Valkyria Chronicles 3 (PSP)

[KariOhki]

The demo should be up on the Japanese PSN. If you can't get it there, 4gamer has it available from their site: http://www.4gamer.net/games/119/G011916/20101108014/
Scroll down until you see the button looking thing, the filesize (152 MB (159,455,805 バイト)) is under it.

Spoiler for demo impressions:

-Man the "world map" is gorgeous! Really the art in general seems better overall compared to VC2.
-[from new scans it looks like snipers are a scout upgrade again, nevermind]
-Nice variety in uniforms...
-Lancers get 6 shots! Also a surprise though it might just be what they're equipped with in the demo
-Riela's Valkyria mode is nice, but sucks if she gets stuck out in the middle of nowhere after her turn. Imca's Open Fire is great for clearing out bases. I didn't use Kurt's following thinger.
-Everyone in the squad seemed to have paper thin defense, even the lancers. Might be because it's the demo and the characters haven't leveled up.
-The bases in battle that connect to other areas have a label saying what area they connect to. Very helpful.
-Not knowing Japanese, I was surprised to see that the second mission had two outcomes. I thought you had to cap the base and defeat the boss unit, not either/or.

[RedShocktrooper]

Whoa... my hopes are suddenly quite high for VC3, if even the cut-down demo has more than one ending!

Will player interactions have more say-so in the story than the two endings between Reila and Imuca? Sure does look like it...

[Nerroth]

I had a go at the demo.

Spoiler for stuff:

*I know it's not that likely, but I really want dual audio for this one, should it get released in the West.

*How do you activate the various characters' powers@ All I can get them do is switch between their standard attacks (for those which have more than one, at least). Got it; press triangle when selecting your character on the tactical screen. Only 3 powers per level, unless there's some way to add more?

*It's a lot of fun using the guy with the giant hammer and extendable shield!

*Any ideas yet about who is voicing the other characters in the demo?

*When playing the second mission, I found the 'face' party stuck hiding in the grass, while I ended up passing by sending a bunch of the others around to blow up the bunkers on one of the other maps. I wasn't sure if there was more to it, until I saw the 'two outcome' note in the post before last...

*One thing I noted on the first map is these sets of paired columns, which show up on the tactical display with some sort of yellow-and-black pickaxe symbol. Is there some trick to scaling them?

Oh, and once you install the game, you can access a cut-down software manual via the PSP's XMB, for what it's worth.

[KariOhki]

Well, the yellow and black pickaxe symbol means something can be constructed there using the tank's construction arm. And the demo tank has one equipped. I used it in the second map to make some ladders.

[itrytofight]

You guys also know that they're making a two volume OVA on VC3 dont ya?
By I.G. Production, here's some clips from the anime opening:

http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/img/...l/v14.jpg.html

Just clip on pic to see more, now may someone find a vid on this please?

Oh, and DC. Heres a pic of Valerie:

http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/img/...al317.jpg.html

[DC20]

Not really a fan of the hairstyle, to be honest. It's like a bowl cut and a bob had a bastard child. I'm diggin' the glasses though, and the red does make up for quite a bit.

[asaqe]

Originally Posted by Westlo

May'n is doing the OP for this. Macross Frontier party up in here and Megumi aint invited.

Hell I expect the evil chick to be like Grace'o'Connor. It seems the guys who hire the voice actors choose the VAs carefully. VC1 was Code Geass' cast, VC2 was Gundam 00, now we got Macross Frontier

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by itrytofight

You guys also know that they're making a two volume OVA on VC3 dont ya?
By I.G. Production, here's some clips from the anime opening:

http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/img/...l/v14.jpg.html

From the looks of it, it will sure be dark with I.G. Productions in command and that's fair play to the dark tone of what's going on with that unit.

[Nerroth]

Originally Posted by KariOhki

Well, the yellow and black pickaxe symbol means something can be constructed there using the tank's construction arm. And the demo tank has one equipped. I used it in the second map to make some ladders.

Oh, okay.

Do you operate the arm while the tank is activated, or is it an ability you have to use the triangle button for?

[DC20]

I just looked up I.G. - the only thing they've done that I've heard of is Ghost in the Shell. Do they have a reputation for using a darker tone in their works?

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by DC20

I just looked up I.G. - the only thing they've done that I've heard of is Ghost in the Shell. Do they have a reputation for using a darker tone in their works?

They sure know how to put it dark (even violent) when the storyline asks. What's particular about them is how good they are in digital compositing, digital effects, digital image/story boarding, and digital color grading. We should have quite a threat with them for this Valkyria Chronicles OVA.

Among their works, you name it:

-Ghost in the Shell (films & series)
-Blood: The Last Vampire
-Blood+
-Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade
-Le Chevalier D'Eon
-Evangelion: Death & Rebirth/The End of Evangelion
-Kill Bill: Volume 1 (animated sequence)
-The Sky Crawlers
-Kai Doh Maru
-Patlabor movies 1 & 2
-Escaflowne: The Movie
-etc.

That should give you an idea of their works.

[DC20]

Oh, awesome. I've seen Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade and The Sky Crawlers (and of course Kill Bill), and they were awesome. I was pretty disappointed with the VC1 anime, but given the quality of Jin Roh and Sky Crawlers I'm actually pretty excited about this now.

[RedShocktrooper]

So, last night I played the demo. Here are some of my own reflections, focusing more on the music presented:

• Characters seem to have their own theme. Using Imuka's "Open Fire" ability swaps things for a more action-anime styled theme, for instance, while using Relia swaps the tune for the series' defined theme for the Valkyrur.
• The main theme wouldn't be out of place in Inglourious Basterds - in fact, I kept expecting to hear the "Clack! Clack! Clack!" of a baseball bat in the background. Very much so a surprise, considering the musical style of VC2 and even VC1.

[KariOhki]

Originally Posted by Nerroth

Oh, okay.

Do you operate the arm while the tank is activated, or is it an ability you have to use the triangle button for?

When you're moving the tank around and you're next to a spot you can construct something, a prompt to use the O button will pop up at the bottom of the screen, above the square button prompt to switch to attack mode.

[Nerroth]

I'll keep an eye out for that, thanks.

[Shiroth]

This is certainly one accessory set i'm interested with. Hoping play-asia stock it when the time comes.

[itrytofight]

Just some new stuff:

Some Famitsu scans showing new pics, inlcuding Valerie (despite the bad haircut she still looks pretty cute, She has nothing on Juno though) and the Scout guy with yellow hair, and a tiny pic of someone from VC2 (not Juliana).

Go check it out:

http://rpgland.com/valkyria-chronicl...amitsudengeki/

Here's also VC3 TVCM and Kurt's Trailer introduction too:

http://www.segashiro.com/2010/11/12/...cessory-items/

I'm sure you guys know about it though.

On a completely different subject, I just got through playing COD: Black Ops campaign. This one's gonna stick to me for awhile, then again I would say that about alot of stories in different games.

Poor Mason .

[grylsyjaeger]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

This is certainly one accessory set i'm interested with. Hoping play-asia stock it when the time comes.

Oh God yes.

I'll keep an eye out for it and I'll let you know if I see it but I expect the same from you, Shiroth!

EDIT: Here we go actually!

http://www.amiami.jp/shop/?set=engli...e_display.html

Think that'll be about as cheap as it gets. Play-Asia will probably be double that.

Did we find out where we can pre-order VC3 for the pre-order bonuses?

[MrTerrorist]

A TVTropes page of VC3 is out.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...aChroniclesIII

[itrytofight]

Looks like Sega came out with some bookmark(?) artwork for VC3, which includes Reila being dressed in a stripper outf-I mean "Valkyrian" battle dress(?).

Here's the link:

http://hermitan.blog41.fc2.com/blog-entry-296.html