Ok I'll give my most COMPLETE impression of this game since I've played this game well over 150 hours, enjoyed it every minute I played, and wrote a S-Rank guide on Gamefaqs covering 90% of the battle (besides 7 of the EX-Hard mode Skirmishes, and the last of the mission of the enemy side DLC).
Story: if you compare this to the Japanese RPG genre, there really ISN'T ANYTHING that's out of the ordinary, even the theme of war is completely utterly tried, and used in almost every single Japanese S-RPG to date. Although the story has its cliche, has its formula, it's NOT BORING, it's NOT DRAGGED-OUT, it's PERFECTLY COMPREHENSIBLE. The story makes sense. The ending makes sense. There is no mystery here. It doesn't leave you wondering about this or that in this game. The story characters are all well-developed, each of them also gets their own battle.
Story-Gameplay: I think this game NEEDS a section like this... IN a traditional sRPG who or what the character is in the story is really not relevant in a battle, especailly for those "Generic" who all have the same face, and doesnt' even get a line outside of the battle shout. Well in VC, EVERY SINGLE recruitable more than 30+ gets their own profile, and interact with the main characters in battle, as well as with EACH OTHER.
Each character have their own trait, prefrences, likes, dislikees, nuisance, whatever. They ALL have a role in battle. A person who has pollen allergy isn't going to like trees and farm enviroment much is it? Thus his/her stats gets impaired. On the other hand, someone who hates the enemy isn't just going to act out the same way as someone who has a neutral feeling for the other side. Thus he will try to do more damage to the enemy. Not only that, there is a friendship/buddy system in this game. If you are with a buddy, obviously you do things better in general? What if you buddy is wounded, you are worried of course, and you'll be frantically searching for a medic to take care of him/her. All of this comes into play either in conversation during the battle, or bonuses or penalties in battle. It's very enjoyable and makes the "team" work aspect much stronger.
Gameplay: in all honesty, how many games has revolutionized their respective genre??? Zelda after 10 years still play on the same concept. Final Fantasy after 12 alliteration STILL plays the same way. Every single Japanese S-RPG has almost look and play the same since the PS2.
Valkyria Chronicles not only revolutionized its own genre, it has shown the world that the same old jSRPG aren't all about the grid, the magic, the sword, or the passive turns. Not only VC has revolutionize the genre with its new mechanic, SEGA has implemented it SO WELL, that there is HARDLY ANY FLAWS at all, as if this style of gameplay has been around for years. S-RPG veteran that has never touch a shooter before will find this game familiar and very accessible and easy to learn. Shooter fans will not find this game stale with the turn base stuff while you take your infinite time to make your move.
The merit of such streamlined and easy to learn system is also one of its flaw for those hard core fans who would opt for more deep customization and grinding and such. Once you learn the hang of it, the system is very intuitive only with minor nuisance.
The battle on a whole plays out like a traditional SRPG. You take your turn, enemy takes their. In each of players/enemy's turn, you have Command Points (CP) in which you spend to move each of your units, and vehicles. Your units costs 1, your vehicle costs 2. When you have spend your CP by selecting that particular subject, you are entitled to freely move-about the environment while expending that subject's AP (Action Point). Until the AP is completely depleted, you may move. While moving, there are interactive actions you can take such as climb ladder, or duck behind cover such as trenches and sand-bags. You are also entitled to one action on the character either attacking, or healing, or their own special abilities.
This may sound boring, but once you actually play it, it is a very engaging system. It's a S-RPG that you've never played, or have ever dreamed of playing. VC takes NIS's no grid SRPG system to a whole new level.
Sound: sound is very subjective, and I'll not say much. I can say that the music doesn't feel out of place at all, and fits the game very well. Gun fire sound, and explosion sounds realistically enough as you'd expect from a Japanese RPG.
Graphic: this runs on the SEGA's in house engine CANVAS. It's water-colored pencil sketch. The Physic engine (to those hard core gamers who are into these sort of stuff) uses Nvidia's Physics X engine, which I dont' think ANYONE can argue, is one of the most detailed physics you've EVER seen used in a Japanese S-RPG or ANY Japanese RPG. I can't really describe it in words, you just have to see it yourself, bodies slides down stairs, rolls over, legs bend etc. Now, while 3D jSRPG is not a totally virgin territory, but none has really came close to their true jRPG cousins. However, VC is going to disagree. Not only the characters are fully 3D, the quality of the 3D models is something you don't think would ever come to jSRPG genre. For comparison sake, the graphic is similar to the new Nartuo fighting game on the new gen consoles, but softer because it's not cell-shading but using CANVAS system which give it a water-color feel. If you are concerned about Cell-shading graphic's jaggy, you will SEE NONE in this game unless you put your eyes next to your TV, in which you are looking at your TV pixels.
Value/Difficulty: The game is not very difficult at all. It's completely beatable for an average jRPG gamer who only plays main-stream jRPG, without ever looking at a guide. For those more hard-core players, the Ranking system will keep you busy as you try to figure out the fastest possible way to accomplish your goal. The Hard mode skirmishes are harder than the few last battles of the main story mode, so you can look forward to that.
For those hard-core gamer familiar with traditional sRPG, equipment, level, and all that bells and whistles are one of the golden rules in sRPG. Who needs any STRATEGY in Disgaea? Just grind a majinn and give him a a couple dozen transmigration he'll kill every single enemy in the game in a few hits. FFT? T.G. Cid. Need I say more? VC is very different: equipment and level will help you but it will not make you overpowering; For those who dislike grinding, rest assured. VC has the most painless character development system I've played in sRPG. Couple with the fact that you are capped at level 20, and the last few difficult mission will give you a fair amount of challenge, and needless to say, the Hard mode skirmishes will give you the "Umph" in the difficulty department. Hard mode made gave you a slight jolt? Then there is EX-Hard mode (Available in JPN now, early next year in other territory).
My impression of EX-Hard at first glance (for someone who wrote a guide on the game) was "Wow, what just happened?" On my first try on the first mission, I studied the tactical map for a few minutes and already noticed what disadvantage I am under, and what I should probably do. So I decided I am going to move my strongest armor character to test the water. I moved Largo (the story Lancer) and 2 seconds later, some BAM BAM BAM GUNFIRE, Largo is biting the dust. So, needless to say, EX-Hard is not for the feint of heart. Not only you are given strategic disadvantages, but the enemies are MUCH stronger than ANYTHING you've encountered so far. Enemy scouts hurts like Shock Troopers, and Shock Troopers hurts like tanks, and the tanks well... hurts like a warship.
However, since I've taken on the challenge and manage to S-Rank them, the mission are VERY POSSIBLE, and the player just have to think out and plan every move carefully. The player have to calculate their moves, but not like "Level, Odd Number, Holy, bam done" fashion :P (puns intended).
As for replay values, for those average gamer who like the game enough, you can restart from the beginning with all your stuff carried over besides your recruited character which you'll be able to recruit as you progress. However, levels and everything else are kept. So far, there are 2 extra DLC episodes that ties in nicely with the game. One is the Idy Squad Operation, which features Idy (a very Japanese stereotype Tsundere Shock Trooper who has gotten some fan base in Japan) as the main character. This has one battle. The other episode features 3 main mission, 1 unlockable feature for your main game, and 1 "secret" mission which you'll be able to use *SPOILER WARNING READ BOTTOM OF POST*. This 4 battle will be an episode in which you are exploring one of the MAJOR enemy commander more deeply playing from her side of the view.
I think I've given this game a very detailed impression, and I hope you'll soon pick this game up, and not miss one of the best Japanese role-playing game of this current generation. 9.5/10. (I dont' give perfect 10s, there just isn't a perfect game imo...)
(SPOILER, in the latest DLC 10/30/08 in Japan, you will be playing as Selvaria, the enemy Valkyrie. You will be able to unlock uber machine-gun the Ruhm for use on your shock trooper in the main story. The secret mission will allow you to play in Valkyrie form.)
