Valkyria Chronicles - SEGA

This game is an amazing blend of strategy, Role-playing, and 3rd Person shooter. I stress that the game is amazing because with a game using this many genres it might seem as if they'd work in contest, rather than in concert. However, play through this game and you'll realize that Sega has created quite a complex, engaging masterpiece here.

The story is far and away much more developed than most RPG's. With a complete roster of fully fleshed out characters (even the 50 support characters) and a meaningful narrative, VC tells an incredibly heartfelt story of war and its impact on human life. The events in the game have real weight when they're supposed to, yet the tension and death is broken up by small moments of tenderness and heartwarming interactions between characters. You see some of them grow, some of them die, some of them triumph, and some of them fail.

The gameplay is so well designed and implemented that for the full 40 hours it is just an absolute joy to play. You'll look forward to every battle, and as the war ramps up in intensity the challenges will keep your mind sharp, and your eyes riveted to the screen. The music is outstanding, ranging from sweeping romantic string pieces, to thumping wartime marches, these songs will get stuck in your head and become anthems as you play.

The graphics are just unparalleled. Utilizing a never-before-seen technique called the Canvas Engine, Sega has taken an incredible game and glossed it up with a style that is reminiscent of watercolor paintings and charcoal sketches. As Sega did with Jet Set Radio on the Dreamcast, and Capcom did with Okami, the creators of this game have ensured that its art style will be remembered by everyone who plays it. Couple this with the intelligent design choices and the incredible amount of attention to detail and you've got a game that really feels full and rich.

The game is nearly perfect. From both a technical perspective and an aesthetic view this game is truly a masterpiece. It's not often that a game has a really solid and compelling narrative, outstanding and unique gameplay, and beautiful graphics. Valkyria Chronicles is the real deal.

If you own a PS3 I can't recommend this game highly enough. If I could only have one game on my PS3 it would be Valkyria Chronicles. Truly this is a game I'll remember as one of the pinnacles of enjoyment in this hobby of mine.

Thanks for reading. For more information visit Sega's Valkyria Chronicles Site.