I’d like to tell you about another Japanese game that’s been in heavy rotation on the house PS3 this week: Valkyria Chronicles, due out in the U.S. this fall.

Valkyria Chronicles is a strategy game takes place in a fictional universe where most of the technology is at WWII levels but with a bit of fantasy supertech thrown in. You command a squad of soldiers fighting off an invasion from a neighboring country.

The first thing you’ll notice about Valkyria Chronicles is how utterly gorgeous it is. The game’s rendering system can turn character models into ink and watercolor drawings of various detail, most noticable when the view zooms from an overhead parchment-colored map down into a live over-the-shoulder view of a character with no transition.

As for the art itself, it’s an appealing mix of mid-century European fashion with a dash of alternate-history fantasy. Character designs are clean but distinctive, and they wouldn’t look out of place in 1942 Holland, save for their anti-tank rocket lances and propensity to occasionally glow blue and start hurling bolts of plasma around. Their personalities are refreshingly likable, a nice change from the whiny emo bastards that are the staple of most JRPGs.

The game’s combat system is an interesting take on the turn-based tactical genre, playing out in a quasi-real-time. As the commander, you have a certain number of command points to spend. Each point can be used to move a character around the battlefield, position them and take a shot with their weapon. Although each character moves one at a time, characters get a chance to return fire if fired upon, and more importantly, will fire at any enemy crossing their field of vision. This encourages you to employ solid mixed-unit tactics instead of ordering your people to go Rambo. There’s no grid or anything, and your units take their cover where they can find it on the 3D map.

Speaking of mixed units, the blue tank that appears in Valkyria Chronicles‘s trailers is definititely the star of the show, visually and gameplay-wise. Besides using it for artillery punch, your squad will use it as mobile cover, and much of their time will be spent clearing its path of howitzer emplacements and mines and protecting it from antitank units.

Each of the units you can draft has their own unique character design and personality quirks that come into play on the battlefield. For instance, one character might dislike the smell of machinery, and have their stats drop when they’re around mechanized units. However, that same character might be comfortable in the outdoors, and get a stat boost when fighting from grassy cover. If you pay attention, you’ll even see some characters from Skies of Arcadia in your unit roster.

Be warned, however, that this is not for twitch gamers, despite the game’s use of first-person aiming and shooting. Some missions will throw seemingly impossible odds at you, which it’s up to you to overcome with superior strategy. One mission in particular pits that you against a giant supertank with several “You’ve got to be kidding me” scripted events that up the odds against you even further.

Still, for those who can handle a little strategic thinking, Valkyria Chronicles is a blast to play. I look forward to it’s English release so I can enjoy it without a translating roommate standing over my shoulder.

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