Valkyria Chronicles 2 announced for PSP. Forecast: rage and joy

Lunker

NEW EDIT:

Chrono Helix wrote: »

New scan thanks to Sieghardt from the Sega forums

***

Bow before your handheld overlords. Image from this week's Famitsu:

I still can't find really detailed info, since I can't read the scan, but the producer apparently talks about how it's a full-blown sequel, not just a spin-off, and is interested in PSP local wi-fi multiplayer. It's got a very "military academy" kind of vibe, though it could just as easily be a high-school anime pap drama. I can't tell if the first screenshot in the upper left is from the original VC or a screen from this PSP sequel.

The original VC is a game that I've been dying to try, and I've been scheming to borrow a friend's PS3 to check it out. Seeing the sequel move to handheld will invariably irritate some fans of the original, but the writing on the wall has been there for a long time: Japanese development is focused on handhelds. And fans have been dying for news of a sequel for ages, so seeing there's enough interest in pushing it forward should be cause for celebration enough.

Suriko

I vented my rage elsewhere about the shift to PSP earlier so I can't summon the effort to repeat it. Needless to say I don't like this decision at all.

This does not impress me much either:
http://www.siliconera.com/2009/07/14/valkyria-chronicles-psp-sequel-takes-a-tip-from-persona/

Sega explains the concept of the game is “school + war”. You control a group of military cadets as they head for battles in the south. Similar to Persona 3 and Mana Khemia seasons change and different school events come up.

Ah_Pook

im happy because theres a sequel, but sad because i dont have a psp and dont plan to get one any time. also the school thing sounds like it could go either way, but im leaning towards lame personally.

PeregrineFalcon

Fuck off

Really?

I'm torn between "Awesome, more VC" and "Oh god they're going to fuck it up"

Lunker

Another writeup on the article:

One of the big news in the upcoming issue of Weekly Famitsu is the announcement of Senjou no Valkyria 2 Gallia Royal Academy for the PSP (click for full view). Probably inspired by the small Sony’s mistake at last year’s E3, the sequel to the excellent SRPG and Third-Person-Shooter hybrid (called BLiTZ) is set for Japan this fall. This first report focus on the new characters, new system and also an interview with the Producer.

Set two year after the first game, the story still takes place in Gallia but further south, in Randgriz Royal Academy to be exact. Our hero is a probational officer in the academy and when the Gallia’s military failed to stop a civil war, he was forced into action. Not many screens are shown but Canvas, the rendering engine used to created the watercolor look of the first game, is still being used and the developers from the PS3 version is working on the game.

On the game system, BLiTZ and the leveling up system will be enhanced. Tanks will have more uses apparently and it’s custom parts increased. Characters can apply camouflage and it will has crucial impact to the outcome of the battles. As time goes by in the game, the season will change and there will be uniform switch for your characters to reflect this. The “Number of Players” column is left “Undecided”, so expect some multiplayer actions to be announced later.

In the interview, Sega want to show that they are serious about the game with the number 2 attached to the title and apparently there will be more for PSP from the series in future. Valkyria Chronicles is one of the most memorable game for me personally and I can’t believe this actually happens School and war will start this fall.

Note: The official website will be launched this Friday.

Official website link

Chrono Helix

The only character I have a problem with is the new Valkyrur. It's a stupid outfit. I can imagine the other 3 characters fitting in with our beloved Squad 7, though.

Norfair

Speaking as someone who has very little disposable income, owns a PSP, has no access to a PS3, and no means of buying a PS3 for the forseeable future, all I can say is that I like this trend of PS3 exclusive series going to PSP.

I can see how it pisses off PS3 owners, though.

Feldorn

while i'm not opposed to this... I really hate the character design shown in that article. unless this game is about training raw school-girl recruits.

pyromaniac221

I went from ecstatic to depressed so quickly I got whiplash.

urahonky

Motherfucking ass cunt.

I really, really don't want to play this kind of game on the PSP. I'm so far from the handheld gamer it's incredible. This doesn't please me at all.

Lightor216

I hope it retains the stylish cel shading the first one had.

Shadowrunner

Loved VC, but not excited seeing the sequel as PSP only. Now if they want to make a proper PS3 sequel with a PSP companion piece, I'm cool with that (and might even buy both).

Kyougu

Why is everyone so down in the possible storyline?

I mean, the first one was good for what it was, an interactive anime.

Fig-D

Well, Persona 3 and 4 proved to me that the whole anime high school thing could be handled in a way that I'll actually enjoy it. On the other hand, P3 and 4 are the only games to feature the anime high school as a major theme and handle it well. I do love some VC though... but like Chrono Helix said, the design for that new Valkyrur doesn't exactly fill me with hope.

I'm cautiously optimistic.

firewaterword

Awesome. I just bought a PSP, so this is good. I also started up VC again (dropped it awhile ago) and good god this game is long. I'm on chapter 11 and don't see the end in sight. On the plus side, I'll probably be finished with it just before number 2 comes out.

I hope they go the "connect VC:2 to your VC save and get stuff" route, ala the PSP Resistance game.

Chance

I was gonna' mention last night - do we really need two VC threads? The VC community on here is relatively small. I don't see why we shouldn't pull a Shin Megami Tensei and have one thread for the series. VC, anime/manga, VC2 discussion all in one convenient location.

LockeCole

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

Thats pretty much all I got.

Steev

I want a sequel on my PSThreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

/whine

Lunker

Chance wrote: »

I was gonna' mention last night - do we really need two VC threads? The VC community on here is relatively small. I don't see why we shouldn't pull a Shin Megami Tensei and have one thread for the series. VC, anime/manga, VC2 discussion all in one convenient location.

I figured general discussion would drift back to the other thread—but megathreads by nature are very difficult to use when new announcements come about, unless the thread OPs and titles are regularly edited. I wouldn't have ever checked the other thread because I don't own a PS3.

Chance

SteevL wrote: »

I want a sequel on my PSThreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

/whine

I do too, but a sequel on the PSP just makes so much damn sense, I have trouble being upset by it. I don't like the idea of being $300 poorer just so I can play the next VC, but that's dulled by the Christmas-morning-esque glee of the thought of owning a PSP.

Dragkonias

Like I said in the other thread.

I'm overjoyed that VC2 is getting a sequel. Yet, filled with so much rage that its going to be on the PSP.

I mean I guess they're using Japanese's low PS3 sales as the reason. Because production costs couldn't be that high for a PS3 sequel when you still have all the assets from the first game to work it.

greeble

As long as they don't make the school shit too annoying or fuck up the combat system I'm ok with this. I've always wished VC for ps3 would get remote play since the controls would work really well on a psp.

Steev

Yeah, who knows, by the time this comes out there will probably be enough stuff on the PSP to justify the purchase of one for me. If that happened, then I'd truly own every major system of this generation, barring the DSi.

Der Waffle Mous

Hooray.

Something else that justifies my spending $200 on a portable FFT machine.

elliotw2

So long as they don't mess up the main game, I'll be very very happy when it launches.

Lord Yod

Really glad they're making more VC. Also happy that I'll have something new to play in my PSP. Unhappy that the series is moving to the handheld but in all honesty it doesn't bother me that much.

Chance

Lord Yod wrote: »

Really glad they're making more VC. Also happy that I'll have something new to play in my PSP. Unhappy that the series is moving to the handheld but in all honesty it doesn't bother me that much.

That's the whole kit'n'kiboodle, as far as I'm concerned. Since last November the VC community around here has been hyping our asses off, and although there was an altruistic side to it (let me gift you with knowledge of this magical thing I've discovered), there's no arguing it was also the mildly selfish pursuit of trying to do our part to get sales of the games high enough to warrant a sequel.

And our prayers have been answered. I don't much mind having to purchase a PSP to play it, I'm just glad we're getting the sequel we wanted so badly.

Lord Yod

And I also have to say it's not very surprising that they'd do this, given the relative sales that other tactics-type games have gotten on the PSP.

Shaquar

That's great news (too me at least). VC is the one game that really makes me hate the fact that I don't have a PS3 and can't afford one. And my PSP needs more action. It's such a great system.

BubbaT

Let the school stuff go to the PSP version, make the missions DLC for PS3. It shouldn't cost much to import the missions into the PS3 version's engine, right?

Sony and Sega still benefit from the bigger PSP installed base, while not totally freezing out the PS3-only crowd.

Fatal3RR0R

You mean I won't have to buy a PS3 to get my VC fix?

Antihippy

Lord Yod wrote: »

Really glad they're making more VC. Also happy that I'll have something new to play in my PSP. Unhappy that the series is moving to the handheld but in all honesty it doesn't bother me that much.

I really don't think it'll be on PSP forever.

Still though, another reason for a PSP.

elliotw2

Well, I'm happy for it, mostly because I've got both of the Sony systems for this generation

Henroid

Good things:

• They're making another VC game.
• It's on the PSP - more incentive to own a PSP.
• They've got some camouflage system going into it.
• The art engine is still going to be in use.

Bad things:

• A little girl is a valkyrur?
• That little girl is showing off a lot of skin. And is wearing bunny ears.
• They're holding weapons in school uniforms; what happened to body armor?
• The artwork in general is different enough to be more light-hearted.
• Highschool + War? Oh, more classic-anime-bullshit then.

Yes, the first VC had a bunch of classic-anime-bullshit in it as well. I know about Hans. I know about Welkin talking about bugs and shit. I know about the one-time beach scene.

What I'm seeing in this is that instead of, "Grim-realities of war injected with classic-anime-bullshit," it's, "Classic-anime-bullshit injected with grim-realities of war." And yeah, I'm jumping to that conclusion based on this single scan.

I'm also drawing the comparison that when I heard a new FFT game was being made and first saw FFT:A I was worried. Then my worries were reality in that the game turned out to be bad. I don't want that to happen to VC.

LockeCole

I'll wait and see on the plot, but I'm a little concerned about how the game will control - it works really well on the PS3 - not really sure how well its going to play with the psp.

However, that fact that this got a sequel AT ALL is pretty heartening.

Rent

Chance wrote: »

Lord Yod wrote: »

Really glad they're making more VC. Also happy that I'll have something new to play in my PSP. Unhappy that the series is moving to the handheld but in all honesty it doesn't bother me that much.

That's the whole kit'n'kiboodle, as far as I'm concerned. Since last November the VC community around here has been hyping our asses off, and although there was an altruistic side to it (let me gift you with knowledge of this magical thing I've discovered), there's no arguing it was also the mildly selfish pursuit of trying to do our part to get sales of the games high enough to warrant a sequel.

And our prayers have been answered. I don't much mind having to purchase a PSP to play it, I'm just glad we're getting the sequel we wanted so badly.

If I could lime this any harder I would
Hi5, Chance :^:

Klyka

"Klyka-senpai, I....I feel like I can live through anything with you...This war, these battles, it's you who gives me strength...Do you feel the same about me?"

This seems like a critical moment in your relationship with her. But you are already in a relationship with another girl! Will you still tell her you love her?
> Yes
> No

> Yes

"Oh Klyka-senpai! I'm so happy! I feel like my heart is filled with so much emotion that it could burst at any time!"
>You spend a lot of time with her today...Later that night,you bring her home.

> Your relationship with her just got intimate. You have released her Powers of the Valkyrur.
She can now use these powers to aid you in battle!



That's pretty much my thoughts on this.

Kai_San

Ah_Pook wrote: »

im happy because theres a sequel, but sad because i dont have a psp and dont plan to get one any time. also the school thing sounds like it could go either way, but im leaning towards lame personally.

Im happy theres a sequel, and happy its on PSP because I dont own a PS3 and dont plan to anytime soon.

Also the High school thing sounds awesome to me, but I didnt play the first so I dont have anything to compare it to

Chrono Helix

New scan thanks to Sieghardt from the Sega forums

UnbreakableVow

Oh my sweet Jesus.

Something drew me to PSP.

I knew, a couple weeks ago, now is the time.

I convinced myself it was Lunar. Maybe it was Persona. Perhaps even Rock Band. But I knew about those well before-hand.

No, fate guided me that night so that I would be prepared for this.

Azegoroth

Oooh, is that some class change?
And those different types of tanks look sweet.
Whelp, I've been on the fence about buying a psp for some time now, this will probably tip me over.