, and I'd be more than happy to play something different in the same setting. This looks like it fits the bill wonderfully.
 

s_h_a_d_o

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Jun 15, 2010
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PunkRex said:
Oh... OH... OH NO, THAT'S COOL, YEAH, NO, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE! HAHAHA!! FINE, FINE, FINE!!! Yup, it's not like the original game was one of my all time faves and the distinct turn based, movement/cover orientated combat, focus on ranged/explosive weapons as well as vehicles, NOT TO MENTION characters that actually looked like they were part of a military and not some pissed off cosplayers fucking about in a field are the reasons that I love said game so much! It doesn't bother me at all that this game has completely thrown all those aspects out the window to make a slash'em'up were you fight Scarabs from Halo, OH WAIT, they do have ranged weapons, th-that seem to do jack shit but fuck, COOL SWORDS, AM I RIGHT?! What? Nah, I aint mad, I AINT MAD! I still have Fire Emblem, which isn't AT ALL turning into a dating simulator with piss poor aesthetics, HAHA! HAHAHA!! I AINT ANGRY!!!

... just... just don't touch me... please...
Seconded.

I'm not angry, Sega... just very, very disappointed.
*sighs*
 

Kyogissun

Notably Neutral
Jan 12, 2010
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...So it's gonna be a Musou game? Okay. Cool. I'll... Go back to not caring.

My condolences to fans of the original games.