Tried to like it, couldn't hang.
Valkyria Chronicles looks great, which I think that has been established. What's really neat is you'll notice all the little subtle artistic details of the game like the little pencil-like scribbles on the loading screens, the thick lines some characters have on their chins to show depth. It's very impressive I must say though honestly the look was one of the only things that kept me playing it.
When I dove in, the storyline SEEMED like it was going to get good, but in my opinion, it was rather predictable and pretty pointless. The missions tried to be different from each other, but in the end when it breaks down to a lot of "take these few people and clear out all those people". Sure, there's strategy in who you bring along and what potentials they have, how you maneuver them etc. However the leveling system was such that you can level each class equally. The curve didn't feel steep enough so that you were forced to choose which class was most important to you.
My other gripe seems small but ended up being the reason I put the game down. From the moment you start the game, to, well the end, you will see loading screen after loading screen. Eventually they'll haunt your dreams...there are SO many loading screens and for what seems like the smallest cut scenes. Every time you're about lead up to a battle the formula seems go like this:
- LOADING SCREEN
- 1 scene character development (pointless dialogue that reveals almost nothing interesting) 30 seconds long
- LOADING SCREEN
- Some scene at home base with something to do with enemy movements
- LOADING SCREEN
- Another scene with character development
- LOADING SCREEN
- Information about battle about to take place
- LOADING SCREEN
- Battle that feels the same as it did the last time
I think that gets the point across. I found myself playing the game with a computer on my lap so I could surf the net while I was waiting to get to the next battle. To make this game more engaging, the developers should have used one LONG loading screen, show a continuous story leading up to battle and *poof* action begins.
In a nutshell:
The graphics are pretty, but the story and the implementation is weak at best. Total let down in my opinion, especially considering the Amazon ratings are overwhelmingly positive.