Valkyria Chronicles
A month ago, I was hanging out at the Marietta MicroCenter when I saw a Sony PS3 game demo called Valkyria Chronicles. The graphics were stunning: the 3D rendering system drew all the characters and scenary like animated water-color. It was like watching an in-game version of Star Ocean 2.
The game plays like a tactical RPG. However, when you could manually move each unit as if you were playing a first person shooter. If you were good enough, you could shoot opposing forces in the head for head shots during the movement turn. In the demo, the tech level was at about WWI-era tanks and RPG-like "lances" so I suppose you could use WWI-era tactics. Units on the move had to navigate through suppressing fire that may randomly hit you. Units can and probably should take advantage of cover every chance they could get. Units die permantly unless you had another closeby unit that could call a medic.
The game mechanics also allows for interpersonal relationships among each of the individual characters, much like the Fire Emblem series.
I only got a chance to try the first map for a short time. The controls, including the ability to take advantage of cover was unfamiliar. Funny thing was, the first time I played, I charged the tank down the center so that my infantry could use it as cover and the sales person watching suppressed his contempt, "OK, move your tank first" ;-) Due to lack of practice, I killed off my scouts too quickly ("Hey, couldn't I use that tree as cover?" Sales guy: "Uh, no, you have to actually use cover..."). The two units with submachine guns were gunned down pretty quickly; I had not figured out how to use the sniper effectively to pick off people. I did manage to use the tank and the lancer to destroy the center tank and take the center ... but I overextended myself by charging the rest of the guys in and most of the units were taken out of combat. Before I dropped the controls since we had to hurry home, I had just managed to squish one of the enemy units with the tank since most of my infantry were gone. It was a good thing that barrier was taken down by the tank.
I think the freakiest thing though, was watching the first episode of the anime based on the game that had just been broadcast. And seeing how all those units I had killed off in the reckless charge are actually main characters in the anime ...
Oops.
Namaste
The game plays like a tactical RPG. However, when you could manually move each unit as if you were playing a first person shooter. If you were good enough, you could shoot opposing forces in the head for head shots during the movement turn. In the demo, the tech level was at about WWI-era tanks and RPG-like "lances" so I suppose you could use WWI-era tactics. Units on the move had to navigate through suppressing fire that may randomly hit you. Units can and probably should take advantage of cover every chance they could get. Units die permantly unless you had another closeby unit that could call a medic.
The game mechanics also allows for interpersonal relationships among each of the individual characters, much like the Fire Emblem series.
I only got a chance to try the first map for a short time. The controls, including the ability to take advantage of cover was unfamiliar. Funny thing was, the first time I played, I charged the tank down the center so that my infantry could use it as cover and the sales person watching suppressed his contempt, "OK, move your tank first" ;-) Due to lack of practice, I killed off my scouts too quickly ("Hey, couldn't I use that tree as cover?" Sales guy: "Uh, no, you have to actually use cover..."). The two units with submachine guns were gunned down pretty quickly; I had not figured out how to use the sniper effectively to pick off people. I did manage to use the tank and the lancer to destroy the center tank and take the center ... but I overextended myself by charging the rest of the guys in and most of the units were taken out of combat. Before I dropped the controls since we had to hurry home, I had just managed to squish one of the enemy units with the tank since most of my infantry were gone. It was a good thing that barrier was taken down by the tank.
I think the freakiest thing though, was watching the first episode of the anime based on the game that had just been broadcast. And seeing how all those units I had killed off in the reckless charge are actually main characters in the anime ...
Oops.
Namaste