Check it out, the first episode, fully subbed:

http://kotaku.com/5204654/watch-valkyri … -right-now

Nice, a good watch, although the ED song had me scratching my head and wondering WTF 

i think marina can learn that reload skill later in the game and some other sniper too. i've always played with at least one sniper in my team. good times.

Fans of the first might find this interesting and hope it happens!

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/04/12/valky … -a-sequel/

Anyone else seriously looking forward to this?

http://kotaku.com/5174392/valkyria-chro … e-art-book

Since missing out on that On The Gallian Front preorder bonus, this appears to be the next best thing.  Nay, even better. 

The official Japanese site still states late April, but I haven't heard anything else about it.

I would love to get my hands on that art book, hopefully Play-asia has it.

Anyone getting the DLC?  I bought all 3 packs at $4.99 a piece (bringing the grand total I've spent on this game to roughly $150 -> OST, game at full MSRP and @ Gamedays sale, and DLC) and I'm probably going to hold off on them for awhile.  I'm knee-deep in Demon's Souls and would hate to break the hold that one's got on me.

I'm thinking about getting Demon's Soul myself (I talked to you about it last night, I believe) on PSN. Play Asia has the Asian version (that has English text) but it's on backorder.

As for me, I also got the DLC but I won't touch it until I beat the game proper, which might be a while. From what I've heard people say about it, Edy's mission is TOUGH, real tough, but I'd need someone who has played it here to verify...

Man, I keep hearing really positive things about this game.
I also hear it's annoyingly hard though.

How are you liking it so far, allyourbaseare?

I haven't played a video game in several weeks now. Just haven't felt like it... but tomorrow, I think I'm going to put Valkyria Chronicles in the 'ole PS3 and see if I can get sucked back in. I figure, if any game could do it, it's this one...

I grabbed all the DLC last week. I've only tried Edy's mission for a brief spell...and yeah, it's reasonably challenging. Also, according to the official Sega Blog, the outcome is different depending on how well you performed. So I'm assuming that means the post mission banter will be different depending on your grade.

I'm also looking forward to the artbook especially since I missed out on the pre-order artbook.

Oh yeah, has anyone watched the anime yet? The first two episodes have been fan subbed, I think.

Looks like the game's picking back up in popularity.  Check out the awesome Selvaria poster, too!

http://blogs.sega.com/usa/2009/04/20/va … -in-japan/

Looks like waiting to release DLC improvements until the initial purchases have worn off is a way to revive and extend a title's headline abilities by getting it additional press.

Seems the art book has now been pushed back to June.  Tsk.... well, good things come to those who wait, right?

By the way, the subbed version of the anime's episode 2, in case you missed it. 

And I'm just about ready to take on the infamously dreaded Chapter 7.  I believe an avatar change is in order, because it's GO TIME.  Wish me luck!

Good luck Angela!!  Remember, the Eidelweiss is your friend.

Well, it was a long time in coming.  It took close to an all-nighter (as well as a fair number of failed attempts), but it's done.  Chapter 7 is complete!

Before that, though, I've learned the importance of Engineers in Chapter 5.  Their tank fixing and mine disarming abilities proved invaluable.  (And now Squad 7's got their newest member....... Hans!  Moink-moink!)  Chapter 6 was pretty enjoyable from a sniper's point of view, though things started to get hairy when the...... sandstorm started.  That's when the ground troops again came into their own.

Now, Chapter 7.  The gravity of the situation was immediately made clear in the opening cutscenes -- and drove the point home that this was going to be one crazy-ass tough fight.  This mission has made me come to realize how the game can utterly screw you when it comes to its ever-fluctuating sets of criteria.  From having to take out...... the Batomy's turrets, blowing out the surrounding ruins, destroying the heat sink radiators, and getting the frack away from Selvaria's destructive wake (I love you, Edelweiss - really, I do), this was the first time I truly had to abuse the Save/Load feature to compensate for my strategy swapping.  On top of that, it was just the grueling endurance of the battle itself that really wore me out.  Varrot's command, "Just relax and get it done," was a mantra I constantly had to repeat to myself.

The best part of this chapter was the turning point on my feelings of the soundtrack.  With the dueling themes "Decisive Battle" and "Resistance", the score has turned from a good Sakimoto soundtrack to an utterly fantastic one.  Is it just me, though, or do both tracks exhibit qualities from John Williams and Danny Elfman?  (If Resistance doesn't remind anyone of Batman.....)

Finally.... I'm sorry, Squad 7, but I'm hanging up my avatar.  You don't witness the power of the Valkyrur firsthand, and not come out unscathed.  I want that power for my own, and that's why I've chosen to defect.

Haha, congrats!  I think the most frustrating thing on that map for me was having the lancers MISS THEIR DAMNED TARGETS.  XD  Have fun with the rest of the story!

Everyone.... wait for it...

Famitsu scan

*ahem*

VALKYRIA CHRONICLES 2 for the PSP!!!!  OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG.   If I didn't already own a psp, this would be the title to make me purchase one.  I'm so excited (if you couldn't tell)!!

Total sweetness.  The scan states the year "1937", so it looks like they're aiming for a direct continuation from the first game.  What do you think of the new art style?  I may still need to warm up to it, but on first blush, it's quite a bit more generic looking - certainly lacking that VC touch that makes the first game so distinctive.

Speaking of, where on earth is that art book already??

No sir, I don't like it. In addition to the run-of-the-mill factor,

A, why does the medic look like she's in a Japanese school uniform,
and B, why does Selvaria have BUNNY EARS?

The art style is somewhat of a disappointment. What can you expect?  Sega wanted this to be a series, and that's what we've got now.  I'm not expecting the second one to be as good as the first, but I'm just happy we're getting another one.  If VC2 can maintain the great gameplay, music and story that made the first one so captivating, then we've got nothing to worry about. 

If Hitoshi Sakimoto is brought back, I'm going to have to invest in a good pair of headphones as his music would be utterly demolished through the psp's little speakers.

On another note, I just got in some VC gashapon!  They sit proudly next to the soundtrack, promo art book (yay!) and sealed game.  :3  Now I'm just waiting for the full art-book like Angie.

too bad its not on PS3 anymore, i guess we won't see many SRPGs in HD fo the next years.

i can get used to the art as long as they dont ruin the gameplay. im basically happy to get another VC.

Or JRPGs, for that matter. This isn't surprising. It costs so much to make a current-generation console game that companies are running for the portables instead.

I don't have a PSP and as such, I'm disappointed that VC2 will be on the PSP. But maybe I should beat VC first.

This definitely motivates me to finish VC (I just had too many games to play!). I'm on mission 6 now I believe. It's a deserty area...might be mission 7...

The phrase "like rats from a sinking ship" comes to mind.  Every time I'm on the verge of finally breaking down and getting a PS3, something happens that makes me even more unsure of its future.

(would still make it much, much easier if they hadn't yanked backwards compatibility >:()

So I just grabbed my third copy of this game. 0_o  My wife's little brother just got a PS3 for his graduation present and what better game to go with it?

One of the things that I initially liked about my wife was her love of Chrono Trigger.  She and I could converse for hours about just what made the game great.  One of her favorite things was the soundtrack.  That was just one, though.  She explained to me about how everything just came together so perfectly and created a masterpiece of a game.  Couldn't agree more!  What's also great is just how well everything could hold up on its own.  The OST is a great listen by itself. 

I kept saying that she should play it again just to experience it anew.  For years she said it wouldn't be as good and that she probalby won't play it again just because she didn't want to mar her experience and feelings about the game.  I guess I can understand that as a second play-through has you looking at the game from a different perspective and how things could have been better, or what glitches there are.

I bring this up because we were talking about Valkyria Chronicles and how excited I was for the sequel on the psp.  She said that I should play it again then it hit me.  Her love of Chrono Trigger and not wanting to change her feelings of bliss is how I feel about Valkyria Chronicles.  It was/is the perfect game to me.  Not necessarily greater than the sum of all its parts, but equally excellent on all accounts.  Now, I completely understand why she wouldn't want to play through it again, but be perfectly satisfied reminiscing about that first fight with Magus, or when Crono sacrificed himself to save his friends. 

Thank you Valkyria Chronicles.  Thank you Sega.  Now please don't f--- up the sequel.

I'll let someone more worthy start up an official thread (yes, I still haven't proceeded past Chapter 7 yet), but these clips of Valkyria Chronicles 2 in motion show that the PSP is definitely up to snuff.  I mean, wow, does it look good:

http://kotaku.com/5357013/valkyria-chro … nto-battle

Dayum those vids look sweet!  Better looking that Crisis Core!

Everyone who owns a PS3 might want to check their nearest Wal-Mart, as Valkyria Chronicles dropped to $19.96.  HOLY f---ing SHIT, $19.96?!

Hot DAMN!  US release confirmed!!!

Some Old Friends Return In VC2:
http://kotaku.com/5402887/some-old-frie … ronicles-2

*waves the Welkin & Alicia flag*

think i'll have to visit my bakery tomorrow.

The much-awaited art book is available for pre-order at Play Asia! 

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-lz- … -3ohm.html.  Looks like it'll be a hefty $81.  Oh well!

Yep, I also gave a heads-up in the art book thread.  The high cost is a bit offputting, even for a generously hefty 400 pages.  All the same, it'd probably be best to get it now before rarity sets in, and then the cost reaches into the hundreds. 

I wonder if it's going to cover designs from the sequel?  Seeing as how the game comes out the same day as the book, there's a high probability.

And congrats, Dustin, for being the 100th poster in this thread.  Who more deserving?