Elijah Gonzalez 
It seems the next entry in the strategy RPG series Valkyria Chronicles is nearly upon us with the release date being confirmed as September 25th 2018 for both the Americas and Europe.
For the uninitiated, Valkyria Chronicles is a tactical RPG series that takes place in an alternative fictional Europe-equivalent during a time of war. The original game follows Welkin Gunther, an Animal Sociology major turned tank commander, as he leads a squad of Gallian soldiers against an invasion from the autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance. The combat is a mix of real-time and turn-based, allowing players to control their soldiers to manoeuvre and aim shots. However, the characters you control have a limited amount of actions and movements they can perform before their turn is over. It also utilises RPG progression systems that allow you to upgrade troop classes and purchase new weapons and, whilst most war games pine to emulate realism, this series is presented via painterly watercolour.
While the second and third entries were PSP only titles, Valkyria Chronicles 4 marks a return to home consoles with a PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch release. It takes places in perpetuity with events from the first games, but instead stars the members of Squad E. With Commander Claude Wallace at the helm, they’re a group of childhood friends who must face the trials of war together. The battle system from the previous game will be making a return, as well as a new grenadier class, and new enemy types.
Details concerning pre-order bonuses have also been announced. First run-physical copies will come with an adorable controller skin of your dog companion Ragnarok. There is also a ‘Memoirs From the Battle’ special edition for $99.99 that comes with a 100 page art book, 2 DLC missions starring the original cast, a collector’s box, and a Hafen tank statue.
For those who have any passing interest in action-strategy hybrids, or anime style-storytelling, I would highly recommend giving the recent remaster of the original Valkyria Chronicles a shot. It’s heartfelt, thoroughly charming, and offers some engaging combat encounters. Although it seems that the new title won’t require previous experience with the series, the original stands out in a sea of war-themed video games doing their best Saving Private Ryan impressions.
Source: WorthPlaying
