Despite disappointing sales in the western gaming market, the original Valkyria Chronicles was welcomed with excellent review scores and was a very popular SJRPG - that's Strategy Japanese Role Playing Game, for anyone less accustomed to these ridiculous acronyms - among its relatively small fan base.

However, fans of the title may be less than impressed to hear that "Valkyria Chronicles 2: Gallian Royal Officer Academy" is going to be a PSP exclusive this time round, as revealed in the Valkyria Chronicles blog. Set two years after the first game, "Valkyria Chronicles 2" will feature a "new story", "new setting" and "new characters", although SEGA have made it clear that the gameplay from the original will remain intact, as the "BLiTZ" combat system remains. VC2 will also offer greater means of customisation available for infantry and tanks.

The characters are a group of students this time around who, "When not in battle" are "normal students who take classes, play, and fall in love", so they already sound more productive than today's students. The protagonist, the catchily named Aban Hadens, is a young scholar who enrols in the Royal Military after the death of an older brother, and will envitably fall in love with a reckless but lovable female ally in traditional JRPG fashion. Expect an array of impractical hairstyles for a warzone too.

The transposition to PSP may seem odd, but we are affirmed that the series is looking to branch out to a wider variety of users. Gameplay looks set to be consistent with the original and controls shouldn't prove too difficult to adapt, but the much praised graphics from Valkyria Chronicles make the sequel's look like a large step backwards, and the screenshots leave a lot to be desired. AD-HOC play between PSP systems has room for potential, but having never played AD-HOC on any PSP title to date I won't be holding my breath on this one

Check out the Valkyria Chronicles blog for more (although you may need a translator handy) at http://blog.valkyria.jp/ Updates on the title to come

Conor

Labels: Conor, PSP, Valkyria Chronicles 2

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