Valkyria Chronicles Remastered Review (PS4)

The rich just keep getting richer with this PlayStation 4 port.  The original Valkyria Chronicles was a masterpiece when it came out.  In this remaster, the original is back and better than ever.  Everything looks and feels better and with all the DLC included right out the box, there's no way you can lose.

You play as Welkin Gunther and his (mostly) hilarious band of misfits known as Squad 7.  You're mission is to go out and beat the crap out of the bad guys, known as the Empire.  But with your forces (Gallia) are badly outmatched, so how can you possibly win?  Simply hop into a rickety, old tank and blow them to heck, that's how.

Welkin is a decent protagonist and a decent guy, too.

Tanks rule in this game and the Edelweiss (your tank) is the king of them all.  Seriously, this relic can rape all the newest, cutting edge tanks.  As powerful as it is though, the Edelweiss has weaknesses.  This is where the aforementioned band of misfits come in.

Welkin rarely fights on foot, choosing to stay tucked away in the Edelweiss.

Squad 7 is comprised of a bunch of zany characters who will make life easier for Welkin and his tank.  There are five different job class and lots of characters to choose from.  You can choose up to twenty of these knuckleheads to give you the edge you need to win.  Balance is the key to choosing your team, so you'll be prepared for whatever the enemy throws at you.

Whether it's badasses like Jane...

...dorks like Walter...

...or whatever this guy is, there is a character for everyone.

Even Vyse, Aika, and Fina from Skies Of Arcadia show up.

For job classes, you have scouts, who can run and shot far, but have the defense of wet toilet tissue.  Up next you have shocktroopers, who only have average movement, but they'll kick any ass they can get near.  Lancers, who fight with rocket launchers to help the Edelweiss kill enemy tanks, are slow and hearty.  Snipers are deadly backline fighters who move slow, but shoot the farthest, potentially taking out enemy foot soldiers with a single shot.  Finally, engineers are a jack-of-all-trades type, who can repair any damage the Edelweiss takes, among other things.  As you can see, there aren't many job classed, but they are diverse.  The enemies have access to these same classes, so learn what they can and can't do to keep from taking an ass-whuppin'.

Part of the balance you'll need isn't just based on job class, but a character's Potentials.  Potentials are a set of strengths and weaknesses for each character that can make or break you party.  These are unlocked as characters level up and they are not always good.  Some characters will actually get weaker as they level up depending on their potentials, so watch out.  Fortunately, you can take these characters out of you team, so you won't be stuck with a crappy character.

The actual combat is good.  First, you deploy the characters of your choice.  Then, you pick a character who you can freely move around until their action gauge runs out (or earlier if you wish).  If an enemy is within the character's attack range, take aim with your weapon and blow them to heck.  The enemy may dodge the attack and/or counter attack if you're within their range, so be careful.  Anyway, kill as many people as you can until you accomplished the objective, whatever that may be.

Combat has too many elements to explain here.

There is a tactical element to the game.  First off, while you're moving units around, the enemy will usually attack if you get within their attack range.  You'll want to make sure you end your character's turn behind cover, couching if possible, or they will likely die in seconds.  Cover can include walls, trenches, bunkers, or the Edelweiss itself.  The Edelweiss is practically invulnerable to bullets, so don't worry about whether or not enemy scouts or shocktroopers shooting it.

The Edelweiss isn't invincible, though.  Enemy tanks and lancers can harm and potentially destroy it, resulting in an instant game over.  Also, whatever you do, don't let the enemy hit the tank's radiator (that glowing thing on the back) as that's usually a one-hit kill on the Edelweiss (or any tank for that matter).  So protect that radiator at all costs.

Even foot soldiers can take out a tank if they hit the radiator.  Protect the Edelweiss's at all costs.

The graphics are like a full motion comic book.  It even spells out some of the sound effects comic-style, like how when you stand behind a tank and the radiator goes R-r-mble.  On the whole, the graphics are charming.

Is it just me or is the Rrmmble of the radiator kind of cute?

The music is mostly good.  It's epic, heavy with violins and trumpets.   It fits well with trench and tank warfare.  The battle themes are all good.  The peace themes are a mixed bag.  

The story is pretty good, filled with highs, lows, lots of fighting, and even a few unexpected twists.  There are some boneheaded moments to the story (you'll know them when you see them), but it's enjoyable for the most part.

You'll get your shot a assholes like this guy.

What we have here is a remaster of a masterpiece.  Good story, good graphics, good characters, good music, the whole package is here.  There's a lot of stuff I couldn't touch on because there's simply too much to cover.  It will tide you over until Valkyria Chronicles 4 comes out.  Don't miss it.