How a video game can eat your life in one week.
This story mostly starts around 2 years ago, in my second year at university. After our exams had finished, my housemate and I had signed a pact with each other that the day after our exams finished (the day our exams finished was dedicated to the usual pub trip), I'd buy an Xbox 360, and he'd buy a PS3.
So, we bring our new goods home, and pretty much disappear off to our rooms to get everything plugged in, and ready to play. And, out of curiosity at this ridiculously expensive games console that I have no idea how to afford, I went to check out my housemate's purchase. This is the sight that I was greeted with:
(Yes, this is someone else's playthrough of the Prologue)
More notes: This video doesn't give the game's beauty justice. Have a screenshot to rectify this:
It truly does feel like playing in a watercolour. It's stunningly beautiful. Not to mention the incredible soundtrack. And it really hit me that afternoon, watching the tactical gameplay balanced perfectly with the action parts, that I desired this game. However, I couldn't justify getting a PS3 for just Valkyria Chronicles. There might be others that I might be tempted by, but none as much as this game.
Skip forward a few years to this year's E3 conference. I honestly don't remember that much of it, because all that I do remember was "Valkyria Chronicles II - On PSP". Now, I believe my thought process went something like this:
Shiny game sequel + Console that I own = MUST GET
Forward a few months again - it's finally released on British soil. After spending a weekend wandering almost aimlessly around all of the video game stores in Glasgow, I actually ask one of the shop assistants. They told me that it had been released the previous Friday, as I thought, but they told me that pretty much no shop will have it, and I should take my search online. And of course, it's ridiculously expensive online, due to that whole "supply and demand" thing.
This last Monday, I decided to wander into town to think about preordering a few games that are to be released over the next few months. And, I found Valkyria Chronicles II on the shelf. I still had some trade-in credit. I also had my student card with me for a discount. It doesn't take a genius to work out that I didn't hesitate in buying it.
After having to wait an hour for my PSP system software to update, I finally was able to start playing. Then, it was a fair few hours later that I remembered that I actually had other stuff to be working on. The game is still very pretty, despite the fact that it's on a less technologically capable machine than its predecessor. It sounds amazing. And, the gameplay is solid. I can't fault it, apart from the cheating AI who doesn't have area limits on the number of units they can dispatch. But hey, what game doesn't come with a cheating AI?
Nearly a week later, I find myself playing another mission while waiting for the computer to boot. Or, last thing before I go to bed. And first thing when I wake up. And in the middle of the day, when I seem to run out of things to do, I find myself picking up the PSP and playing one more mission.
I find myself deliberately booking a window seat on a train so that I can be next to the power socket, so that I can continue to play this on the couple of long distance journeys I'll be making next month. I think I may be in love with this game. And, to that extent, I have bought myself a copy of the original, that I fell in love with in my housemate's room. Not that I have a PS3, but so that when I find them at a more reasonable price, I won't have to spend weeks finding the game of my dreams.
Also, there's a third game coming out. It looks incredible. It had better get localised, that's all I can say.
So, we bring our new goods home, and pretty much disappear off to our rooms to get everything plugged in, and ready to play. And, out of curiosity at this ridiculously expensive games console that I have no idea how to afford, I went to check out my housemate's purchase. This is the sight that I was greeted with:
(Yes, this is someone else's playthrough of the Prologue)
Click to viewMore notes: This video doesn't give the game's beauty justice. Have a screenshot to rectify this:
It truly does feel like playing in a watercolour. It's stunningly beautiful. Not to mention the incredible soundtrack. And it really hit me that afternoon, watching the tactical gameplay balanced perfectly with the action parts, that I desired this game. However, I couldn't justify getting a PS3 for just Valkyria Chronicles. There might be others that I might be tempted by, but none as much as this game.
Skip forward a few years to this year's E3 conference. I honestly don't remember that much of it, because all that I do remember was "Valkyria Chronicles II - On PSP". Now, I believe my thought process went something like this:
Shiny game sequel + Console that I own = MUST GET
Forward a few months again - it's finally released on British soil. After spending a weekend wandering almost aimlessly around all of the video game stores in Glasgow, I actually ask one of the shop assistants. They told me that it had been released the previous Friday, as I thought, but they told me that pretty much no shop will have it, and I should take my search online. And of course, it's ridiculously expensive online, due to that whole "supply and demand" thing.
This last Monday, I decided to wander into town to think about preordering a few games that are to be released over the next few months. And, I found Valkyria Chronicles II on the shelf. I still had some trade-in credit. I also had my student card with me for a discount. It doesn't take a genius to work out that I didn't hesitate in buying it.
After having to wait an hour for my PSP system software to update, I finally was able to start playing. Then, it was a fair few hours later that I remembered that I actually had other stuff to be working on. The game is still very pretty, despite the fact that it's on a less technologically capable machine than its predecessor. It sounds amazing. And, the gameplay is solid. I can't fault it, apart from the cheating AI who doesn't have area limits on the number of units they can dispatch. But hey, what game doesn't come with a cheating AI?
Nearly a week later, I find myself playing another mission while waiting for the computer to boot. Or, last thing before I go to bed. And first thing when I wake up. And in the middle of the day, when I seem to run out of things to do, I find myself picking up the PSP and playing one more mission.
I find myself deliberately booking a window seat on a train so that I can be next to the power socket, so that I can continue to play this on the couple of long distance journeys I'll be making next month. I think I may be in love with this game. And, to that extent, I have bought myself a copy of the original, that I fell in love with in my housemate's room. Not that I have a PS3, but so that when I find them at a more reasonable price, I won't have to spend weeks finding the game of my dreams.
Also, there's a third game coming out. It looks incredible. It had better get localised, that's all I can say.