Valkyria Chronicles 4 Complete Edition

Since 2008, this series has given players a glimpse into the lives of soldiers through the lens of an epic World War II-inspired battle between various factions over the fate of the fictional nation of Europa. Valkyria Chronicles 4 Complete Edition shows this war from the perspective of a different faction and through the eyes of a young officer determined to lead his platoon of misfits to victory against the tyrannical forces of the Imperial Alliance. The costs of war are also emphasized by the game's use of permadeath for characters. If a unit in the player's squad is downed and not rescued within a certain time, that character is permanently lost for the rest of the campaign. There are also unavoidable losses in the game's story to help drive home the inevitable risk and high personal toll that war often demands.

While the game does a good job of crafting a story filled with themes of honor, sacrifice, and friendship forged in the fires of war, the cutscenes and dialogue can tend to be a bit heavy handed and drag on longer than necessary. Players might get a little impatient while waiting to get back into the action of battle. Thankfully, the gameplay makes the wait worth the wait. Rather than fighting in grand scale battles, players command Squad E in smaller skirmishes. This not only gives players a more personal connection to the units, but also makes the battles more manageable. Moving from the tactical map to a unit's point of view help to ensure that orders are carried out in the best possible way. Movements and action are fluid and showcase the importance of things like positioning. One minor frustration is that sometimes what might look like actual cover for a unit isn't anything more than set dressing. It's never a good thing to think you're safe behind what you think is a barricade only to have enemy gunfire show just how wrong you were. Still, with practice and experience, it's not long before players can have a firm grasp of command on the battlefield.