Zero Punctuation: Valkyria Chronicles

PataDeLoro

New member
Apr 24, 2009
17
0
0
The only RPGs that I like are most certainly western ones. And I'm never impressed by jRPGs. The only "good" thing about them is that a handful of them have an awesome soundtrack.

And that's about it.
 

Clarky

New member
May 20, 2009
1
0
0
Ahhh, they actually made a game for this? Didn't know... there's an anime for this game, and quite frankly it's really good. Howevever, your description of the game hasn't left me wanting to play it TOO much.... but then again, you say bad things about almost all the other games you've reviewed (not complaining, you do a great job :D )
 

WW

New member
Jan 24, 2008
35
0
0
The Anime is base on the game - got to get my lazy ass to watch it sometime.
 

WW

New member
Jan 24, 2008
35
0
0
You know why I like to pull out all the the arguments and make a "bullet-point list" out of them? So later people can't bullshit me that they meant something "other". Believe me, this makes the whole arument easier for both of us.
SYSTEM-J said:
4. Stylistic similarities.
Hey man look, you yourself wrote:
SYSTEM-J said:
The fact the game borrows a large amount stylistically from JRPGs and anime is secondary, but still worth noting.
Then why put it into the list if it's "worth nothing"? So I will have to write about stuff not important? You aren't a nice guy.
.
.
So let's get to the main topic.
SYSTEM-J said:
1. Player avatar.
2. Central emphasis on plot.
3. Turn based combat.
Those are the "JRPG element's" that make VC partly a JRPG, right?

My mandatory response: Utter Rubbish

SYSTEM-J said:
Incidentally, I think you should pay attention to the word "conventions".
The word “convention” is right besides the word “habit” which on other hand is a bit higher then the word "usually", so because "usually" ("conventionally") the European-Asia/North America don't make TBS games that have #1, #2 (#3)... and because the Japaness "usually" make JRPG that have have #1, #2, #3 - then that means that VC is partly JRPG? Oh come one, you theory is stable as long, as the West doesn't make a TBS game with the #1, #2 or the Japaness will make a JRPG that doesn't have #1, #2, #3... oh wait...

The Japaness actualy made an JRPG that isn't TB (Star Ocean: The Last Hope), imagine that, a JRPG that is RT... wait, now that I think about it, it's an "ARPG" made in Japan, dang what a mess.

"Conventions" go fuck themselfs as the time goes by, they are not certain, so you are still speculating.
.
.
BTW, sorry for the late response, had some work on my hands and no time for a larger post.

Triple G said:
Nope, I got THIS info from German books. And please, western countries had(and have) even worse propaganda than the USSR could even dream of, so stop undermining soviet credibility.
As a Pole I find this statment very fucking funny.
Triple G said:
...but WC3 is in no way a JRPG...
Your stupidity was so strong that it bend the reality and at some point became inteligence, way to go.
 

SYSTEM-J

New member
Aug 7, 2008
88
0
0
Okay, let's do it point-by-point.

WW said:
You know why I like to pull out all the the arguments and make a "bullet-point list" out of them? So later people can't bullshit me that they meant something "other". Believe me, this makes the whole arument easier for both of us
No, no - I'm not talking about your argument as a bullet point list, I'm talking about genre classification by bullet point list. Ticking off observable characteristics of a genre is only one method of genre classification, and as you've shown, it's easily refutable. It's not how I do it, and to assume otherwise is to construct a strawman argument.


Hey man look, you yourself wrote:
SYSTEM-J said:
The fact the game borrows a large amount stylistically from JRPGs and anime is secondary, but still worth noting.
Then why put it into the list if it's "worth nothing"? So I will have to write about stuff not important? You aren't a nice guy.
Ha ha. Read what you quoted again. It says "NOTING".

So let's get to the main topic.
SYSTEM-J said:
1. Player avatar.
2. Central emphasis on plot.
3. Turn based combat.
Those are the "JRPG element's" that make VC partly a JRPG, right?

My mandatory response: Utter Rubbish
That's because you're assuming my argument is as simple as drawing up a bullet point list, divorced of context. You do realise I'm not simply saying "plot" is something you can find, tick off and attribute to any particular genre?

The word ?convention? is right besides the word ?habit? which on other hand is a bit higher then the word "usually", so because "usually" ("conventionally") the European-Asia/North America don't make TBS games that have #1, #2 (#3)... and because the Japaness "usually" make JRPG that have have #1, #2, #3 - then that means that VC is partly JRPG? Oh come one, you theory is stable as long, as the West doesn't make a TBS game with the #1, #2 or the Japaness will make a JRPG that doesn't have #1, #2, #3... oh wait...
I'd love to see the dictionary that has convention next to habit. Here's an actual dictionary reference (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/convention), from which I'll quote the relevant use:
5. a rule, method, or practice established by usage; custom

A TBS with a plot is unconventional - departing from convention. As is a JRPG in real time. I utterly fail to see how I'm speculating by saying this. Conventions are decided by majority presence. Unless you're going to refute that most TBS lacks emphasis on plot and most JRPGs have turn based combat then there's no speculation.

To be honest, we're not going to go anywhere with this argument while you keep insist on attacking bullet points in a list. I'm not simply classifying genre by quantifiable characteristics. I've said that twice now. I'm guessing that you don't think the JRPG exists as a genre, because that's the logical conclusion of your own argument.
 

menhir

New member
Jun 15, 2007
22
0
0
Triple G said:
menhir said:
Triple G said:
WW said:
[...]and Mr.GGG (historian wannbe)[...]
I am no historian wannabe. I just read more about WWII than most people can fit in their head.

And please... don't try to flame-war-fight me. It won't turn out well for you. Also the fact of your trying to defend a JRPG tells me much about you and your so called "superior gamer intelect" or how you ever might call it, I don't really care. You might get credibility from most people(as most people are stupid follower-sheep-humans with no sense for individuality, real freedom and no own opinion). Also I as an RTS, an RPG and an FPS fan will not tolerate such attempts of mixing those genres like the developers of "Valkyria Chronicles" intended and did it. THIS is raping 3 genres at one time.
You're absolutely right, Deus Ex was a heinous abomination that fouled the most holy genre distinctions of the gaming scriptures.

(No, I lied. You're just batshit insane.)
You don't get it, do you? I wasj ust saying, that THIS game was an abominations, there are mix-ups of gerne's which are good. Like "Rise & Fall" for example. I'm no enemy of mix-ups, I'm an enemy of bad games and a game where enemies shoot you when it's not their turn is obviosly bullshit.
Wow, that was your complaint? It sounded like whining even coming from Yahtzee, but at least it's his job to find things in games to joke about.

The game won't work if the enemies don't fire at you when you're in range. Then you could just set up your advance so you can run your guys into the enemy position and murder them all in one turn. That would just gut the game of any challenge. This isn't an AI-based strategy game, it's more like Myth where the map contains static challenges that you have to attack and the AI is mostly limited to shooting back. Why would anyone want this easy game to be easier?

I'm honestly surprised that there are any gameplay complaints besides the dumb cover system and the bullshit RNG for misses (which is actually a staple of strategy games, especially turn-based.)
 

mdk31

New member
Apr 2, 2009
273
0
0
I agree with the closing, about the X-Com thing. The first X-Com was one of the best games of all time in my opinion.
 

DoctorObviously

New member
May 22, 2009
1,083
0
0
Yahtzee, you are brilliant. As much as I love the game you pointed out every single thing that WAS wrong with the game. Good job man. Keep going.
 

Ximaus

New member
Jun 2, 2009
3
0
0
- "The USSR had like 80% of the war and has beaten the Germans almost singlehandetly"
They didn't beat the Germans single-handedly. The Germans made the mistake of fighting a war of endurance against the Soviets on their own home turf. The Soviets out lasted the Germans, nothing more.

It's sad seeing people saying "thanks Yahtzee for saving my money!" for this game
I agree. His videos may be entertaining, but they hardly serve as a replacement for an actual review; in particular the video for this game. He covered almost no real content of the game. Humorous, yes, but not a standard I would use to determine if you want the game or not.

SYSTEM-J:
1. Player avatar.
2. Central emphasis on plot.
3. Turn based combat.

Those are the "JRPG element's" that make VC partly a JRPG, right?
Western RPGs with:
#1 All (assuming you mean what I think you mean by "player avatar")
#2 Mass Effect, Bioshock (that is borderline), Summoner, quite a few of the older wRPGs
#3 Almost all of the SNES and NES generation wRPGs.

Also, turn based combat is the definition of a Turn Based Strategy game and is not indicative of a jRPG. The reverse is also true. All Star Ocean and "Tales of" games are jRPGs with no turn based gameplay. FF7DC and FF7CC as well as potentially the Megaman Legends series and many other games. Turn based gameplay has nothing to do with a game being a wRPG or a jRPG.

Japanese RPGs were originally based on wRPGs such that on the NES, many of them looked similar to each other. wRPGs evolved and jRPGs went in a completely different direction.

Characters who can take out entire armies by themselves are a jRPG-element
Almost every FPS game ever made has those. The Devil May Cry series is not even an RPG (although it is Japanese) and it has that as a plot device of the story. ANY Star Wars game easily has characters capable of that. ALL Marvel and DC comics based games.

The "Superhuman" archetype is actually more played in Western culture.


This game is a Turn Based Strategy game with some RPG elements. The fact that it is cell shaded (albeit very well done cell shading) also give the graphics and overall environment of the game a potentially animeish atmosphere. If that bothers you then stay away from this game as it will never change.

Otherwise, if you like Turn Based Strategy games, this is probably the best 3D Turn Based Strategy game yet.
 

Harrow

New member
Feb 16, 2009
24
0
0
I have to say, the only way I can relate to yahtzee as far as jrpg's go is that I HATE turn based games. The characters and storyline I usually enjoy (though thats probably from years of experience of blocking out life lessons about friendship) but gameplay just gets frustrating, although from how its described Valkyria Chronicals isn't really an rpg, which is the only reason I ever play jrpg's. So, guess whos never going to play this game.

On the other hand I think I've figured out a way to solve the whole problem of enemies being able to shoot you when its not their turn. There just needs to be a slight adjustment where instead of being hit, everytime someone shoots at you time slows way down and you get a quick time event to try and dodge it that doesn't take any AP. But time has to slow down, because if its to quick, it wouldn't interupt gameplay enough.
 

LumiHawke

New member
Dec 5, 2008
28
0
0
Harrow said:
I have to say, the only way I can relate to yahtzee as far as jrpg's go is that I HATE turn based games. The characters and storyline I usually enjoy (though thats probably from years of experience of blocking out life lessons about friendship) but gameplay just gets frustrating, although from how its described Valkyria Chronicals isn't really an rpg, which is the only reason I ever play jrpg's. So, guess whos never going to play this game.

On the other hand I think I've figured out a way to solve the whole problem of enemies being able to shoot you when its not their turn. There just needs to be a slight adjustment where instead of being hit, everytime someone shoots at you time slows way down and you get a quick time event to try and dodge it that doesn't take any AP. But time has to slow down, because if its to quick, it wouldn't interupt gameplay enough.
It's called using a Shock Trooper and dodge the bullets because their sprint speed is amazing on Valkyria Chronicles. lol

Scouts are second fastest but get the greatest run distance. There are ways around getting shot, using evasion skills and power ups, and well, flanking around an enemy unit so they technically don't see you... It's ment to be a more real time Turn based tactical game, but not being totally real time or totally turn based. Its ment to be a balance between the two and it worked well, with the added 3rd person shooting mechanics this game is actually pretty wonderful. I was frustraited some times, but once you get addicted to the game, its apsolutely amazing. lol
 

Stabby Joe

New member
Jul 30, 2008
1,545
0
0
Huh... never would have thought THIS game would have sparked the next overly long thread from a Yahtzee review...

My opinion on this game is straight forward: great visuals, great soundtrack, great gameplay etc so of course great game...

...but I hate the over the top effeminate style of anime (I mean isn't their a manga spin-off thats somewhat *ehm*). Still enjoyed the game regardless... but still...
 

LumiHawke

New member
Dec 5, 2008
28
0
0
Stabby Joe said:
Huh... never would have thought THIS game would have sparked the next overly long thread from a Yahtzee review...

My opinion on this game is straight forward: great visuals, great soundtrack, great gameplay etc so of course great game...

...but I hate the over the top effeminate style of anime (I mean isn't their a manga spin-off thats somewhat *ehm*). Still enjoyed the game regardless... but still...
And a TV series spin off.... *points to youtube* type in Valkyria Chronicles Anime *laughs* Game story was better than the anime, if Yahtzee complained about Valkyria the game, he'd go mentally insaney watching the first episode of the TV show seeing Alicia ploping her face into a window with a "OMG" face seeing Welkin climb out of a building she locked himinto because on the anime they don't run into his "step" sister on the way back to town. lol
 

SSJPabs

New member
Jun 11, 2009
1
0
0
Hmm you know you can save in the middle of mission. Just go to your menu by hitting the triangle button and you can select system and "save" any time during the missions. You can also skip cut scenes. And as people pointed out before, you can also set up cross-fires at the enemy in their turn. Doing that is a key part of succeeding in one of the DLC missions actually.

And finally, yeah it's ridiculous that he gets his own tank but it's not ridiculous he is promoted to Lt. right away if you look at real life promotions from most wars before 1900. Yes it is a bit odd, but not totally implausible that his country does that.

Also use Marina as a sniper, unstoppable. So as usual, not really buying several of his complaints because they've been solved.
 

sigma8

New member
Jun 12, 2009
1
0
0
Thibaut said:
Yahtzee, you are brilliant. As much as I love the game you pointed out every single thing that WAS wrong with the game. Good job man. Keep going.
As well as some things that weren't.
- upgrading guns is all the same and should be automatic
x except you have limited funds, and have to decide which things you want to upgrade (rifles? SMGs? your tank? Unlock missions/cutscenes from Ellet? Train your troops? Purchase CO orders?)
x after the first 5 levels or so (admittedly, that's quite a few) gun upgrades offer 2 or 3 branches of upgrade paths

- androgynous teenagers
x Final Fantasy Tactics had androgynous teenagers, how were the VC characters androgynous? Most of the girls had big boobs, and half of the guys were buff or had beer bellies
x I didn't find the rest particularly androgynous; this was no Final Fantasy by any stretch (apart from a couple lesbians *CoughRamseyCough*)

Some other complaints, it just seems like he went overboard for:

- cutscenes had an Are you sure? syndrome
x true. however, the default was "yes" (just double tap) and it's untrue that it brought you back after every cutscene; when they were labeled 2a, 2b, 2c, they would generally play all of the non-optional "2" cutscenes without returning you to the book menu; also, there were a lot of cutscenes...would you prefer the MGS4 style 30 minute cutscene phase with no break?

- combining TBS with RT elements doesn't mix
x that's opinion, of course, but I thought it fit together well. It's obviously "unrealistic" but if you are OK with traditional turn-based, where the enemy just sits there and does absolutely nothing while you move, I'm not sure why you'd have a problem with the enemy arbitrarily shooting at only the piece you are moving. Neither is realistic.
x that said, VC's system offers good balance, allowing you to position AND FACE your units strategically at the end of their turns so that they can continue to provide defensive cover during their off-turn periods; the enemy has the same capability

Complaints that Yahtzee totally missed:

- the AI is pretty stupid, i'm often a sitting duck and the AI will not take advantage of that; even on the hardest skill setting, enemies will not re-use their pieces to finish off my weak units (or my tank, which is their victory condition), they never focus fire
- many guys in the back just run back and forth during their turns, making the enemy movement phase take long and not enhancing the challenge
- the game would be an absolute cakewalk if some of the enemies weren't so hard to kill due to ridiculous rules about how you need to take them down (e.g. blow up this turret, then that turret, then dodge this indestructible character while killing it the rest of the way)
- some really cheesy dialog at times (consistently good voice acting, but the script was hit or miss)
- special CO orders were interesting, but since you had to use movement points to use them, I generally was unwilling to sacrifice troop movements and actions in order to use them
- Same with my tanks; I could move my tank twice, MAYBE kill two guys...or move ground units 4 times, and take out at least 2 or 3 guys.

Yahtzee was unequivocally spot-on about the use of cover in the game. Sandbags the only cover? wtf?

I thought the game was fantastic! That said...I found the anime story to be great. In fact, it was in many ways one of my favorite anime experiences. There were no giant robots, no huge blobby/gelatinous masses, and no girls with cat ears. That already sets it apart from 90% of all anime out there. Add to that some respectably NON-androgynous characters, the majority of whom were realistically aged for a WW2 setting, and good voice acting throughout.

Yahtzee's reviews are great, and he definitely pointed out some funny things about VC, but if you don't hate japanese-ness as much as he does, I'd disregard most of his complaints. Try to find people who bought VC and hated it. You won't find many.
 

wildwind1290

New member
Jun 15, 2009
87
0
0
I think if you like the game enough to have Yahtzee totally tear it apart and you're laughing instead of wanting to rip him apart, then there's hope for you. Like me, for example. I fell in love with this game the moment I saw the trailer and even though I've played the demo at this moment (actually, more like my little brother play the demo while I drooled over Alicia), this game is a total smash hit, even though you might say I'm biased because I'm a 19 year old otaku living in the middle of a god-forsaken sand dune who spends his time studying to become a VG designer and writing mass-crossover fanfiction. (*whew*)

As for lesbianism, I think Yahtzee was scarred by Dallas's obvious drive for it (dunno 'bout Ramsey), and the baby-faced sniper, I'm praying the sniper is Cezary. That guy is a total jerk and I wouldn't mind getting a Spintered Horn medal for throwing him under the bus once or twice.

As for the anime, by itself it's okay, but put it together with the game and I think you've got a total package.

Anyway, fantastic work, Yahtzee. I salute you.
 

PrimeZero2

New member
Apr 30, 2008
16
0
0
I hope Yahtzee sees this post, because with his WW2 jokes, I just noticed the absolute most hilariously obvious Germany reference in the game. I know Yahtzee wouldn't have seen this in the game, as he most likely had no desire to delve into trivial details like weapons.

Anyways, an anti-tank weapon in the game made by the Empire in the game was designed by Adolf von Bismark. Oh, if only he had seen that.
 

LumiHawke

New member
Dec 5, 2008
28
0
0
PrimeZero2 said:
I hope Yahtzee sees this post, because with his WW2 jokes, I just noticed the absolute most hilariously obvious Germany reference in the game. I know Yahtzee wouldn't have seen this in the game, as he most likely had no desire to delve into trivial details like weapons.

Anyways, an anti-tank weapon in the game made by the Empire in the game was designed by Adolf von Bismark. Oh, if only he had seen that.
or the fact the One series of MG you get look almost 100% like MP44s and the enemy early MPs look like MP40s? Alicia is using a blue/red Walther PPK when they confront Maximillian and Selvania.