Which is Your Favourite Valkyria Series Game?

[Super_Boom]

Aha, what timing! I just beat Valkyria Chronicles 4 yesterday and was looking for an excuse to talk about it. Woo hoo!

I've only played 1 and 4. I've never owned a PSP legally, and the spinoff never looking that appealing to me (though I wouldn't completely write it off either). Both are some of my favorite RPG/Strategy games, so it's a tough choice, but I'd say 4 edges out 1 in a number of areas. 

Characters: 4 features an ensemble cast of childhood friends with their own backstories, while 1 is more focused on Welkin's zero-to-hero story and the people he meets along the way. Overall I thought the characters in 4 were more interesting. Claude (MC in 4) is his own character with an established backstory, while Welkin comes across as a bit of an insert (though not nearly as much as some other MCs in this genre). Riley (FMC in 4) and Alicia are both awesome heroines, though I'd give Riley the edge for the same reason as Claude, in that the established backstory fleshes out her character more. Oh and bonus points for being blonde of course.

The rest of the cast in 4 is also a lot more interesting than their analogs in 1, and benefit from added exposure. The side cast of random soldiers also benefits from Squad Stories, which are bonus missions that develop some of the otherwise forgettable characters.

I would say I prefer Selvaria to Crymaria (new enemy Valkyria character)...but the two characters are quite a bit different.

Story: 1 focuses on a militia unit fending off an enemy invasion, while 4 focuses on an elite team heading an operation to end the entire war. I found the increase in scope in 4 to be a lot more epic, but this is just personal preference. Both games have their share of levity, but aren't afraid to get very heavy when the story calls for it. I'd say 4 gets a bit heavier in some areas that I'd rather not spoil, but one scene in particular absolutely shocked me.

One thing I'd detract from 4 is that there's a true/extended ending that requires a few hours of post-game content to unlock...though it's not a huge deal either.

Romance (yeah I gotta add this): 4 handled the romantic relationships a lot better overall. Not to say I didn't like Welkin/Alicia, but Claude/Riley had a lot more development, and their dynamic was a lot more fun and heartwarming. The side pairings also felt natural and not just tacked on at the last minute.

Gameplay: Both are awesome. 4 introduces a new combat class, grenadier/mortar technician, that essentially functions like a sniper with explosives. 4 also doesn't force you to use a Lancer this time for the CP boost, and the game introduces a few new features, namely Commanding and the APC, to add a new layer of strategy to the gameplay. It also makes mission rushing a bit easier...which can be a good or a bad thing depending on what you want from the game.

Content: It took me about 55 hours to finish 4, and 30 hours to finish 1, so definitely a win for 4 here. The story missions are a lot meatier, and 4 also adds more side missions to play in the middle, so you'll get more bang for your buck here.

Aesthetic: Again, both are awesome, really cool visuals with a storybook style. However, the two games also look really similar, despite a 10 year difference between them...so maybe this is an edge for 1. 

Overall, I loved both games, but 4 is definitely the one I prefer. Still...if you're new to the series, you can't go wrong with playing either game, as the stories run in parallel so your enjoyment isn't really impacted by playing one over the other.

Great thread by the way!

Last edited by Super_Boom - on 26 November 2018