Valkyria Chronicles 2 in development for PSP

by Andrew Yoon { Jul 15th 2009 at 12:10AM }

Sega's critically praised Valkyria Chronicles is getting a second chance -- this time reborn as a PSP game. The innovative SRPG combined real-time third person shooting with turn-based tactical strategy, and presented everything in a gorgeous cel-shaded package. The sequel looks to do more of the same, as revealed in the latest issue of Famitsu. Scans show the return of the original's behind-the-back viewpoint and introduce characters new to the handheld iteration.

At E3 2008, Sony mistakenly showcased Valkyria Chronicles in a PSP highlight reel -- but that visual might've inspired Sega's Valkyria team. Regardless of the platform, we're glad to see Sega isn't giving up on the franchise. Let's hope that this time around, you gamers will actually buy the game.

[Thanks, Marius!]

Tags: famitsu, ftw, psp, sega, valkyria-chronicles, yes

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

WREturns @ Jul 15th 2009 12:13AM

NOOOOO!!!! I want a real sequel!

Unplugged @ Jul 15th 2009 12:21AM

I hope you're joking

WREturns @ Jul 15th 2009 12:30AM

Not joking at all. What if Uncharted 2 came out on the PSP? Not some side story like Uncharted: The Legend of Nathan Drake, but Uncharted 2. I bet a lot of people would be pissed. This sucks.

Unplugged @ Jul 15th 2009 12:34AM

I see where you're coming from, and I get why you're angry, but just because it isn't on the PS3 doesn't mean its not a real sequel.

Liam O'Connor @ Jul 15th 2009 12:39AM

Oh come on! The PSP is easily able to handle a Valkyria Chronicles sequel. Outside of perhaps the nice of cel-shading, it really shouldn't be an issue. The game was hardly pushing the PS3. A lot of the story was told via portraits.

I just hope that Sega don't make some of the missions so obtuse this time. The rescue the princess one was mental. The game offers the WORST ADVICE EVER and you end up failing over and over. I read a FAQ and you can finish it in two turns with one character. Lame.

WREturns @ Jul 15th 2009 12:43AM

Yeah, you're right about that, I just think it's lame since I freakin' love Valkyria Chronicles but I don't want to buy a PSP just to play the sequel. Can't I just download this from the PSN store and play it on my PS3? Hell, I bet they could do that with all PSP games. I'd certainly buy some.

Captain__Planet @ Jul 15th 2009 12:54AM

@ Liam
not pushing the PS3 limits? VC is one of the most beautiful games on the PS3. just cuss its not fully 3D and life-like doesn't mean its 2nd rate. and i think you also may have ADD or something if you cant stand doing the same missions over and over again. this is, of coarse, a strategy game.

Sly @ Jul 15th 2009 1:06AM

"The rescue the princess one was mental."

are you high? i beat that mission with an A rank on my first try. you must suck at strategy games...

johnnynumber5 @ Jul 15th 2009 1:40AM

Since beating Jeanne D'Arc I've been salivating for another PSP SRPG and this will fit the bill perfectly. I've played some fun RPGs (Crimson Gem Saga) & Action RPGs (Monster Hunter Freedom Unite) but haven't come across anything like Jeanne D'Arc yet. Knights Of The Nightmare (DS) is a great SRPG but it's a different style of play and is more frantic and arcade like.

This is one of those surprises I'm happy about ... this game is probably equally suited for the PS3 as the PSP.

Did they ever do a trophy patch for Valkyria Chronicles?

BananaBoat @ Jul 15th 2009 1:46AM

The one where you had to scale the building and take out the unbeatable Valkyrie chick was mental. Only after reading a FAQ did I realize that she's completely blind deaf and dumb if you hit her with a smoke bomb. The final battle also sent me to a FAQ (which I only do when I'm insanely aggravated and fed up, which is very rare) to find out how to take the guy down even though he keeps regenerating health. Turns out that if two characters are close enough to each other, they will both shoot an enemy and do basically double(ish) the damage. If only the game had told me this at some point, it would probably have been even easier than it was (which was pretty easy, and no, I never RTFM).

I hope they can make the gameplay work on a hand held. I'd rather have had the sequel on the PS3, but at least a sequel is being made.

Lunastra78 (PSN: lunastra78) @ Jul 15th 2009 1:47AM

@johnnynumber5

You can't go wrong with Wild Arms XF, is quite similar to Jean D'Arc in many ways. And Warhammer Squad Command is also good, albeit a bit on the short side.

Michelobius @ Jul 15th 2009 2:44AM

@bananaboat

They definitely tell you that you can do that in like, the third mission. The one with the woods where the tank appears at the end.

But it definitely is true that the usefulness of that tactic on HP giants is understated to say the least.

BananaBoat @ Jul 15th 2009 3:19AM

@Michelobius -

Good point. There isn't a non-tank enemy before the final battle with enough HP to warrant combining multiple units, so it's not as if the tactic of combining attacks was fresh in my mind. I didn't finish the game in a short amount of time, and it's likely that I saw the cut scene where it told you that you can combine attacks, but forgot about it during the months between when I started the game and when I finished it (which is my fault). That the cut scenes were so hackneyed didn't help though (It's likely that I either skipped or drowned out the cut scene where that tactic is introduced)

That is hardly my only gripe with the game to say the least. My biggest gripe is actually the low difficulty (except for the couple of times where it really ramps up) which seems to stem from poor AI, and from the computer not fully taking advantage of a turn (the computer often quit a turn with plenty of command points left, for no apparent reason, and often when my tank was one shot from defeat). Having said that, I loved the game, and it is in my top 5 PS3 titles at this point.

I hope that the series eventually makes its way back onto the PS3. With a little better AI, and maybe a little bit better of a story, it could easily be one of the better games original franchises of this generation. At the very least, I won't be satisfied until there is a Valkyria title with an online multiplayer mode, or maybe co-op missions.

BananaBoat @ Jul 15th 2009 1:49PM

better franchises*

scratch @ Jul 15th 2009 2:40PM

I'm loving VC too (not sure how far I am, just took fourzen) but the AI is my biggest complaint as well. it makes stupid/wasteful moves, wastes CP points, etc. if they had made the "hard mode" DLC hard by improving the AI, that would be something. I have no desire to play the game without the edelweiss, even though much of the time I don't use it.

as for the sequel coming to PSP, I'm sure the game can work quite well and look very nice on the PSP. but i too am sad, as I would love to play the sequel, but have no intention of buying a psp. i think it would be awesome if all psp games could be played on the ps3, though im sure they'd be afraid of cannibalizing psp sales that way.

yyr @ Jul 15th 2009 2:41PM

Captain__Planet
"not pushing the PS3 limits? VC is one of the most beautiful games on the PS3. just cuss its not fully 3D and life-like doesn't mean its 2nd rate."

Those statements are not mutually exclusive. It's true that it's a beautiful game, and that it's first-rate, but that doesn't mean it's pushing the PS3's limits.

The PSP could most likely handle that graphic style. Keep in mind that there will be fewer pixels to push on the smaller screen, so less power will be required.

High def will be missed, but look at what you gain from this...you no longer have to be tethered to a TV to play. You can play it anywhere. Disgaea on PSP is one of the greatest things ever, for example... and I'll be buying this too even though I haven't had the time to play my copy of the first one yet.

mahouneko @ Jul 15th 2009 9:56PM

@Liam:
The Rescue-the-Princess mission wasn't hard at all. You're supposed to block the most direct paths for the (enemy) car with the tank and use shocktroopers to nail the car's radiator in the back. I say shocktroopers with the _s_ at the end exactly because you need a group of them to do the friendship attack.

It's a really straightforward mission that is hard to fail.

Longhorn of Myon [PSN: MariusElijah] @ Jul 15th 2009 12:14AM

I only tip you, so i can say how much i hate the PSP
its lineup is too impressive
there goes $250 this fall

johnnynumber5 @ Jul 15th 2009 1:43AM

Is that some sort of a poem ... lol. Marius FTW (still haven't forgot that banning you got for coining the term "gayble") ...

Roto13 @ Jul 15th 2009 1:43AM

Or you could NOT get a Go. :P

sony boy @ Jul 15th 2009 12:28PM

get psp slim from dell for 130 bucks.

devilsei @ Jul 15th 2009 1:45PM

Yeah seriously, get an older PSP and a big memory stick. I still have my fat PSP, and unless that PSP GO offers me a bag of money, or FF7 remastered, I won't get it. :P

Longhorn of Myon [PSN: MariusElijah] @ Jul 15th 2009 2:55PM

oh yes I remember that ban

Double J @ Jul 15th 2009 12:15AM

Welp. Looks like my decision to rebuy the PSP is a lock now.

Zerokku @ Jul 15th 2009 12:32AM

This.

I was recently thinking "well I've already owned one once and got rid of it, should I really get one again?"

Here's my answer -_-

Jinsenken @ Jul 15th 2009 12:15AM

Better than no sequel at all I guess.

Hyams @ Jul 15th 2009 7:31AM

It's still a kick in the balls to us fans, though. VC was originally a bomb, but strong fan support and evangelizing got the game decent numbers ... and so Sega rewards us by putting the sequel on a different platform?

Oh well, between this and MGS: PW, I guess I'm gonna *have* to buy a PSP now, even if I do loathe the analog stick with a passion.

adolson @ Jul 15th 2009 10:15AM

Get a PSPgo, then. The analog stick is supposed to feel a lot better on it.

Hyams @ Jul 15th 2009 11:12AM

The high price is kind of off-putting, especially given that it's basically a gimped PSP phat.

Mr Khan @ Jul 15th 2009 11:22AM

Hey, on the PSP they can get far better sales in Japan, similar sales outside Japan, and drive costs way down all the while.

Roto13 @ Jul 15th 2009 4:43PM

Yeah, there are pretty good reasons to put it on the PSP. I don't think another PS3 VC is worth the risk right now.

James @ Jul 15th 2009 12:16AM

Since I did buy the first game, and do not own a PSP, I'm extremely disappointed that this won't be on the PS3. Almost outraged, even. Assuming this does well enough, and we're lucky enough to see more in the franchise, I hope it makes it's way back to the PS3.

dgonchild @ Jul 15th 2009 12:16AM

Hell effin yes! Day 1 buy for me. Yes, I would have prefered a PS3 sequel, but PSP will do. And who knows, maybe the next game in the franchise will make its way to PS3.

tmacairjordan87 @ Jul 15th 2009 12:21AM

Haha you people wanted a sequel, well you got one...just not on the right platform :P

Might want to make those wishes a bit more specific next time.

Nerdy Desi @ Jul 15th 2009 12:22AM

I guess Sony wanted this to sell their already unpopular PSP Go. : )

Hashbrown Hunter (OneGiantCluster.blogspot.com) @ Jul 15th 2009 7:13AM

Actually I think Sega decided to cut some budget costs for the game (considering the not-so-stellar sales of the original) and later decided to move it on to the PSP altogether.

It is a smart business move on their part, but it is definitely understandable that fans would be more than a little upset.

Lithgow @ Jul 15th 2009 12:26AM

Hope the anime keeps going with VC2's story.

Captain__Planet @ Jul 15th 2009 12:56AM

if Sega is doing what it has hinted within VC1, it will be a prequel, and i think the anime is during EW2

Sly @ Jul 15th 2009 1:15AM

looking at the giant 1937, i think it'll be a prequel.

Seasarsee @ Jul 15th 2009 12:30AM

I just beat the first game and it was so much fun! Guess I'm getting a PSP soon.

matt @ Jul 15th 2009 12:34AM

I can't even begin to put into words both how pleased the announcement of a sequel makes me, but equally how extremely disappointed I am to hear it's going to the PSP.

Gokie @ Jul 15th 2009 12:35AM

I'd have loved for there to be a PS3 (or hell, even X360) sequel, but I'm glad the series is living on. Just one more reason to a growing list of why I'm glad to own a PSP. Sure, I don't expect it will have the same beautiful and charming graphics as the original, but the gameplay, which is what really made it a standout, should translate fine.

Lithgow @ Jul 15th 2009 12:36AM

It better still have dual audio

Anthology @ Jul 15th 2009 1:50AM

GLORIOUS NIPPON!

emperorzeroxx @ Jul 15th 2009 12:37AM

I bought the ps3 one and I love it, but seriously?? buy psp game... geeze.... if ya want more sales you should just put it on 360..

solarshadows074 @ Jul 15th 2009 12:43AM

no. more sales? wii or ds.
or multiplat. but this case, psp is good enough

johnnynumber5 @ Jul 15th 2009 2:02AM

Yeah because those 360 exclusive RPGs have sure sold well ... riiiiiight.

JRPGs have become niche this generation and JSRPGs are the most niche of all the JRPGs on the market. Not to mention the game didn't have much marketing support in North America.

It seems like all the super hardcore SEGA games this gen flop regardless of platform.